A Brilliant Itinerary for 24 Hours in Bath
Last week I went to Bath for the day. Ooh it was lovely. Here’s how I’d recommend you spend 24 hours in Bath, to really make the most of your trip.
I’d just got a car, so decided to drive the two hours from mine to Bath seeing as the train prices were outrageous. Lovely drive TBH. Made it with no dramas and a lovely view as I came in on Bathwick Hill. All of the City of Bath is a designated World Heritage Site, it really is a must see when you visit England, or you’re looking for a day trip.
I only had 24 hours in Bath, and wanted to really make the most of it, so here’s my 24-hour Bath itinerary to help you do the same.
– I was in Bath thanks to the Abbey Hotel, who invited a group of bloggers to check out the newly updated rooms.
– Hope you enjoy my Bath guide!
24 Hours in Bath
This post will help you plan your day trip to Bath. I’ve suggested where to stay, where to eat, what to do, and how to enjoy those famous bath spas too. All the highlights of Bath so you can just enjoy yourself!
Great hotel in Bath
We decided to head straight to the Abbey Hotel to drop the car, and our bags. We (me and Emily) parked at the Manvers Street car park just around the corner (£15 for 24 hours).
It was a two-minute walk to the hotel.
The Abbey Hotel is still being renovated, while they do up their Art Bar, but the rest of the facilities are all open.
After a brisk check in I went up to my room, 215, to check it out. It was a nice size, light and airy, and the design was straight outta Pinterest. Yes, this would do nicely for my 24 hours in Bath. Keen to see as much as possible of the city, I quickly got ready to go out.
Spotted that my bathroom was lush though.
– The Abbey Hotel is a fab choice for your 24 hours in Bath, just look at it!
Fudge shop in Bath
So within 20 minutes of landing in Bath, we were at the Fudge Kitchen. Which, according to Emily, was the best fudge shop in Bath. Knowing her expertise in all things sweet I trusted her and after trying three different flavours, ended up buying two slabs.
The salted caramel, and the sherbet lemon won.
The guys were so friendly, and anyone that gives me three free samples of fudge wins in my book. Make sure you pay a visit on your day in Bath.
Take a look at the Roman Baths in Bath
– No surprise why Bath is one of the most popular day trips in England, hey?
Up next, the tourist highlight of Bath: the Roman Baths. As one of the most popular tourist attractions in the UK we were lucky it was actually pretty quiet on a Friday afternoon. The Roman Baths in Bath firmly cement the city as one of the greatest spa towns in Europe.
Bath’s Roman Baths are the remains of one of the greatest religious spas of the ancient world. Note though: you cannot swim in them yourself, or even relax. They’re for looking at not using.
The baths still flow with natural hot water from the thermal springs underneath, stick your hand in and you’ll feel the warmth.
There’s a whole museum inside featuring relics and artefacts from the time, and replicas of how they’d be used. They also had actors who could tell you more about the Roman Baths’ history.
Make sure to walk around the top for some great aerial views of Bath and beyond. Also, I’d strongly advise against tasting the spa water. For some reason this is an option at the end, and it’s grim.
I’d recommend an hour or two here, depending on how interested you are in looking at remains. This is kinda the number one thing to do on a day in Bath though, so don’t let it pass you by!
Visit the Pulteney Bridge in Bath
The Pulteney Bridge is one of the best viewpoints in Bath. Expect lots of snap happy tourists here taking pics of the Georgian architecture. Fun fact for you: it’s one of only four bridges in the world to have shops across its full span on both sides. The shops are small but when the bridge opened in 1770 they were a revelation.
The bridge is named after Frances Pulteney, wife of William Johnstone Pulteney. He was an important landowner in Georgian Bath, and wanted to build a bridge everyone would be talking about. And so he did, over the River Avon.
– Finding the views are one of the best things to do in Bath
You can take boats from here heading up river to Bathampton, or just admire the view from the surrounding bars and restaurants. Unfortunately, no time for me to enjoy such frivolities. With only 24 hours in Bath – I had to keep moving!
Want to visit Bath at Christmas?
You’ll need my festive guide to the city then!
Go for a rooftop drink on your day in Bath
Time for a warming drink. But instead of this we decided to enjoy a cider on a roof terrace. We went to Hall & Woodhouse on Old King Street and climbed the four floors for a view of dusk in Bath. It was March so good job they had some blankets.
We sat and pondered why there were so many seagulls, didn’t come up with an answer, and left just before we froze.
From the looks of the kitchen, this would be a fab place for a meal while you’re in Bath for the day.
Sally Lunn’s in Bath
On the way back to the hotel we popped into Sally Lunns. Sally Lunn’s buns are a legend around these parts. The secret recipe apparently makes them taste like sweet brioche, delicious served warm with butter. Sounds lush, but not for anyone like me trying their hardest to follow a keto diet.
Sadly I had to decline.
I did enjoy the mini museum downstairs though. The recipe for Sally Lunn’s buns were first recorded in 1780, so there’s a dedication in the cellar. Go and check it out!
Dinner at Koffman & Mr White’s in Bath
We were treated to a two-course meal at Koffman & Mr White’s, the hotel’s restaurant. The French brasserie opened just before Christmas by legendary chefs Pierre Koffmann and Marco Pierre White.
Looks fancy hey? Well, you can get two courses for around £15, or you can go a la carte, a la me.
I went for the duck pate starter, not quite realising it was a pate, which was totally my fault (would you know what ‘Rilettes’ was?!). I would never normally order pate in a restaurant, but after I got that layer of fat off it was really good.
“Rillettes of duck, green peppercorns, toasted sourdough”
Actually just Wikipedia’d ‘rilletes’ and apparently the fat is kinda the whole point. Well now we know…
I went for the mango, chicken and prawn curry for the main course. Gawd it was lush. Absolutely no food envy around the table there, think I had the best one, although apparently the ox cheek was tasty too.
“The Connaught’s coq and shrimp curry, fresh mango, ginger, buttered rice”
The bread was freshly baked from a local baker, and was all quaffed down with red wine. I didn’t actually get to look at the bottle, but presume it was the house. Would drink again.
After dinner we went to check out the hotel’s Escape cocktail bar. In honour of World Sleep Day, which our trip was arrange for, the mixologist there created a creamy lavender cocktail to help us sleep.
And so after I’d drank that, that’s exactly what I did.
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Staying at the Abbey Hotel on our 24 hours in Bath
I went up to my room, had a delightful hot shower in my funky bathroom and as soon as I got in bed I went straight to sleep.
My room was SO cosy.
Breakfast at the Abbey Hotel in Bath
We had breakfast included with the room and they had an extensive menu available, as well as a table full of continental delights. I went for the Full English, minus the black pudding of course. The sausage was a definite highlight.
Morning at the Thermae Spa in Bath
Us lucky bloggers got to go to the Thermae Spa at 8am, before it opened, so we could take a few pics of the facilities. No photos or cameras are allowed here, to give complete peace to anyone swimming. I think it’s a great idea. Can’t imagine the carnage if everyone here wanted to take pics.
We went up to the rooftop pool first. Bright and breezy at 8:15am.
Read, freezing!
Water was nice and warm though and it was pretty amazing to be outside in March, swimming around. The water at the Thermae Bath Spa has over 42 different minerals, so I totally look younger now FYI. It’s also cooled to the optimum bathing temperature of 33.5°C, from the natural 40C.
Blows my mind!
– You have to go to the Thermae Spa on your 24 hours in Bath!
We had two hours to really make the most of the Thermae Spa. There were steam rooms, a sauna, a relaxing space room, a big pool downstairs with a lazy river, a jacuzzi, and a cafe too. If you’re wondering what to do in Bath for the day, then this is up there.
Such a lovely way to end our 24 hours in Bath, or to start it!
You will need to book to go into the Thermae Bath Spa – it’s super popular and so as soon as you have your date for Bath, get it booked in.
– If you’re visiting Bath you have to check out the Thermae Bath!
The Abbey Hotel let us have late check out, so I went back at 12 to pick up my stuff, and that was the end of my adventure.
I had to get back to meet some friends who were visiting for the weekend but if you have the afternoon, here are a few more things you could do in Bath.
24 hours in Bath:
5 more things to do in Bath
1. Free walking tours – like many cities in England, Bath offers free walking tours. I’d suggest getting to Bath earlier than I did on your first day and joining one to familiarise yourself with the city.
2. Jane Austen Centre – Bath featured as the location of many of Jane’s books, and so it’s become a mecca for Austen fans. Visit the Jane Austen Centre and you can go to a talks from (imitation) Georgian ladies, read excerpts from her novels and learn more about why Bath was such an important place for her. Bit sad I didn’t have time to make it here actually.
3. No.1 Royal Crescent – this stretch of houses is one of the most impressive in Bath. The unique shaped arch is the stuff of Instagram gold. Most of the houses are private residences but No.1 is open to all, and set out just as it would’ve been in the late 1700s. You can just pop in on your 24 hours in Bath.
– pic from Michael D Beckwith, on Unsplash
4. Climb the Bath Abbey tower – pay £6 and you can climb the tower on a special tour. Easier said than done, with 212 steps to get to the top. It’s a bit of a mission but by all accounts, totally worth it!
5. Take a boat tour – if you enjoy the views on the ground in Bath, you’ll soon come to realise the ones by boat are even more impressive. Join a boat tour and you can admire the Pulteney Bridge and the Weir from a totally different point of view.
How to book this 24-hour Bath trip
Roman Baths
Koffman & Mr White’s
Thanks to the Abbey Hotel who invited me to visit Bath, and arranged the Thermae Spa, and the dinner and breakfast for us. The whole 24 hours in Bath have just made me want to go back to see more!
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