18 things that are great about Bath

1 The city has some of the world’s finest historic buildings which are used to this day. As a festival we’re proud to welcome audiences to venues such as the Assembly Rooms, the Guildhall and the city’s old Theatre Royal.

2 Bath’s parks are its green lungs, offering residents and visitors free access to open spaces. Royal Victoria park boasts more than 2,000 trees, including some specimens that are on the national tree register.

3 The city’s student population provides the community with fresh, creative talent. Many of these bright young people fall in love with Bath and choose to make it their home and raise their families here. They provide Bath Festivals and Bath Fringe Festival with a valuable resource as original performers, artists and energetic volunteers for events.

4 Bath has a great sense of community. Where else would you here locals getting off the bus, calling out a cheery ‘Cheers, drive’ to the bus driver? The city supports the long-running charity, Julian House, which cares for the homeless and vulnerable in society.

5 Ours is a creative city. Writers, artists, architects and musicians have always been attracted to Bath, setting up their studios and workshops here. The Bath Festival has for more than 70 years welcomed internationally acclaimed performers, writers and thinkers to take part in its annual festival programme.

6 A treat for visitors. The Roman Baths are among the most visited attractions in the UK – and make a dramatic t backdrop for concerts and other festival events ­- but the city also has some less well-known jewels, including the Museum of Bath at Work which celebrates our industrial and working heritage.

7 Bath is a series of villages, each with their own character and unique institutions. Larkhall, for instance, has its own theatre, The Rondo which puts on a year-round programme of exciting and cutting- edge drama. Widcombe is home to the Natural Theatre Company, the ground-breaking pioneers of street theatre.

8 Bath is a city of festivals. It all began in the 1940s with the inception of The Bath Festival, with performances from the legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin among other big names who came to Bath. Now there is a year-round calendar of top quality festivals, including the Comedy festival, Bath Folk Festival, Mozartfest, Bachfest, Bath Fringe Festival, the Bath Children’s Literature Festival, the Forest of Imagination and the Jane Austen Festival.

9 There are some fantastic free community events in the city, including Party in the City every May, which marks the opening of The Bath Festival and sees hundreds of musicians of all genres of music playing for nothing in venues and open spaces across the city. Thousands of people enjoy taking part in this evening of celebration. Bath Carnival, held in July, is another fabulous free event that sees crowds line the streets to watch the colourful parade.

10 Bath is part of a greater community, Bath and North East Somerset which has a population of In excess of 188, 000 in a mix of urban and rural settings in one of the most beautiful parts of Britain.

11 A city to explore and enjoy on foot. Almost anywhere in central Bath you can see the green hills and trees rising up around the city. The Bath Skyline walk is one of the National Trust’s most popular walks to download. It’s such a small city that it’s ideally suited to walking.

12 Bathonians love to sing. The city is home to literally dozens of choirs, whose repertoires range from singing chart-topping songs to impressive performances of classic choral works.

13 Ours is a city of sporting achievement. Roger Bannister, who broke the four-minute mile record, went to school in Bath. That legacy of elite athletes is continued through a long line of champions, including Olympians Jason Gardner, Amy Williams, Heather Stanning and Helen Glover. Team Bath continues to nurture future Olympians. The Bath Half Marathon is an annual fixture in the city’s calendar, attracting thousands of runners and raising in excess of £2m for good causes.

14 A city for families. There are lots of family-friendly events and venues in Bath, including the Bath City Farm and the egg theatre whose programme is specifically designed for children and young people. Bath Children’s Literature Festival is now in its 13^th year and has grown to become the largest children’s book festival in Europe, offering events from pre-school children to young adult readers.

15 A natural beauty. The landscape in and around Bath has rich biodiversity in wildlife, trees and plants. You’ll find rare orchids and insects in our meadows and woodlands.  Did you know, for example, that Bath and North East Somerset is home to 14 of the 18 bat species on the European Protected species list.

16 Independent spirit. Bath is home to artisans of all kinds and independent businesses, ranging from bakers Bertinet and the Thoughtful Bread Company to booksellers Mr B’s Emporium, Topping & Co and Oldfield Park Bookshop. Walcot Street is still proud to maintain its status as Bath’s artisan quarter, filled with one-off businesses.

17 A tradition of hospitality. Bath’s many hotels and restaurants have a long history of welcoming weary travellers. The city’s pubs and cafes are a vibrant mix, some of them full of character and history – many offering a great place to go and chat with friends or family.

18 Looking to the future. It might seem sometimes that Bath has one foot firmly in the past – which it needs to do to protect its World Heritage Centre – but people in the city are always working on change for the good. Among current projects are plans for a new footbridge over the River Avon, a scheme to re-introduce trams to Bath and a campaign to install fountains and other water features to the ancient city of Aqua Sulis.