1. A drip into Bath; TRAVEL What did the Romans ever do for us? Chris Glynn-Jones
discovers that they saw the potential of a sleepy village with the UK's only hot
springs and helped create a rather wonderful place.
Byline: Chris Glynn-Jones
* ESTLING below the Cotswolds Hills is Bath, a city where I would
be happy to spend every weekend - and weekdays would be pretty good too.
It's a World Heritage city in which the trademark sandy
Cotswold stone Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic limestone quarried in many places the Cotswold
Hills in the south midlands of England. When weathered the colour of buildings made or faced with
this stone is often described as 'honey' or 'golden'. lends almost every building a classic and
palatial pa·la·tial
adj.
1. Of or suitable for a palace: last minute apartments Rome.
2. Of the nature of a palace, as in spaciousness or ornateness: a palatial yacht. air.
We discovered the smart and the chic amongst grand streets and tiny
arcades - many punctuated by jaw-dropping architecture.
We stayed over a Sunday and Monday at the elegant Brindleys
Boutique B&B, a 10 minute stroll from the city centre.
We found ourselves torn between the beautifully appointed sunny
rooms and warm welcome of Brindleys, with its immaculate and fresh
French-themed rooms and spending more time exploring the city. After
checking in and being given a complimentary parking permit, we sauntered
along the River Avon into town.
Right at the heart of the city, where Bath Abbey soars above the
river, we stopped for a coffee at the tiny Bertinet Bakery and Cafe
serving locally-made French patisseries and delicious French breads; an
excellent base from which to plan our day.
Armed with a fistful fist·ful
2. n. pl. fist·fuls
The amount that a fist can hold.
Noun 1. fistful - the quantity that can be held in the hand
handful
containerful - the quantity that a container will hold of guides from the helpful Bath Visitor
Information Centre, first stop was the Roman Baths, where Britain's
only hot springs see a quarter of a million gallons of water rise daily,
at a temperature of 46.5 degrees, the lifeblood of the city's
prosperity.
In AD 43 the Romans, recognising the restorative benefits of the
springs, developed a sophisticated series of baths and temples at the
centre of what they named Aquae Sulis.
An excellent audio guide narrated by travel writer Bill Bryson
helped us spend an absorbing two hours, with insights into the history
and views of the various baths before finally arriving at the central
thermal waters, which though busy with tourists, proved a haven of
tranquility.
The centre of Bath is a shopper's paradise - familiar stores
abound but there is also an eclectic mix of fashion, jewellery and
boutique stores that you don't often find in other cities.
A stroll through the centre of town along Milsom Street reveals the
grandeur of the everyday buildings, the majority of which were built in
the Georgian period or style.
A few circuits of The Circus, a circle of 33 stunning houses built
around a central park, and influenced by the Colosseum Colosseum or Coliseum (both: kls`m),
Ital. Colosseo, common name of the Flavian Amphitheater in Rome, near the southeast end of the
Forum, between the Palatine and Esquiline hills., reveals
fascinating architectural detail; and from there it's a two-minute
walk to arguably Bath's crowning architectural achievement The
Royal Crescent is an imposing sweep of Georgian design, with
far-reaching views of the city over beautiful public parkland.
A curve of four-storey houses, dominated by huge Ionic columns is a
must-see; squint squint: see strabismus. a bit and you're in another era.
We stopped for a guided tour at No 1 Royal Crescent - a
magnificently restored home which reveals a wonderfully vital picture of
life as it must have been in Georgian Bath.
Wandering back into town, we were brought back to the present day
with a jolt. Smart cafes and restaurants were beginning to come alive in
the spring sunshine and there was an air of quiet sophistication so·phis·ti·cate
3. v. so·phis·ti·cat·ed, so·phis·ti·cat·ing, so·phis·ti·cates
rome apartment rental
1. To cause to become less natural, especially to make less naive and more worldly.
2..
A brief stop at our boutique B&B to freshen up before returning
to town for a quiet drink at the excellent Salamander salamander, an amphibian of the order
Urodela, or Caudata. Salamanders have tails and small, weak limbs; superficially they resemble
the unrelated lizards (which are reptiles), but they are easily distinguished by their lack of scales
and claws, and by their moist, and dinner to
follow.
The next day we reluctantly rolled out of our super queen bed and
were rewarded with an excellent breakfast.
Fans of city bus tours, we spent the morning on the breezy open top
deck of Bath's tour bus, soaking up the grandeur of the city from a
new viewpoint.
There was only one way we could finish our fabulous weekend - an
afternoon of peace and relaxation at the Bath Thermae thermae: see baths.
thermae
Public bathing complex of ancient Rome, designed for relaxation and social activity as well as
bathing. The Romans developed public baths to a high degree of sophistication and
standardization. Spa.
Even the Romans would be impressed by this place, drawing on the
same thermal springs, Bath Thermae Spa is as relaxing a place as you
will ever encounter.
Swirling warm waters in the ground floor pool, four aroma steam
rooms, each with different heats and scents and chance to ascend to the
open air rooftop pool where massage jets and bubble seats relaxed us
while we took in the magnificent vista that is Bath and its surrounding
hills.
Also available are various therapeutic treatments - it really is
something of a sanctuary.
Now you see why we want to spend every weekend the same way.
* Chris was the guest of Brindleys. Prices for a double room start
at pounds 110 per room per night. Brindleys, 14 Pulteney Gardens, Bath,
BA2 4HG. Telephone: 01225 310444, e-mail info@brindleysbath.
co.uk or visitrome apartments for rent
apartment in rome
apartments in rome
