The Pulteney Bridge is a stone bridge, that crosses the Avon River. There are only four bridges lined with shops in the world. The Palladian style Pulteney Bridge in Bath is one of them. It was designed by Robert Adam in the 1770s. It is inspired by the Ponte Vecchio bridge of Florence and Venice's Ponte di Rialto bridge.

Adam had visited both Florence and Venice on his grand European tour. The elegance of Adam's design was altered when shop owners altered windows, added extensions and raised the roofs. The bridge was scheduled as a national monument in 1936. It is the most photographed bridge in Bath and is an icon for the city.

The view of the bridge from the north is totally different from the south. To access the riverside footpath walk north up Walcot Street. Just before the road called Beehive Yard there is a road that goes towards the riverside multi story car park. It does not look too promising as the area is scruffy but it is okay. Head towards the car park entrance tunnel. You will then suddenly see steps on the left that lead down to the riverside path that offers great views of the north side of the Pulteney bridge. The north side is not as attractive as the south side but more realistically resembles a medieval bridge than the south side.

Views of the south side of the Pulteney bridge, incorporating the weir, is one of the classic photographic shots of Bath. It is named after a woman called Frances Pulteney. She was the heiress of the Bathwick estate across the River Avon. In 1750, Bathwick was a simple village in a rural setting, but Frances Pulteney's husband William could see its potential. He made plans to create a new town, which would become a suburb to Bath. Before that he needed a better river crossing than the existing ferry. Hence the bridge.

One of my favourite shops on the bridge is the small cafe where you can sit at the window looking directly out over the river. The best view of south side of the bridge is from the Parade Gardens park by the crescent weir. When you cross the bridge from the City side you come to another circle of Georgian townhouses at Laura Place. Jane Austen's family spent some time house hunting here in early 1801.

Book your accommodation in Bath with Amazon.co.uk Destinations

Click here to find accommodation in Bath