Jobs in Bath | Pictures of Bath

With no fewer than 5,000 buildings listed for their architectural merit and some of the finest examples of Georgian design in the UK , Bath is far more than a museum piece. It has a lively cultural scene with a number of festivals, shows, concerts and exhibitions filling up the events calendar. And being a university town , Bath also has a vibrant nightlife and extensive culinary scene.

Surrounded by stunning countryside with the picturesque Cotswolds protruding on Bath 's doorstep coupled with the swathes of parkland in the city centre, the city has a spacious feel despite the array of Regency terraces and Palladian mansions that dominate the landscape. However, the sheer volume of traffic entering the city can sometimes spoil any appreciation you may have of this splendour.

Getting around Bath
Bath has long been synonymous with being difficult to access by car with its traffic congestion – largely due to city's notorious one-way system, narrow streets and raised parades that were conceived long before the advent of the automobile. Thankfully, in an attempt to alleviate the problem, the Council operate an efficient network of Park & Ride schemes operating from sites at Odd Down, Lansdown and Newbridge among others.

In addition, a ‘bus gate' scheme is in operation which closes some roads to private cars and other vehicles entering the city centre and gives priority to buses. When the scheme was introduced in 2001 it met with a wave of opposition from the local business community who accused the scheme of detrimentally affecting their trade. However, it has proven to be successful in reducing congestion levels.

Bath bus station on Manvers Street is the main terminal in the city with First Group operating the majority of local routes. And a few hundred metres away is the Grade II listed Bath Spa rail station that serves the local suburban areas of Keynsham and Oldfield Park in addition to being on the main line from Bristol (12 miles to the west).

Eating, drinking and shopping in Bath
Out of a population of 80,000, more than 1 in 8 people in Bath are students. So it comes as no surprise that the city centre has a lively social scene with over 150 restaurants, bars and pubs offering everything from fine dining and gourmet cuisine to good value-for-money eateries.

The best of Bath 's clubs is Moles on George Street - a renowned venue for gigs and quality club nights, along with Cadillacs and – for the serious clubber – Babylon . Or if comedy is more your thing, Comedy Cavern has an equally impressive reputation.

Bath is steeped in history and has a range of museums from the Herschel Museum of Astronomy – a tribute to the man who discovered Uranus in 1781 - to the Jane Austen Centre – in recognition of the fact that Austen once lived in Bath and authored ‘Persuasion' and ‘Northanger Abbey' during her time in the city.

The main art gallery is the Victoria , with various exhibitions as well as its own collection. Elsewhere, the Theatre Royal hosts big-name productions and is one of the country's finest surviving Georgian theatres. For an alternative genre, the Ustinov Studio and the Rondo are worth a visit as well as the Little Theatre Cinema which shows independent films.

And don't forget about what made Bath famous in the first place: the Roman Baths. Located in the heart of the city, the Baths can best be described as an ancient-leisure centre and certainly worth a visit if only to admire how technologically advanced and awe-inspiring the Romans were.

For an alternative, more modern option, a trip to the state-of-the-art spa heated by the city's natural springs at the Thermae Bath Spa is a must.

Bath also has reputation for shopping. Pulteney Bridge unusually has shops built into its structure. Independent craft can be found on Walcot and Broad Streets. Southgate and Stall Street make up the bulk of the shopping area with familiar names, while Milsom Street houses the famous department store, Jolly's. Try Shire's Yard for designer wear.

Besides shopping, eating and drinking, there are countless festivals taking place in the city throughout the year, notably the Bath Literature Festival, the Bath International Music Festival and the Fringe Festival.

As for sports, Bath Rugby Club is considered one of the finest in the world with its ground running alongside the River Avon, close to Pulteney Bridge . Next door is the cricket ground and further south of the river in the Oldfield area is Bath City Football Club.

If participation is your preference, there are plenty of golf courses in the local area, around 25 health & fitness clubs and leisure centres to choose from, and the University Sports Training Village is open to the public and has a 50-metre pool.

Main residential areas
Bath is a spectacularly beautiful city which stands on the River Avon. The city's compactness and striking architecture combine to produce one of the most elegant locations in the UK . When most people think about the type of property available, they inevitably equate the city with its rows of Georgian crescents and high-end price tags. And they would be right with many city centre properties worth well over £1m.

However, there is a good choice of less expensive property available in Bath – although it still generally sits higher than the national average.

For rentals, the areas around Bath University on the south side and Bath Spa University four miles to the west offer a wide choice of rented accommodation that isn't limited to Georgian-style properties. Here you will find modern detached family houses, Victorian terraced houses, mews style properties, apartments, cottages and bungalows.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Bath.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Bath below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Bath or find out more information on the local area.