Bath

Bath Guide

Bath is probably one of the most attractive cities I’ve ever frequented, nestled in the heart of the rolling hills of Somerset, this world-heritage city is the epitome of English charm. There is something distinctly lovely about the homogeneous Georgian architecture which dominates the city, views from the Bath skyline attest this. Luckily for me my parents live in the surrounding countryside therefore I’m fortunate enough to call it my home. The beauty of Bath lies in its antiquity which you’ll soon learn after wandering its cobbled streets and passing horse drawn carriages fooling you into believing you’ve stepped into a Jane Austen book.

PULTENEY BRIDGE

Standing in front of this bridge provides quite a serene moment with the calming hue of the sandstone and the water flowing in the weir below. Similarities have been made between this bridge and Ponte Vecchio because both are examples of historic bridges with shops built onto them and both lie at the heart of their city’s charm.

IMG_1726.jpg
Faye Bullock at Pulteney Bridge

COLONNA AND SMALLS

Colonna and Small’s is a cafe which you simply cannot miss if you’re in Bath. Make it your first stop and you’ll be back frequently to top up on caffeine. The clean bright interior is peppered with their signature bright blue coffee cups in the hands of contended coffee drinkers. This independent coffee shop has a well-earned reputation, the pioneer Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood has won the World Barista Championships therefore you can relax in the hands of masters of the trade.

Address: 6 Chapel Row, Bath, BA1 1HN, United Kingdom // Open Monday-Friday 8h – 17.30, Saturday 8.30 – 17.30h Sunday 10h – 16h

Colonna and Small's
Colonna and Small's
Colonna and Small's

SOCIETY CAFE

Found along the high street in Bath is the lovely Society cafe with its large window and sand-stone façade inviting you to pop in for speciality coffee and home-baked cake. Sit along the windowsill and watch the world go-by – how every good cup of coffee should be enjoyed.

Address: 19 High Street, Bath, BA1 5AJ // Open Monday-Saturday 7.30 – 18.30, Sunday 10h – 18h

Society cafe

GEORGIAN ARCHITECTURE

Architecture is such a key point in defining a city; Paris is defined by the Haussmannian apartments with their uniform verandas and obligatory seven floors and  Bath is defined by the honey-hued Bath stone which makes it an entirely unique city unlike any other in appearance.

Bath, England
Bath, England
Bath, England

GREAT PULTENEY STREET

Great Pulteney Street is home to some of the most stunning examples of Georgian architecture in England. Large manor houses line this wide avenue and at the end sits the Holbourne museum formerly a ballroom used to entertain Bath’s visitors, now an art gallery.

Bath, England
Bath, England
Bath, England
Bath

CAFE LUCCA

Large ceramic bowls filled with hearty home-made salads line the counter of this Italian-inspired eatery. The cafe is located within a concept store and serves the best bruschetta and panini outside of Italy.

Address: 1 Bartlett Street, Bath, BA1 2QZ, United Kingdom // Open Monday-Saturday 10h-17h, Sunday 11h-16h

Cafe Lucca

COLONNA AND HUNTER

This recently opened cafe is a sister project to the aforementioned Colonna and Small’s offering the same standard of coffee as well as extending their specialisation to craft beer with the same meticulous attention on the cultivation of the hops and malts as that of the coffee beans. The interior is boldly designed opting for different textures and deep colours such as speckeld granite and fern green – one wall is dedicated to the English penny with hundreds of copper coins carefully stuck to it. The light interior and exposed brick walls ensure that these deign details don’t overwhelm the space nor distract from the quality of the fare.

Address: 14 – 15 Milsom Place // Open: Monday – 10h – 22.30, Sunday 10h – 21h

Colonna and Hunter, Bath
Colonna and Hunter, Bath

PRIOR PARK

Just a few minutes drive from Bath city centre lie the beautiful gardens of Prior Park which were landscaped in the 18th century. The gardens now make up one the many National Trust sites in England and provide astounding views over Bath and the surrounding countryside. Home to one of only four Palladian bridges in the world, this architectural gem alone makes a visit worthwhile.

IMG_2078.jpg

I hope you enjoyed this little introduction to my home city, if you want to see more photos you can take a look at my Bath photo diary here.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Barbara says:

January 15, 2015 at 10:38 pm

Thanks for sharing this! Definitely bookmarked :)

Farfelue says:

February 13, 2015 at 3:25 pm

Great to hear x

Hannah says:

January 17, 2015 at 9:40 am

Added to the must-visit list this year! Beautiful x

Farfelue says:

February 13, 2015 at 3:24 pm

Yay that makes me so happy to hear!

Jessica says:

January 17, 2015 at 8:21 pm

These photos are so stunning Faye!!! I went to Bath years and years ago in the winter and it beautiful but so cold! I’d love to see it at this time of year. I always remember it as the spot I had my first formal British tea with scones and the most delicious butter and jams. I have no idea where I had this tea, but I will definitely hit up all of these places if I ever make it back there — everything looks so delicious and charming in these photos! Wish I was there!!
xo

http://www.threadandbones.com

Farfelue says:

February 13, 2015 at 3:23 pm

What a wonderful story Jessica – I think there is a place called the Teahouse Emporium where you can indulge in high tea with scones and floral chinaware it could have been there possibly. Yes yes please do come to Bath and visit me!

Alice says:

June 10, 2015 at 10:42 pm

On Sunday I, accompanied by two friends, journeyed from London to Bath. With only seven hours to spare in the city we were a little strapped for time so we used your guide as our go to for activities and good times. It was a beautiful summers day, with the bluest of skies contrasting so perfectly with the honey coloured buildings and fresh summer foliage! We started with a perfect coffee at Colonna & Smalls and then meandered through the streets until we reached Prior Park. After making our way through the grounds we headed back to town with a small pit stop of nanna made scones with strawberry jam and cream at a local street festival. As ravenous as could be we decided we were onto a good thing with Colonna, so headed to Colonna & Hunter for breakfast for dinner with a cheeky beverage to pair. As the light faded we sat on grass outside of the Royal Crescent, delighting in a piece of vegan cake again from C & S. All in all, just wanted to say thank you for providing the outline of what was one of our favourite days spent in England. xx

Farfelue says:

June 10, 2015 at 11:12 pm

Dear Alice, thank you so much for taking the time to write this and tell me all about your day. It has put the biggest smile on my face. I work really hard to put these little guides together which are often very time-consuming so you can’t imagine how happy hearing your positive feedback has made me. I’m thrilled you had such a wonderful day and loved Bath hopefully you’ll be back soon :) and how beautiful is that Palladian bridge at Prior Park?