Roman Baths |  Royal Crescent |  Pulteney Bridge |  Street Performers |  Dyrham Park | 
Other Suggestions for Things to Do in Bath |  Bristol

Things to Do Bath, Cotswolds & South Gloucestershire

This remarkable, beautiful Georgian city does not rest on its considerable historic laurels, Roman or otherwise. It is a thriving, vibrant and prosperous community today, perhaps more than ever. Throughout the year there is a colourful cascade of festivals: the International Festival of Music, Mozartfest, Fringe Festival, Literature Festival, Film Festival and Guitar Festival to mention just a few. The Theatre Royal offers many pre-West End previews, and there is a vivid culture of live music and entertainment throughout the city.

Roman Baths

The £35 million restoration of Bath's spa, Thermae Bath Spa, is now open and signals the latest chapter in a story that goes back at least 2000 years. The perfect way to unwind after a day's sightseeing, shopping or attending a conference at one of Bath's historic venues.

The Romans arrived in Britain in the 1st century AD and quickly recognised the unique potential of Bath's hot springs. A visit to the Roman Baths, among the finest Roman remains in Europe, provides abundant evidence of the health, leisure and spiritual activities they enjoyed here.

Royal Crescent

This small section of the city's centre has seen history made more than once. Almost next door, for instance, on the site of the magnificent 15th-century Bath Abbey, King Edgar, first monarch of all England, was crowned over 1000 years ago.

Moving on to Bath's Golden Age, the Georgian era, there are enough world-class architectural treasures within ten minutes' walk to keep the most avid enthusiast captivated for days on end. The Circus, by John Wood the Elder, and the Royal Crescent, his son's masterpiece, The Pump Room and Pulteney Bridge, for example, are all ranked among the best in the world.

Pulteney Bridge

Lovers of art, culture and history can indulge themselves in no less than 18 museums and galleries, covering such themes as astronomy, architecture, photography, costume, Far Eastern art, industrial heritage, American history, Jane Austen, sculpture, antiquarian books and Old Masters.

Bath is renowned for the quality and variety of its independent shops, and after sampling its broad range of fashion, art, antiques and crafts, sustenance is readily available in over 150 eating houses and traditional pubs.

Street Performers

Lovers of the outdoors will delight in the spectacular floral displays of the city's many parks and gardens. Those who wish to travel further afield will also find Bath a convenient base from which to explore the Cotswolds, the Mendips - both designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - and the many historic villages and valleys of undiscovered north-east Somerset. The recently opened Radstock Museum brings alive the fascinating social and industrial heritage of this little-known yet intriguing area.

Wells, Glastonbury, Bristol, Stonehenge, Avebury, Longleat and National Trust properties at Prior Park, Dyrham Park and Stourhead are some of the many notable destinations within a short drive of the city.

Dyrham Park

Finally, not only are so many of Bath's own wealth of attractions easily reached on foot, walking enthusiasts will doubtless be delighted to learn that the area has a great deal more to offer them. From scenic strolls along the River Avon or the Kennet and Avon Canal to more ambitious adventures along the Cotswold Way, the views and surroundings in the vicinity are truly inspiring.

The small towns and villages that lie between Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon are still the focus of activity in the Cotswolds. Many of them have become known throughout the world for their mellow stone buildings, village greens and medieval market places.

Moreton-in-Marsh is a spacious market town, dating back to 13th Century, which still holds and open air market every week. Bourton-on-the-Water is one of the most popular destinations with its quaint, low bridges over the River Windrush and charming shops and tea rooms.

Cirencester is one of the largest towns in the Cotswolds with a fascinating history that dates back to the Romans when it was a regional capital. Serious shoppers will also be impressed with the Regency splendour of Cheltenham, a 19th century spa town that boasts beautiful gardens, graceful architecture and good shopping.

For those who want to buy a piece of the past, the Cotswolds is also unrivalled for antiques. Towns such as Stow-on-the-Wold and Tetbury have the largest concentration of antique shops outside London.

Other Suggestions for Things to Do in Bath

Take in one of the free walking tours offered daily by the Mayor's Honorary Guides. Or why not try an open-top bus tour? Departing at 15-minute intervals throughout the day, hop on and hop off to discover Bath at its best.

Try one of Bath's special walking tours, such as 'Bizarre Bath', which runs from March to October each year, the Comedy Walk - with a ten-year history - uses Bath as a backdrop and combines comedy and street theatre for an evening's entertainment unlike anything else in the world, or a Ghost Walk.

Visit the theatre at Bath's Theatre Royal.

Back a winner at one of Bath Racecourse's meetings or stay on for the weekend rugby at the Rec - home to Bath Rugby, right in the heart of the city.

For further information or ideas on things to do or see, go to www.visitbath.co.uk.

Bristol

Bristol is a city that skilfully merges its present and its past. It's been a port for 1000 years, and Bristol certainly has nautical rhythms in its blood. But alongside the echoes of seafarers past are the sounds of a young city - the bands and bars, the clubs and cafes. It's hip and historic, dynamic yet laid back. And running through it all is a sense of adventure and a taste for the unconventional.

Whatever kind of visit you're planning - whether it's a romantic weekend for two, a fun-packed family holiday, or even a full-blown shopping trip - Bristol has it all.

Centre of Culture
Bristol is exciting and unconventional but with a touch of tradition. It's arty, amusing and animated, with a ceaseless spirit of adventure. Wallace and Gromit, Massive Attack and Portishead, Bristol Blue Glass and Smiles Beer all belong here, and it's home to some of the finest work of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Museums, shopping, nightlife and the arts combine in Bristol to create a place quite unlike any other. Festivals, celebrating everything from film, music and dance to hot-air ballooning, harbour life and wildlife showcase a rapidly evolving cultural scene.

Boats on the Waterfront
Bristol's nightlife is hard to beat - nightclubbers, art lovers and concert and theatre-goers will be spoilt for choice. Exhibitions at the fashionable Watershed Media Centre, innovative performance art at the Tobacco Factory and West End musicals at the Bristol Hippodrome should be on any short-break itinerary. Don't miss Bristol's latest cultural attraction - the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum - which opened in 2003 to rave reviews.

In the last decade, Bristol has renewed its links with the sea in a way that has revitalised the whole city. The city's Harbourside is now lined with attractions, boats, restaurants and museums. Old warehouses have been born again as trendy bistros, wine bars and arts centres, and imaginative new visitor attractions have brought more life to the waterfront.

River Taxi on the Quayside
Landscaping and pedestrian areas make it a pleasant walk from the city centre down to the harbour, and visitors flock to enjoy the excellent restaurants, the Watershed Media Centre's cutting-edge culture, the fascinating and futuristic At-Bristol and to catch a glimpse of the Bristol of yesterday on a historic harbour boat trip. SS Great Britain, The Matthew and the Bristol Industrial Museum, all on the quayside, celebrate the achievements of Bristol's pioneering seafarers and industrial barons. Water sports enthusiasts can also row, windsurf, sail, canoe or waterski on the harbour.

Historic Houses and Gardens
In and around Bristol, medieval castles and grand houses reveal a glimpse into a vanished age. Gardens and arboretums create visual delight, too.

The city's riches include the Red Lodge, with an Elizabethan-style knot garden and the last surviving suite of 16th-century rooms, and the Georgian House, home of a wealthy 18th-century sugar merchant. Further out is Blaise Castle, a fine 18th-century house set in beautiful parklands, and Berkeley Castle, a romantic medieval castle surrounded by Elizabethan terraced gardens. Thornbury Castle, just to the north of the city, is a superb 500-year-old Tudor castle, now a luxury hotel, and Tyntesfield, a unique Victorian house and estate at Wraxall, is the subject of the National Trust's latest rescue mission and a 'must see'.

City in Bloom
Horticultural gems include Bristol's Botanic Garden, hidden away near the Avon Gorge, and the National Arboretum at Westonbirt near Tetbury, a place of captivating beauty.

For further information or ideas on things to do or see, go to www.visitbristol.co.uk.