Guide to Bath

Bath Abbey—York Street, Bath— “As the history of this sacred place stretches as far back as Anglo-Saxon times, there is a great deal to discover: tales of Kings and Queens, saints and sinners, as well as stories of ordinary people.” Sunday Sung Eucharist 11:30, Choral Evensong 3:30; Visit--Fri 10-5:30, Sat 10-5. Suggested donation £4, included in Bath Excursion. 

Bath Guildhall Market— 33 High Street, Bath— “Bath Guildhall Market is the oldest shopping venue in the city and today a colourful group of twenty or so stallholders trade in this jewel of a building in the heart of the city, just 80 yards from Bath Abbey and opposite the famous Pulteney Bridge.” 9-5.  

The Jane Austen Centre—40 Gay Street, Bath— “The Jane Austen Centre, located at 40 Gay Street in Bath, is a permanent exhibition. Situated in an original Georgian townhouse, it tells the story of Jane’s time in Bath, including the effect that living here had on her and her writing.” 10-5:30. £12.50. 

Holbourne Museum— Great Pulteney Street, Bath— “The fascinating pieces that adorn one of Bath’s most beautiful buildings vary from Renaissance treasures to masterpieces by Gainsborough. There is so much to see and explore, and even if you’re a regular visitor you can discover something new with the continually-changing temporary exhibitions.” 10-5. £12.50 

Hop on/Hop Off Bus—High Street, just left of Bath Abbey— “Sit back, relax and let City Sightseeing show you the sights! The City Route takes to visit the most significant corners, buildings, and monuments to follow the footsteps of Bath’s most famous resident – Jane Austen. You will never be short of things to do in Bath. Sightseeing this amazing city is an incredibly enjoyable experience suitable for people of all ages. Hop on and off at the 17 stops on the City Route. Enjoy the best architecture at Grand Parade and Manvers Street, right in the Centre of historic Bath; get a view of Bath City College and walk around the Royal Crescent; plus visit one of the city's must-see attractions: the Roman baths.... [W]henever you spot something you would like to explore further, just hop off! Whenever you are ready, simply wait for the next bus and hop back on. No need to deal with complicated (and expensive) public transport system. With regular departures, City Sightseeing’s Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours are the ideal way to explore this beautiful city.” From 10-5, every 15 minutes, 50-minute loop. £26. 

The Mayor of Bath’s Walking Tour—Tour begins in front of the Roman Baths— “If you’re hoping to take a walking tour of Bath, these are the guys to follow. The tours are 100% FREE (no tips or gratuities allowed) and led by volunteers who are certified guides and deeply passionate about Bath’s history. In 2014, the Mayor’s Honorary Guides were awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service — a rare and notable honour for this 80-year-old organisation.” Book this 2-hour tour in advance via the website. Saturday, 10:30; Sunday, 10:30 and 2:00. Free. 

No. 1 Royal Crescent— 1 Royal Crescent, Bath— “No. 1 Royal Crescent provides you with an opportunity to look beyond the Crescent's famous Palladian façade and see what life was like for the wealthy and their servants in eighteenth-century Bath.” 10-5:30. £11.00. 

Pulteney Bridge— Bridge Street, Bath— “One of the most photographed examples of Georgian architecture in the city and one of only four bridges in the world to have shops across its full span on both sides, Pulteney Bridge was designed in 1769 by Robert Adam…. Famously, it was the scene of Javert's suicide in the 2012 film version of Les Misérables.” Free. 

Roman Baths— Abbey Church Yard, Bath— “The Roman Baths, at the heart of the City of Bath World Heritage Site, consists of the remarkably preserved remains of one of the greatest religious spas of the ancient world. The city’s unique thermal springs rise in the site and the Baths still flow with natural hot water. Visitors can explore the Roman Baths, walk on the original Roman pavements and see the ruins of the Temple of Sulis Minerva. The museum collection, located next to the bathing complex, includes a gilt bronze head of the Goddess Sulis Minerva, and other Roman artefacts.” 9-6. £20, included in Bath Excursion. 

The Circus Restaurant— 34 Brock Street, Bath— “Our busy, independent restaurant serves modern European food, from a seasonally changing menu, accompanied by old world wines, in a relaxed atmosphere​.” Monday-Saturday, 10-9. 

Corkage—5 Chapel Row and 32 Walcot Street, Bath— “Two local, independent restaurant wine bars and bottle shops in the heart of historic Bath. Convivial small plate dining, seasonal ingredients, hand selected wines by the glass and bottle to drink in-house or to take away at retail prices. Great British food, great wine, great ambience.” Noon to midnight. 

The Fine Cheese Co.— 29 & 31 Walcot Street, Bath — “Our skilled chefs, using only the finest ingredients, cook and bake from scratch, and prepare everything in our café, including, for example, our monthly-changing seasonal menus, our macarons and our sandwiches.” 8-5. 

The Green Rocket— 1 Pierrepont St, Bath— “The Green Rocket is a multi-award winning vegetarian cafe & restaurant, in Bath. We provide tasty vegetarian food and great coffee in an informal setting. We are a proudly independent establishment run by enthusiasts who have a real passion for fresh and vibrant food.” 9-9. 

The Raven—6-7 Queen Street, Bath— “The Raven is a traditional old English pub that does good hearty pies and sausages complemented by an ever-changing selection of real ales, ciders or wine. We welcome you warmly into our cosy atmosphere, a cultural, historical gem of a pub off Queen’s Square in the centre of Bath.” 11-midnight. 

Sally Lunn’s— 4 North Parade Passage Bath— “Sally Lunn’s is much more than a world-famous tea and eating house in the centre of the wonderful city of Bath England. Our historic building is one of the oldest houses in Bath. Our kitchen museum shows the actual kitchen used by the legendary young Huguenot baker Sally Lunn in Georgian Bath to create the first Bath bunn – an authentic regional speciality now known the world over.” 10-6. 

The Scallop Shell— 22 Monmouth Place, Bath— “The Scallop Shell is a fish and chip restaurant and seafood grill in the world heritage city of Bath. We serve up traditional favourites like lightly battered, flaky cod and haddock and seasonal delights from the early morning coastal markets. Our chips are peeled and freshly cut from the best seasonal spuds and prepared daily for you in our special spud room.” Tues-Sat, noon-2:30 and 4:30-9:30; Sunday, Noon-3. 

Sotto Sotto— 10 North Parade, Bath— “The main characteristic of our cuisine is simplicity. We rely on the quality of our ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation. Sotto Sotto is a very small restaurant and booking is strongly recommended.” Noon-2, 5-10. 

White Hart— Widcombe Hill, Bath— “Honest food at honest prices - this is the rule at The White Hart. Staff are friendly, the atmosphere casual, beer is real and the locally sourced seasonal food never falls below the standard set by Rupert, Steve, Sam & Kirsty.” Noon-11.