City of Bath
We Invite You to Immerse Yourself in Beautiful Bath
Legend has it that the city of Bath in north east Somerset was founded back in the mists of time by Bladud – a pig farmer suffering with leprosy who was cured by bathing in the mud around a natural hot spring. He became a king and built a temple beside the spring that had saved him, and thus Bath was born.
That mineral rich hot spring is still flowing, and through the centuries has been responsible for Bath’s popularity as a tourist mecca. From the iron age Britons followed by the ancient Romans (who called the spa town Aquae Sulis), to the fashionable Georgians of the 18th century and today’s modern visitors, Bath has flourished and built on its heritage.
When you come to Bath today you’ll find a plethora of things to do and see as you peel back the layers of history – and you can still bathe in the hot spring water too.
The Grand Eastern is proud to be one of Bath’s main culinary and historic attractions – as the city’s top Indian restaurant we invite you to dine with us not just for the delicious food we serve, but also to enjoy our rather unique dining hall in Quiet Street. We’ll tell you the story if you’re interested – and are always happy to point you in the direction of other fascinating Bath places of interest.
As a taster, here’s our whistle-stop guide to the best of Bath
Thermae Bath Spa
You’d be crazy to visit Bath and not take a dip in its famous hot spa water. The Thermae Bath Spa complex – a glass-fronted contemporary building which is a little incongruous up beside the historic architecture that surrounds it – is the place to go to take the plunge. It has two natural thermal baths – an open-air rooftop pool and another indoors – along with two aromatic steam rooms, an ice chamber, infrared sauna, celestial relaxation room, restaurant, and 27 spa treatment rooms.
Once you’re rejuvenated following your Spa visit, why not head off for a bit of retail therapy
Shopping in Bath
Bath really is a shop-a-holic’s dream – and even if you’re not a keen shopper you won’t be able to resist the allure of the city centres warren of independent shops and branches of the top high street retailers. SouthGate mall near the train station is home to most of the big brands, while in the narrow alleys and passages around Bath Abbey you’ll find intriguing little stores selling everything from chocolates to glassware. The Guildhall Market on the High Street has an eclectic mix of traders while in Milsom Street there’s plenty of designer boutiques and the UK’s oldest department store, Jolly’s. If you happen to be in Bath in the run up to Christmas you’ll be able to soak up the festive atmosphere at the city’s legendary Christmas Market – one of the most popular in the UK. Find out more about shopping in Bath at the Visit Bath website.
All shopped out? Then its time to explore some of Bath’s fascinating tourist attractions
Sightseeing in Bath
A great way to take in the city’s main attractions is aboard a red open top Bath sightseeing bus, which circulates around 38 stops through the city allowing you to hop on or hop off as many times as you like to take in the sights in more detail before you continue the journey. There’s a city tour and a Skyline Tour which takes you further afield. Some buses are live guided, while others have headsets so you can listen to a commentary. If you don’t know the city and its history, this is the perfect way to get your bearings so you can then explore further on your own
Some of the “must see” iconic sights (and sites) in Bath are:
The Roman Baths
The Royal Crescent
The Jane Austen Centre
The Fashion Museum
If you have enough energy left to take in some sport, how about a game at the Bath Rec Rugby stadium
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby Club was founded in 1865 and is one of the oldest clubs in existence. The club competes in the English Premiership, and they’ve won the Premiership Rugby Cup, the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup. Their home stadium is the Recreation Ground in the heart of the city.
At the end of the day there’s still dinner at the Grand Eastern to look forward to (contact us to book a table), and perhaps a show at the Theatre Royal (built in 1805 – one of the oldest working theatres in Britain).
