What's hot in Bath in 2011?
A new year brings new reasons to visit the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath.
Join in the city's 'Year of the Museum' celebrations, enjoy a royally good shopping trip and take advantage of the city's unique spa facilities for a truly relaxing break. Here's what's hot in 2011...
Bath 2011 Year of the Museum
Forget dusty cabinets, dingy lighting and the faint sound of yawning - Bath's museums are different! The Holburne Museum, the Roman Baths, No. 1 Royal Crescent and The American Museum, are just some of the fascinating places in Bath. Of the 17 museums in Bath, many tell the story of the city's history or of the extraordinary characters that made Bath their home like William Beckford who built his folly, the Beckford Tower to house his treasures, and William Herschel who discovered Uranus through his own telescope. Bath will celebrate its impressive collection of museums in 2011 with the 'Year of the Museum'.
The Holburne Museum will re-open on 14 May 2011 with glittering new displays and an opening exhibition 'Peter Blake: A Museum for Myself' showing the extraordinary private collection of the much-loved Pop Art pioneer. The redevelopment sees the Holburne's beautiful galleries restored and new spaces created to allow more of the Museum's wonderfully rich collection to be shown than ever before. Ranging from the ancient world to the nineteenth century, the collection includes important works by Brueghel, Ramsay, Zoffany, Stubbs and Constable as well as an unrivalled group of works by Gainsborough. The Holburne will be fully accessible to all visitors for the first time and have a new shop and café opening out onto the garden.
The American Museum in Britain will also be celebrating during the 'Year of the Museum' as it reaches its 50th anniversary in 2011. The museum will celebrate Fab @ 50 by opening two new facilities - a newly refurbished gallery for the museum's world-renowned Folk Art collection and a lecture theatre. A very special exhibition will also open in the main exhibition gallery entitled Marilyn - Hollywood Icon, featuring twenty of the screen goddess's gowns and outfits, original photographs, posters and personal items.
During the 'Year of the Museum', there will be a lecture series and 'Bath in 100 objects' - a collaboration with all 17 museums where objects of significance will be chosen. In addition, a free and downloadable audio tour to celebrate Bath's 'Year of the Museum' has just been launched and is now available on visitbath.co.uk/whsaudiotour - the tour takes a fascinating journey through the city's history and architecture.
Shop like a princess
The royal wedding is just around the corner and although most of us won't have the honour of being present at the actual event, it will still be wedding season for many! Bath is a fantastic place to find the perfect outfit with a wide range of stylish shops and an elegant Georgian backdrop providing a very enjoyable shopping experience. Following several years of major development at the transformed shopping area at SouthGate, shoppers are spoilt for choice with the additional high street and well-known stores complementing the city's famous independent and boutique shops in and around Milsom Street. Whether someone's idea of shopping heaven is searching for favourite high-street brands or discovering independent shops and unique boutiques, even the most discerning of shoppers will find everything they need, and more, in Bath.
New Year R&R time
Bath offers the ideal retreat for a relaxing break and is the perfect place to begin the New Year feeling rested and rejuvenated. With a fantastic choice of spa hotels in and around the city, Bath can offer visitors a luxurious stay. Some of the tempting choices include the stylish and elegant Bath Priory Hotel, Lucknam Park Hotel set in 500 acres of parkland with a stunning and contemporary spa, or the 5 star Royal Crescent Hotel set in the centre of the city's architectural masterpiece. The Bath House Spa at the Royal Crescent is offering a number of new treatments for 2011 including an Eternal Youth 'Ice' Cryotherapie Facial and two new treatments for expectant mothers - Mama Mio, a nourishing skin treatment, and Mellow Mama, a complete body massage.
Accommodation options are also varied for those on tighter budgets with a fantastic choice of self catering and bed and breakfasts dotted around the city and surrounding area. Barn House, just outside of Bath, is a brand new B&B offering comfortable rooms starting from just £70 per night. City-centre accommodation for as little as £60 can be booked at the stylish Bathwick Townhouse, a short walk from all the attractions.
Founded because of its unique thermal springs, Bath has been a fashionable spa resort since Roman times. The city has long been known as the UK's finest spa destination and it continues to retain this exclusive appeal today. The Thermae Bath Spa makes use of the city's thermal waters, with an indoor pool, a number of aromatic steam rooms and an incredible roof-top pool that is open all year round. Pre-book one of the many treatments available for a truly indulgent experience. A wide range of therapies such as Watsu, body wraps, hot stone massage, dry flotation and even dedicated treatments especially for mums to be, are available.
More ideas and inspiration on what's new, things to see and do and accommodation options can be found in the new Bath Visitor Guide available from: visitbath.co.uk
