One of my friends is headed to London this summer and wanted tips for sightseeing outside of his trip to London. I told him he had to go to Bath, a lovely little town, and then I realised we’ve never talked about it here! So here are my top Bath Sightseeing tips and must-do experiences – whether you’re just here for a daytrip from London, or plan on making it a long weekend here in this idyllic getaway.
Pay Thanks to the Romans
We can thank the Romans for their strong influence here in Bath; if you visit, you cannot leave without visiting the Roman Baths. They’re the best baths I have ever seen – that includes baths I have visited in both France and Italy. This is where the Bath sightseeing trade got its start, as a tourist town in the Roman era for those that wanted to come here and experience the hot springs. You can’t (and wouldn’t) want to get wet here at the Roman baths, but at the Thermae baths across the street you can enjoy the healing properties.
Once you’ve finished at the Baths, be sure to check out the adjacent Bath Abbey. The view from the top is fantastic, and as most English abbeys go, you’ll find beautiful stained glass windows and architectural marvels.
Georgian Architecture
As mentioned in our architectural tourism suggestions, Bath is home to some of the world’s best architecture, and you can look no further than the incredible Royal Crecent as well as Bath Circus. Maybe it’s just me and my soft spot for Georgian architecture, but these spotless terrace homes are simply gorgeous. If you only see one thing in your Bath sightseeing adventures, this is it. It’s several blocks from the city centre, but well worth it; many if not all of the bus tour companies will let you stop here for the obligatory photo stop and jaw-drop.
Pulteney Bridge
Again, if you’re in Bath, sightseeing on your own or with a group, you will not miss the Pulteney Bridge & Pulteney Weir. The weir is that weird, boomerang-shaped thing in the water – it was built in the 1970′s to help stop flooring into the city centre. The bridge above it, was opened in 1773 and is one of four bridges in the world with shops across the façade. Be sure to walk around to see the opposite side of the bridge – not as majestic as the view above, but still quite unique.
Prior Park Gardens
Prior Park is another must-see Bath sightseeing stop. You’ll have a chance to walk across one of the few remaining Palladian Bridges (pictured above) in the world – a beautiful covered bridge style designed by renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. The park has some spectacular views over the valley; top tip is to walk the six-mile “Bath Skyline,” a circular route that stops all the historic attractions in the park.
As parks go, there are also other fine options: Parade Gardens (small fee for non-locals), Victoria Park, and Sydney Gardens.
Got Buns?
Many say that Bath isn’t necessarily a culinary hot spot, and I’m not sure I would agree. Yes, the city does not have a wild diversity of restaurant choice, but what they do have is quite tasty. You can’t end your Bath sightseeing days without getting some buns. And by that, I mean either a Sally Lunn bun or a Bath bun. Sally Lunn is part-museum and part-cafe/bakery, and it’s the oldest house in Bath – so why not check it out. Sally Lunn buns are a yeasty treat, where as the Bath bun is a sugar sensation: baked with lumps of sugar in the bottom, with sultanas inside and a dusting of sugar on top. If you have a sweet tooth, you need a Bath bun.
One Last Tip
Don’t miss our recommended Bath sightseeing travel guide below – it’s a Jane Austin walking tour guide, and it’s brilliant! Includes cafe, restaurant recommendations and other insights.
Photo Credits: Nigel, ell brown, Boobooo, chilihead
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I loved visiting Bath! Definitely the cutest UNESCO site I’ve been to thus far.
I studied abroad in Bath through Ohio State University in the summer of 1999. I can’t think of a more amazing way to spend a summer. Nothing is better than studying English Literature in the city so connected to Jane Austen (although ironically enough, Jane Austen wasn’t part of our syllabus – we studied Shakespeare and contemporary Brit Lit). Bath will always be one of my favorite places.
Thanks for bringing back memories.
Nice article and photos. Only been to Bath once and thought it was OK. For outside London options I would tend to go for Oxford, or the Cotswolds area.
I really enjoyed my visit to Bath..we did London, Bath and Wales at the time…but it was so long ago already. I actually popped this open to see if it had changed much, but you describe the Bath I remember.
Thanks, I was there with my family and this brought back great memories!
Thanks, Steph. Brian, I love the Cotswolds too – there are too many choices out there.
Laurie – I’m wondering if Bath is stuck in time and will be the same forever? I kind of hope so
A wonderful tip as we are planning a trip to London next month. Thanks so sharing!
You’re welcome! Email me if you need any more tips
Nice post! I lived in Bath for 1 year and a half
Really nice city! I love it!