Bath is a city that truly surprised me. I was looking forward to visiting the city, however apart from the ancient Roman baths, I didn’t know that there was much else to see there, so I expected to easily see Bath on a quick day trip. I soon realised that there is so much more to the city, and my quick day trip would turn into one long one, and even with that I would just scratch the surface.

I discovered an architecturally beautiful city, with picturesque streets lined with honey coloured buildings unlike anything else I had seen in England. Little cobblestone alleyways are home to charming cafes and boutique shops, and the River Avon provides a beautiful backdrop to the city. At times I felt as though I was in a European city rather than an English one, and I was drawn in as soon as I entered it.

The centre of all things is of course the ancient Roman Baths, which is a fascinating site to visit and by far the most well preserved Roman ruins in Britain. Beyond this there are lots of other interesting attractions and things to do in Bath, along with intriguing lanes, neighbourhoods and public spaces to explore, a wonderful high street and too many cafes, restaurants and pubs to try out in a quick visit. I realised that Bath was a city that deserved more of my time. If, however, you are like me and only have one day in Bath, the following itinerary will show you the highlights of the city and give you a good taste of what Bath has to offer.

One day in Bath

If you are travelling to Bath from London, you can take a direct train from Paddington Station in around an hour and a half. The station is located right in the city, so you can easily walk from there to all attractions. If you’re driving, like I did, there is a nice big car park on Avon Street.

Morning tea in Bath

Try to get to Bath by around 9 or 10am so that you have a good part of the day to explore. From the train station or the car park, make your way up Bath’s high street area of Southgate and Stall Street to the Roman Baths. Here you will enjoy a beautiful view of Bath Abbey from the square. Sit down at Mokoko Coffee for a coffee or tea and something yummy. I had a scone with clotted cream and jam, sitting outside with views of the square and Bath Abbey.

Roman Baths

The Roman Baths are certainly the highlight of Bath and there is more to see here than you might think. The Romans built their baths here on the only natural hot spring in England and the thermal spring still flows today. Explore 2000 years of history in this amazing complex of bath houses. The Roman Baths are beautifully preserved and there is a lot to see and learn about from this interesting part of history. There was more than just the baths here, including a temple. It can get busy here at times so booking your tickets in advance isn’t a bad idea, although I had no problem getting them on the day.

Bath Abbey

Dominating the skyline of Bath is the beautiful Gothic style Bath Abbey. You will have beautiful views of it from the baths and the public space around it. Bath Abbey has well over a thousand years of history, and in fact there has been a place of worship on this site since 757 AD in the time of the Anglo Saxons. The very first king of all of England, King Edgar was crowed here in 973, and the Normans later built a huge cathedral here which remained until the dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century. After laying in ruins for some time the Abbey was rebuilt and what we see today has been around since the 1800’s.

Bath Abbey is beautiful inside and out and no tickets are needed – just a gold coin donation.

Pub lunch

There’s nothing like an English pub lunch and Bath has an excellent selection to choose from. If you head towards the river from Bath Abbey there are a few good places. We stopped in at the cosy little corner pub known as The Alehouse, where I enjoyed a scrumptious loaded Yorkshire – an over sized Yorkshire pudding filled with a gravy rich beef stew with a side of mash and peas – and, of course, a good ale to wash it down.

Just around the corner is another popular spot called The Huntsman, which looked well worth a try.

Pulteney Bridge

Take a stroll along the beautiful River Avon where there is a nice park to relax in. Just upstream from here is the iconic Pulteney Bridge, built in 1774 and lined with rows of shops on each side of it. The bridge is a stunning sight to see and unlike the touristy Ponte Vecchio in Florence (which has been taken over by jewellery shops), Pulteney Bridge has some really nice teahouses and boutique shops to explore, including an antique map shop that captured my curiosity.

Guildhall Markets

Backtrack down the street along the river a bit and you will find the entrance to the Bath Guildhall Markets. This 18th century indoor market is Bath’s oldest shopping precinct and is home to a nice range of shops and stalls, particularly well known for its gourmet food spots. You can exit the markets onto High Street and follow it north to St Michael’s.

The Circus

At St Michael’s take the left branch road (Broad Street) and then turn left onto George Street. At the end of the street turn right onto Gay Street and wander uphill past the beautiful terrace homes. The street then enters onto The Circus, which is a circular road completely surrounded by the iconic terrace homes that Bath is known for. In the centre of The Circus is a nice park to enjoy.

The Royal Crescent

Follow Brock Street from The Circus to the most well known section of Bath’s terrace homes, known as The Royal Crescent. From the adjacent park you can enjoy a splendid view of this stunning row of terrace homes. All of these beautiful terraces were a true surprise for me and one of the highlights of my trip to Bath. If you want to explore further, No 1. Royal Crescent is a museum where you can step inside one of these historic terrace homes.

Make your way back to the train station or the car park by walking down Royal Ave to Queen Square, another nice park to sit in.

If you only have one day in Bath, this itinerary will give you a full day of sightseeing. Bath is full of history and beautiful architecture, quiet lanes, charming cafes, pubs and shops. It is a place where I could easily spend a few days just wandering along its picturesque streets. I will be back for sure.