Hi guys, welcome to another episode of Ultimate Bucket List, and this is your complete guide to
the city of Bath. Where to eat, what to do, how to hang out in the rooftop pool,
and how to have the best time of your life in one of the most historic cities on earth.
England is full of ancient Roman cities;
Londinium, Mammucium, Eboracum. But there's one place that's significantly unique to the others.
That place is Aquae Sulis. Otherwise known as the modern day city of Bath. One of the most
historic cities here in England, is because of the naturally heated thermal spring that happens
to be slap bang in the middle of the city. And when you step foot into the city of Bath,
the history and culture oozes immediately from its walls. It's located right on the River Avon.
On a nice day like today, it's nice to just walk around and enjoy the lovely scenery along the
river. It's an idyllic location in the heart of rural Somerset. And even though this looks
like a tiny village in the middle of the sticks this is actually a UNESCO world heritage site.
If you've got a bit of spare time walk along the river and the canals
and just take in the breath-taking scenery.
The first place I recommend that you stop off at, is the City of Bath World Heritage Centre. You can
learn about the city and its UNESCO world heritage status, and there are plenty of members of staff
who are willing to help you out by handing you maps and advising you to where to go.
Let's start by visiting the most famous attraction here in the city of Bath, and the entire reason
why this city is here. This is the Roman Baths and the building itself looks quite colossal.
Once you buy your ticket you're given an audio guide which is very helpful in learning about
the history of this place. So, why is this place important? The reason why is because thousands of
years ago the Romans had found that this place has naturally thermally heated water from underground.
So to capitalize on that, they decided to build an entire city around it!
Most of the Roman structure is still intact and when you walk out onto the terrace you can see
this lovely view. It's amazing to think that the Romans thousands of years ago built this
structure around this thermally heated water. Listen to the audio guide as it provides you
some very interesting commentary. But if you're not interested in learning about the history,
you can at least see the funky statues that are dotted all the way around. It makes for some good
photo and video opportunities. The best ones are on this corner here overlooking the Abbey.
If you're not sure how it works, this is basically a diagram indicating what's actually
happening here. And when you look outside to the sacred pool, which no one's allowed to go in,
you can actually see the bubbles rising from the spring of the naturally 46 degrees Celsius
heated water, which is pretty amazing. In fact, I believe that this is the only place
in the country that has it, so yeah fairly unique by English standards.
If you're a bit of a history buff, they've got plenty of exhibits and artefacts for you
to have a look at whilst you're walking around the Baths. And this is how it would have looked
back in the day. One of the interesting things is the original temple pediment. Now this
Zeus-like head - nobody actually knows what this is! But because it's so striking,
it has now become the symbol of the city of Bath. It would have looked amazing back in the day.
Whilst you're here actually, make sure you take the time to have a look at some of these
Roman exhibits. Because some of these are pretty interesting and …. oh hello there! Some of these
are very interesting. From coins and mosaics and dead people, it's all very interesting. Admittedly
if you're not a history buff and you can't be bothered reading; that's what the audio guide
is for. It's amazing to know that all of this was built before the age of modern machinery.
You'll also find people in Roman costumes who are willing to help you out on the day.
There seems to be a lot of projections of half-naked women around here.
I’m certainly not complaining but I think it's for some kind of historical re-enactment?
Easily the best spot to take photos and videos is of the lower level overlooking the Baths
and Bath Abbey in the background. “So the best place to take photos
and videos is right here on the southeast corner overlooking Bath Abbey, so if you want the best
photos and videos - take it from this spot.” I know what you're going to be asking me;
can I touch the water? Can I drink the water? Can I bathe in the water?
Unfortunately no, it's actually very much untreated. You're pretty much going to get
poisoned if you touch or drink the stuff, so please no drinking this water. Not that you
would anyway because it's kind of a rancid shade of green, but yeah don't touch the water guys!
If you're desperate to try some of the water; at the end of the tour there's a fountain that you
can actually drink the natural mineral water that happens to come from underground. What
does this water taste like … oh my god that's disgusting!!! It literally tastes like rust! So
yeah if you don't like tasting rust, don't drink the water here. At the end of the tour is the
Roman Bath shop which will sell you lots of Roman style paraphernalia and stuff so that's good.
Right next door is the other most famous attraction here in Bath. This is Bath Abbey. It's
basically a big giant cathedral. Even if you don't like churches it's a nice place to hang around,
especially when you've got musicians and performers performing in this square here.
But if you don't mind going in, technically it is free of charge to enter.
They suggest a £5 donation at the door, but you honestly don't have to pay that if you don't want
to. It's actually quite nice, it's definitely a lot lighter than quite a lot of the cathedrals
that I tend to visit. The layout is pretty much the same - you've got this bit here, the knave
where all of us commoners sit. And you've got the qwire where all the monks and the priests sit.
There are various offshoots of various other chapels that you can have a private prayer in,
if you want to. But overall, it's actually quite a nice Abbey to visit. The reason why Bath Abbey is
so important, is because it's the first church in the country that coronated a king. So yes,
in the year 973 the first ever King of England was crowned. It is one of the nicer
cathedrals that you'll visit in this country. Right, after a morning of sightseeing it's time
to eat stuff. The building right next door is the Roman Pump House. Originally it used to be the
pump house for the Baths, but nowadays it's this grand ballroom that you can have your dinner in.
You'll need a reservation to eat in this place, but it's actually quite nice. You've got a live
piano player playing on a Steinway, and it's a nice way to enjoy fine British dining.
Along Bath high street you'll find lots of modern eateries, so you'll definitely spoilt
for choice here in the city of Bath. The main high street runs from north to south,
and you won't struggle to find anything here. But whilst you're walking around,
you'll notice the old architecture some really old buildings - all made with this yellowish stone.
This is famous Bath limestone and you'll find that most of the city is constructed with this stuff.
And when you do walk around the city, you'll notice the historic Baths, the Victorian
architecture, mixed with the modern architecture. But overall, it's a very historic place and if you
like all of this old stuff, with the cobbled streets, with the Greek style architecture,
this place is pretty much perfect for you. This wouldn't look out of place in France, in Italy.
It's one of the more picturesque cities here in England. There's plenty of roadside eateries and
cafes for you to waste away the afternoon with. But whilst you're here in the city of Bath
you might want to try the unique food item that you won't find anywhere else in the world. This
unique food item is called the Bath bun. Only two places in the entire city actually do them.
The first is historic Sally Lunn’s. Located in the oldest house in the city of Bath,
Sally Lunn’s is the original purveyor of the Bath bun. Which is basically a very sweet
version of a French brioche bun except that it's a lot lighter it's got a lot less butter,
and it's significantly bigger. You could try one of these right here at Sally
Lunn’s - you might need to book in advance especially if you're going there for dinner.
But as with all establishments there's a rival literally around the corner.
Right here is the Bath Bun Tea House. It's a traditional style tea house that serves their
own version of the Bath bun, so their version is basically a smaller version of a Sally Lunn,
but they put crystallized sugar and fruit on top. If you do eat inside the Bath bun,
you'll come across one of the most quaint tea houses. Very traditional, very 1900s and yes
because you're in a traditional tea house - you have to drink the tea the correct way with your
pinkie up …. Okay, you don't actually have to do that. But you know … when in Rome, I guess?
So what does a Bath bun taste like? Well …. wait what's this?!
They actually bake a lump of sugar into the bread. Huh, that's fairly unique.
If I had to pick between the two - I would pick the Bath bun over the Sally Lunn, but I know a lot
of people would say the complete opposite. So it's definitely worth a try at both establishments.
So once you've had your fill of really really sweet bread, it's now time to walk towards the
northern part of the city. Where you'll find Queen Square, with a somewhat replica Washington State
Monument. You'll need to walk along Gay Street - I’m not kidding it's actually called that.
Where you'll find two significant structures - the Circus which is basically a circle of very
colonial buildings all decked out in this Bath limestone. And whilst it's very nice to look at
and take photos of, I definitely felt a little bit out of place here. Not just because of the shirt
I’m wearing, but because I feel that this place is just inhabited with rich people. That's even more
the case here at the Royal Crescent, which is kind of like a semi-circle of very similar buildings.
And once again it's very nice to look at and there's some people with some very fancy cars
here, but other than taking a few photos and videos there's not really that much here. I mean,
you could go into the Royal Crescent Museum, but to me it felt like just rich people stuff.
Besides there's plenty of other museums here in the north section of Bath. In fact
it's famous for it! Around here you'll find the biggest collection of museums in this city.
The most famous of which, the Assembly Rooms which is a very grand building. Unfortunately
they've closed due to filming because there's lots of people wearing these period costumes,
and lots of TV vans outside. There's the Museum of Bath at Work, I didn't bother doing that one. The
Museum of Bath Architecture which unfortunately was closed, I definitely would have done that
one. I’m glad the Museum of East Asian Art is at least nearby that's one I’m definitely
looking forward to and …. are you kidding me?! That's closed as well?!?! Uuuuurrrrggggghhhhh!
If you're a big fan of Jane Austen, the Jane Austen centre is nearby and later on we'll
show you where she used to live. But having been disappointed at the lack of museums that are open;
I decided to check out this lovely looking church here.
Wait … wait a minute, hang on, have they converted it to a coffee shop?
Seriously you've converted a church into a coffee shop? Oh my goodness ye! This church
is actually a big giant coffee shop now, where you can pray and order a latte at the same time.
Yes I’ll have one cappuccino and one baptismal please. Certainly Sir, that'll be £9.60
It's a pretty quirky place and even if you go in just to take a few photos and videos,
it's actually quite a memorable piece of your trip. Speaking of memorable, let me point you out
to the most famous bridge here in the city. The Pulteney bridge. Now when you're on the bridge,
it looks like any ordinary street. But it's only when you go down the Grand Parade that you'll
notice … hang on a minute, that was a bridge! Yes, this is one of the few inhabited bridges
here in the country. And it's very similar to the Rialto bridge in Venice, and it's a good backdrop
for if you want to take a boat ride down the River Avon. It's a very picturesque location
with the bridge in the background and the Pulteney Weir right here. Hey look,
there's an artist capturing it. Has he done a good job? Yes, I think he has, that's pretty accurate!
Fancy canoeing towards the Weir? Yeah absolutely! If you carry on walking down the Pulteney bridge
you'll come across Great Pulteney Street. It's a very French-style looking boulevard.
The architecture is great, but admittedly not much to do.
There are however some very expensive restaurants on the street, so if money's no object eat here.
But right at the end is the Holburne Museum - a museum dedicated to the history of Bath. But
when I got there, surprise surprise, it had closed for the day. Yay (!)
But the buildings and the grounds are nice. Hey lady, it's closed already. Whilst you're
on Great Pulteney Street you'll come across this unassuming green space. This is the famous Bath
Recreation Ground. It's home to Bath Croquet Club, Bath Cricket Ground … and this stadium right here
which you wouldn't think that is anything special. But this tiny stadium is one of the most iconic
in the country. This is the recreation ground stadium and it's home to Bath Rugby. One of the
oldest clubs in World Rugby, and one of the most successful here in England. It's amazing to think
that one of the world's most famous rugby teams plays out of very basic facilities such as this.
In fact, I think all the stands are temporary. Currently it's the end of the rugby season,
but one day I’ll come back and actually watch a game here at the Recreation Ground Stadium.
But the absolute best thing to do here in the city of Bath, I’ve saved this for last! Let's go back
into the centre of town, and around the corner from the Roman Baths is this place. The Thermae
Bath Spa. Now you can't bathe in the Roman Baths, but this relatively modern facility you can!
You can experience what it's like to bathe in thermally heated waters directly from underground
and this facility - not only does it have an underground pool it also has a rooftop pool.
So you can bathe in thermally heated water overlooking this picturesque city of Bath.
Not only does it have two pools it has a selection of saunas and steam rooms. So if you are stressed,
come here and I guarantee you won't be afterwards. Please note that they employ a strict no mobile
phone and no camera policy. So if you do want to take photos and videos, they won't let you.
It's a little bit on the pricey side, especially seeing as though you only get
two hours in this place. But trust me spend the money, it's worth every single penny!
You'll notice in the city of Bath, there's plenty of massive green spaces that you could just
chillax in. Such as here the Parade Gardens, which unfortunately you have to pay to enter.
But the best place to take in views of the city of Bath is right here in the south side of the city
at Alexandra Park. Now unfortunately it's high on a hill, and you'll need to climb
some significant distance in order to reach it. But when you do the views are simply stunning.
“The views from Bath from up here at Alexandra park are pretty stunning. I mean look at this,
you can actually see the entire city from here. But boy, do they make you work for it!”
There's a couple of things I didn't do such as visit the University of Bath and the American
museum, I would have loved to have done that but by the time I finished this video, everything had
closed for the day. Overall guys, Bath is a place that you want to visit once in your life, not only
to experience the history and the culture, but to bathe in thermal waters, eat tons of sweet bread,
all whilst taking in some of the most incredible sights that you'll find here in England.
Okay Ninh, I’m sold. What do I need to do? Well, you'll need to come here to the city of Bath.
It's very well connected, you can get here by the M5 and M4 motorways.
If you're using public transport the main train station is Bath Spa. There's plenty of buses that
will take you here and the nearest international airports are Birmingham International and Cardiff.
The cost? Bath is a reasonably priced city, however the attractions can be quite pricey.
Especially the Thermae Spa that's easily the most expensive thing you'll do here in
the city of Bath, but trust me spend the money! It's definitely worth it.
As you can imagine from an international city Bath isn't short on places to eat and drink and
the prices are fairly reasonable. Hotels in the city can be quite pricey so if you're on a strict
budget I recommend that you stay outside the city of Bath and use public transportation to get in.
Is there anything else I need to know? Yes, whilst the majority of the city of Bath is flat
everything around it is not. It can get quite hilly in places, and if you're not big on hills
or if you're struggling to walk - going to places such as Alexandra Park can be quite a bad idea.
Also, attractions in Bath are more expensive on weekends than they are on weekdays. So if you're
in Bath on a weekend - expect to pay a little bit more for things like hotels attractions and food.
And you might need to book the attractions in advance especially if you're coming on a weekend.
I visited Bath on a Wednesday - I didn't struggle to get into anywhere but I’ve
heard reports that it's sometimes painful to get into the more popular attractions.
So guys, if you've enjoyed this video please be sure to like share and subscribe.
Comment on the comment section below, and if you've got any other bucket list ideas - you
know what to do tweet them at me. If I get enough of these suggestions I’ll go ahead and do that.
So guys thank you very much for watching and we'll see you in the next episode.
Ninh Ly – www.ninh.co.uk - @NinhLyUK