Serving as the backdrop for two recent Netflix productions, the Georgian charm of Bath in the United Kingdom is undergoing a resurgence, says Helen Dalley.

A fitting filming location for the Netflix series Bridgerton and the 2022 movie adaptation of Persuasion, the city of Bath is having a good run of late, its well-preserved Georgian architecture providing authentic settings for the Regency dramas that have become fashionable in mainstream media the past few years.

No doubt buoyed by this surge of interest in England’s most famous spa town, there have been several noteworthy developments: the United Kingdom’s oldest lido, Cleveland Pools, reopened this September, and the new World Heritage Centre, where visitors can get a comprehensive and interactive overview of Bath’s attractions. What’s more, the city celebrated a second UNESCO accreditation in 2022 as one of The Great Spa Towns of Europe, the only city in the UK to receive recognition from UNESCO twice. Meanwhile, a new hotel, Hampton by Hilton Bath City, is a great base from which to acquaint yourself with this Georgian gem, being just a few minutes’ walk from the Abbey and the Roman Baths.

Having lived in Bath for five years in my 20s, I’m no stranger to the city and used to take the main attractions in my stride while bemoaning the constant stream of tourists. Visiting now as a tourist myself (it’s 25 years since I moved there), the architecture seems much more inspiring, and I feel a sense of kinship rather than annoyance for the tour groups excitedly taking in the magnificent crescents and charming cobbled back streets, where cute cafes and traditional sweet shops await.

Debuting this past May, The Bath World Heritage Centre acts as a stellar introduction to the city with interactive exhibitions highlighting Bath’s history and famous landmarks. I pop in and enjoy the engaging exhibits and learn more about the hot springs, which rise to the surface at a constant temperature of 45°C. In addition, the centre’s mobile app provides details for the walking trails and a GPS map that enables visitors to build personalised itineraries based on their preferences.

As a World Heritage Site, Bath sits alongside places like the Taj Mahal and The Great Wall of China as one of the greatest cultural sites in the world, declares Tony Crouch, manager of the World Heritage for the City of Bath. “The centre provides something we’ve never had before in the city: a central place for visitors and residents to find out about Bath’s special status and be inspired to go out and explore the city,” he says.

Literary Characters

A literary giant with a strong Bath connection is of course Jane Austen, whose character Catherine Morland famously proclaimed, “Oh! Who can be tired of Bath?” in Northanger Abbey after partaking in the winter season of galas during its heyday in the 1800s. The Jane Austen Centre delivers an animated introduction to one of England’s most celebrated authors, who passed away in 1817 at just 41, having penned some of the era’s greatest novels.

The staff really get into the spirit of things by taking on different characters from her books; behind the till in the shop (which sells novelties like the Jane Austen Top Trumps card game and parasol charm pendants) is a softly-spoken Edward Ferrars from Sense and Sensibility. Our effusive guide is Charles Musgrove from Persuasion, who delights in testing our knowledge of all things Austen, while the lady in charge of doling out Regency costumes for visitors to don while posing for pictures with a mannequin of Mr Darcy is Pride and Prejudice’s Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who loudly admonishes two poor ladies when they profess their ignorance of the most eligible Austen bachelor. Best of all is the mutton-chopped Mr Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, greeting visitors in top hat and tails. His Regency costume delights those walking up the hill to the Crescent from town, and many stop to chat or ask him for directions, which he courteously provides in character.

It wouldn’t be a proper visit to Bath without taking to the waters. The Romans came here to worship the goddess Sulis Minerva and bathe in the waters of the natural thermal springs, which are still flowing today. You can explore the Roman Baths complex, walk on the original Roman pavements, and see the ruins of the Temple of Sulis Minerva, which has been frequented by royalty and aristocracies for centuries.

Having already visited the Roman Baths, I opt to check out Thermae Bath Spa (below), which boasts natural thermal pools to dip your toe in. The mineral-rich water, which is naturally warm, contains 42 minerals including calcium, magnesium, and iron. Soaking in the Minerva Bath or exploring the Wellness Suite, which features ice and steam rooms plus a celestial relaxation room, is great for blissfully whiling away a few hours. Best of all is Thermae’s rooftop pool, replete with air seats and bubbling jets, overlooking the gothic spires of Bath Abbey. While it can get rather crowded, everyone is respectful of each other’s space. For a more exclusive spa experience, you can check into The Gainsborough Bath Spa, which is located just opposite and has its own spa village.

As a city whose economy heavily relies on tourism – visitors brought in a record £470 million (approx. US$627 million) in 2018 – there is no shortage of great places to eat and drink in Bath. A favourite with locals for its wood-fired pizzas and its location smack dab in the middle of town, Dough pizzeria in Kingsmead Square serves up pizzas made onsite by Puglian artisans in one of the city’s traditional Georgian buildings. After a day of taking in the sights, including the Royal Crescent and its impressive arc of 30 Grade I listed terraced houses, I sip a Negroni in between bites of a sourdough-based margarita and feel like quite the traditionalist, given the hemp, multigrain, turmeric, and even gluten-free seaweed dough options on the menu. From this central location you’re well placed to dive in for a pint at The Bath Stable, The Dark Horse, or Kingsmead Street Bottle.

Buns at Luns

Used as the filming location for Lady Danbury’s home in Bridgerton, the Holburne Museum is renowned for its collection of works by Thomas Gainsborough, one of the UK’s finest 18th-century portrait and landscape artists. Many of the portraits, alas, are of wealthy men connected to the slave trade posing proudly with their families, which is rather unsettling. An exhibition on the same floor introduces some of the most prominent abolitionists, including Invictus and Josiah Wedgwood, which balances things out somewhat. There is a regular rotation of non-permanent exhibitions at the Holburne, too; I’m lucky to catch a David Hockney show, Love Life, which presents rarely seen drawings including sketches of author W.H Auden and fashion designer Ossie Clark.

There’s always a queue to get into Sally Lunn’s, Bath’s oldest house, which has stood here since 1482, and is famous for the Sally Lunn Bun — a soft and light pastry still baked according to its original secret recipe. There’s a kitchen museum where you can see the Georgian cooking range on which the buns were originally made, after which they were sold for the very reasonable sum of 30p. I order a Welsh rarebit with homemade chutney – it has a similar taste and texture to a brioche – and a Sally Lunn blend coffee served in a silver cafetière. I don’t linger as the queues to get into this historic house are always out the door, but I’m glad to have finally sampled these fabled Sally Lunns.

Dough

While great pubs are everywhere in Bath – The New Inn has a lovely roof terrace for a quiet drink and former chophouse The Salamander has a great selection from the local Bath Ales brewery – the city also boasts a cosmopolitan culinary scene. At The Coconut Tree, you’ll find Sri Lankan street food served tapas-style, with exposed brick walls punctuated by colourful murals. At the recommendation of our server, we opt for hoppers, a coconut milk pancake served with coconut sambol, seeni sambol and lunu miris (Sri Lankan salsa) and the Cheesy Colombo, an addictive fried cheese cube served with sticky sauce, plus amba maluwa, a curry made from firm, unripe mango gently softened in a coconut sauce that dazzles the taste buds with punchy sweet and sour flavours. My friend orders the Jaffna goat curry, a recipe from the chef’s father, which gets a big thumbs up for being tremendously tender and skillfully spiced.

On the Persuasion Trail

If you enjoyed this year’s adaptation of Persuasion with Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliott, go to Bath to take in the charmingly pastoral filming locations. Make your first stop The Royal Crescent where Anne stays with her sister and father to explore the delights of Bath and where she engages in a heart-to-heart with her late mother’s best friend, Lady Russell. Then head over to another filming location, Bath Street, paved with cobblestone and lined with rows of striking colonnades. While you’re there, check into the Pump Room, a popular site for an elegant afternoon tea, a champagne brunch, or to sample the city’s famous spa water from a fountain. Next, take a stroll up to Gravel Walk between Queen Square and the Royal Crescent, where the moving scene between Anne and her beau, Captain Wentworth, took place.

Immersive Experiences

As the most fashionable watering place in 18th century Britain, many flocked to Bath to also drink tea, dance, play cards, and gossip about the latest scandal in grand spaces like the Assembly Rooms. Known all over England as the place to see and be seen, visitors included the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, author Samuel Johnson, and members of the orchestra from the Handel and Haydn Society. As I take in the original chandeliers and opulent frescos of the Ball Room, which attracted up to 1,200 guests at a time, the audio guide informs me that the windows were set high to prevent passers-by from looking in.

At No. 1 Royal Crescent, home of the Featherington family in Bridgerton, you can walk around a traditional Regency home that’s brought to life through film and sound, with gold-framed digital screens displaying portraits that become animated. The pictures of the lady and lord of the house appear to be talking to one another, and an audio track reimagines the conversations that took place here. In the parlour, the wife discusses future menus and recipes with the cook, warning her to be frugal with the sugar, while in the drawing room, her husband and son despair of possible rebellions on the plantation.

Britain’s Oldest Lido

The 200-year-old Cleveland Pools is now revitalised and almost fully restored. Built in 1815, the UK’s oldest public outdoor swimming pool is within easy reach of Bath’s city centre, being just under a mile from the abbey. Throughout its history, the lido underwent many changes in management and uses, and swung between states of disrepair and dilapidation to undergoing renovations and preservation projects. The 1860s was certainly its most eccentric era; it was managed by Captain William Davies Evans and his pet baboon and used to host extravagant galas.

Most recently closed to public bathers in 1984, it was awarded a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2017, which restored it to its former Georgian glory. Featuring a 25m main pool and a children’ s pool, it finally reopened to the public this September. If the thought of outdoor swimming makes you shiver – the water temperature is around 20°C – wait until heat pumps are installed next year that will keep the pools warm for the whole season, which runs from April to September.

Before heading to Bristol (go if you have time; it’s only 12 minutes from Bath by train and has a fantastic harbourside and more metropolitan vibes than Bath), I swing by the Abbey Deli, located on the cobblestones overlooking its namesake, for a coffee. Thanks to its striking bay window, it made for the perfect location for the Modiste dress shop in Bridgerton, and there are photos of Kathryn Drysdale who played Madame Genevieve Delacroix displayed inside. It’s a fitting end to visiting a city featured in so many period dramas, and one that is sure to reappear in many more.

If you don’t fancy Bristol, there is still plenty more to see in Bath, stresses the World Heritage Centre’s Crouch. “We hope that more people will venture farther off the beaten track and realise all that there is to offer and aim for a longer stay. Bath can lay claim to being the UK’s most walkable city and visitors can spend an enjoyable time exploring the reasons why the entire city is inscribed twice on the UNESCO World Heritage list.”

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