Bath: The splendours of Georgian England

The warm waters of Bath were already known long before the Romans arrived, but it was they who founded the first spa town, Aquae Sulis. A temple dedicated to Minerva was erected, along with a complex of baths ingeniously designed to take the waters in the best possible conditions.

The Romans, who were experts in this field, did things well: the Great Bath, the main pool, remains the town's main attraction! Bath Abbey was built in the Middle Ages, but it wasn't until the 18th century that the city emerged as a national centre.

The popularity of thermal cures among the English elite brought with it an aristocratic clientele in search of entertainment, whose influence profoundly transformed the city's urban landscape.

Bath boasts prestigious buildings, theatres, museums, cafés and gardens, all forming a remarkable architectural ensemble in the purest Georgian style, emblematic of the splendour of England at the time.

Although the bombings of the Second World War left their mark on some of the buildings, Bath is now the only city in England to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety.

Nestling in the hills of Somerset, Bath is a small, gentle bubble of sophistication untouched by the usual greyness of British cities. Retaining its aristocratic allure, the city seems to be stuck in a time capsule... Today, Bath thrives on its unrivalled architectural beauty and its natural hot springs, which have been exploited since ancient times.

Anyone visiting Bath must visit the Roman Bath, the only natural hot springs in the whole of the UK. The remains of the ancient complex can be seen right in the heart of the city, around the original Great Bath, built by the Romans in the first century. These ancient baths are complemented by the ostentatious Grand Pump Room: built at the very end of the 13th century in neo-classical style, it now houses a top-of-the-range restaurant.

Elsewhere in Bath, you can keep your eyes wide open to admire the boundless finesse and splendour of Georgian England through its architectural style. Emblematic of the genre, the Royal Crescent proudly boasts 30 perfectly symmetrical mansions. N°1 Royal Crescent is open to visitors. Another exceptional residential complex is The Circus. Its diameter is deliberately almost equal to that of Stonehenge, and its shape inspired by the Colosseum in Rome!

Bath also boasts the 'Perfect View' - the one and only in Britain - a row of Georgian houses overlooking the city. Stroll down to Camden Road on a clear day to enjoy this perfect view.

Bath: guided tours and museums

While it's perfectly possible to discover Bath by wandering along its prestigious streets, there are many guided tours available in the city centre.

Make a note in your diary: the City of Bath's Honoray Guides offer free guided tours of the Roman Baths twice a day (approx. 2 hours), at 10.30am and 2pm from Sunday to Friday, and at 10.30am on Saturday. Meet opposite the Pump Room.

Another option is to visit the city's main museums: the Museum of Bath Architecture and the Fashion Museum, to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the 18th century, and the Jane Austen Centre, a must for fans of the author, several of whose novels are set in Georgian Bath.