Bath’s top dollar!

Well it’s not every day you get an email from the New York Times but that’s just what’s happened and it’s good news for our city!

Each year, it seems, this prestigious newspaper compiles a list of 52 places it thinks are worth traveling to.

This year, Jane Austen’s England takes the top spot!

In a year that marks the 250th anniversary of her birth, Travel Editor, Stephen Hiltner thinks Bath will be among the places, associated with the legendary novelist, that his fellow Americans should visit.

That’s along with other places like Chawton, Steventon, Southampton and Winchester of course.

This is the second time an English destination has taken the top spot (London was number one in 2023). 

I asked Stephen how the list had been drawn up and why Bath was among the top places to visit.

He told me:

“We ask for recommendations from hundreds of reporters and photographers all over the world (both freelancers and people on staff at The New York Times). The editorial team of the Travel section — about 7 or 8 people — then spends several months winnowing those recommendations down to a list of 52 places.

The first question we ask is: “Why would this place be a good destination this year in particular?” In other words, there has to be a timely element to our selections. Sometimes that’s because of a new museum or a major exhibition; sometimes it’s because of a major anniversary; sometimes it’s because an area is newly accessible via a recently built or renovated airport or train network.

Occasionally we recommend places that are actively recovering from natural disasters and are once again courting travelers after a period without much tourism.

On Bath’s inclusion in the list: “Actually, several people recommended Bath in particular this year, because of its ties to Jane Austen! But instead of choosing from among a handful of Austen-related sites, we combined them into a single broader item.”

I am sure they will all get a special welcome in our city where the Jane Austen Festival – held in September – has been planning many commemorative events.

Elsewhere on this blog you can find details of how you can listen to the Jane Austen Festival Director, Georgia Delve on my Wyatt’s Place podcast – on the Spotify platform.

Also there is more information via janeausten.co.uk