Top 10+ Things to Do in Bath, England

Wondering what to see and do in Bath? We’re here to help. The charming and historic city of Bath is one of England’s most beatuiful cities. Recognised as an UNESCO World Heritage site, the city is full of history, art and culture.

With it’s stunning Georgian architecture, ancient Roman Baths, beautiful parks and gardens plus it’s ties to Jane Austen (and more recently Bridgerton) you’ll be sure to find something to enjoy.

To help you plan your trip, we’ve put together a list of the top things to see and do in Bath.

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Visit The Roman Baths

If you’re interested in learning about the Roman’s life in Bath, I highly recommend visiting the Roman Baths. When visiting The Roman Baths, you will get a chance to see one of the best-preserved Roman remains in the world! The baths are thought to have been built over a spring during Roman times but there is proof they’ve been used for over 20,000 years, making it Europe’s oldest natural spa.

The baths were also one of Jane Austen’s faveorite places to go while she lived in Bath. Back in the early 1800s, the Baths were still usable and could be accessed through The Pump Rooms. It has been speculated that she might have based her character, Mr. Darcy, off of a man that she saw at these baths.

During your visit you’ll get to see The Great Bath, which contains over 1 million litres of steaming spring water. This is where the Romans would bathe and socialise. I also recommend going up to the second floor terrace, where you’ll be able to get views over the bath from above.

You can also visit the recently excavated remains of the Roman Gym. The gym has only been accessible for a few years, and I highly recommend visiting this area of the bath complex as you can get to see some really well preserved roman remains including a sauna and the court yard. There’s also a ton of roman and ancient artefacts on display that were found in the city.

Tickets to the Roman Baths must be booked online in advance. You could also combine your visit with a walking tour or, if you’re staying in London you could take a day trip to Stonehenge, and the Roman Baths.

Explore the Jane Austen Centre

For fans of Jane Austen, I highly recommend visiting the Jane Austen Centre. The museum features objects from Austen’s life, including regency period clothing and jewelry, as well as excerpts from her writings.

I also recommend checking out their Exhibition Gallery, which features a rotating selection of displays related to Austen’s life and works.

Due to the age of the buildings, the centre isn’t completely wheelchair accessible and no elevator is available. They do have a ramp so you can access the ground floor and exhibition. But sadly the rest of the building, including the toilets are only accessible by stairs.

There’s also events held throughout the year so make sure to check their schedule to see what’s happening during your visit.

You can buy tickets for the museum online. You could also combine your visit to the centre with a Jane Austen walking tour. The tour lasts for 90 minutes, and visits many of the places Jane Austen enjoyed visitnig during her life in Bath. Book the tour here.

Visit the Holburne Museum in Bath

Bath’s first art museum; The Holburne Museum opened 125 years ago. Today the museum is home to a wide range of artworks, including a work from William Hoare and Thomas Gainsborough. Plus sculptures, Dutch landscapes and many other artworks.

The museum regulary changes it’s temporary exhibitions, displaying a range of art works from different eras, and styles. Recent exhibitions include work from Lucie Rie, a famous potter and and Painted Love – a Renaissance marriage portrait exhibition.

You could also consider taking part in a workshop. The museum runs workshops for adults, and young people.

After visiting the museum, I highly recommend stopping by the Garden Café, where you can grab a bite to eat while enjoying a view of the Sydney Gardens (which are also well worth visiting).

Visit the Sydney Gardens

If you’d like to go for a walk, away from the busy streets of Bath then I recommend a visiting to Sydney Gardens.

Sydney Gardens is Baths oldest park, and was one of Jane Austen’s faveorite places to visit. Today, the gardens are free of charge to enter and offers tons of things to do such as seeing the restored Georgian buildings, or playing table tennis. Plus you can easily combine a walk around the gardens with a visit to the Holburne Museum.

For Jane Austen fans, you could follow the Jane Austen Trail, which you can download as a PDF from Bath & North East Somerset Council here. The trail overs 7 of the main sights in and around the park and the PDF includes information on each of the things you’ll visit.

There’s also a range of other trails to explore such as The History and Heritage of Sydney Gardens trail (PDF). Plus some trails are designed for children such as the Heritage Activity Trail for kids (PDF). If you’d like to view more trails, go to the council website here.

Check out The Royal Crescent

When a lot of people think of Bath, they’ll most likely picture The Royal Crescent. The Royal Crescent has been one of Bath’s iconic sights as it is one of the best examples of Georgian architecture left in the UK. Built in 1767 to 1774, the structure was designed by John Wood the Younger and consists of 30 terraced houses that over look the Royal Victoria Park.

If you’re interested in seeing inside of the houses, I recommend visiting the restored stately home, No. 1 Royal Crescent. The home has been turned into a town house museum, restoring many of the rooms to their original Georgian style giving you the chance to see how Bath was back in the Georgian period.

Enjoy a walk through Royal Victoria Park

After visiting the Royal Crescent, why not take a walk through Royal Victoria Park and enjoy views of The Crescent from afar?

Royal Victoria Park was opened in 1830, by the Princess Victoria (later Queen Victoria). The park covers 57 acres of land, and offers a range of activities such as the Victoria Falls Adventure Golf at the Royal Pavillion.

There’s also duck ponds, flower gardens, tennis courts, a skateboard park, botanical garden and so much more to enjoy in the park.

At Christmas, you could also enjoy ice skating at Bath on Ice.

Bath Abbey, also known as the Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is an Anglican parish church and former Benedictine monastery located in the centre of Bath.

Bath Abbey, as we see it today was founded in 1499 but the history of the site goes back hundreds of years, all the way back to 757 AD. The site has also seen quite a few historical events, such as the crowning of King Edgar, the first king of England in 973.

When you visit the Abbey, I highly recommend climbing the 212 steps to the top of Bath Abbey Tower. While it is a bit of a climb to the top, it’s well worth it as you’ll be greeted with some stunning views of the city .

To climb the tower, you need to book a tour. Tours can be booked in person, and are filled on a first come first serve basis so I recommend arriving early to get a spot. You can find the latest information and prices for entry to Bath Abbey plus the tower climbing tours on their website.

Walk Across Pulteney Bridge

As you walk across Pulteney Bridge, you’ll be walking on a piece of history. The bridge was built in the 18th century to replace an older medieval bridge. It was designed by Robert Adam and named after Sir William Pulteney, who played a major part in making Bath a fashionable spa town.

The bridge is a masonry arch bridge and was made a Grade I listed building in 1950. As you cross the bridge you’ll find variety of shops, cafes, and pubs. You can also enjoy the view over the River Avon, where you might spot some local wildlife such as ducks or swans.

If you want to get a closer look at the river, you can walk down to the lower level where you can get to the river’s edge. This is a great way to get a different perspective on the bridge and the surrounding area. The walk down to the lower level does have stairs, but there is an alternative route for wheelchair users. Just see the signs for directions.

Relax at the Thermae Spa

If you’d like to unwind, and destress I recommend visiting the Thermae Spa. This unique spa offers you the chance to Bathe like the Romans did, using the same waters as the Roman Baths whcih are next door.

Although the water at the Roman Baths is unsafe to bathe in, the Thermae Spa uses water that has been treated and is safe for us to bathe in so you can still benefit from the natural just like the Romans did but without any risk.

The spa has four different baths including a roof top pool that is suitable for swimming and relaxing in the mineral-rich water. There’s also the Minerva Bath which is a large, impressive therame bath suitable for bathing and great for relaxing in whether you’re solo or your friends.

I also recommend considering booking one of their spa therapies or making use of the wellness suit. They offer a range of therapies such as hot stones spa therapy, facials and aromatherapy massages.

The wellness suite has a Roman style steam room and a Georgian style steam room – the Roman one being my faveorite. There’s also a few other rooms to help you relax such as the infrared room and ice chamber. I personally love the infared room as it helps with muscle relaxation.

The Thermae Spa offers 2 hour sessions which can be booked online. While you can get walk up sessions, these are limited and on a first-come first-serve basis so I really do advise booking online to avoid disappointment. The spa has a minimum age requirement of 16+ so this isn’t suited for those traveling with children.

Visit Sham Castle

If you’re looking to see something that’s quite unusual and unique, I recommend heading to Bath Golf Club where you’ll find the Sham Castle.

Sham Castle is a fake castle that was built around 1762 for Ralph Allen, who wanted a better view from his townhouse. Today, it can be accessed on foot or you can spot it while you’re playing a game of golf at the nearby Bath Golf Club.

The castle is located outside the city centre so you’ll either need to drive, or take the bus. If you’re driving you can park by Bath Unviersity in the West Car Park (charges apply). If you take the bus, hop on either the U1 Unibus or U2 Unibus and get off by at either Woodland Place or North Road.

You can also take the Bath Skyline tour route using the Tootbus. This drops you off at Quarry Road, the nearest bus stop to Sham Castle. The Tootbus is a hop-on hop-off bus, and a ticket gives you 24 hour access to unlimited rides across the city. The bus stops at many of Bath’s best attractions including Bath Abbey, The Assembly Rooms, Great Pulteney Street and Prior Park.

Watch a Movie at The Little Theatre Cinema

Looking for a unique cinema experience? Look no further than The Little Theatre Cinema. This hidden gem in Bath offers a 1930s theme with the latest cinema technology, allowing you to step back in time while enjoying a modern-day film.

Check out their website for the latest screenings and enjoy a movie in a cozy and charming atmosphere.

Prior Park Landscape Gardens

During your visit to Bath, I highly recommend visiting the Prior Park Landscape Gardens. These gardens were designed by Richard Allen back in the 1700s but have gone under some modern restoration.

The park is located on in a valley on the edge of Bath, and offers views from the top across the Bath skyline. Another highlight of the gardens is the Palladian Bridge, which is one of only four Palladian bridges left in the world. The bridge makes for some great photos, acting as a subject in many amazing landscape photographs and is a popular spot for wedding proposals.

If you’re visiting with children, there’s plenty of space for them to play. The gardens have a children’s play park and lots of wide-open grassy areas that are perfect for running around.

There’s also a Tea Shed at the top of the park, that is open on the weekends.

Entry to the park is free for National Trust members. For non-members, entry starts at £9 for an adult. Visit the National Trust site for more information.

Bath Fashion Museum

For those who are interested in historical fashion, you could consider a visit to the Bath Fashion Museum. The museum was founded by designer John Martin in 1992, and you’ll be able to see over 100 years of fashion history through the permament collections.

They have a collection of over 250 dresses that cover decades of fashion, including pieces from legendary couturiers as well as a collection of historical dresses.

The Fashion Museum is temporarily closed. The museum has left it’s original home (the Assembly Rooms), and is moving to the Old Post Office. It’s expected to be closed for a few years while they create a newer, better fashion museum. Follow the move here.

Go on a Ghost Tour

If you’re into ghosts, or just looking for something a little bit different to the usual walking tour you could consider taking a ghost tour of Bath.

The tour takes you to some of Bath’s oldest aeras such as Bath Abbey, Victoria Park and Queens Square where you’ll hear ghost stories, and tales about the darker side of Bath’s history.

The tour isn’t for the faint of heart, and does come with a warning. I don’t recommend this tour for kids under 16. Make sure to read the warning before booking!

Check availability + Book here.