One of the things that everyone craves at this time of year is a romantic getaway. 

Whether it be abroad or just round the corner, these long winter months really get us yearning to get away from the norm. Sometimes you just need the get up and go book something, even if it’s just for a couple of days! Last week, Chris and I decided to do just that. We originally looked at a city break abroad, but when it started to get a bit too last minute for our liking, we decided to stay in the UK. I’ve been to Bath before, and after falling in love with the city, I couldn’t wait to go back! We stayed for two nights, so I thought I’d give you a little guide of what we did and where we stayed if you’re looking at visiting Bath!

WHAT TO DO

The best way to get the most of Bath is by just walking and seeing where each road takes you! There’s plenty of hidden places that you discover to be local favourites, and then they become your favourites when you return. First and foremost, you have the Roman Baths, which is the main reason people flock to Bath. These are natural hot springs that the Romans built a public bath complex around, which you can walk around (but not bathe in). It is a really magical place, just sitting and watching the steam dance across the water relaxes you. The museum around it is also incredibly interesting, but there’s a lot to it, so book in a good amount of time for it! The Forum is a beautiful art deco building which is the home to performances and gigs. Its worth a look whether you’re going to a gig, going for coffee at the coffee house or just walking around. You cannot miss Bath Abbey, which rises proudly above the city skyline. The inside is just as beautiful as the outside, with it’s stained glass windows and intricately carved stone. It’s always open to visitors or anyone who wants to join a service. Putney Bridge is a stone’s throw away from Bath Abbey. Standing looking at the bridge and the waterfalls is a lovely sight to take in, you could just spend ages there! To see another side to the river and waterfalls, go down some steps from the street when you walk across the bridge, and you’ll come down near the river level. A lot of people use it as a right of way, but when it’s quiet, it’s really magical. The Royal Crescent and The Circus are places that you only need to see once, but are a must see. The architecture of the curved buildings is something to really marvel at. And just down the road is the Jane Austen Museum for any avid literature lovers. There are timed tours and entry times every half an hour, so put aside some time for it too. And if you want to use Bath as a base and explore the surrounding sites, Stonehenge is about an hour’s drive away. I recommend visiting it if you are National Trust member as you get in free. A non-member adult ticket costs £17.50, which I think is rather extortionate to see a prehistoric monument in a field. And if you arrive after they stop doing the buses to the monument, then you are told to go down a muddy pot holed road, then walk through a boggy field dodging cow poo to get a rubbish view of the stones from about 50 metres away. Essentially, the peasant’s entrance. No thanks National Trust!

WHERE TO EAT

Alongside the baths are the Pump Rooms, featured in Jane Austen’s novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. Here you can enjoy their famous afternoon tea, and is a must visit for any Austen fan. The Chapel Arts Cafe is an amazing little hidden gem, and a local favourite. If you want to mix with the arty locals, or curl up in a corner with a book, you’ll love it here! Sally Lunn’s is a particular favourite for me. The home of the original Bath Bun (basically a massive brioche), you can eat in the timber framed rooms, visit the tiny museum showing the original kitchen and floor levels, and buy the famous fresh buns and flavoured butters to take home with you. If you’re looking for a swanky place to eat with a twist or a bar to grab a cocktail, then the Green Park Brasserie fits just that! Set in the old train station, this restaurant and bar has live jazz performances every Wednesday to Saturday. If you go on a day when Gavin Lazarus is playing, you’re in for a treat!

WHERE TO STAY

Sometimes, the hotel you stay in is just a place to sleep. But it’s lovely when your hotel is just that bit more special. Gray’s Boutique B&B* is a 5-star chic converted manor house set on a hill overlooking the city, and we were absolutely spoilt rotten! The level of finish in the room was outstanding, and the owners were so friendly, welcoming, and passionate about Bath. We stayed in the City Room which we personally think was one of the best rooms in the house as it was on the top floor with windows and huge skylights looking over the city. Not a bad view to wake up to ;) We managed to get an amazing deal that worked out at us staying for about £43 pounds each per night- pretty darn good right? Our room was filled with antique style French furniture and is very much how I would dress my future home! Comfy armchairs were placed by the skylights to make the most of the views and made the perfect reading corner to curl up in. The beds had goose-down duvets and memory foam pillows, and one of the comfiest mattresses I’ve slept on! The thing I loved was the little details; such as lavender bags to help you drift off to sleep, REN products in the bathroom, and a huge array of teas, coffees, hot chocolate and KitKats (yum!) to enjoy! Also, the room was spotless- we didn’t do a Four in a Bed kind of inspection, but throughout our stay, we couldn’t find a speck of dust…even the shower was spotless, not a water droplet in sight! It was about a 10-15 minute walk into the city centre from Gray’s, but with the hill on a gentle slope and also discovering mini shortcuts to take us to different parts of the city, we actually really enjoyed the walk! Even after filling up majorly with food and drink at Green Park Brasserie, the walk back was lovely (and I was in heels). Of course, I can’t forget the other important part of a B&B- the breakfast! Waking up to the smell of breakfast each morning was so lovely, not unpleasant at all, and the food didn’t disappoint. They use all locally sourced products, and have a huge selection to choose from. We both had the full English each morning, and I can tell you, it filled us up perfectly! The service was so quick, and we were really looked after. 

Bath is such a romantic city, I will always go back, even if just to use it as a base to explore more of Wiltshire! If you’re thinking of visiting Bath, I hope this little guide helps you in some way- we weren’t sponsored to mention any of these places, we just love all them! Let me know if you’re heading to Bath, and if there’s anything I haven’t mentioned visiting. I’d love to hear what they are!

Gx

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