River Avon in Bath, England

© Robert Harding World Imagery/Offset by Shutterstoc

Celebrating all things Austen

Bath, in southwestern England, was the first home Jane Austen knew away from her tiny village when she moved here at about age 25. Though the author only lived in Bath from 1801 to 1806 and did little writing here, no doubt this spa city on the River Avon gave her inspiration. After all, Bath was a popular resort at the time for Britain's upper crust—the posh, mannered society types whom Austen satirized so wittily in novels like 'Pride and Prejudice.'

The Jane Austen Festival kicks off in Bath today and runs for 10 days, offering theatrical performances, walking and driving tours, a masked ball, and much more. Drawing thousands of fans each year, it's the largest and longest-running Austen event in the world.