A Bookish Stay in Bath
I absolutely love visiting Bath, and recently this summer, I spent a few days there with family. Bath is a fascinating and beautiful city with a history stretching back to pre-Roman times, and there is so much to see and do, particularly for book-lovers like myself. Here I wanted to just talk a little about some favourite spots I love going back to every time I'm in the area. You'll see me post regularly about my trips to Bath as I explore this beautiful place more and more. I'm looking forward to heading back again before Christmas, when I'm sure I'll have more to update you on!
Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath
Topping is a wonderful bustling independent bookshop with floor to ceiling shelves stacked high with publications, with ladders that'll remind you of the library in Beauty and the Beast! The store has a great deal of character and staff who are friendly and helpful. I particularly love browsing in here as it has such a great atmosphere and a huge choice of books! They also stock a lot of signed and first edition copies, which can often be hard to find in other bookstores. Every year I visit Bath just before Christmas, and this warmly lit and cosy bookshop always offers a welcome refuge from the city’s cold snap. The booksellers always offer up a complimentary cup of tea or coffee while you browse. I just love it here and honestly feel no trip to Bath is complete without a visit to Topping & Co. This is the perfect bookish retreat away from the outside world, with beautiful interiors and more books than you could ever possibly hope to get through!
The Holburne Museum
The Holburne Museum was another spot we really enjoyed visiting again. Whilst the museum might not be huge, it features lots of fine and decorative arts, all part of Sir William Holburne’s extensive collection. The staff are friendly and helpful, and the place has a very welcoming feel as soon as you step inside. The museum itself sits right in the heart of the Sydney Pleasure Gardens, which are basically right in the centre of Bath, very beautiful, and definitely worth a walk around on a sunny afternoon.
I also highly recommend a visit to the Garden Café on site at the museum, which serves great coffee and other bits.
A relaxed couple of hours here allowed us to get a feel for the place and enjoy most of the exhibitions on display, stopping for lattes in the garden afterwards.
No 4, Sydney House
Just around the corner from The Holburne Museum, sits one of several places in Bath where Jane Austen once lived. Residing there with her parents, the Reverend and Mrs Austen as well as her sister, Cassandra, this was her first home in the city. It is said that she was happiest in this home, which was then on the outskirts of Bath.
The house overlooks the Sydney Gardens, which is perhaps why Jane Austen had such a fondness for the place. The whole family enjoyed being near to the open countryside in this house. There is a plaque outside the building to acknowledge No 4 Sydney House as the Austens’ home from 1801 to 1805, and I just couldn’t resist getting a photo like a true tourist!
The Roman Baths
No trip to Bath is really complete without a visit to The Roman Baths, and we were lucky enough to see it during one of the summer torchlit evenings, which added even more atmosphere and intrigue to the experience.
The Roman Baths is considered one of the finest historic sites in Northen Europe, and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the U.K. There is so much to see and do that I would really recommend allowing plenty of time to really get your money’s worth and enjoy the various displays throughout the site. There is so much more than just the Roman Baths themselves, and the shop stays open late on the torchlit summer evenings too, featuring a wide range of books and more.
The torchlit summer evenings run from 17th June up until 31st August, allowing you to visit up until 9pm. The site is open until 10.00pm every evening from 17 June to 31 August (last entry 9pm). As darkness falls, the ruins of this vast Roman building are an awesome sight. By the light of flickering torches, you can walk on 2000 year old pavements, providing a wonderful atmosphere. With its steaming waters and Roman artefacts this was probably my favourite evening from our recent trip, and the baths are especially impressive lit by torchlight. It was also much quieter visiting during the evening, so felt more relaxed and easier to take everything in at your own pace.
Topping is a wonderful bustling independent bookshop with floor to ceiling shelves stacked high with publications, with ladders that'll remind you of the library in Beauty and the Beast! The store has a great deal of character and staff who are friendly and helpful. I particularly love browsing in here as it has such a great atmosphere and a huge choice of books! They also stock a lot of signed and first edition copies, which can often be hard to find in other bookstores. Every year I visit Bath just before Christmas, and this warmly lit and cosy bookshop always offers a welcome refuge from the city’s cold snap. The booksellers always offer up a complimentary cup of tea or coffee while you browse. I just love it here and honestly feel no trip to Bath is complete without a visit to Topping & Co. This is the perfect bookish retreat away from the outside world, with beautiful interiors and more books than you could ever possibly hope to get through!
The Holburne Museum
The Holburne Museum was another spot we really enjoyed visiting again. Whilst the museum might not be huge, it features lots of fine and decorative arts, all part of Sir William Holburne’s extensive collection. The staff are friendly and helpful, and the place has a very welcoming feel as soon as you step inside. The museum itself sits right in the heart of the Sydney Pleasure Gardens, which are basically right in the centre of Bath, very beautiful, and definitely worth a walk around on a sunny afternoon.
I also highly recommend a visit to the Garden Café on site at the museum, which serves great coffee and other bits.
A relaxed couple of hours here allowed us to get a feel for the place and enjoy most of the exhibitions on display, stopping for lattes in the garden afterwards.
No 4, Sydney House
Just around the corner from The Holburne Museum, sits one of several places in Bath where Jane Austen once lived. Residing there with her parents, the Reverend and Mrs Austen as well as her sister, Cassandra, this was her first home in the city. It is said that she was happiest in this home, which was then on the outskirts of Bath.
The house overlooks the Sydney Gardens, which is perhaps why Jane Austen had such a fondness for the place. The whole family enjoyed being near to the open countryside in this house. There is a plaque outside the building to acknowledge No 4 Sydney House as the Austens’ home from 1801 to 1805, and I just couldn’t resist getting a photo like a true tourist!
The Roman Baths
No trip to Bath is really complete without a visit to The Roman Baths, and we were lucky enough to see it during one of the summer torchlit evenings, which added even more atmosphere and intrigue to the experience.
The Roman Baths is considered one of the finest historic sites in Northen Europe, and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the U.K. There is so much to see and do that I would really recommend allowing plenty of time to really get your money’s worth and enjoy the various displays throughout the site. There is so much more than just the Roman Baths themselves, and the shop stays open late on the torchlit summer evenings too, featuring a wide range of books and more.
The torchlit summer evenings run from 17th June up until 31st August, allowing you to visit up until 9pm. The site is open until 10.00pm every evening from 17 June to 31 August (last entry 9pm). As darkness falls, the ruins of this vast Roman building are an awesome sight. By the light of flickering torches, you can walk on 2000 year old pavements, providing a wonderful atmosphere. With its steaming waters and Roman artefacts this was probably my favourite evening from our recent trip, and the baths are especially impressive lit by torchlight. It was also much quieter visiting during the evening, so felt more relaxed and easier to take everything in at your own pace.