Jane Austen's Bath And History Trail
Description
During my time in Bath I studied the history of Bath, its architects and residents who made this UNESCO World Heritage City a historical jewel. The legacy of Jane Austen’s writing and reading her novels inspired me to gain extensive knowledge about her time before and while she lived in Bath and after leaving Bath as well as the significance Bath had on her writing. Tour reviews underline my unique approach catering to individual personal or group needs, expectations and appreciations .
Tour Options
Itinerary
Here is where we meet. The Pulteney Bridge is a replica of the Ponte Veccio in Florence with shops lining both sides and was designed in 1769. We continue along Argyle Street and stop to looking at Laura Place and Great Pulteney Street. This stop takes about 15 minutes during which the magnificant town house architecture Great Pulteney Street is explained and its famous residents in the 18th and 19th century. The Holburne Museum of Art is visible from this stop. A walk along Pulteney Street towards the Holburn Museum can be undertaken and at the same time viewing the front of No. 4 Sydney Place where a name plaque commemorates Jane Austens first dwelling in Bath (no admission, museum or centre).
Celebrating Bath's most famous resident The Jane Austen Centre offers a snapshot of life during Regency times and explores how living in Bath affected Jane Austen's life and writing. A tour through the centre can be booked separately by guests , however my tour does include entering the centre free of charge and visiting the book shop .
The most photographed building in Bath and largest Crescent in Europe was built in the second half of the 18th century and consists of 30 terraced houses dramatically connected with giant Ionic columns. No. 1 is a museum and guests can see what these grand Georgian houses looked like inside. Charge and tour of the museum is not included.
A grand medieval cathedral was started in the early 12th century and in 1499 Bishop Oliver King started restoration . Completion took place under Elizabeth I in 1611 . The Abbey is famous for its memorials and wall plaques and the crowning of the first Kind of England, Edgar I in 977. Details will be explored and explained and guests can visit its interiors.
This is the only place in Britain where you may swim in natural thermal water, crowned with a rooftop pool with 35 degrees Celsius and open summer and winter. The Hetling Spring, Cross Spring and King's Spring will be explained and their origins dating back 10.000 years.
Besides the unique architectural achievements of the square guests will get to know details of Jane Austen's short residence at No. 13 in 1799
The Masterpiece of the John Wood architects, inspired by their interest in prehistoric stone circles and designed to emulate the Coliseum in Rome. Guest will learn and explore more about the uniqueness of this iconic site. Work started in 1754.
Public and ball rooms of grand designs where the fashinable people of the Regency period socialized. The ballrooms , the octagon, the card room and the tea room still play host to many events.
The main landmark of Bath dating from the 1st century AD, featuring the impressive Roman temple of Sulis Minerva and pools. It is recommended that guess book audio tours for the Roman Bath separately before or after the tour . Adjoing the baths is a sumbol of the city's golden age in the Gerogian Period - the Pump Room -where the fashin concious elite gathered for balls, tea and to 'take the waters'. It was here that Catherine and Isabelle often met in Jane Austen's novel 'Northanger Abbey'
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Covid restrictions apply if/whenever applicable
Reviews(105)
The tour was interesting with facts about Jane Austen mixed with other historical information. He drew comparisons about different people compared to Jane. He was interesting guide. However, when I stopped to go to the toilet , he had disappeared. I waited for him for almost 15 minutes. I gave up and walked on doing my own thing the rest of the afternoon. I only got a 90 minutes of tour.
This was the highlight of my entire Bath stay! If you don’t have a lot of time, skip the Jane Austen Centre which was really low in terms of content and disappointing and go on this walk with Ulrich. He was so kind and well informed. Was an absolute gem of a guide! He will take you around to where Austen used to live and all the other precious sights around Bath. Really loved my time w Ulrich and highly recommend him to anyone and everyone interested in history and Austen.
This tour was great value. Our guide was knowledgeable and took us all over the town but we were not rushed. My teenagers didn’t appreciate it as much as my husband and I did. Wear good walking shoes!
Ulrich’s Jane Austen tour was utterly magical! He was so knowledgeable and transported us back in time to understand what Bath was like in across millennia - from pre-Roman times, through to the 1800s . He shared fascinating facts, was patient, kind and answered our every question with unparalleled knowledge. I appreciated that the tour was a good mixture of Bath history and Austen history. Highly highly recommend
Hi Chaska More than I deserve…..❤️
We loved our tour with our guide. He shared so much more than just Jane Austen lore, we felt like we understood the history of Bath and its inhabitants.
Thank you Molly ….much more than I could wish for for a review….You were both truly inspirational!
Loved the tour guide! Super sweet and cute experience :)
Thank you so much Tatiana
Our guide was excellent! Fun walk around Bath. Our guide was very helpful and informative. Highly recommended.
Thank you so much Andrew
There’s lots of great guides in Bath but Ulrich wasn’t one of them. No passion for subject and very little information on Jane Austen!
My other guests on the same tour wondered as to why you booked my tour at all and I agree since you were not very interested in listening and more interested for me to find a phone shop for you to buy a charging cable! You are however invited to rejoin the tour at another time once you decide to arrive with an open mindset and then you would also not miss out on the most important part of the tour which you could not experience since you both left without a word having only participated for less than 1/3 of the tour and we were all wondering where all of a sudden you have disappeared to! Ulrich
This was a really lovely tour - lots of additional information peppered in to the key points around Jane Austen. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable!!!
Thank you very much Sara. It was a pleasure having you both on the Tour Ulrich
Ulrich was amazing! Very knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend! The tour was a good mix of the history of Bath and the history of Jane Austen.
Thank you very much Christine All the best Ulrich
