Bath Car Rental
Compare & Save on car rental in Bath
Bath is a World Heritage Site and is the site of the famous Roman baths and temple. “Taking the waters” as a cure for ill-health was particularly popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the Georgian streets and terraces were built during this period. Bath features in many novels of the time including Jane Austen’s “Northanger Abbey” and “Persuasion”. Other eminent residents over the years have included the painters Sir Thomas Gainsborough and Sir Thomas Lawrence, and more recently the Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia spent four years of his exile in Bath in the 1930s. Bath is a major tourism centre, with over a million visitors staying in the city each year. It is not, however, a “museum of a city” stuck in the past, but has a thriving service sector and is a base for IT in the south west. Two universities, numerous festivals, and several concert venues mean that there is a lively cultural life, with five theatres attracting international companies and directors. The city also runs the annual Bard of Bath competition to find the best story teller, poet or singer – recreating an old Druidic tradition.
Things to Do in Bath
No visit to Bath is complete without having taken a dip in the spa baths. The latest and most spectacular is the Thermae Bath Spa, which combines the historic spa buildings with the modern design of the New Royal Bath. The spa is fed by naturally warmed mineral-rich waters, and you can bathe in the rooftop pool with its splendid views over the city. The Roman Baths lie at the heart of the World Heritage site, and the extensive temple and bathing complex are still amazingly complete. To drink the waters and experience the setting familiar from Jane Austen’s novels, visit the Pump Room, now housing an excellent restaurant.
Top 3 Must See: Bath
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Thermae Bath Spa
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Roman Baths
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No 1 Royal Crescent, magnificently restored Georgian town house
The Royal Crescent and The Circus, designed by the two John Woods (father and son) provide the vistas that many visitors remember as typical of the city, with their elegant sweep of Bath stone buildings. Bath Abbey, founded in 1499, is a magnificent medieval church, with its enormous stained glass windows and intricate stone carving. There are many historic houses and beautiful towns and villages to visit around Bath, and arranging car rental for at least part of your visit will give you access to the wider region, particularly with the M4 motorway only 9 miles away.
Drive Around Bath
In addition to the attractions of the city itself, the surrounding area offers many fascinating sites and places of historic interest to visit, and a car is a must for exploring more widely. The A36 road runs through Bath and following it southwards alongside the pretty landscapes of the River Avon brings you to the steep wooded coombes and streams outside the city. The beautiful cathedral city of Wells and Wookey Hole caves and paper mill are only a 20 mile drive from Bath on the A37, and will amply repay a day’s visit. To book car rental in Bath and find the right vehicle for you take a look at the deals offered with GoCarRental.com.
