We had a wonderful 2 day stay in the little old English town of Bath. Named after it’s Roman inspired baths, this town sits an hour and a half West of London by train (or 3 hours by bus). We were treated to wonderful October sun, and enjoyed exploring the old town, gardens and meadows, and sampling the Cornish pasty’s! If you are thinking of visiting Bath, we definitely think you should! Have a read below of some of our favourite things to do when visiting Bath!
Some great things to do in Bath
Despite being a small town, there’s a lot to do when you visit Bath. These were some of the things we enjoyed during our visit.
Walk along the river
A stroll along the River Avon with views of the Bath Abbey and Pultney Bridge was one of our favourite things to do in this delightful little town. We stayed a few minutes out of town, so this walk was a regular way for us to get into centre of the action. This is particularly pleasant if the sun is out (like it was during our stay!).
Try a traditional Cornish pasty
Don’t leave Bath without trying a traditional Cornish pasty! You’re spoilt for choice, with most bakeries and cafe’s selling them. However, your best options are either the Cornish Bakehouse or The Cornish Bakery. Both are located in the old town and are worth checking out. We tried both!
Listen to buskers in the main square near the Bath Abbey
You will be guided to the main square by your ears, as music wafts through the old town streets. When you arrive at the square, you are greeted with views of the Bath Abbey. We enjoyed a few moments sitting in the square and enjoying the buskers! If you want to combine a few great things to do in Bath, grab a Traditional Pasty from The Cornish Bakery (see above) located 1minute from the square, then take a seat and enjoy the music as you eat!
Take photos of the old red phone boxes shrouded in flowers
The Bath city council has found a great way of repurposing the old iconic red phone boxes… by filling them with flowers! This creates a picturesque photo opportunity, with many of these dotted around the city!
Explore the old town alleyways
The Bath old town has a number of little alleyways branching off the main streets. Allow yourself to ‘get lost’ down them as you stumble upon cute shops and restaurants.
Walk along Walcott street
If you’re wanting to wander a little out of the main old town, head up to Walcott Street. Only 5-10minutes walk, and in the direction of The Circus (see below), Walcott Street has a number of great local shops to check out.
Check out The Circus and Royal Crescent
The Circus and Royal Crescent are definitely worth checking out when you visit Bath. The Circus is a circular arrangement of old English houses with a number of impressively large oak trees in the centre. The Crescent is a few minutes further down the road, and is a semi-circular arrangement of houses backing onto a bright green field. Both are picturesque, and are part of the history in Bath. There is a museum at the start of the Royal Crescent for those wanting to learn more. There are also some great cafes and shops which branch off the roads leading up to Royal Crescent.
Visit the Bath Abbey and Roman Baths
It is impossible to miss the Bath Abbey, as it towers above many of the buildings in the heart of Bath. We popped our head in to take a look, but didn’t stay. Entry is £5 to look around, or you can book in a tour for £10 which takes you through and up to the roof. The Roman Bath’s are one of the most well known parts of the history in the town. Thought to be almost 2000 years old, they were created by the Romans on geothermal hot springs. Entry is around £25, so we decided against visiting, however it is a very popular attraction.
Go Squirrel spotting in the Victoria & Botanical Gardens
We ventured up to the Victoria Gardens and the Botanical Gardens. Both are located 10-15minutes out of the town, not far away from Royal Crescent. We were delighted to see the number of squirrels wondering the fields and climbing the trees. While most of the locals probably thought we were a little silly for how excited we were, squirrels are fascinating to us as they aren’t native in Australia.
Walk Pultney Bridge and see the Bath Weir
It is hard to miss the Pultney Bridge if you walk along the river, or through the heart of the old town. This bridge had shops either side, and sits adjacent to the Bath Weir. The Bath Weir was built in the middle ages, apparently to stop the town flooding, and creates a beautiful visual with the backdrop of the town and old bridge. There are a number of popular cafes boasting great views, however we didn’t stop as they likely have a ‘location tax’.
Enjoy the sunshine in Bathwick Meadow
The Bathwick Meadow is situated just out of town, and was one of our favourite moments from our visit to Bath. While weather dependant, we recommend you head up to check it out on a sunny day. The rolling green fields offer fresh air and great views of Bath. You will likely also say hi to some of the local cows which call the meadow home.
Head out of town to explore the Bath Highline and Sham Castle
The Bath Highline is a 3mile (~5km) walk that circles around Bath through the countryside. We didn’t walk the whole way, but did a little 20-30minute segment. The views, fresh air, and nature were delightful! If you have time, and the weather permits, it would be a great walk.
We also stepped off the highline path to take a look at Sham Castle. This 3 story wall boasts an entranceway and two turrets, built in the 1700s. Whilst not part of an old castle, this more than 300 year old structure was build by a local to improve their house at the time. We found it a little ‘odd’, but the views of Bath are impressive, and it was on the Bath Highline path.
Take a stroll along the Bath Lock
A walk along the 200 year old Kennet and Avon canals is fascinating, calm, and quite picturesque. Branching off from the town, this walk also heads down through the Sydney Gardens. We stayed in a cute self contained apartment (see below) just off the Bath Lock, and enjoyed the 10-15 minute walk into the old town from here.
Check out sites from the Bridgerton TV Show
Tess loves the TV show Bridgerton and its scandalous take on life in 1800’s high society. Many of the shows filming locations are in Bath, including The Modiste which is the façade of The Abbey Deli (you can eat in there), and Lady Danbury’s house, which is actually the Bath museum.
How long should you stay in Bath?
Bath is a cute, small, old town. We spent 2 days and 2 nights in the town, and found this to be more than enough to see its main attractions as well as some of its lesser known sights outside of the city centre including nearby meadows and walking trails. Based upon our visit, we would say Bath is perfect for a day trip if you’re short on time or just want to get a feel for the place. If you really want to unwind however, staying 1-2 nights (like we did) allows you to relax and immerse yourself in the town a little more. Staying more than 2 nights would likely be excessive in our opinion.
Great coffee in Bath
Like many of the smaller English towns (and the big cities), Bath has excellent coffee culture. There were numerous cafe’s in the old town which looked like they would serve up a great coffee. The ones below are the places we had time to stop at and can recommend:
- The Green Bird: This was our favourite coffee in Bath. Located 10minutes from the heart of town near the Royal Crescent, we think it’s worth the walk.
- The Colombian Company: There are a few of these cute cafe’s in Bath, offering great coffee and eats! We visited twice and weren’t disappointed!
- Society Cafe: Situated close to the Bath Abbey, this is another good option in Bath for a coffee or drink.
The Best Cornish Pasty’s in Bath
The Cornish Pasty’s are well known and popular in the West of England. Bath has a few excellent bakeries, and of course we sampled both! Do yourself a favour and try these handmade pasty’s! Try to get them fresh out of the oven, or ask for them to be heated up extra hot! Both are located in the heart of Bath Old Town and have won multiple awards. Tasty!
- Cornish Bakehouse
- The Cornish Bakery
How to get to Bath?
Bath is located around 185kms away from London. The best way to get to Bath is via train, which takes around 1hour and 20minutes. However, trains in the UK are very expensive, and a more budget friendly option is the Bus. We took the bus which was overall reliable and comfortable enough. It took just under 3 hours and cost about $20 AUD (probably 1/4 the cost of the trains). Alternatively, you can drive, taking ~3 hours.
Where to stay in Bath?
We stayed in a delightful little self-contained unit in Bath around 10minutes out of the town by the Bath Loch (see here). If you want to check out something a little closer to the old town, see here or take a look below:
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