Comparison · Bath vs York · United Kingdom
Bath vs York
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Choose Bath for Roman Baths and Georgian architecture; choose York for York Minster and City walls. York is generally less expensive, and the two are about 299 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 299 km
- Less expensive
- York
- Best time for Bath
- May–June and September
- Best time for York
- May–June and September
Side by side
| Bath | York | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Known for | Roman Baths, Georgian architecture and Royal Crescent | York Minster, City walls and The Shambles |
| Best time to visit | May–June and September | May–June and September |
| Ideal stay | 2 days | 3 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $180–$320 | $160–$280 |
| Cost level | Expensive | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | July, 23°C (73°F) | July, 22°C (72°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 8°C (46°F) | January, 7°C (45°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 5 | 4 |
| Day trips in our guide | 7 | 7 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | BRS, LHR | LBA, MAN |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Bath for…
Roman Baths and Georgian architecture. Bath is a small city in a bowl of hills on the River Avon, built almost entirely in pale Bath stone and listed by UNESCO as a whole. The Romans built a bathing complex over its hot springs, still visible at the Roman Baths beside the Abbey, and in the 18th…
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Choose York for…
York Minster and City walls. York has been a Roman fortress, a Viking capital called Jorvik and medieval England's second city, and all of those layers survive inside its almost complete circuit of city walls. York Minster, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in northern Europe, towers…
Top sights compared
| # | Bath | York |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roman Baths | York Minster |
| 2 | Bath Abbey | York City Walls |
| 3 | Thermae Bath Spa | The Shambles |
| 4 | Royal Crescent and No. 1 Royal Crescent | JORVIK Viking Centre |
| 5 | The Circus | National Railway Museum |
Food compared
| Bath | York |
|---|---|
| Sally Lunn bun | Yorkshire pudding |
| Bath bun | Fat Rascal |
| Bath Oliver biscuits | Wensleydale cheese with fruit cake |
| Cream tea | Yorkshire curd tart |
Which is cheaper?
York is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $160–$280 per person there, against $180–$320 in Bath (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). York on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Bath and York are about 299 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 2 days in Bath and 3 in York.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Bath or York cheaper?
York is usually less expensive: about $160–$280 a day mid-range against $180–$320 (estimates).
+Is Bath or York better for a first trip?
Pick Bath for Roman Baths and Georgian architecture, or York for York Minster and City walls.
+How far is Bath from York?
About 299 km in a straight line.