By Jessica Dostie
This small city in Somerset, in the west of England, is celebrating in style the 250th anniversary of the birth of the English novelist Jane Austen. Here’s a guided tour.
A popular destination in the early 19th century, Bath (and its thermal spa, of course) inspired Jane Austen, to the point that she set two of her novels there: Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. That’s not surprising: Austen lived there from 1801 to 1806, and she stayed there on many other occasions.
Although people no longer go to Bath to “take the waters,” as they did when Austen lived there, it has lost none of its charm; it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located about 185 kilometres (115 miles) from London, the city offers fans of English literature, history, and architecture several historic walking tours and many spots to visit.
Thermal Baths
One of the city’s most fascinating tourist attractions, the Roman Baths provide a look into Bath’s very origins thanks to the ruins that have been amazingly well preserved for more than two millenniums. The thermal spa, which was modified and expanded over the centuries until it closed for good in 1978, includes buildings from the Victorian era. While you can no longer bathe in the still-flowing hot water— instead, go to Thermae Bath Spa to bask in modern facilities—you can, as you leave the museum, taste the water, which is said to confer many benefits.
Just next door, The Pump Room, which Austen describes in her books and where her contemporaries went to take the waters (the magnificent fountain still works) and be seen in good company, now houses a restaurant. On the menu are traditional Bath buns, among other things. It’s a lovely spot for afternoon tea.
The Jane Austen Centre
Every Austen fan should visit this house, which has been turned into a museum and tea room. The Jane Austen Centre is located at 40 Gay Street, a few steps from No. 25, the modest apartment to which she moved in 1805 with her mother and sister after the death of her father. Its small exhibition revisits the author’s Bath years, all explained by knowledgeable guides in period dress. You can find artifacts from the Regency period, several paintings and family portraits, and even some items that belonged to Austen herself.
Bath’s most famous citizen even has her own festival. From September 12 to 21, the 2025 Jane Austen Festival will offer guided tours, costume balls, and theatrical performances.
The Royal Crescent
Of course, Bath has changed a lot since the 1800s, but some of the streets that Austen surely roamed are extremely well preserved. This is especially true of the Royal Crescent: this half-moon-shaped residential street consists of 30 row houses designed between 1767 and 1774 by architect John Wood the Younger. The area was used for some scenes in the Bridgerton TV series.
If you want to learn more about the way of life of the time, at No. 1, two storeys of the house have been restored and decorated according to the standards of the late 18th century to offer an immersive experience worthy of the name. It’s a must-see.
Sydney Gardens and Holburne Museum
Austen lived in several houses in Bath with her family, her favourite probably being the elegant residence at No. 4 Sydney Place, where they lived from 1801 to 1804. Today, the apartment isn’t open to the public for visits but is available for short-term tourist rentals.
During her stay in the neighbourhood, Austen liked to walk in the gardens across the street. Two hundred years ago, Sydney Gardens offered a popular labyrinth as well as a hotel, which became an art gallery, Holburne Museum. To get there from the historic city centre, take Pulteney Bridge, a picturesque architectural gem that crosses the River Avon, and then go up Great Pulteney Street for about a kilometre (about a 15-minute walk) along one of the most iconic Georgian-style thoroughfares.
From Paddington to Bath by Train
From London, the train trip takes only an hour and a quarter from Paddington station. The train station itself is worth a visit, for both its architecture and its many references to a certain bear from Peru. Under the clock on Platform 1, you can pose on a bench alongside a life-sized bronze statue of Paddington Bear.
