Spending some time in London and looking for an easy day trip? Why not
escape to the English countryside by taking a day trip from London to Bath?
Bath is just over an hour from London by train, yet feels like a million miles away with its perfect small town vibe and pretty countryside setting!
There are four ways to get from London to Bath:
- By train:
It’s a 90-minute ride from Paddington Station in London to Bath Spa Station.
Trains run roughly every 30 minutes and this is a cost-effective way to reach Bath.
2. By car:
If you choose to rent a car for your day trip to Bath, it’s a 2.5-hour drive.
3. Bus:
Buses run from Victoria Station to Bath every 60-90 minutes depending on the
time of year. It’s a 3-4 hour drive from London to Bath.
4. Tour:
There are many guided tours that allow you to visit Bath for a day trip. These
typically range from 10-14 hours and often combine Bath with another destination.
In terms of travel time and cost, the best way to visit Bath is by train,
but this means you won’t have a car to explore more of the city’s surroundings during your day trip.
However, having a car in Bath can be a millstone around your neck. It’ll just stay in an (expensive) car park since Bath is a very walkable city, and everything is packed into a very compact area.
What to see:
Opening Hours – 9:30am – 5pm
The opening hours change on a seasonal basis and the baths stay open much
later during the summer months, check the official website for the most current
hours.
Roman Bath Tickets
Ticket prices vary between weekdays and weekends.
They also slightly increase during high season. For more info about purchasing
tickets to the baths, click here. Audio-guides are included in the ticket price.
By any, any, means: if you have enough time take the free walking tours of
Bath as an introduction to your visit.
Taken by volunteers, these walks of over two hours explain the history of Georgian Bath by
taking you through the city past all the key landmarks.
One of the main things people associate with the town of Bath are the incredibly
well preserved ancient Roman Baths. They’ve been listed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site and are by far one of the most popular attractions in England.
Going back nearly 2000 years, the Romans first built a religious
temple on the site of the hot springs around the year 70AD. Over the centuries
that followed, it slowly developed into a public bath house which became known
as “Aquae Sulis”.
The bathing complex was made up of multiple rooms including baths, sacred
pools, plunge pools, saunas and heated rooms. It became so popular that
people from all over the country and even parts of Europe would travel to visit
this sacred site and enjoy the baths.
When the Romans left Britain in the 5th century, the bath house eventually fell to
ruins due to flooding and neglect. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that
the Roman Baths were uncovered, restored and opened up to the public.
Restoration work extended through the 20th century until today where ongoing
work is still being done in order to preserve the ancient site for years to come.
After your visit to the Roman Baths, you must visit the beautiful Bath Abbey, another UNESCO interest point. The history of this church dates back over 1000
years but there have been many changes to it over the years. The interior of the
church is so impressive, look up at the high ceilings and stunning stained glass windows.
You can take a tour to the top of the church tower! From there you’ll unlock the most
spectacular views over Bath and the surrounding countryside. But remember:
you’ll need to climb 212 steps of a narrow spiral staircase to reach the top.
Entry to the church is free but if you want to take the tower tour, tickets cost £8
per adult. Find out more info about the church tower tours here
No, you can’t bathe in the in the ancient Roman baths, but you can enjoy a soak in the baths of the Thermae Bath Spa which is fed by the natural mineral waters from
the original springs.
There’s a beautiful open air rooftop pool where you can relax in the warm water
and take in the stunning panoramic views around you. You can also
visit the indoor Minerva Bath, the largest of all their thermal baths! In
addition, there are steam rooms, saunas, ice chambers and more.
It’s the perfect place to relax and unwind for an hour or two. Remember: photos aren’t allowed to be taken here in order to respect the other guests. You
can check out their website to see photos of how beautiful this place is. Find
more information about prices, spa packages and opening times by visiting the
official website.
9.Bath’s Bun
There is just one thing in Bath that you must eat, and that is a bun. Although there are two distinct types of Bath buns so maybe two things. First, the traditional Bath Bun at… well, The Bath Bun, it’s a small, sugary roll topped with raisins or dried currants, or go to Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House for a larger, plainer roll with a little less flash.
And now, the facts!
- Bath inspired Mary Shelley to finish writing Frankenstein
Mary Godwin (who was to become Mary Shelley after marrying the Romantic
poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley) arrived in Bath in September 1816,
when she was only 19. Here she wrote much of her celebrated novel
Frankenstein. - Look up! What is that??
William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus, the seventh
planet from the sun, in his home on New King Street 1781. Now
to honour his discovery, you’ll find the Herschel Museum of
Astronomy. - The cost of war
Bath once wasn’t as pretty as it is now. In 1942 The Baedeker
Blitz destroyed over 19,000 buildings and injured many
residents. Eventually the town came together to start Bath
from scratch and thankfully built the gorgeous town it is now. - Clash of cultures
Archaeological evidence shows that the site of the Roman baths’ main spring may have
been treated as a shrine by the Britons, and was dedicated to the Goddess Sulis identified with Minerva; the name Sulis continued to be used after the Roman invasion, appearing in the town’s Roman name, Aquæ Sulis (literally, “the waters of Sulis”). Archaeologists have recovered messages to her scratched onto metal. The tablets were written in Latin, and cursed people whom the writers felt had wronged them, hence the name “curse tablets”. - The Circus and Stonehenge
The Circus is the same diameter as Stonehenge. It is said that the orientation of Stonehenge is built around the rising and setting sun, whereas the Circus is said to represent the sun, with the Royal Crescent representing the moon. Coincidence? Mmno, probably not. - You’ve got mail
On 2nd May 1840, four days prior to the official first day of posting, an item of mail left Bath Post Office with a stamp featuring an engraved image of Queen Victoria on a black background. This stamp is now known as a Penny Black.
- The Suffragette’s Retreat
Eagle House, in the village of North End on the east side of Bath, was the home of Colonel Linley and Emily Blathwayt, descendants of the original owners of the National Trust property Dyrham Park. Emily and her daughter Mary were members of the Woman’s Social and Political Union. Between 1909 and 1912, they offered Eagle House as a sanctuary to Suffragettes, including Emmeline Pankhurst, Christine Pankhurst and Annie Kenney (WSPU organiser for the West of England), when they were released from prison.
A tree was planted in the grounds of Eagle House for each woman who had been active for the movement. - The spa water from the Roman Baths contains 43 different minerals.
Among which Sodium, Magnesium and Calcium. The water is still available from the spa fountain in the West Baths at the end of a tour of the Roman Baths, or from the traditional fountain in the Pump Rooms. It should be noted though that it has a rather pungent scent…
These are the eight coolest facts about Bath, and we really suggest it among the destinations for a day trip from London. Find more here!