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A weekend in Bath is one of the most perfect UK based city breaks.
Bath is a fantastic city and one of the UK’s best examples of beautiful Georgian architecture: the Royal Crescent, Bath Assembly Rooms and Pulteney Bridge have made the city a go to for lots of film and television locations over the years.
Being home to the Roman Baths and great museums such as The Jane Austen Centre and the Bath Fashion Museum, there is no shortage of things to do on a weekend in Bath.
Not only is the city steeped in history, Bath has great restaurants and bars, as well as good shopping – in particular, there are some beautiful independent interior stores. It’s a very walkable city and is easy to get to from London and other major UK cities by car or on the train. See? A perfect UK city break!
This Bath travel guide will share all the best things to do, places to eat and drink and where to stay to get the most out of a city break weekend in Bath.
Weekend in Bath Travel Guide Contents:
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WHERE TO EAT IN BATH
RESTAURANTS
The Circus Restaurant
34 Brock St, Bath BA1 2LN
Friendly, family run restaurant serving wonderful food near the Royal Crescent, and my favourite meal during my time in Bath.
The Circus does an amazing set menu which is well worth looking into to keep costs down. I enjoyed a meal of mackerel pate, steak and chips followed by chocolate tart before heading back to London on my train and the three courses cost just £38, which for the quality was excellent.
The Pump Room
Stall St, Bath BA1 1LZ
Dine in the same room as Jane Austen and Charles Dickens once did, overlooking the Roman Baths. Classical music from the resident pianist plays as you enjoy afternoon tea under elegant chandeliers – it doesn’t get more Bridgerton than this!
Bandook
3-7 Milsom St, Bath BA1 1BZ
Indian street food restaurant serving up favourites like chaats, curry bowls and plenty of small plates full of flavour.
Walcot House
90B Walcot St, Bath BA1 5BG
Walcot House is set in an old bakery, serving seasonal dishes simply but very well done. They have a great value set menu which runs until 9pm – no pre theatre timings! – offering 2 courses for just £20 or 3 for £35.
TOP TIP: Get the pain perdu with salted caramel and ice cream for dessert
Raphael Restaurant
Gascoyne House, Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RN
Independent brasserie serving modern British fare. Raphael have a regularly changing menu which uses locally and seasonally sourced ingredients.
The Bathwick Boatman
Forester Rd, Bath BA2 6QE
Beautiful restaurant set in an old wooden rowing clubhouse on the river: perfect for a lazy lunch in the sunshine on a summer weekend in Bath.
La Terra
2 John St, Bath BA1 2JL
Excellent Italian restaurant with a small but well refined menu. Caters for vegans and does a great value set lunchtime menu (3 courses for £35).
Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House
4 N Parade Passage, Bath BA1 1NX
Sally Lunn’s is an historic tea and eating house dating back to the 1400s and home of the famous Bath Bun.
Swing by for lunch or afternoon tea in one of Bath’s oldest houses and afterwards explore the onsite kitchen museum that was used in Georgian times.
BAKERIES & COFFEE SHOPS
Good Day Cafe
12 Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RH
Home of one of the best sweet treats I’ve ever come across: the Scotchie. Effectively a chocolate scotch egg, with brownie as the outer layer and a chocolate ganache on the inside (you can see a cross section in the photo gallery below!)
Good Day Cafe also do brookies and cookie dough slices, and that’s before you even get to their great brunch menu that includes pancakes, sweet and savoury french toasts, bagels and – wait for it – loaded hash browns. Run, don’t walk.
Bertinet Bakery
1 New Bond St Pl, Bath BA1 1BH
Bakery making beautiful pastries freshly every day on site alongside their artisan bread.
Colonna & Small’s
6 Chapel Row, Bath BA1 1HT
Contemporary, speciality coffee shop; the place for those really into their coffee. Grab a bag of their beans to take home with you.
Society Café
5 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB
19 High St, The Corridor, Bath BA1 5AJ
This specialist coffee shop has two branches in Bath, one near the Roman Baths in Kingsmead Square and another close to Pulteney Bridge.
Mokoko Coffee
Various
Mokoko Coffee have three different sites in Bath as well as in Bristol. Their coffee is seasonally sourced and all their gorgeous pastries are made freshly in house on the day.
WHERE TO DRINK IN BATH
WINE BARS
Beckford Bottle Shop & Bistro
5-8 Saville Row, Bath, BA1 2QP
One of my favourite Bath finds, the Beckford Bottle Shop and Bistro is a fantastic wine bar near to the Bath Assembly Rooms. You can peruse the wine shop here and enjoy a few glasses in their lovely dining area, where excellent small plates and cheese boards are also served.
The Yard in Bath
1 Monmouth Pl, Bath BA1 2AT
The wine bar in stylish boutique hotel The Yard in Bath served such a gorgeous cheese board when I stayed there that I would be remiss not to mention it.
A great spot for an afternoon or early evening glass of wine and charcuterie to tide you over until dinner.
Corkage Bath
5 Chapel Row, Bath BA1 1HN
Lovely wine bar and bottle shop with a great outside space on a sunny weekend in Bath. Also serves food with a large vegetarian offering, and does an excellent set menu at lunchtime – just 2 courses for £20 or 3 for £25.
Vino Vino
5-6 Saw Cl, Bath BA1 1EN
Independent wine and cocktail bar serving small plates, bar bites and charcuterie board, with a large terrace area out the front.
Comptoir+Cuisine
5 George St, Bath BA1 2EJ
Champagne and wine bar serving great charcuterie and cheese boards, incredible baked camembert and French inspired tapas.
COCKTAIL BARS
The Dark Horse
7A Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB
Dark and cosy specialist independent cocktail bar in the centre of Bath. Bookings recommended.
Opium
Spring Gardens Rd, Bathwick, Bath BA2 6PJ
This quirky cocktail bar is tucked away in the vaults near Pulteney Bridge. Both classic and modern cocktails are on the menu, as well as a good wine list and a big selection of beers from around the world.
The Hideout
1 Lilliput Court, Bath BA1 1ND
Well revered cocktail bar specialising in whisky. The bar itself dates back to Tudor times, and has now been restored with a modern twist and an excellent cocktail list.
Hall & Woodhouse
1 Old King St, Bath BA1 2JW
Big bar with a lovely roof terrace to enjoy if you luck out with the sun on your weekend in Bath. Close to the Jane Austen Centre.
PUBS
The Raven Pub
7 Queen St, Bath BA1 1HE
Traditional family run pub serving amazing pies and slap up breakfasts.
The Pig & Fiddle
2 Saracen St, Bath BA1 5BR
Great pub in the centre of Bath with excellent food on offer. Well known for their Sunday roasts and a top spot to catch any sport that may be on during your weekend in Bath.
THINGS TO DO IN BATH
Bath’s most famous attraction and absolutely worth the hype: the ruins of the Roman Baths are over 2000 years old!
The museum takes visitors through the details of how they were once used by the Romans and an insight into what life was like for the people of that time. If you do one thing in Bath, this should be it.
Why should only the Romans benefit from Bath’s naturally warm, mineral-rich waters? Thermae Bath Spa gives people a chance to enjoy the natural waters in the vicinity, with an array of pools, saunas and treatments to enjoy.
The spa is adults only and has a wonderful rooftop pool with views of Bath Abbey and the rooftops of the city. There are some excellently priced treatment packages on offer, but booking in advance is a must.
The perfect way to round off a long weekend in Bath!
One of our greatest writers, Jane Austen, lived in Bath for a short time as an adult. The Jane Austen Centre gives visitors an insight into what life was like for Jane living in Regency Bath.
There are plenty of interactive exhibitions to get involved with and a regency tea room where you can pretend you’re sitting down with Mr Darcy.
This town house museum on Bath’s Royal Crescent has been restored to the glory of a Georgian home, giving visitors the chance to see what life was like in 18th century Bath; both for members of high society and the servants who ran their home.
Pulteney Bridge and Weir
Beautiful arched Pulteney Bridge is one of only four bridges in the world with shops across its full span, much like the Rialto Bridge in Venice and Ponte Vecchio in Florence.
The bridge sits ahead of Pulteney Weir, which you may recognise from Javert’s big moment in the film version of Les Mis.
The Grade 1 listed Assembly Rooms were an essential part of daily life in Bath in the 18th century, hosting balls and teas within the elegant rooms for the public.
You’ll probably recognise the Georgian rooms from various period TV and film – to name just a few, Pride & Prejudice, Bridgerton and Persuasion were all filmed here.
The National Trust have some exciting plans for a new experience at the rooms that will transport visitors to Georgian Bath, due to open in 2026. Bridgerton girlies, assemble!
Having studied fashion for my degree, I am a huge fan of fashion exhibitions and museums. Bath Fashion Museum is my favourite I’ve visited.
There is a big focus on the history of fashion, detailing the influence politics and technological advancements have had on clothing trends, and there are some incredibly old pieces on display that date back 100s of years.
N.B. The Fashion Museum is temporarily closed amidst plans for it to move to the Old Post Office in a new central location in the city.
Bath Abbey is one of the more beautiful churches in England: its beautiful vaulted ceiling dates back to the 1500s. You can take a guided tour up to the towers, see the bells and enjoy sweeping views of Bath from the rooftop.
Fine art gallery in a beautiful Grade I listed building on Great Pulteney St, including works by Gainsborough, Stubbs and Ramsay.
WHERE TO STAY IN BATH
HOTELS IN BATH
I stayed at The Yard in Bath not long after it first opened and I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to stay again. This boutique hotel is beautifully designed and has lovely, thoughtful touches throughout, like the option of having your breakfast delivered to your room in a wicker basket to enjoy!
Whether enjoyed in the communal space or in your room, breakfast was excellent, using high quality local ingredients. Don’t miss a pre-dinner drink in the hotel’s wine bar, where they serve an incredible cheese and charcuterie platter. Book here.
The GuestHouse hotels are always on my ‘wish to stay’ list, and their Bath hotel is no exception. Gorgeous rooms with homely touches and a pantry for guests to help themselves to, No 15 by GuestHouse is found in a great location close to Pulteney Bridge and the Roman Baths.
There’s a spa onsite for those who fancy a pamper, and private parking on offer for those driving. The hotel is child friendly, with tipis in the rooms and kids goodies menus to abuse, and dogs are welcome. They’ve thought of everything! Book here.
Set in the centre of Bath in an old Georgian townhouse, this boutique hotel feels indulgent yet homely all at once. Rooms are beautifully decorated and all have views onto the city,
Broad Street Townhouse also has an in house restaurant and the breakfasts they serve guests look absolutely delicious. Book here.
The Gainsborough Bath Spa hotel is one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and it’s easy to see why – rooms are stylish and elegant, the onsite spa and indoor pool are beyond inviting, and the breakfasts on offer are fantastic.
The hotel also has a fitness centre in case that’s important to you. Book here.
Rooms are modern and stylish at Hotel Indigo, which is set in a classic 18th century Georgian building in a central location close to Pulteney Bridge, the Roman Bath and Bath Abbey.
The hotel has two restaurants focused on British cooking, and there is also a gorgeous bar onsite that screams old world elegance. Book here.
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Written September 2024.
