Top Rated Attractions in Bath

Located behind the iconic Theatre Royal, the Ustinov specializes in progressive work from local, student, and touring companies. Opened in the late 1990s, the studio space has transformed into a radically redesigned black box theater that leads the country in contemporary art performances. The intimate settings house many progressive in-house productions and devised entertainment using every imaginable performance medium there is. You are as likely to see new work as completely revamped adaptations of classic scripts and stories.

Arriving by train from London, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, is the first impressive building that visitors will notice. On the riverside just before the railway station, it boasts the tallest spire in Bath and was built in 1862. Unusual rococo inside with pillars of Red Devonshire marble either side of the aisle, an ornate altar and ceiling, it's a large peaceful church rarely crowded for services. Also fairly original, next to the votive candle stand (an exclusively Catholic phenomenon), is a book where people write in the objects of their prayers. Visiting Polish priests occasionally celebrate mass here.

Opened in 1805, the historic Georgian theater is arranged in the classic horseshoe shape and boasts of an atmosphere which is both intimate and grand. London productions often have previews here or begin their tours at The Royal, after leaving the West End. However, the theater is also used by local amateur groups such as the Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society. The interior provides improved leg room and seating is plentiful, but booking is advisable. The best seats are in the stalls and Royal Circle, and each level has its own fully stocked bar. Standing tickets are available for sell-out performances, these offer great value for money and there is the added advantage that you'll be first to the bar at the interval.

The Circus is the embodiment of John Wood the Elder's vision: to create buildings with all the grandeur of Palladian palaces but all the convenience of a row of private houses. Planned as a speculative venture to be let or sold, and at various times it was home to such luminaries as William Pitt, Thomas Gainsborough and William Gladstone. The Circus was designed by Wood in 1754, and looks rather like a Roman amphitheater turned inside out, its three tiers embellished with Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns. It was Wood's enthusiasm for the Palladian revival that was responsible for the particular unity of style that characterizes Bath to this day. And it was Ralph Allen whose generosity translated Wood's architectural dreams into the squares and crescents of this gracious city.

This extravagant ancient bath complex is an excellent example of Ancient Roman spa architecture dating back as far as 43CE. Built around three hot springs that steam and bubble at a constant 46 degrees centigrade (115 degrees fahrenheit), the baths offer insight into the daily life of the Romans. A Sacred Spring feeds the Great Bath and the complex opens out into a series of changing rooms and baths to either side of the central bath. As per tradition, there is also a cold plunge pool for bathers to cool off after a hot sauna. The complex also features a temple devoted to Sulis Minerva, the Celtic goddess of healing and fertility that the Romans worshipped as Minerva Medica. Exhibits and Roman artifacts include a famous stone relief of the Gorgon's Head, mosaics, stone coffins, and a gilded head from a statue of Sulis Minerva.