Bath's Top 5 Most Beautiful Hidden Gems

A popular destination for weekend breaks, Bath is famous for its thermal bathes, cobbled streets and afternoon teas. England’s most charming city is the perfect place to enjoy quintessentially British experiences, but there are also lots of beautiful places concealed amongst the Georgian architecture in Bath. Here are five hidden gems not to be missed.

1. The Gainsborough Bath Spa

Spa Hotel, Hotel

In step with Bath’s spa tradition, this honey-stoned hotel, set in a twin set of Grade II-listed buildings, places wellness at its heart. Indeed, we can well imagine the Georgian gentry taking in the thermal spring, whose mineral-rich waters once healed aristocracy as they do hotel guests today. Sure, they might not have had massages on the menu (the signature sees you lathered in rosemary and pine essences), or West Country chef Dan Moon’s fine dining to look forward to, but the waters still stretch back to the source and the sense of place remains.

2. Bath Aqua Theatre of Glass

Theatre

Ever fancied trying your hand at glass blowing? Set in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter, Bath Aqua Theatre of Glass runs workshops where you can learn the basics of glassblowing from a professional glassblower and even produce your own exquisite glass paperweight for £85 (Saturday mornings only). Offering a demonstration Monday-Saturday at only £4.50, this workshop is a steal. You can then have a go yourself and blow your own bauble for an extra £12.50.

3. Topping and Company Booksellers

Bookstore

Topping and Company Booksellers Bookshop in The Paragon, Bath, Somerset, UK

Beautiful handcrafted bookcases hold more than 45,000 titles, including signed first editions, in this independent bookstore. Topping & Company Booksellers always have a pot of coffee on the go and bibliophiles are welcome to wile away their afternoon browsing the collection. Passionate booksellers are always on hand if you’re after something particular, and events are held regularly.

5. Artbar

Bar, Cocktails, Coffee

With artisan coffees and glamorous cocktails in an elegant Georgian townhouse setting, Artbar won’t fail to impress. With over 64 gin and tonic combinations, skillfully crafted by expert mixologist Andrew Fisher and his team, knowing what to order takes a little bit of time. Whatever you choose, though, you won’t regret it.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

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