Bath, England

Bath: Where the Romans Left the Plumbing Running

The hot springs at Bath have been producing geothermal water at 45°C continuously since before the Romans arrived in 43 AD. The Romans built a temple and bathing complex over the spring, dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva - a fusion of the local Celtic deity and the Roman one - and people have been taking the waters here ever since. The difference is that now you can see what the Romans actually built, and separately, use modern thermal pools fed by the same spring. These are two distinct experiences and both are worth having.

The Roman Baths

The Roman Baths is a world-class archaeological museum and worth every penny of the entry price, which in 2026 is £25 for adults (£22.50 for students and seniors, £16.75 for children, discounted by £2 for advance online booking). The Great Bath - the central lead-lined pool still filled with the original spring water - is the visual centrepiece, though you can’t swim in it. The green colour comes from algae growing in the mineral-rich water.

The museum context is unusually strong: thousands of objects recovered from the sacred spring, including around 130 curse tablets thrown in by Romans who wanted Sulis Minerva to punish whoever had stolen their belongings. The curses are specific, petty, and recognisably human - “I curse the person who stole my gloves from the changing room.” 1,900 years of distance do nothing to reduce the relatability.

Allow 1.5 to 2 hours. Extended summer opening runs through 9pm closing from June through August, which means you can visit in the evening when the day-trippers have largely gone.

Thermae Bath Spa

The only place in Britain where you can bathe in naturally heated geothermal spring water, the same water the Romans used. Thermae Bath Spa opened in 2006 in a modern building adjacent to the Roman Baths. The rooftop open-air pool looks directly at Bath Abbey and the Georgian roofline; bathing in 34°C water while looking at medieval stonework in the evening is the city’s most distinctive experience and something you can’t replicate anywhere else in Britain.

Entry starts at around £40 for a two-hour session; longer sessions and treatment add-ons increase the price. Book in advance, particularly for evenings and weekends. The spa is genuinely popular and sells out.

The Georgian City

Bath’s Georgian architecture is concentrated along the hills north of the centre. The Royal Crescent - 30 townhouses arranged in a sweeping curve, completed in 1774 by John Wood the Younger - is the most famous. No. 1 Royal Crescent is now a museum with period-furnished rooms showing how Georgian aristocracy actually lived, not the cleaned-up version. The Circus, designed by John Wood the Elder and completed by his son, is a circular arrangement of townhouses with Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns stacked vertically - all three classical orders on one building. Both are free to see from the outside; No. 1 Royal Crescent charges entry.

Pulteney Bridge (1774, Robert Adam) is one of four bridges in the world with shops running across its full length on both sides. Look at it from both above (from the bridge itself) and from the weir below. The weir is semicircular, an unusual design, and makes the river unusually photogenic.

Bath Abbey is mostly 16th century, replacing a Norman cathedral. The flying buttresses and fan vaulting are impressive, and the west facade has a ladder carved in stone commemorating a vision the bishop had before commissioning the rebuild. Entry is free, though a donation is requested.

Where to Eat

The Sally Lunn bun is a Bath specialty: a large, bread-like bun eaten either sweet (with jam and cream) or savoury (as the base for a light meal). The Sally Lunn House on North Parade Passage has been serving them since the 1930s, operating out of a medieval building that contains Roman remains in the basement. The bakery and café is genuinely historic and the buns are good; it deserves its reputation.

The Bath Priory restaurant, in a Victorian Gothic house west of the Royal Crescent, does refined country house cooking with a strong seasonal emphasis. Michelin-starred, the prices reflect this, and you should book ahead. For something more casual: the Green Park Brasserie in the Victorian railway station building is locally reliable for lunch.

Where to Stay

The Gainsborough Bath Spa is the upmarket hotel choice: the only hotel in Britain with direct access to the natural thermal spring waters, with a private spa using the same geothermal water as Thermae. The Royal Crescent Hotel occupies two houses in the crescent itself - the rooms facing the front have one of the more theatrical views in British hospitality.

For budget: YHA Bath is a well-regarded and conveniently located hostel. For mid-range: the Henry Guest House near the Assembly Rooms has good reviews and a helpful attitude.

Getting There and Around

Train from London Paddington takes about 1.5 hours; from Bristol about 15 minutes. The city centre is compact and walkable, with the main sites concentrated within about a mile of each other on mostly flat terrain. The hills above the Royal Crescent and Circus involve some climbing but the neighbourhood streets make it worthwhile.

Bath Christmas Market in late November and early December fills the city centre with German-style market stalls and is worth timing a visit around if festive atmosphere appeals to you - it is one of the better Christmas markets in Britain.