Though it may be redundant to say, the hot springs of Bath are, for most, the driving force behind visits to the city, with a history that goes back over 2,000 years. Archaeologists and history buffs are in their glory when in Bath, especially while visiting the Roman Baths, where talks and lectures take place throughout the year.    

Museums, landmarks, and galleries dot the landscape and keep you wanting to take in one more before leaving. The Beckford Tower and Museum on Lansdown Road is hard to miss at 120 feet tall. Built in 1827, it houses the art collection and library of writer William Beckford. For the dramatist in you, there is the Museum of Costume on Bennett Street, with outfits dating from 1660.

Bath Abbey, as it is known today, was built in 1539 and subsequently subject to power struggles between authorities that alternately supported and neglected it. During the 1860s, the abbey underwent major rehabilitation that returned it to its original splendor. Bath Abbey is located on Orange Grove.   

Claiming status as the oldest house in Bath is the 1482 Sally Lunn Museum and Restaurant. According to legend, Sally Lunn was the daughter of a pastry cook of Bath, after whom were named the teacakes that bear her name. In fact, if you're a pastry afficionado, you have probably met Sally in the pages of your favorite cookbook. It is said that Sally herself lived in the house that bears her name. Visit her memory and sample the pastry that gave her a place in posterity.