Bath in One Day
Bath England is one of my favorite places in the United Kingdom, it is absolutely charming and it transports you to a time that is romantic and lovely. It's a convenient day trip from London if you're in the city, but it's easily accessible from anywhere in the United Kingdom. I would recommend at least two days in Bath so you can really experience the wonderful city, but if you only have one day here is what I would recommend:
1 Day Trip to Bath
1. Take the train in the night before (Bath Spa is the train station name). If you're looking for an adorable place to stay, I'd recommend the
or the
as they are charming and have amazing locations.
2. Get a good nights rest as tomorrow will be a busy day!
3. First things first, go visit the beautiful Bath Abbey. Bath Abbey is free (although they welcome donations) and it's definitely worth the visit- it reminds me a lot of a small Westminster Abbey. Take time to look at all the beautiful stained glass and all the stones memorializing people in the community dating back to the 1600s and before. I would highly recommend paying the few pounds to go to the top of the Abbey, the views of the city are just wonderful and it's not too bad of a climb.
4. After you're done with your tour of the Abbey, go across the courtyard to the Pump Room and make reservations for afternoon tea. They will up so I'd recommend to set it up ahead of time, but sometimes you can get in day-of for tea.
5. Right next door to the Pump Room is the entrance to the Roman Baths. It's a must-see while you're in Bath. There are several discounts such as student, senior, and even if you're staying in the area ask your hotel/inn for a "bath pass" which gets you discounts to local attractions. Plan on spending a good two hours in the Roman Baths. They have a free audio guided tour you can go on, or else there are great group tours as well.
Don't forget to take a drink of these ancient waters for their minerals and vitamins at the very end of the tour.
6. Go get yourself some afternoon tea at the Pump Room. I'd recommend the Afternoon Tea which comes complete with scones with lemon curd and clotted cream, tea sandwiches, sweets and of course a lovely pot of tea. If you're feeling really snazzy, go for the champagne tea for a lovely flute of bubbly. The ambiance of the Pump Room transports you back in time. They have live musicians playing strings and piano that make you want to get up, put on a ball gown and dance about the room.
7. Once you're done with tea, take time to shop and look around Bath! They have cute boutique shops as well as chain stores. Skip the chains and go for the cute little shops to pick up tea, scarves and postcards.
8. Make your way towards the Royal Crescent, an iconic grassy semi-circle that held some of the wealthiest people in England summer homes. It's beautiful and a great place to bring a blanket and lie in the grass.
9. If you're feeling really adventurous and have a bit of time left- stop by the Jane Austen Museum. They have a little gift shop in the front of the house if you don't have time for a tour, and you can pick up a "I love Darcy" pin.
10. If you want a bite to eat before you head out of town- stop by a local pub for my favorite British meal...cheesy chips & a pint of cider!
By this time you've probably run out of energy or daylight, and it'll be time to collect your bags and head to the train to catch the last train out for the night back to London or wherever you'll be. Bath is a lovely town and I hope you get to enjoy the ambiance, charm and quintessential British nature of this wonderful historic town.