Season guide · Bath · United Kingdom
Bath in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mimihitam, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The Jane Austen Festival in September, autumn colour in October and the Christmas Market from late November. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F), with about 35 rainy days across September–November. September is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 5°C (41°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 35
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 19°C (66°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 10 | 12.5 h | 4/5 |
| October | 15°C (59°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 12 | 10.6 h | 3/5 |
| November | 11°C (52°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 13 | 8.8 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 15°C (59°F) against a yearly 15°C (59°F), and 35 of the year's roughly 130 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: Jane Austen Festival — Regency costume promenade and events (usually mid-September)
- October: Bath Children's Literature Festival (usually late September to early October)
- November: Bath Christmas Market (usually late November to mid-December)
- November: Bath Mozartfest (usually November)
Good choices for autumn
Gallery · City Centre
Victoria Art Gallery
Next to Pulteney Bridge, the city's public art gallery has a domed upper gallery hung with British paintings from the 17th century onwards, including Gainsborough and Sickert, and changing exhibitions on the ground floor.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Kingsmead
Herschel Museum of Astronomy
Look out for the small garden behind the house where Herschel set up his telescope.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · City Centre
Roman Baths
The Romans built a bathing complex and a temple to Sulis Minerva over the city's hot springs, where about a million litres of water at around 46°C still rise each day.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Experience · City Centre
Thermae Bath Spa
Go up to the rooftop pool after dark, when the Abbey is lit up and steam rises from the water.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Couples
- Views
- Rainy day
- After dark
Museum · Bathwick
Holburne Museum
At the end of Great Pulteney Street, this museum in a former Georgian hotel holds Sir William Holburne's collection of paintings, porcelain, silver and miniatures, including works by Gainsborough and Stubbs, with a modern glass extension overlooking Sydney Gardens.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Day trips in autumn
- Lacock (About 30–40 minutes by car or bus) — A National Trust village of half-timbered and stone cottages largely unchanged since the 18th century, with Lacock Abbey, where William Henry Fox Talbot made one of the earliest photographic negatives, and many film and TV locations.
- Castle Combe (About 30 minutes by car) — A southern Cotswolds village of honey-coloured stone cottages around a market cross and a bridge over the By Brook, often called one of the prettiest villages in England.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Bath?
Yes: September is among the best months. The Jane Austen Festival in September, autumn colour in October and the Christmas Market from late November.
+What is the weather like in Bath in autumn?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F), with about 35 rainy days over the season.