football (soccer)
Football generally plays 2nd fiddle to Rugby Union in Bath, although there are one non-league club in the city:
Bath City Football Club - City play in the fine surroundings of Twerton Park, a traditional 'English Style' football ground and well worth a visit. They have just been promoted to the Conference, the 5th tier of English football. Average gate is around 800 and rising. Typical ticket prices are around £10 per adult and £4 per child.
Bath is home to the University of Bath, a very well respected institution that focuses on the sciences, engineering and social sciences. Bath University has world-class sports facilities used by British olympic athletes. It is located at the top of Bathwick hill, about one mile east of the city centre.
Bath has recently acquired its second university called Bath Spa University. The main campus is in a rural setting at Newton Park to the west of the city.
As with most tourism-heavy cities in the United Kingdom, Bath has a selection of Language Schools, and colleges for international students. Some of these institutions include International House (http://www.ih-westengland...), Words4Work (http://www.words4work.com/) and Bath Academy (http://www.bathacademy.co.uk/).
cricket clubs
Visitors to Bath wanting to enjoy a summer afternoon watching cricket have some lovely grounds that welcome spectators for Saturday and Sunday fixtures:
Bath Cricket Club - Nestled in the 'bowl' beside the River Avon, the Bath Cricket Club has an imperious setting. The church on South Parade offers a picture perfect background. Located on North Parade, five minutes walk from the train station. Bath Cricket Club are one of the stronger regional league sides.
Lansdown Cricket Club - Former early 1970s home of Viv Richards, Lansdown Cricket Club is an equally attractive ground at the upper end of Bath. Located at Combe Park, next to the Royal United Hospital near Weston village. Bus number 14 runs to Weston from Bath town centre).
listings
There are various websites publicising events, but probably the best thing is to pick up The Bath Chronicle (http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/) published weekly on Thursdays or a copy of Venue Magazine (http://www.venue.co.uk/) analogous to London's 'Time Out' from a newsagent. Venue is weekly except around Christmas/New Year, costs £1.50, and new editions are usually available on Wednesdays.
rugby
Bath Rugby Club - (http://www.bathrugby.co.uk/) Professional Rugby Union club playing in the top league of English Rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Bath also participate annually in a secondary competition, the Anglo-Welsh Cup, and regularly compete in the Heineken Cup against other top clubs from across Europe. Atmospheric city-centre ground on the banks of the River Avon right by Pultney Bridge. Games roughly every other weekend from October-May. Ticket prices for games run between £15-35 depending on seating/standing location. If you're visiting on a weekend, watching a match is very much recommended.
concerts
Not many of these I'm afraid. Bath hasn't really got a suitable venue. Bands sometimes play at the Pavilion, or the Rugby Ground but it's a poor show from the city that once held The Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music (http://www.ukrockfestival...). Some major classical events are held in Victoria Park but they're far from frequent.Jazz music every Thursday and other live music occasionally at St James' Wine Vaults in the north of town near the Royal Crescent. The Bell Inn on Walcot Street has live music on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Sunday lunchtime, always free and busy.
The city is pretty good for local and up-and-coming bands, though. The Porter Cellar bar (http://www.moles.co.uk/porter/) has live music 5 times a week, for example; and its sister club Moles (http://www.moles.co.uk/) has live music too.
golf clubs
Bath Golf Club - Excellent, free draining hilltop course. Not overly long but a good challenge for the mid-handicapper. Always in great condition. Located at Sham Castle, near Bath University.
Tracey Park Golf Club - Appealing 27 hole parkland course between Bath and Wick Bristol. The Crown course is superior to the Cromwell course, which has some newish holes. Nice clubhouse.
Lansdown Golf Club - Narrow fairways are a feature of this hilltop course next to Bath racecourse: can get windy.
Entry Hill - Municipal, nine-hole learners course. Not bad now that the trees have grown up. Superb views over Bath.
walking
Bath is a small city surrounded by lovely countryside. The National Trust's Bath Skyline Walk (http://www.nationaltrust....) provides excellent views of the city - or you can simply wander along the canal for 40 minutes to The George Inn at Bathampton for good food in a delightful setting.
theatre
Theatre Royal - The historic Theatre Royal (http://www.theatreroyal.o...) in the Sawclose, near the city centre, opened in 1805. It offers a rich programme of drama and other entertainment throughout the year, ranging from traditional pantomime at Christmas to Ayckbourn, folk singers, opera and Shakespeare. Programmes in the past few years have included a summer season mounted by the distinguished director Peter Hall. In addition to the main house, the Theatre Royal has two smaller performance spaces - the Ustinov Studio and a very new theatre for children, the Egg - and three restaurants, The Vaults, the 1805 Rooms and the Egg Café.
cinema
The Odeon - (http://www.odeon.co.uk/fa...) is the biggest and newest cinema for the biggest and newest films. It opened in 2006.
The Little Theatre - (http://www.picturehouses....) shows arthouse and foreign films alongside the newest releases in an intimate environment.
Bath Film festival - (http://www.bathfilmfestiv...) runs from late October to mid November.
read a detective novel set in bath
Two authors have written a series of detective novels set in the city: Christopher Lee's started with "The Killing of Sally Keemer" and Peter Lovesey's first was "The Last Detective". You can buy them in Waterstone's bookshop at the top of Milsom Street.
get wet
Bath is the only place in Britain where you can bathe in hot natural waters. You can't leap into the Roman Baths but you can pamper yourself at the Thermae Bath Spa (http://www.thermaebathspa.com/) across the road.The "Thermae Bath Spa" is a modern spa in the heart of Bath one block over from the original Roman Baths. It is a four story day spa, that uses the "healing waters" to sooth and relax. The waters are filtered but remain warm in the indoor and outdoor roof pool. A great way to spend an afternoon or evening relaxing in the warm waters looking out over the city architecture. They offer everything from massages to a "kraken stove" steam bath but just spending a couple of hours soaking in the indoor pool, steam baths and roof deck outdoor pool is great fun.