Bath Staycation Guide: Where to Stay, What to Do and Where to Eat

Bath is small enough to cross on foot in twenty minutes, yet it packs in more to see than many cities twice its size. The whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built from honey-coloured stone around the only natural hot springs in Britain, and its Roman Baths, Georgian crescents and riverside walks make it one of the most rewarding short breaks in the country. This guide covers where to stay in Bath, what to prioritise and how to plan two days.

How long to stay

Two nights is the sweet spot: one day for the Roman Baths, the Abbey and the city centre, the other for the Royal Crescent, the museums and a soak in the thermal waters. Bath gets busy at weekends in summer and during the Christmas market, so midweek stays are quieter.

Where to stay in Bath

Almost everywhere in the centre is walkable, so pick a hotel by style and budget. The full list is on the Bath hotels page.

By the Roman Baths

The Gainsborough Bath Spa is the only hotel in the city with its own access to Bath's natural thermal waters, a five-star in a Georgian and Victorian building beside the Roman Baths. Apex City of Bath Hotel on James Street West is a modern alternative with a pool, sauna and steam room, rated 4.5 from over 2,200 Google reviews.

Around the Parades and Queen Square

Abbey Hotel Bath on North Parade is a four-star boutique hotel minutes from the Abbey and the station, and it accepts dogs. Nearby, Parade Park Bath is a smaller hotel close to Pulteney Bridge, and Hotel Indigo Bath sits on South Parade. Francis Hotel overlooks the Georgian gardens of Queen Square, a short walk from the Circus and the Royal Crescent.

Country house

For something grander, Bailbrook House is a country house hotel on the eastern edge of the city, set in its own grounds.

Things to do

Browse the full list on the Bath attractions page. These are the essentials.

Roman and Georgian Bath

The Roman Baths are the reason most people come, a remarkably complete bathing complex rated 4.6 from over 40,000 reviews. Next door, Bath Abbey is worth a look, and a short walk away the modern Thermae Bath Spa lets you bathe in the same spring water, including in its rooftop pool. Up the hill, No.1 Royal Crescent recreates life in a grand Georgian townhouse, and the Jane Austen Centre tells the story of the novelist's years in the city, with a Regency tearoom upstairs.

Museums and gardens

At the end of Great Pulteney Street, the Holburne Museum holds silver, porcelain and Old Master paintings in a Georgian building beside Sydney Gardens. Royal Victoria Park below the Royal Crescent has lawns, playgrounds and boating, and dogs are welcome. Out at Claverton, the American Museum and Gardens sits in fine grounds above the Avon valley.

On the river and after dark

Bath Boating Station hires out traditional rowing boats and canoes from a Victorian boathouse on the Avon. In the evening, Bath Ghost Tours leave from the Abbey, or catch a film at the Little Theatre Cinema, which dates from 1935.

Where to eat

Scallop Shell specialises in fish and seafood, Sotto Sotto serves Italian food in candlelit vaulted cellars, and Opa Meze Bar does Greek meze in a similar underground setting. For something different, Mantra Progressive Indian covers North and South Indian dishes. See more on the Bath restaurants page.

A two-day plan

Day one

Start early at the Roman Baths, then visit the Abbey and cross Pulteney Bridge for a walk along Great Pulteney Street to the Holburne Museum. In the late afternoon, spend a couple of hours at Thermae Bath Spa and have dinner in the centre.

Day two

Walk up through Queen Square to the Circus and the Royal Crescent, and spend an hour at No.1 Royal Crescent. After lunch, relax in Royal Victoria Park or take a rowing boat out on the river, then finish with an evening ghost walk.

Day trips from Bath

Bristol is a short train ride away, with its harbourside and the SS Great Britain. Salisbury has one of England's great cathedrals and is the gateway to Stonehenge, Cirencester is a good introduction to the Cotswolds, and from Chippenham it is a short drive to the National Trust village of Lacock. Closer still, Bradford-on-Avon is a pretty stone town on the river and the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Camping and cottages near Bath

Pitchperfect Camping near Frome is a family-run farm site for tents and small campervans, with a shop and play area, and it accepts dogs. Country View Camping near Westbury offers bell tents and cabins, and Walnut Tree Farm is a quiet back-to-basics site with campfires. Browse all campsites near Bath or Bath cottages.

Practical tips

Bath Spa station has direct trains from London Paddington and Bristol, and the city centre is compact enough to explore on foot, though the walk up to the Royal Crescent and Lansdown is steep. Parking in the centre is limited, so drivers should use the park and ride. For more, see UK spa breaks, Christmas market breaks and romantic weekend breaks.