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A Guide to Washington DC: The Most Famous Capital in the World

Goodbye #Washington you've been amazing! 🎉🇺🇸 @contiki @statravel_uk #contiki #grandsouthern #noregrets #america #USA

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Smithsonian Institution

For most Americans, and for most of the world, today is D-Day. Today is the day that Barack Obama steps down as US President. Today is the day Donald Trump becomes US President, and the most powerful leader in the world – there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say. I visited Washington DC back in July when the Trump vs Clinton campaigns were heating up and everyone was talking about the impending election. Despite the uncertainty of a Trump-led America, I thought today would be a good day to remind everyone just how beautiful the capital of the United States really is. Washington is a city unlike any I’ve ever experienced before; it’s steeped in history and has so much to offer. I spent three wonderful days there exploring as much as I possibly could on my Grand Southern Contiki Tour and I still feel like I only just scratched the surface. Let’s share some optimism on this gloomy January day and remind ourselves how great Washington is with this guide to the city and my top must sees…

Stroll down the National Mall

 

 

All eyes will be on this famous street this evening, but on a normal day the National Mall is buzzing with locals and tourists alike, with different events occurring almost every week meaning there’s always something going on. Wandering along the two mile long, tree-lined boulevard you’ll find the Capitol Building at one end whilst the Lincoln Memorial occupies the other end. In between two of the city’s most famous landmarks you’ll find a number of well known buildings, memorial statues and green parks. The whole of the National Mall, affectionately known as ‘America’s Front Yard’, is officially listed as a National Park and is one of the most visited areas in the whole of the United States.

 

Visit the Capitol Building

 

 

Another famous building and a must see when in the capital is, yep you got it, The Capitol Building. Home to the House and Senate, the Capitol Building is at the centre of American democracy and attracts millions of tourists each year – guided tours are free but must be booked in advance, which is why I didn’t get to explore the inside! I loved looking up at this place when I visited – it’s huge and looks so grand from the outside. Standing on the steps on Capitol Hill looking out towards the whole of the National Mall, with the Washington Monument and Reflection Pool in the distance, is pretty special and is definitely one of those ‘pinch me’ travel moments.

 

Stop for a selfie at the White House

 

Found the most famous house on the planet today 🇺🇸🏡 #Washington #whitehouse #heyobama #noregrets #USA

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One of the most famous houses on the planet, the White House is one of Washington’s biggest tourist attractions with free guided tours being offered four times a week, subject to the busy government schedule. Tours must be requested way in advance, up to six months before your visit date, and they get booked up incredibly quickly due to the White House’s extreme popularity. I could barely get close to the White House when I visited due to the safety railings and the hoards of security guards, but I still managed to take a decent selfie from the distance!

 

Gaze at the Washington Monument

 

 

This was my favourite building in the whole of Washington, and I know it’s extremely popular with tourists too! Perhaps the most iconic building across the whole of the city skyline, the Washington Monument stands 555ft tall and offers spectacular views across the entire city. Riding the elevator all the way to the top was an incredible experience, and the views from up high were amazing, taking in the National Mall and all the other famous monuments in the vicinity.

 

Discover the Memorial Parks

 

Reflecting in #washington 🇺🇸 @contiki @statravel_uk #contiki #grandsouthern #noregrets #america #USA

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It's still #worldphotoday and I'm still posting #Washington pics 📸🇺🇸 @contiki @statravel_uk #flashbackfriday

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The Memorials laid out across the centre of the city and the whole of the National Mall are really special and definitely worth dedicating a whole day to. I had enough time to see pretty much all of them during my time there and I fell in love with them. It was so interesting to learn the history behind each of them, and find out more about the famous faces they were commemorated to. The Lincoln, FDR and Jefferson Memorials were particular favourites of mine as they are so iconic, but I also really liked the reflective World War II Memorial and the beautiful Martin Luther King Jr Statue too. I’d recommend seeing the monuments both in the day time and after dark to see them lit up in all their glory – they look even MORE amazing when the sun goes down!

 

Explore the many museums

 

 

Part of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington is home to 17 museums and galleries which are all free to enter for the public. The most popular museums include the National Museum of Natural History, the National Portrait Gallery and the National Air and Space Museum. Each offer something different and are fun for all the family, although I’d recommend only focusing on the museums you actually want to visit as this will take up a lot of your time during your visit to the city.

 

Visit the National Zoo

 

 

Also part of the Smithsonian Institution, and also free to enter for the public, Washington Zoo is a really popular tourist attraction. Located in the residential Woodley Park neighbourhood, the zoo is laid out over 160 acres and is home to over 2000 animals. Some of the species at the zoo include lions, tigers, bears, giraffes, elephants and their famous giant pandas which are just ADORABLE! The zoo offers something different compared to the historic areas of the city and is a great day out for all the family.

 

So there we have it, my guide to the best things to see and do during your time in Washington. Although it may be an uncertain time for America at the moment, one thing I’m sure of is that Washington will still retain its charm and beauty of being one of the most iconic capital cities in the world. With so much to see and do and so many incredible landmarks to visit, your visit to Washington will be a dream no matter what.

Have you ever been to Washington DC? Tell me what you thought of it, I’d love to hear your comments!

Love Jess x

 

Wish I was back exploring #Washington 🇺🇸🇺🇸 @contiki @statravel_uk #grandsouthern #contiki #noregrets #america #USA #DC #capital

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Happy New Year! My 2017 Resolutions…

Happy new year all the way from St Ives 🎉🎉 #NYE #Cornwall #swisbest #lovecornwall #visitengland #visitbritain #lovegreatbritain

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Happy New Year everyone, and welcome to my first post of 2017!

I don’t know about you, but I am sooo happy that a new year is now upon us and I am feeling more motivated than ever to make this year the best one yet! As most of you will know, 2016 actually turned out to be my best year to date, but I am keen to top it in 2017 and am already thinking about my upcoming travels, and my ambitions for the year ahead. Last year I wrote a similar post about my 2016 resolutions, but I’ve been thinking about the new year since before Christmas and have finally settled on my goals for 2017…

 

I want to travel to 10 new countries

 

Planning for my 2017 #travel adventures… It suddenly all seems a little bit real! 🌎✈️🚂 #jessdoeseurope

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For those of you who have been following my blog for a while, you’ll know all about my ongoing 25:25 challenge. Last January I set myself the task of visiting 25 countries before I turn 25 in January 2018. As of now I am on country number 12 so am only halfway through with only a year left to complete it! It’s going to be difficult for me to visit another 13 countries before 2017 is over, but I know I have to do at least 10 of them if I have any chance of completing this task next January! In an ideal world, I’ll spend 2017 hitting Europe and will then spend my 25th birthday in Australia, stopping off at Dubai along the way, and celebrating my new achievement. Or if I can’t afford Australia I’ll hop over to Dublin, or Edinburgh, or somewhere else on my bucket list that is a little closer to home… that version of the story is much more likely, but a girl can dream, right?! I’m well aware that it will take a lot of time, and money, to complete this challenge, but I am more motivated than ever to achieve it and really hope I am nearly there by the time 2017 comes to an end! Wish me luck!!

 

I want to stop wasting money on scratch cards

 

 

I’m hoping this one will be fairly easy, but I am THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD FOR BUYING SCRATCHCARDS!! I literally can’t help myself, especially if I’m stood at the front of the queue and they’re just jumping out at me. Or if I’m paying on my card and don’t see the money leaving my account until weeks later, because it doesn’t feel the same as paying in cash, right?! I really need to stop buying scratch-cards though, like seriously, it is a really unhealthy obsession that I want to cut out of my life in 2017. I’m not a gambler, I don’t place bets, I don’t go to bingo and I rarely play the lottery (although I won £90 once woooo!), so I feel like buying scratch-cards is my way of trying to get a little bit of luck, but I NEVER win on them and I just feel they are a complete waste of time. This year, every time I get the urge to buy a scratch-card I’m going to put the couple of quid into a little money pot and try to save it up, at least that way I can save instead of spend!

 

I want to get a part time job

 

Trying to work but getting distracted by cuddles from this one! Love my little helper 🐶💖 #freelancer #bloglife

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You’ll probably all know that I’m currently freelancing and working from home and, as much as I love it, I am starting to get a little lonely. I miss the company of having  work friends, and colleagues, and seeing actual PEOPLE on a day to day basis, instead of just my little dog for company (she’s a babe tho, I love her). I miss the social aspect of it; I’m such a people person and I thrive off seeing a friendly smile and having a little catch up with colleagues, so working by myself has proved difficult over the past couple of months.Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE my freelance life and am going to keep building up my business in 2017 – I love choosing my own hours, not bothering with my hair and make up and working from my bed if I feel poorly! I’m quite good at being  self motivating and I won’t lie in bed all day when I know I have deadlines and a to-do list as long as my arm, but I just feel a little part time job would give me the social aspect that I miss, as well as some more money too, which is never a bad thing! As I write this, I have an interview lined up tomorrow for some part time hours in a retail store, so we will see what comes of that, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

I want to focus on growing my blog as much as possible

 

 

2016 was undoubtedly my best year of blogging to date; I was shortlisted for a national award, I received widespread local press coverage, I underwent a major rebrand, worked with several high profile companies, became a brand ambassador, attended my first travel  blogging conferences and even went on my first ever press trip. I’m not sure how I’m going to top all of those things in 2017, but I sure as hell am going to try! Ideally, I would love to start earing some money from my blog, but I can’t be bothered with all the ads/affiliate links that sooo many other bloggers use. I work with a few PR companies and often get sent on all expenses paid days out and overnight stays to enjoy and review, which in itself is amazing, but I feel like I’m ready to take those next steps into blog professionalism and start earning a living from my little space on the World Wide Web. If you’re a blogger and are already monetising your site PLEASE send some tips my way!

I want to spend more time with my family and friends

 

Bit late to the party after being on holiday but so pleased to have ended 2016 and brought in the new year down in Cornwall with my beautiful, crazy family. 2016 was my best year to date; I took my biggest leap of faith by quitting my job, travelling solo to LA and launching my freelance business. I road tripped across America, ticking off 30 cities & 23 states (making 52 new friends along the way) and inter-railed around Italy with my sister, visiting three of the most famous cities in the world. My blog turned 2, it underwent a major rebrand and it was nominated for an award. I've been bridesmaid for my best friend, celebrated my cousins wedding and my sisters 21st and have been to V Fest, the theatre and the races. I've made hundreds of new memories with my amazing friends and family and am entering 2017 feeling the happiest I've ever been! Here's to an even better year with many new adventures ahead as I take on Europe during my next 12 months of travel! Happy belated new year everyone, wishing you every happiness for 2017 🌎✈️💖

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I do this a lot anyway, but I think I’m going to make a conscious effort in 2017 to spend EVEN MORE time with the people who mean so much to me. In 2016 I learnt that having 5 or 6 close, special friends is better than having 10 or 12 friends who you don’t really see that often. Yes, I have a good social circle and I know an awful lot of people, but I’ve learnt who I can rely on, who I can trust and, most importantly, who I actually want to spend my time with, and who deserves my time too! I love spending time with my family, we are all so close and that will never change, but I’ve learnt who my real friends are over these past 12 months! Here’s to cutting out the time wasters in 2017 and focusing on those who I really want to be with instead.

I want to spend less time on social media

 

 

It’s no secret that I’m a total social media obsessive. I’m on social media literally ALL THE TIME, mainly because of my job, but also because I love it and I can’t help myself. A lot of the time I’m genuinely absorbing important stuff, like keeping up to date with the news, researching new travel destinations or thinking of new post ideas for the blog. Sometimes though, I find myself just sat there staring at my phone, totally absent minded and taking in boring content that has no impact or relevance to my life whatsoever. This is what I need to stop doing in 2017 – I need to stop looking at things that I don’t care about, and things which aren’t important to me. Who cares if that couple from down the road got engaged, or if that girl from school has had a baby? If it doesn’t affect my life I am NOT interested! Of course I want to see what my friends and family are up to and I want to be involved in their online lives too, but I’m going to delete people who aren’t important, ignore things that don’t matter to me, and stop comparing my life to other peoples lives. I also think it will help me to have a little digital detox and interact with humans more instead!

I want to stop looking for love

 

🎉👯🌹😘

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After a bloody awful year of dating in 2016 I think I’ve decided to give up looking for love in 2017 – I never seem to get anywhere, I don’t meet anyone decent, and I ALWAYS get hurt! I’ve been on dates, started seeing people, got to the point where I think it could turn into something, and then BAM, it gets taken away and I end up back at square one. I’m so afraid to let someone in, get close to someone and open up to them because I’m so scared of getting hurt again. I know it’ll affect my confidence the longer I leave it, but I feel that, by not looking for something, I might just be lucky enough to find someone when I least expect it. I’m not totally bitter towards men, and I really do believe that there is someone out there for me, I just haven’t found him yet and I don’t want to look for him now. That’s ok, right?!

 

I want to focus on MYSELF

 

Back in my happy place 🌊🐬 #Cornwall #lovecornwall #stives #swisbest #GB #UK #visitengland #visitbritain #lovegreatbritain

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This kinda follows on from my last point, but I honestly think that, unless I start focusing on myself and looking after number one, I’m not going to find anyone who wants to be with me. I really want to look back on 2017 as the year I started to love myself, because I haven’t done a lot of that in recent years. I’m quite a confident, bubbly person on the outside, and I’ll always put a big smile on my face, but, inside, I’m this little girl who constantly compares herself to others, and overthinks just about everything. I put myself down, I take 20 attempts to get the right selfie, I breathe in when I walk past a mirror because I think I look fat, and I let my health get the better of me sometimes. It’s not something I do on purpose, I just can’t help it, I’ve been like it since I was a teenager, since I encountered some problems when I was 15.

 

Yesterday was a bad day, today will be a good day ✨👸 #selfie #happywednesday

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I won’t go into the details but, ever since then, I have suffered with occasional bouts of mild depression. Sometimes I just have days where I don’t even want to get out of bed. It’s like everything around me is dark and I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes things trigger it, but other times it can be something so small, like a ridiculously sad advert on the telly, and I’ll start bawling my eyes out and crying like a baby. It doesn’t happen too often, and I know people deal with things that are much, much worse, but, this year, if/when I start to feel this way again, I’m going to tell myself that I’m a strong, smart and independent female who CAN and WILL achieve great things, and that might help me look at the bigger picture a bit differently! I want to focus on what I HAVE got, not what I haven’t got, and I think that will really help me to look after myself this year.

 

I'll keep dancing on my ownnnnn 💃💃 #boysarecheatsandliars

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I’m hoping that, by the time 2017 comes to an end, I’ll have ticked off all of these resolutions and will be feeling super proud of myself! I like to think that they are all manageable, and achievable, and that 12 months gives me enough time to complete them all. I know that travelling to 10 new countries is a pretty big ask, so I’m not going to beat myself up too much if I don’t complete that one, but I’m feeling so determined this year and am confident I can do it!

What are your New Years Resolutions? I’d love to hear your 2017 goals!

Love Jess x

 

I've entered UK Blog Awards 2017!

Hey everyone,

So today is a special day…voting for UK Blog Awards 2017 is now OPEN!! For those of you who have followed me for a while now, you’ll remember that I was amazed to be SHORTLISTED as a Top 10 Finalist for Best Travel Blog in the 2016 awards. It was totally unexpected and I was blown away by the amount I support I received from my family and friends and of course my readers, as well as everyone else who took the time to vote for me! Being shortlisted as a finalist this year was incredible, but next year I am going to go all out and try to WIN the coveted title of Best UK Travel Blog at the 2017 awards! I need your help to do it though…

 

 

Voting is easy peasy and takes just 30 seconds! All you have to do is click here, enter your name and email address, select TRAVEL as the category, and then click VOTE! That’s it, it couldn’t be simpler, and the competition in my category is stronger than ever, so I need all the help I can get if I’m going to have any chance of being shortlisted, let alone winning. If you could pleaseeeee take the time to vote for me I would be eternally grateful and it would mean soooo much to me and my little blog, which is turning 3 next year – I can’t believe it!

Thank you to anyone who may have voted for me so far – I LOVE YOU! Voting closes on 19th December so please cast them as soon as possible! I’ll be Tweeting, Instagramming and Facebooking in between now and then to make sure you’re still voting 😉 nah don’t worry, I won’t bombard you, but I do need as many votes as I can get to be in with a chance of winning!

You know what to do… vote vote vote!

Love Jess x votenow-2-trans

October Newsletter – Happy Halloween!

Hi everyone,

Happy Halloween!! Can’t quite believe that it’s that time of the month again… Newsletter time! I thought my October was going to be pretty quiet, but it ended up being unexpectedly busy! I’ve been up to all sorts of exciting things and, as always, am more than happy to share them with you all… Here goes!…

I went on my first ever press trip!

 

 

So October has been an exciting month for me, mainly because I was invited on my first ever press trip! The wonderful team at Visit Bath invited me to spend a couple of days exploring their beautiful Spa city and I was able to obtain press passes to check out some of the city’s best known attractions. I had a brilliant time stepping back in history at The Roman Baths and climbing Bath Abbey for spectacular panoramic views of the city. I also spent the morning relaxing at the beautiful Thermae Spa before staying at the luxury Francis Hotel too – check out my full hotel review if you’re visiting soon and are looking for somewhere to stay! I was well and truly spoilt and already cant wait to return to beautiful Bath!

 

I registered to attend WTM London

 

 

So I’ve signed up to attend my first ever travel trade show and I am SO excited! WTM London is probably the biggest travel show in the world, with thousands of exhibitors from all corners of the globe coming together for three days of travel showcasing. I’ve been busy booking meetings in with various exhibitors and am hoping to meet with many more tourism boards, press members and fellow bloggers at the event next week. It has come round so fast and will be the biggest conference I’ve ever attended so I am really looking forward to it!

 

I became a tourist in my home city (again!)

 

 

I treated myself to a day off last week and spent some time exploring my beautiful home city, Oxford. I never get the chance to explore it properly and am always in a rush when I’m there (Christmas shopping is so stressful, I don’t care what anyone says!), so I thought it would be fun to spend some proper time seeing all the touristy things! I actually went on a first date with someone and we had such a fun day out, it was so refreshing to do something different for a date rather than just going out for a drink! I made a little Oxford ‘bucket list’ as it was his first time visiting the city, so we climbed St Mary’s Church, saw the Radcliffe Camera, explored the Ashmolean Musem & took a selfie under the Bridge of Sighs! It was so much fun and it reminded me how much I loved Oxford! What do you guys do for first date ideas? I love the concept of putting something travel related in there, I think it’s so much more exciting than just going to a pub and it can take some of the ‘first date nerves’ out the picture too!

 

I got scared silly at Thorpe Park’s Fright Night

 

👻 F R I G H T N I G H T 👻 #WeSurvived #ThorpePark #fbf #halloween

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I had never been to Thorpe Park before so when one of my  best friends suggested we head over for one of their Fright Night events I was so keen! I love theme parks and rides and love all things spooky and Halloweeny (that’s a word, right?!) so couldn’t wait to get my freak on and be scared silly. I have to say, it was crazy busy and the wait times for rides were insanely long, but we were there really for the Fright Night so we did a few rides but then spent the majority of time in the mazes. I was expecting them to be a little tame but oh my god they were SO SCARY! I was having heart palpitations, jumping out my skin and screaming my head off the whole way through, but it was so much fun and I will definitely be going back next year – what is wrong with me?!

 

My freelancing business has really taken off

 

This is how I feel right now. Today I calculated that I've earnt *almost* as much each month as I was earning in my old 9-5 job! I knew I could do it!!! I've started with nothing and built up my little business all by myself. At times I felt like giving up, like I wasn't good enough, and like I had no right to make a career for myself, but today I've felt so inspired and so pleased that my hard work seems to be paying off. Any doubts that may have been in my mind have now been dismissed and I am SO excited to continue my journey in my new career and see where this takes me! Here's to future success and many more adventures 📝💻✈️🌍 #MondayMotivation #freelancer #bloglife #virtualassistant

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I know I said this last month, but my business has continued to grow since then and I’m now earning almost as much as I was at my old 9-5 job!! I’m so so grateful to be content with doing what I love for a living, and it’s going really well so far. I’ve grown from nothing and now have six clients and am taking on an exciting new project soon which will expand my business even further. In case you don’t know what it is that I do, I’ve set myself up as a Virtual Assistant and I’m offering a range of services from social media management and content writing to Skype sessions for fellow bloggers and ad-hoc computer admin work for some of my larger clients. I seem to be getting busier as the days go on and am so pleased with how my little freelance life is turning out. Please contact me directly to see how we can work together!

 

I’ve been LOVING the autumnal weather

 

🍂🌳 #blenheimpalace #woodstock #oxfordshire #cotswolds #oxford #GB #UK #england #visitengland #lovegreatbritain

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I was sooo sad when my amazing summer came to an end this year, but I have to say that I have been loving the autumnal weather we have been having over here in the UK throughout October. It hasn’t been overly cold, and we’ve had some beautiful blue skies and crisp autumn mornings that have seen me take the dog out on lots of walks, especially round the grounds of the beautiful Blenheim Palace! I love everything about autumn; the colours of the trees, Halloween and Bonfire Night and I love the countdown to Christmas – can’t believe how fast the end of the  year is approaching though… slow down already 2016!

So that’s how my October went! How did yours go? Were you as crazy busy as me, or did you have chance to have some down time? Let me know what you’ve been up to, or what you’ve got coming up for November – mine is going to be a busy one with trips to London and Essex already pencilled in!

Love Jess x

 

It's timeeeeee 😈🎃👻👯 #Halloween

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Press Visit: 24 Hours in Bath Spa

 

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited on my first ever press trip to the beautiful city of Bath Spa and I had the most AMAZING overnight stay! Working in conjunction with Visit Bath and the stunning Francis Hotel, I was able to obtain a press pass which granted me access to some of the city’s top attractions. Located in the pretty county of Somerset, the city of Bath is one of the most visited in England, attracting over 3.8 million visitors each year.

Bath became a Spa in 60 AD with the Latin name Aquæ Sulis when the Romans built the baths in the valley of the River Avon, and remains the only place in the UK where you can bathe in thermal waters from the natural hot springs underneath the city. The whole city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and is still the only place in the UK to have this title. The centre of Bath is pretty small, and everything can be seen in a day or two so, without further ado, here is my ultimate guide to this gorgeous city!

 

How to get there

Bath is perfectly positioned just off the M4 and M5 motorways, just 19 miles from Bristol Airport and a 90 minute train ride away from London Paddington station, meaning it can be accessed by bus, car, coach, train or plane. However, as it’s a fairly small city, the roads are often congested with heavy traffic and parking can be a little tricky as it is often so busy. The whole of Bath can be explored on foot, and walking is the best way to truly discover the city, so ditch the car and arrive by train instead! Bath Spa station is just a 5 minute walk from the city centre and offers fantastic frequent services that run smoothly, allowing you to visit from many different UK rail stations.

1024px-bath_spa_railway_station_from_beechen_cliff

Photo credit: By Rwendland – Own work. Source: Commons Wikimedia

 

 

Where to stay

There’s a vast array of different hotels and B&B’s in Bath, many of which are luxury spa hotels given the city’s thermal water heritage, but there are properties to suit every need and budget. For a luxurious stay in a beautiful setting at the heart of the city, I’d highly recommend the Francis Hotel, located on Queens Square. With it’s original Georgian architecture still in tact, the hotel was converted from a row of terraced houses and now boasts 98 individually designed modern bedrooms with a distinct historic feel.

 

There’s also a delightful tearoom where afternoon tea is served daily, snug lounge and bar areas, an underground dining/breakfast room and famous chef Raymond Blanc’s signature restaurant, Brasserie Blanc. Onsite parking and free WIFI is available at the hotel, and the friendly staff are on hand to help whatever your query might be. For a 4* stay at the heart of Bath you really can’t go wrong with the Francis Hotel – my full review will be posted on the blog soon!

 

What to see

There are a number of impressive landmarks in Bath which are not to be missed on your visit to the city – here are my Top 5:

 bathabbey Bath Abbey – one of the oldest Church buildings in the UK, with striking Perpendicular Gothic architecture and history dating back to the 7th century. The Abbey runs frequent tours allowing visitors t0 climb the 212 steps up to the top of the tower for spectacular panoramic views across the city.

 

 

The Roman Baths – follow in the footsteps of the Romans and explore the site where they bathed in thermal plunge pools over 2000 years ago. With a fantastic museumromanbaths and original architecture dating back to 70AD, the Baths are a natural wonder and perhaps the city’s most popular tourist attraction.

royalcrescent

 

 

 

The Royal Crescent & The Circus – a row of 30 terraced houses laid out in the shape of a sweeping crescent overlooking the gardens of the Royal Victoria Park. Both the Crescent and the Circus are some of the country’s best examples of fine Georgian architecture.

pulteneybridgePulteney Bridge – one of only 4 historic bridges left in the world with shops built into it on either side. Completed back in 1774, the bridge was designed to connect the city with the Georgian town of Bathwick. Cross the River Avon in style & gaze down to the striking crescent weir below.

 

Thermae Bath Spa – award-winning natural spa allowing visitors to bathe in the UK’s only naturally warm mineral waters, just as the Romans did over 2000 years ago! Immerse yourself in the spa’s different chambers; a lazy river with Jacuzzi, a range of aromatic steam rooms and a thermal rooftop pool with spectacular views of the city skyline.

thermae-spa

Photo credit: Rob Slade Photography

Where to eat & drink

Bath is known for its high end eateries and its iconic Pump Room is a stunning restaurant at the heart of the city, located just next to Bath Abbey & The Roman Baths. There are also a number of popular chain restaurants, such as Pizza Express, Nandos, Prezzo, Wagamama & Browns which offer visitors an eclectic choice when it comes to dining. As Bath is also a uni city, there are plenty of bars, pubs and even a couple of clubs for those looking for some adventurous nightlife.

 

For a quintessentially English treat, Sally Lunn’s Tea Rooms are not to be missed! With history dating back to the 1400s, Sally Lunn’s is one of the oldest eateries in England. Guests flock from all corners of the globe to get a taste of the world famous sweet and savoury buns, served with different flavoured toppings and fillings to suit every palette. The buns are so large that they’re served in half and traditionally eaten with a knife and fork. Today the restaurant serves up a menu based on the buns that were first created by Sally Lunn herself back in 1680 when she arrived in England as a French refugee. There is a museum and small gift shop underneath the restaurant which houses the original kitchens that Sally used to bake her world famous buns. The museum is free for diners to enter and you can even buy your own buns to take home!

 

What not to miss

Discover a hidden gem at the heart of the city and indulge in a private spa session at The Cross Bath. Located next to the Thermae Spa and part of the same building, although it is not attached, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the steaming thermal waters and enjoy an intimate spa session with private changing facilities. The Cross Bath can be visited individually, or hired out by a maximum of 12 people at a time, making it a quiet alternative to the busy facilities offered at the Thermae Spa. The spa’s catering team can also provide nibbles and champagne for a luxurious treat and an occasion to remember. The Cross Bath is recognised as an official sacred site and is a hidden gem not to be missed when visiting the city!

The Cross Bath- a hidden gem at the heart of #bath! 🇬🇧 #visitbath #visitengland #visitbritain #lovegreatbritain #UK #GB #igersbath

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When to visit

Bath is beautiful at any time of year, but I particularly love it during the autumn/winter months, when the countdown to Christmas is well and truly on! In the lead up to the big day, there are a number of popular events in the city, such as The Great Bath Feast, The Bath Film Festival, Bath Rotary Club Fireworks Display, and The Bath Christmas Markets, making autumn/winter one of the busiest times of the year.

Ladies and gents, The Roman Baths! 🇬🇧 #bath #visitbath #UK #GB #visitbritain #lovegreatbritain

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Visiting in spring or summer is just as lovely too though, with the better weather Bath comes alive and the blue skies and green grass really shows off the city in all its glory. Bath Literature Festival, Vitality Bath Half Marathon and the Bath Comedy and Bath Digital Festivals are all fun, family friendly events on the spring/summer calendar making it a great time to visit.

How beautiful is the #royalcrescent looking in the sunshine today?! #bath #visitbath #GB #UK @visitbath #visitbritain #lovegreatbritain

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Why visit Bath?

In summary, Bath is one of those really gorgeous cities that should definitely not be missed when planning a trip to the UK! It’s super easy to visit by either rail, road or air and is in a prime location in the west of the country, perfect if breaking up your journey to London and surrounding areas. Offering a whole host of things to see and do, the history and charm of Bath will leave you wanting to return time and time again.

Oh Bath Abbey how I've missed you! 😍🇬🇧 #bath #wanderlustwednesday #UK #GB @visitbath

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So there we have it, my full guide to visiting the city of Bath – you can now plan your trip and go enjoy a fabulous stay there whenever you choose to visit! Have you ever been to Bath before, or are you planning on going anytime soon? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Love Jess x

NB. For this press visit I was lucky enough to be a guest with Visit Bath and with the Francis Hotel, but all opinions are of course my own.