History · Bath · United Kingdom
6 historic sites to see in Bath
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nveitch at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Roman Baths, Bath Abbey and Royal Crescent and No. 1 Royal Crescent. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 6–7 hours across 3 areas; 1 is free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 6–7 hours
- Areas
- City Centre, Upper Town and Kingsmead
Historic sites in Bath
Historic site · City Centre
1.Roman Baths
A walkway leads around the green Great Bath, lined with Victorian statues, and down to the remains of the temple, the steaming Sacred Spring and the gilt bronze head of Minerva. Bathing is not allowed.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Religious site · City Centre
2.Bath Abbey
Its west front shows angels climbing ladders to heaven, and inside, fan vaulting soars over the nave and large windows earn it the nickname 'Lantern of the West'. Guided tower tours climb more than 200 steps to the roof and behind the clock face.
- Time needed
- 1 hour, plus 45 minutes for the tower
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Views
Architecture · Upper Town
3.Royal Crescent and No. 1 Royal Crescent
No. 1 Royal Crescent is a house museum furnished as it would have been in the late 18th century, from the drawing rooms to the servants' kitchen.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
Architecture · Upper Town
4.The Circus
Gainsborough lived at No. 17, and Brock Street links it directly to the Royal Crescent.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
Museum · Upper Town
5.Jane Austen Centre
A Georgian townhouse on Gay Street, close to where Austen lived in 1805, tells the story of the author's Bath years and the city's role in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, with costumed guides and a Regency tearoom upstairs.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Kingsmead
6.Herschel Museum of Astronomy
His sister Caroline, also an astronomer, worked alongside him.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| City Centre | Roman Baths and Bath Abbey | 2 hours + 1 hour, plus 45 minutes for the tower |
| Upper Town | Royal Crescent and No. 1 Royal Crescent, The Circus and Jane Austen Centre | 1–1.5 hours + 20 minutes + 1 hour |
| Kingsmead | Herschel Museum of Astronomy | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 1 free, 3 low cost, 2 mid-priced. Book ahead for Roman Baths and Bath Abbey. The longest visit is Roman Baths; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Roman Baths: Book a timed ticket online for weekends and school holidays, when walk-up queues are long.
- Bath Abbey: Tower tours run at set times with small groups and often sell out at weekends; book ahead.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (City Centre and Upper Town): Roman Baths → Bath Abbey → Royal Crescent and No. 1 Royal Crescent, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Upper Town and Kingsmead): The Circus → Jane Austen Centre → Herschel Museum of Astronomy, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 8°C (46°F), about 13 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold and damp but quiet, with short queues at the Roman Baths and Thermae Bath Spa at its most atmospheric in steam.
- February: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Chilly with the first snowdrops; half-term week brings families.
- March: highs of 11°C (52°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Daffodils and lengthening days; one of the quieter months for sightseeing.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- City Centre — Abbey Churchyard, the Roman Baths and pedestrian shopping lanes
- Royal Crescent and the Upper Town — Grand Georgian terraces, the Circus and the Assembly Rooms
More of Bath
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Bath?
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.
+Which of these are free in Bath?
The Circus.