James Baker

Bath, England James Baker

Bath, England. United Kingdom Little Heaven. Bath is one of Britain's most appealing cities. Exquisite Roman and Georgian architecture, hipster hang-outs and swish spas make it hard to resist. Bath's extraordinary array of architectural treasures has earned the whole city Unesco World Heritage Site status. It's easy to see why. Bath is home to one of the world's best-preserved Roman bathhouses sited here because of hot springs that bubble up at a toasty 46°C (115°F) degrees. In the Circus and Royal Crescent, the city has some of Britain's grandest Georgian buildings. Their construction turned Bath into the destination for 18th century society. That sophisticated spa town tradition continues at Thermae Bath Spa, a luxurious new and old building combo that offers views of the cityscape from its alfresco roof-top pool. As befits a city that's long been a leading light in the cultural scene, contemporary arts make a strong showing in Bath. A batch of quality festivals include those themed around theatre, classical music and literature they're scheduled away from the main (and very crowded) summer season and are a great focus for a visit. Year-round, evening entertainment includes an art house cinema, comedy club, and the historic Theatre Royal, which has a main stage, studio venue and unusually a space specifically for children's and young people's shows.