Day 2: BRISTOL - BATH - BRISTOL
Friday, March 29, 2013
Today is presented with uncertainty, since since we started planning the trip the idea was to decide the visits depending on the weather.
At 6 in the morning we woke up and the first thing we have done has been to look at the weather in each of the places we plan to visit and how could it be otherwise, make sure looking through the window of our room at the Hilton Gardenn .
Today it doesn't look like it's going to be sunny, so we decided on Bath, a city in Somerset County that was founded by the Romans as a thermal complex, with the name of Aquae Sulis, “the Waters of Sulis”, in the AD 43 The Romans built the complex and a Temple beside the River Avon, around the hot springs.
The path of Bath to Bristol by train is about 10-15 minutes, so we still have a quiet time until we go down to breakfast at 7 and a little in the morning to the breakfast room of our hotel.
First breakfast !! Trip to Bristol, Bath, Salisbury and Stonehenge
After filling our stomach we set off for the Temple Meads Station, which we reached in less than 5 minutes.
This time, thinking that two of the three days we will be here we have to take trains, we have chosen to look for accommodation close enough so that daily transfers do not turn into something heavy.
Temple Meads Station in Bristol
As we spend more time in the street, we realize that the cold is much more noticeable than we thought and that we do not come too prepared, but we take it with philosophy, hoping that this time, time will be benevolent with us and Give us some sunny day.
As soon as we enter Temple Meads we find some “Fast Tickets” machines in which train tickets can be taken without having to go through the ticket office.
They are very easy to use, very intuitive and in addition they have the possibility of Spanish as a language.
We get two round trip tickets to Bath for 14 pounds both.
If tickets are taken in advance online, you can save up to 70%. We did not do it because, as we have said before, not having determined the day in which we were going to do everything, depending on the weather.
But if the day is clear (they can be taken without a fixed time) it is a very good option to save a few pounds.
With our tickets in hand, we look for the platform where our train will depart and we begin to observe, the one we had already read is, a beautiful station.
Now we don't have much time because our train leaves in a few minutes on platform 15 towards Weymouth and stop at Bath, but later, on the way back, we are clear that we will stop for a while to be able to visit it more calmly.
More practical information to prepare your trip to Bath
- The best free tours in Bath for free in Spanish
- 10 essential places to see in Bristol
Last night, when we went to dinner at Don Giovanni, we saw it illuminated in blue, something striking and with a Christmas air, which despite being beautiful, we did not find the most appropriate.
To access the platforms you have to put the ticket through some machines, where the doors open and then save it again, as it is necessary, again, both for the reviewers, and to leave the destination station.
In order not to miss the station, we remember that Bath It is the third stop since our departure in Bristol.
And with the desire to know one of the cities that have best spoken to us, we got on a train that leaves us at the station in 15 minutes Bath.
As soon as we leave we see that the weather has not improved at all compared to Bristol, but far from discouraging us, we set off towards the city center, with the idea of going to the Tourist Office, which we know is next to the Bath Roman Baths.
Newcomers to Bath
In 1987, Bath It was named a World Heritage Site. The city has a variety of theaters and several buildings of cultural importance, which has made it a very tourist destination.
Bath downtown path
Curious cafe in Bath
As we get closer to the center of Bath, more we observe that the city is still half asleep and we take the opportunity to travel the most central streets almost alone, enjoying, although cold, a city that promises a lot ...
A good option to know the history of the city is to book this free tour of Bath Free! or the tourist bus of Bath with which you will save time in displacements.
Bath center
Bath details
When we arrive at the Information Office, which is right next to the Bath Roman Baths, we see that they open at 9.30 in the morning and although there are barely 5 minutes left before they open, we take the opportunity to go for a walk around the center.
When it's time, we go back and buy a map of Bath for a pound and we took a few minutes free wifi to check our mail and solve some doubts for today.
On leaving we see that in the Bath Roman Baths There are already people, they open at 9 in the morning, so we go straight to the ticket office, where we get two tickets for 11 pounds each, with the student cards. Without the card there are 14 pounds per person.
The entry includes an audio guide that we have read is very complete and totally recommended.
After picking it up at a counter next to the ticket purchase, we enter what is the Main Terma and we begin to hear the history of the famous Bath Roman Baths.
Bath Roman Baths
Cathedral from the Roman Baths of Bath
The Bath Roman Baths They are a building of historical interest, one of the most important in England.
Bath Roman Baths
The complex is very well preserved, so you can appreciate very well the architectural elements of the building. The Bath Roman Baths, proper, are located below street level and the buildings built after its discovery are four: The Sacred Spring, The Roman Temple, the Roman Bath and the Museum.
These structures that are at street level are from the 19th century.
Enjoying the Roman Baths of Bath
Cathedral from the Roman Baths of Bath
Water is the main core of Bath Roman Baths and originally comes from the rains that fall on Mendip Hills. This is filtered through limestone aquifers, located at a depth between 2700 and 4300 meters, where geothermal activity raises the temperature to 64º and 96º.
With this pressure, water rises to the surface through fissures and faults located in the limestone.
Model of the Roman Baths of Bath
The museum that houses the Bath Roman Baths exhibits gadgets from the Roman era, some of them are those that were thrown into the sacred spring, surely as offerings to the goddess Sulis.
We can see a collection of about 12,000 Roman coins, a gilded bronze head of the goddess Sulis Minerva ...
Head of Sulis Minerva in the Bath of the Roman Baths
The temple of the bath is located more than two meters from the land surrounding the complex, approximately a few steps away.
Highlights the powerful central image of the gorgon located in the pediment, at a height of 15 meters.
Gorgona located on the pediment in the Bath of the Roman Baths
In the corners of the pediment there is a pair of newts, mythological creature half man half fish and servant of the god of the waters, Neptune. The center of the lower left is decorated by a dolphin, while the lower right is starred by a hidden owl. The central part is decorated with engravings of women who wear a shield of oak leaves, symbolizing the victory. Above all, it highlights a large star located in what would be the highest part of the building. Subjugated to the star is the head of the gorgon with snakes entwined between its beards, wings above the ears and a large mustache. However, there is a debate regarding whether this engraving represents a gorgon, since this creature is normally of the female sex. There are alternative interpretations that come to mind as the representation of the god of the sea, ocean or as the god of the Sun to which the Celtic tribes worshiped.
Detail of the Roman Baths of Bath
Sacred Spring from the Museum of the Roman Baths of Bath
Another perspective of the Sacred Spring from the Museum of the Roman Baths of Bath
Overflow of the Spring in the Roman Baths of Bath
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- Free tour of Bath Free!
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After the visit to the part of the Museum, we took the opportunity to buy some minerva owls, as a souvenir and a book point for 15 pounds.
We pass through an area, where you can taste the water of the Bath Roman Baths.
Testing the water of the Roman Baths of Bath
Just seeing it reminds us of the experience we had in Karlovy Vary, in the Czech Republic testing the different hot springs of the city.
So we will not stop trying it this time, although we have the same result we had in Karlovy ... we didn't like that hot water at all !!
After this experience, we return to the Great Bath area, but to the lower area.
Great Bath of the Roman Baths of Bath
Bordering the Great Bath of the Bath Roman Baths we find different "rooms", which we go through little by little, without losing details, listening to each explanation that the audio guide gives us.
Bath of the Roman Baths of Bath
The Roman temple was built between the years 60-70 and the thermal complex for the next 300 years. During the Roman occupation of the island under the reign of Emperor Claudius, he ordered his engineers to bring oak poles in order to provide the complex with a solid base and to surround the source from which the hot springs sprouted with a chamber of irregular stone covered with lead.
Great Bath of the Roman Baths of Bath
The complex included a caldarium (hot bath), a tepidarium (warm bath) and a frigidarium (cold bath).
Bath of the Roman Baths of Bath
In the Great Bath of the Roman Baths of Bath
When we finish the visit at Bath Roman Baths We realize that we have been more than 2 hours and that shows that they are as or more interesting than they had told us and we had read.
Upon leaving, we are in the Cathedral Square of Bath with a musician who not only animates the streets of the city, but becomes one of those people "on our trip" ...
Musician in Bath
Musician in Bath Cathedral
After a while listening to it and wanting to sit in the square to spend the day only with their music, we go to the Cathedral to stay stone when they tell us that because it is good Friday, today the Cathedral is closed to the public!
So with the face of few friends and a little disappointed, like all the tourists who are approaching their doors and seeing that we still have a while to go to eat, we decided that it is time to get on our way to the famous Pulteney Bridge.
Leaving Bath Cathedral behind
Road to Pulteney Bridge in Bath
The bridge Pulteney Bridge it is a bridge that crosses the Avon River located in Bath.
It was designed by Robert Adam and was completed in 1773. It is one of only five inhabited bridges in the world, with shops along both sides, such as a florist, an antique shop ...
Black and White on Pulteney Bridge in Bath
Views from the opposite side of the Pulteney Bridge in Bath
Right in front of the site where we have perfect views of the Pulteney Bridge We see a restaurant that catches our attention ... here the Spanish tapas have arrived! Although today is not the day of that ...
Tapas, Paella, Ham… near the Pulteney Bridge in Bath
The Pulteney Bridge It is named after Frances Pulteney, heiress in 1767 of the Bathwick estate across the River Avon from Bath. Bathwick was a simple village in a rural setting, but Frances's husband, Sir William Pulteney, knew how to see its potential and made plans to create a new city, which would become a suburb of the historic city of Bath. I needed to improve the river crossing, which was done at that time with ferries: hence the bridge.
Pulteney Bridge in Bath
Enjoying the Pulteney Bridge in Bath
After reviewing each point of the Pulteney Bridge, we can't separate it from the memories we have of Ponte Vecchio in Florence and the Bridge of Sighs in Venice ... they remind us so much !!
Just in front of the Pulteney Bridge we met with Bath Market and as we still have time and we still want to know the city, delighted because it seems that the day is giving us some sun rays, we will visit it.
Bath market
We travel it quite quickly since it is small, although very curious to visit, for the curious shops and the no less curious decoration.
Interior of Bath Market
Cafeteria inside Bath Market
We go back to the part of the Pulteney Bridge and we can't help taking out the cameras again and taking some more photos.
Pulteney Bridge in Bath
Now is the time to walk the street of Pulteney Bridge and although we like it a lot, maybe we expected it to be more animated by everything we had read.
Facades of the Pulteney Bridge stores in Bath
Going down the street, we find some stairs that allow us to go down to the banks of the Avon River and we don't think twice when we are already going down to see another perspective of the Pulteney Bridge and the surroundings.
Surroundings of the Pulteney Bridge in Bath
Pulteney Bridge from the River Avon in Bath
We look again at the clock and see that it is just after 1 pm, but we are not hungry yet, we decide that now that it seems that the sky has opened a bit, it is best to go to another of the visits we have in Bath: Royal Crescent and Circus Crescent.
Circus Crescent is an example of Georgian architecture from the city of Bath, which began in 1754 and ended in 1768. The name comes from the Latin 'circus', which means a ring, oval or circle.
Divided into three segments of equal length, the "circus" is a circular space surrounded by large houses. Each of the curved segments faces one of the three entrances, ensuring that it looks like a visitor enters there is a classic front facade .
Circus Crescent in Bath
Detail of Circus Crescent in Bath
From here we go to Royal Crescent, another of the most important and tourist sites of Bath.
Royal Crescent in Bath
The Royal Crescent is a building of a set of semi-detached houses (denominated in English, terraced house) in the city of Bath. It was built in the 18th century and is one of the most outstanding works of Georgian architecture.
In Royal Crescent in Bath
When we finish visiting this area of Bath It's just after 2 in the afternoon and without wanting to “waste” too much time looking for a restaurant to eat, we go to the fast-food aid that serves us today as a noon sustenance.
Normally we do not like going to this type of "restaurants" too much, but there are times that are a good option to not waste much time eating and spend more time touring the city.
After this fast food and looking for a quiet rest time, we go in search of a good coffee.
We enter the Café Rouge where we have an American coffee and a cappuccino for about 6 pounds and rest for a while while we give the last review to the planning and talk about future trips.
Coffee and Cappuccino at Café Rouge in Bath
We found Wi-Fi everywhere we are, so we took the opportunity to give a final review of today's planning, as we did this morning and start organizing a getaway that we have in mind shortly ... so we started looking ...
From here we ask for free wifi worldwide!
After this wonderful rest time, we will take a walk through the most modern center of Bath, where we find more musicians who continue to liven up the city streets.
Animated streets in Bath
In the center we find many curious shops, which attract our attention, dedicated to soaps, chocolate, stuffed animals ...
Soap shop in Bath
We could not resist !! Chocolate shop in Bath
Now is the time to go Bath aimlessly, one of the things we like to do in the cities.
These walks are the ones that discover the most beautiful and curious corners that are not taught in the guides.
Do you fancy a Hot Sausage? Bath
Bath corners
We go through the Bath Roman Baths and we see the restaurant that both recommend in the guides and we had not remembered at lunchtime to have it as an option today!
Bath's Roman Baths Restaurant
We look at the time and seeing that it is mid-afternoon, we are on our way to the last place we have on today's visiting list: Sally Soon's house, where after seeing that the buns are huge and right now we don't feel like Eat nothing more, we keep going around.
Sally Soon House Road in Bath
At this time, which we had almost decided to return to Bristol, the day begins to open quite a lot, as if we were going to visit the most important places of Bath to take some photos with this sky so blue that it is giving us, at the last minute, today.
Bath views from Pulteney Bridge
Pulteney Bridge in Bath
When it's more than 5 o'clock we go to the station where we go to platform 1 which is where the trains return to Gloucester and stop in Bristol. Our destination is the third stop.
We say goodbye to Bath with the same image with which the city has received us this morning, but this time it does it with a blue sky ...
Saying goodbye to Bath with the same image we found on our arrival ...
The trip to Bristol we do it again in little more than 15 minutes and we do what we left this morning for lack of time. Now that we do have time, we go through one of the most charming stations we have been to.
Bristol Station platforms
Departure from Bristol Station
It's a little after 6 pm and as we will have the last day of this Trip to Bristol, Bath, Salisbury and Stonehenge To get to know Bristol, we go to the Hilton Gardenn for a while to rest.
About 8 o'clock we go out to dinner and return to Don Giovanni that we have 5 minutes from the hotel and is one of the most recommended restaurants in the city.
We ordered a lasagna, a pizza, garlic bread, a large beer and a large cola for 29.15 pounds.
Having dinner at Don Giovanni in Bristol
Around 10 we return to the Hilton Gardenn with the firm intention of resting, because tomorrow a full day, a very special day, if the day is good, awaits us at Stonehenge and Salisbury !!!
While the sun comes again, we will continue dreaming.
Bath Roman Baths
Day 3BRISTOL - STONEHENGE - SALISBURY - BRISTOL
