VISITING BATH
THE ROMAN CITY
As a twice recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site, the City of Bath is of the best places in the UK to visit. Featuring a mixture of excellently preserved Roman sites and stunning Georgian architecture constructed out of Bath stone, make sure you see the sites when visiting Bath in November!​
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Below is a collection of some tips for getting to Bath, travelling in Bath, where to stay, what to see and do and where to eat, with some student favourites thrown in.
TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION
GETTING TO BATH
Bath can be conveniently accessed by train, bus and plane from both London and Bristol.
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Bath Spa railway station features direct services to London Paddington on Great Western Railway. The journey takes approximately 90 minutes.
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Bath bus station has direct links to Heathrow Airport and London Victoria on both National Express and FlixBus coach services. The journey takes approximately 3 hours.
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Bristol Airport connects to Bath bus station via the A4 Air Decker bus which operates nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
TRAVELLING IN BATH
Bath is a brilliantly walkable city, and the buses are fairly reliable for those looking to explore.
The U1, operated by FirstBus, provides a direct and regular service between the city centre and our campus on Bathwick Hill (we would not recommend walking up the hill). Remember to tap on and tap off for a student fare!
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Uber works well in the city, alongside competitor Veezu, though waits may be on the longer side during late night requests.​​​
ACCOMMODATION
Bath has a good mixture of hostels and hotels to support delegates, however due to our conferences proximity to the Christmas season we recommend booking early.
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Premier Inn, YMCA Bath and Bath Backpackers are all good options located in Bath city centre. While YHA Bath is located on Bathwick Hill, a short walk from our campus.
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For smaller delegations we also recommend checking AirBnB for possible places to stay.
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Please contact us if you need help finding accommodation, our delegate affairs team are happy to help!
THE SITES OF BATH
THE ROYAL CRESCENT
Completed in 1767, the Royal Crescent is a collection of 30 terraced houses overlooking Royal Victoria Park. The crescent is over 500 ft long and a favourite of city students for photos and picnics in the summer months.
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It now houses a small museum, private housing and the The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa.
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Fun fact, our secretariat photos were taken here!
THE ROMAN BATHS
A preserved ancient religious site to the Roman goddess Minerva, the Roman Baths are a collection of buildings built upon a thermae spa.
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Originally for public bathing and worship, the baths spurred the growth of the Roman settlement Aquae Sulis, which became modern day Bath. While you can no longer swim in the baths, a museum and restaurant allow you to take in one of the best preserved roman sites in England.
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Fun fact, the Bath Gorgon head from the original baths forms the logo of our University!
BATH ABBEY
Bath's Abbey dominates the skyline of the city, making it one of the most popular attractions. Founded in the 7th century, the church features some of the finest gothic architecture in the West of England.
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It currently hosts church services, concerts, lectures and offers tours to vistors. For those simply wanting to take in the view, we recommend sitting in nearby Kingston Parade and taking in the building from the south.
SHAM CASTLE
A uniquely Bath curio, the sham castle is just that, a sham. Commissioned in the 18th century, a single castle wall was constructed to improve the views and prospects of Bath resident Ralph Allen's country house.
Around a 10-minute (partly off-road) walk from campus, it offers a great vantage point overlooking the whole city. Not for the faintest of heart, the castle is best viewed at night.
PULTENEY BRIDGE AND WEIR
Featuring shops running its full length, Pulteney Bridge links the city centre with Great Pulteney St crossing the River Avon.
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Many popular coffee shops and tea houses take advantage of the spectacular river views, while visitors may want to take in the views from the nearby Grand Parade or North Parade bridge downstream.
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Both the bridge and weir are some of Bath's most photographed landmarks.
FOOD AND DRINK
THE LIME TREE
Chan. Green, University Campus
Our recommendation for the east side of campus. The lime tree canteen has a good selection of food and drink, with dedicated counters for pizzas, and cooked meals of the day, the canteen also has its own coffee shop and bar.
Most students with food credits will redeem them in the lime tree, so expect it to get a little busy around meal times!
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​Please remember to bring a re-useable coffee cup, our campus doesn't offer disposable ones!
STUDENTS UNION
The Parade, University Campus
The SU is right in the heart of the campus, and easily accessible. On the ground floor, there's The Pitstop and the SU shop, useful for vegan, gluten-
free and organic lunches, as well as Bath merch.
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Upstairs, The Bath Plug serves coffee in the day, and a good variety of budget friendly drinks in the evening. Light bites, sandwiches and burgers can also be ordered from the bar.
FRESH
(CO-OP)
3 West, University Campus
Located on the west side of the main parade, Fresh is the go-to local shop for most students on campus.
The shop offers a wide range of co-op branded goods as well as a good meal deal.
4WEST
CAFE
4 West, University Campus
Just opposite Fresh, 4 West Cafe is located, as the name suggests, in the 4 West maths building.
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The cafe offers hot and cold drinks, cold wraps and sandwiches, and a variety of hot lunches to go.
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Please remember to bring a re-useable coffee cup, our campus doesn't offer disposable ones!
JIMMY'S VS JASON'S
North Parade vs Grand Parade
Every student in Bath has a preference between Jimmy's and Jason's, two near identical kebab vans parked in the city centre.
After some internal discussion, we as a team can't decide on which we prefer. What we can do is guarantee that both are a staple of Bath nightlife and a must do after our gala night on Saturday.
COLLONA & SMALL'S
6 Chapel Row
Arguably Bath's best coffee shop, Collona & Small's is located just off Queen's Square in the city centre.
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It offers the best coffee in the city, outstanding cakes, and the lovely interior of the shop makes it a good place to visit.
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If in doubt, just ask what they recommend and make sure to sit in the garden if it's sunny.
BATH CIDER HOUSE
7 Bladud Blds., The Paragon
Every member of society has probably lost track of the amount of time they've spent in Cider House. Located just north of the city centre, it is the home of our society socials and some of the best cider in the city.
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They carry the widest range of ciders in the city, including four that rotate in and out on a regular basis, alongside a good selection of beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks.
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Make sure to try their rectangular pizza (share between 3 people) and get a pint of Bath Gold to pub like a real BATHMUN member.
THE GRAPES
14 Westgate Street
The cutest little pub and wine bar, just off Main Street. The Pub is originally 17th century but with a cosy vibe and
a brilliant selection of drinks.
The Grapes has live music (usually folk or jazz) around 4 nights a week and attracts a brilliant range of people from students to true bath locals.
The Grapes is known for its house wine picks, but for those more into spirits, all single measures are 1.5x as standard.