BATH
Our tour started on June 12 in Bath. We arrived to Southampton around 8 AM and got the train to Bath. Found our B&B, got done with our Covid test and still had enough time to stroll around , have lunch at a local restaurant, we had read about, in our RSE book.
We met with our fantastic guide Lorraine Dineen and tour members at 5 PM and after a brief introduction we officially started our journey together with walking around the town of Bath and learning a bit about the history before heading towards the restaurant called The Salamander for our first dinner.
Think of Bath as tree sightseeing neighborhoods. The center of the town is the cluster of sights : Roman Baths, Pump Room and Bath Abbey. A few Blocks away is a bridge called Pultney Bridge. A few minutes walk will get you to the Georgian periods sights , the Circus, Royal Crescent, Assembly Rooms and major museums.
After the delicious dinner of traditional British Sunday Roast, everybody was free to walk around and required to find their way back to the B&B.
Think of Bath as tree sightseeing neighborhoods. The center of the town is the cluster of sights : Roman Baths, Pump Room and Bath Abbey. A few Blocks away is a bridge called Pultney Bridge. A few minutes walk will get you to the Georgian periods sights , the Circus, Royal Crescent, Assembly Rooms and major museums.
After the delicious dinner of traditional British Sunday Roast, everybody was free to walk around and required to find their way back to the B&B.
Day 2- BATH
After a very hearty breakfast we walked to Circus, which due to its name is a circular housing complex , consisting of 30 symmetrical townhouses. Then Royal Crescent which are long , and graceful buildings showing the wealth of Bath's glory days. These buildings are the supersize Georgian masterpiece of John Wood the Younger. We briefly learned about the Fashion museum and stopped by the Theater Royal Performance and the house of Alfred
Highlights of the ay: Roma Baths
Thousands years ago , Romans marveled at the hot water that bubbled out of the ground on this area. Romans love for Architecture and luxurious lifestyle, made them to build a large bathhouse for rich Romans to be able to soak in the mineral hot springs that by the time was called Aqua Sulis. Today , a fine museum surrounds the ancient bathhouse , full of artifacts found in the excavation . The structure of the building and sections as changing room, massage rooms and a part equivalent of the todays sauna, with very advance heating technology under the floor is very interesting.
Thousands years ago , Romans marveled at the hot water that bubbled out of the ground on this area. Romans love for Architecture and luxurious lifestyle, made them to build a large bathhouse for rich Romans to be able to soak in the mineral hot springs that by the time was called Aqua Sulis. Today , a fine museum surrounds the ancient bathhouse , full of artifacts found in the excavation . The structure of the building and sections as changing room, massage rooms and a part equivalent of the todays sauna, with very advance heating technology under the floor is very interesting.
after visiting the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey in the afternoon we managed to go to the Pump room and have a cup of tea , relax and listen to a live trio concert. The Grand Pump Room is a historic building in the Abbey Churchyard. It is adjacent to the Roman Baths and is named for water that is pumped into the room from the baths' hot springs. Visitors can drink the water or have other refreshments while there. The present building replaced an earlier one on the same site, designed by John Harvey at the request of Beau Nash, Bath's master in 1706, before the discovery of Roman remains nearby.
then we got tickets at the Theater Royal and saw the Murder in the Oriental Express on stage. The building is restored 18th century stage theater very popular and busy. We definitely consider ourselves very lucky to be able to find tickets on such a spontaneous decision . What a treat! Inside the theater is beautiful and it is really worth seeing a production in such a prestigious place.
Day 3- Glastonbury and Wells
The countryside around Bath holds two important historic sites. Glastonbury ( Avalon) and Medieval Wells .
Glastonbury Abbey is the ancient resting place of King Arthur and home to the Holy Grail. The ruins of the Abbey is the remain of the first Christian sanctuary in the British Isles. Glastonbury is a very small , cute town full of shops which sell potions and fairytale objects. It is a great place for people watching Lots of individuals in wizard and witch's costumes.
Wells Cathedral is England's first Gothic cathedral. This building has many elaborated facades from medieval time and very distinctive figure-eight " scissor arches". every headstones on top of the columns are telling a biblical story. The west front displays almost 300 original 13th century carvings of kings and the last judgement. A block north of the Cathedral , Vicar's Close lined with the 14th century houses making one of the oldest continuously occupied streets in the Europe. It made us feel we are in one of the Harry Potter's scene. This street still houses Church officials and choir members.
Glastonbury Abbey is the ancient resting place of King Arthur and home to the Holy Grail. The ruins of the Abbey is the remain of the first Christian sanctuary in the British Isles. Glastonbury is a very small , cute town full of shops which sell potions and fairytale objects. It is a great place for people watching Lots of individuals in wizard and witch's costumes.
Wells Cathedral is England's first Gothic cathedral. This building has many elaborated facades from medieval time and very distinctive figure-eight " scissor arches". every headstones on top of the columns are telling a biblical story. The west front displays almost 300 original 13th century carvings of kings and the last judgement. A block north of the Cathedral , Vicar's Close lined with the 14th century houses making one of the oldest continuously occupied streets in the Europe. It made us feel we are in one of the Harry Potter's scene. This street still houses Church officials and choir members.