Bath’s architecture and heritage have always piqued my interest. Reminiscent of my beloved Edinburgh in its size and stature, the Somerset city is dripping in history.
A centre of wellbeing since Roman times, Bath is still known today for having the only natural thermal hot springs in Britain you can bathe in. There are whispers of antiquity everywhere you look, from the ancient abbey to the grand Georgian homes towering over cobbled streets.
My brother lives in nearby Bristol, so I’ve visited Bath for a day a few times now.
The city is compact and so one day in Bath is an ideal amount of time to take in the main attractions.
On my first visit, I arrived on a Thursday when the streets were blissfully quiet and we could amble around the many independent shops without having to contend with crowds.
What To See In Bath, UK if you only have 24 hours
First: coffee at A Good Day Cafe
A good cup of coffee is prerequisite to a busy day in any city. I found some of the best coffee in Bath at this cute little coffee shop on the corner. A Good Day Cafe is such a gem and the staff are lovely.
The waitress saw me eyeing up the homemade cake stand and nudged me into getting a white chocolate chip cookie, and I don’t regret it for a second! Definitely recommend stopping here for a caffeine fix or even a spot of breakfast before you start exploring on your day out in Bath.
If you can’t get a table at A Good Day, try Society Cafe nearby.
Bath Abbey
It’s impossible to miss the imposing Bath Abbey, even if you’re only in Bath for one day. The dignified building rises high over the cityscape and provides a natural meeting point. The site dates back to Anglo Saxon times, with an original fan vaulted ceiling dating from the 1500s.
This is a working religious building, so remember to be respectful if you visit. See how many carved angels you can spot and take in the grand Klais organ, which has over 4,000 pipes.
Pulteney Bridge
One of Bath’s top sights is absolutely free to view as you walk along the River Avon. Did you know that Pulteney Bridge is one of just four bridges in the entire world that has shops lining both sides completely?
Designed in 1769 by Robert Adam, it’s an excellent example of Georgian architecture and makes a good spot for photographs. You might recognise it from Les Misérables.
If weather permits, you can take a picnic to the parade gardens below the bridge and watch Bath go by. Alternatively, book a boat trip to the bridge to make your day out in Bath super memorable.
The Roman Baths
Undoubtedly Bath’s most famous tourist attraction, The Roman Baths date back to 60-70CE, when a temple on the site spurned the Romans to build a suite of thermal baths. The complex was known as ‘Aquae Sulis’, which was the city’s original name.
You can take a tour of the baths today with an audio guide. As you walk around, you’ll conjure up images of the suite being used as a bathing and socialising space all that time ago. Even now, 1,170,000 litres of steaming green spring water, reaching 46°C, fill the baths every day.
Sally Lunn’s
I had no idea that there was a delicacy local to Bath before my visit! At Sally Lunn’s, you can tuck into a delicious ‘bunn’ with either sweet or savoury toppings. It’s a Bath must-try!
Sally Lunn’s itself is something of an institution in the city. One of the oldest houses in Bath, they still have a kitchen museum where you can see where the original Bath bunn was created by Sally.
Just don’t ask for the recipe – it’s a closely guarded secret.
Guildhall Market
This covered 19th century market is a must-visit if it rains during your day in Bath. In fact, pop in even if it’s dry! The historic shopping venue holds all sorts of vendors selling everything from Turkish lanterns to sweets.
There’s an excellent secondhand bookshop with loads of contemporary fiction on offer. I spent a long time pouring over the titles! You’ll also find a cafe inside Guildhall Market.
Royal Crescent
A short stomp from the city centre will take you to Royal Crescent, one of the most iconic streets in Britain. A majestic row of 30 terraced houses that curves around Royal Victoria Park, the crescent was built between 1767 and 1775. The stately facades have retained all of their grandeur!
There’s a museum of Georgian life located at No. 1 Royal Crescent where you can dive deeper into the city’s past.
If you’re enjoying a break in Bath with no costs spared, stay at the five-star hotel there – The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa.
It’s also worth wandering around some of the surrounding streets – we found a lovely row of boutiques in Margaret’s Buildings nearby. This is definitely the more upmarket part of Bath!
Circus Crescent
Another famous Bath street, The Circus is particularly impressive in the autumn months, when the grassy central area is carpeted with golden leaves.
I forced my brother to take pictures of me frolicking in the leaves until he looked like he was contemplating strangling me. Please enjoy the resulting images.
The townhouses, which are broken into three curved segments with three entrances into the crescent, were built between 1754 and 1768 and designed to mimic Stonehenge. I personally thought this crescent was more beautiful than Royal Crescent.
Lunch at The Cosy Club
Having walked what felt like the length and breadth of Bath by lunchtime, we were more than ready for a wee sit down and a drink. Plus, the heavens had opened so it was time to take cover.
On a friend’s recommendation, we rocked up at The Cosy Club without a booking and were given a seat below a heater on the covered outdoor terrace. A table inside became available and we ordered burgers and salads to keep us going through to dinnertime. Exploring Bath in a day is hungry work!
The Cosy Club would be the perfect spot for a bougie brunch. I loved the swanky decor and there’s loads of choice on the menu. They do a mean Bloody Mary – although almost all of my Instagram followers were appalled that I’d order one!
Walcot Street
I stumbled upon Walcot Street by accident while I was killing time before my brother arrived to spend the day in Bath with me. It’s a street lined with independent businesses, from homeware shops to bakeries.
If you’re looking for a unique souvenir of your day in Bath, you’ll find it here. My favourite shops there were The Yellow Shop for retro and vintage inspired finds, and a quirky homeware store called Graham & Green, where I was very tempted to spend my entire savings on their gorgeous but pricey statement pieces. Not sure how I was planning to get it all back to the North East…
While you’re in the area, pop into The Bell for a pint – it’s a cosy pub serving great pizza and you might just find my brother behind the bar!
Alexandra Park
I had the perfect ending to my day in Bath. My brother and I hoofed it uphill to the viewpoint in Alexandra Park, where you can take in a birds eye view of the city. This is best done at golden hour, when the city’s honey-coloured buildings are bathed in delicious orange light.
The park itself has 11 acres of green space and there’s plenty of seating at the viewpoint. To get there, we walked up Shakespeare Avenue and took the stairs known as Jacob’s Ladder to get back down to the city centre through the woodland.
Best Bath tours and activities
See all Bath activities available to pre-book on GetYourGuide
Where to eat dinner & sleep in Bath on a short break
I was hosted at Broad Street Townhouse on a press basis. The boutique hotel has just 11 rooms is housed in a Grade II listed building attached to the Pig & Fiddle Pub.
The room itself was wonderfully sumptuous; tastefully decorated with an old fashioned radio, coffee machine and a stunning bathroom with a deep bathtub you could get lost in.
We ate in the Pig & Fiddle in the evening. The menu is small but varied. We shared vegan nachos to start, which I’d never tried before, then we both ordered slightly more carnivorous mains. The dry aged 8-oz bavette steak with garlic butter was incredible.
It was beef short rib with garlic mash and a bourguignon sauce for my brother. The tender meat fell off the bone and there was plenty of it.
At breakfast, you can choose to dine downstairs in the Pig & Fiddle or have a hamper delivered to your room. We opted for the latter, and a cute picnic hamper brimming with continental delights arrived at our door right on time the next morning.
Search for more Bath accommodation using the booking.com map below.
Booking.comBath is only a small city and that has one massive benefit: you can easily walk to all of these sights! It should definitely be on your England itinerary.
I hope you’ve found my guide to what to see if you only have one day in Bath helpful. I think one or two days is the perfect amount of time in Bath, but if you have more time to explore the surrounding area I highly recommend taking the train to Bristol.
Read about why you should visit Bristol
Find out what to do in Bristol
Get my guide to packing for a UK road trip
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Chloe says
I’ve always wanted to visit Bath – it looks gorgeous!
Chloe X