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History means
heritage and this is definitely an issue to be taken seriously, as it builds
our identity and shows us the way – past paths with a view towards the future.
No wonder that there are so many cities worldwide proud of their own unique
history! As there is a sense of pride in paying tribute to one's own past and
identity. It is in such places that we find our inspiration, that we usually
connect with ourselves and manage to see clearly towards the future, as the
remnants of old civilizations are usually able to trigger not only the imagination, but also a broader vision
towards life and the course of things.
From the once
almighty Rome to classic Athens and from China to the Pyramids of Egypt, the
world hosts innumerable monuments worth exploring. And what makes us feel even
more fulfilled and pleased when visiting a historical place is the sense that
the mere story of the place is being well taken care of, mingled in the webs of
present moment, as if still an ongoing story that we – visitors – can also be
part of. Cultural events are the glue of the past with the present, making us
feel part of something grand that still brings life and energy to places that,
otherwise, might give one the impression that gave their all already. Bath is
one of these places with a breathtaking story that, somehow, still manages to
breath – and it does it fully, by all means!
Bath is an historical city of England. Located in the Somerset County, in the South Western
part of England, Bath is already well known to the informed tourists. Bath
flourished as a famous spa town during the Georgian era and the city’s Roman
Baths are the region’s most visited touristic attraction up till today.
Moreover, the whole city of Bath has been declared a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO in 1987. Thus, wherever you may find yourself walking in Bath, bear in
mind that you are taking a stroll through history, witnessing the miracles and
wonders of it, created for us to enjoy.
We might all know
by now that holidays in England can mean a trip to history and an embrace of our modern culture just as well; it feels in no way different when visiting
Bath. Culture manages, with its always transforming vibrant events, to adapt
places to an adopted moment in the present, and it surely plays a special role,
even in a place such as Bath, which have already a story and a voice of their
own. In Bath, a number of cultural events are offering the chance to locals and
visitors alike to feel that the city cares deeply about its past, its story and
its status as a place with a unique cultural heritage. As for hotels in Bath
for your stay to be worth it, my recommendation would be to keep it simple and
search for a Travelodge hotel in Bath
where comfort meets reasonable prices. After all, it is all about visiting
Bath, not the expensive hotels!
Let’s now take a
look at what qualifies as the most renowned festival that takes place in Bath
year by year: the Bath Literature Festival!
Bath Literature Festival
Established in
1995, the Bath Literature Festival is by now a very prestigious international
literature event. Over the years, a number of leading writers and intellectuals
have been giving lectures in front of those audiences that are always thirsty
for knowledge. Influential figures such as Doris Lessing, Margaret Atwood,
Tariq Ali, the late Anna Politkovskaya and Eric Hobsbawm, Steve Bell and Wendy
Cope among many others have participated in this celebration of literature.
This year, the
festival was held in the first week of March and was met with significant
success. The two most prominent figures that naturally stole the attention were
Hilary Mantel and J.K. Rowling.
Hilary Mantel
Hilary Mantel is
the only female writer that won twice the Booker Prize, one of the most significant
of all literature awards. Her books belong to the historical fiction genre, but
her splendid writing skills make these books the exact opposite of a book
filled with boring, endless information about facts of historical relevance.
Recently, she found herself in the middle of a storm due to a highly critical
statement that she made against the Duchess of Cambridge. Hopefully for her
(and her fans), though, during her lecture at the festival the audience didn’t
seem to care a lot about the controversy.
JK Rowling
As for JK Rowling,
well… you know what they say: it is difficult to write her name in a sentence
that doesn’t include the words “Harry Potter” as well! The publishing
phenomenon of the last decades, Rowling, for good or for bad, will always be
linked with the books that made a generation of kids and teenagers or those who
always feel teenagers at heart to fall in love with reading (while forgetting
about their game consoles for a bit)! To be honest, I don’t think people will
stop asking her questions about the books that made her rich and famous, no
matter how many years will have passed. After one of these types of questions
during her speech at the Bath Literature Festival, Rowling rejected the idea of
writing a prequel to Harry Potter’s adventures. As far as it concerns her
latest book, the first after the Harry Potter series, it took mixed responses
from the critics, but it still sold fast!
Nevertheless, the
Bath Literature Festival is not the one and only cultural event taking place in
Bath, but just the most prolific. However, there are other festivals held in
Bath that are worth the attention, such as the Bath International Music Festival and the Children Literature Festival. With all these cultural events taking
place in such a marvelous location, Bath does sound like a very attractive
destination!
