Roman Baths-Yay or Nay?

I thought the most fascinating part was the museum that you walk through as you make your way to the Baths. £20 just to see the Baths without the desire to learn about what you're seeing wouldn't be of value to me. However, judging by how many people passed us as we stopped at the exhibits tells me that most people come just for the Baths.

The bus ride will put you all to sleep. So I would try for later PM walking tour so that you are spending some time in the sun. Dinner around 7 and maybe to bed in the 9 to 11 range. Since the baths are indoor, I would do them the next day. It is best to try to get as much sunlight exposure as possible on the afternoon of your arrival day.

When we went there in 1997 it cost a couple of £s. It was cool to see, but I wouldn't pay upwards of £20 to see it now. Whether it's worth it to you, only you can say.

I very much enjoyed the baths. I did spend one day in Bath. I signed up for one of the Mayor's free tours and took that. It was very enjoyable and informative.
https://www.bathguides.org.uk/
Then I went to the Roman Baths and Museum which I enjoyed.

maryellenhowen, it seems like the answer would depend on how interested all of you are in seeing some pretty large and complex Roman architecture. It was more interesting to me than other things there. I thought the Abbey was pretty much like every other church & abbey I've seen. But what you might want to consider is that the Baths are just right in front of the Abbey - less than 50 meters away, in the center of town. The Abbey didnt take much time, unless you're really deep into that early church history.

One day in Bath: I'd take the free walking tour of the central town(which starts in front of the Baths) if they still offer it, then tour the Baths, or take one in the modern facility a couple blocks away, Add a nice dinner or lunch and your day is done. Of course, you dont all have to do the same thing anyway.

Actually, the September weekend price is showing as £26 on the Baths website. Maybe one of the other options would apply (2adults +2-4children, 65+, etc.) that could save a little money. Whether it’s worth the money is a personal opinion. They are the best preserved Roman bathes in the world and the museum is fairly interesting. We visited them in 2005 and were very impressed. We returned in 2019 with a couple other couples who hadn’t seen them yet.

The bridge, crescent, circus, and cathedral won’t take more than a couple hours to see. Sally Lunns is supposedly famous for its buns and worth a short stop to try one. There is a small museum in a lower level that was more interesting than the buns. There’s also a Jane Austin center if you’re a fan of hers. It also a has a tea room. Since you will be there in the evening there is either a walking or ghost tour (I forget which) that meets up in front of The Huntsman pub. For afternoon tea and pastry, The Pump Room was very nice. It’s more upscale than some other places and a reservation is pretty much necessary to avoid a long wait.

Everything depends on what you are interested in seeing. We thought it was absolutely worthwhile our time and money but only you can decide. It may be more expensive now but in the best scheme of things you are already spending several thousands of dollars on the vacation. I would not pass them up just to save a few dollars. When will you have a chance to see something like this again??

I’ve been to the Baths, the Abbey and Prior Park. Well and you can’t miss Pulteney Bridge because you go back and forth across it, lol.

I’d been to Bath several times before I walked up to Prior Park. When I was there (well prior to Covid) you couldn’t really do “part” of the Park. At that point you entered at an uphill gate and then walked downhill through the garden to the exit at the bottom of the garden. I was there in a mid-September. Look at their website to see if that is still the set-up. I specifically went to see the Regency feature of the Palladian Bridge.

I love the Roman Baths but that is just me. If you and your group don’t think it will be of interest then it’s not a must do for you. In fact, I’m not a fan of must do lists anyway.

Another positive vote for the Roman Baths. I spent 2-3 hours there as there was so much to see and take in. The actual baths themselves are amazing - and there is a lot more of the original baths to see apart from the Great Bath which appears on all the pictures. There is the source of the scared spring as well as the remains of later and smaller baths (now hbidden beneath the surface of Bath and also the remains of temples associated with the Baths. The museum has lots of information as well as artifacts. This includes the remains of Roamn altars, startues of gods as well as offerings left. Many of these include personal items like jewellery.

The BAths are next to the Abbey. The front is wonderful with the ladders of angels climbing up the sides of the cathedral. Look closely as some are falling back down.

Bath is very walkable. As well as Pulteney Bridge, do go and find Sally Lunn's on North Parade Passage is one of the oldest houses in Bath, having been built around 1483. In the cellars is the old kitchen believed to be the bakery of Solange Luyon, the young Huguenot baker, who created the first Bath bun. The building is now a tea room and also sells the buns.

Royal Baths were the highlight of my visit! Honestly the Royal Crescent and Circus are nice for 5mins but there isn't much to see after that. The baths themselves are amazing.I'd put it ahead of the Abbey.

I'm so glad to read all the positive comments on the baths. My Darling Bride doesn't ask for much, but the baths are something she's always wanted to see. They're the primary reason for our May trip; everything else is bonus.

Thanks everyone! We will do some more research into seeing the Baths.

I’d been to Bath several times before I walked up to Prior Park. When I was there (well prior to Covid) you couldn’t really do “part” of the Park. At that point you entered at an uphill gate and then walked downhill through the garden to the exit at the bottom of the garden. I was there in a mid-September. Look at their website to see if that is still the set-up. I specifically went to see the Regency feature of the Palladian Bridge.

That's interesting about the park. We are mostly interested in seeing the Bridge as well. I just assumed it was like most any other park, you get there and wander around at will. I didn't think of there being a designated course.

Honestly the Royal Crescent and Circus are nice for 5mins but there isn't much to see after that.

That's what I figured, which is why we plan on doing them when we arrive as a "stretch the legs and get some fresh air" activity after getting off the flight and coach.

Off to revisit the websites!

Here's a plan of the park, which confirms an entrance and an exit, but a number of different routes to get between the two, and wander around-

https://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/assets/website/national/regions/bath-bristol/places/prior-park-landscape-garden/pdf/prior-park-map-2022-50cm-x-70cm-no-shading---with-toilet-symbol.pdf

How would you spend one day in Bath?

One of the things you should consider is having tea mid afternoon at The Pump Room. It is a bit pricey to some, but, in our opinion, very well worth the cost. Do a google search and see what you think.

The map isn31c posted shows where you go in at #1 and then the exit is #16 on the lower left of the map. What the map doesn't really adequately describe is that the whole thing is a pretty sharp downhill from 1 to the Palladian Bridge. If you look closely at the map there is of course the red down arrow and the pasture area does have some texture to indicate slope.

Still, if the Palladian Bridge is of interest it may be worth it to you. I thought it was very cool. I'll add that I walked up from the city center to the entrance and wowser, it was steepish. The ladies at the Bath Visitor Center tried to tell me to take the bus up but, oh no...I was going to walk. They were right. I should have listened, lol!!

I also remember laughing out loud at one of the signs...there is a 25% slope, (yes, 25%!!) at one point and there is a sign saying "Not suitable for wheelchairs"....I'm thinking that sounds like some kind of set up for a murder mystery.

For those that are going to do the Roman Baths, the audio guide is very good here. You can also pop in to the Pump Room and have a drink of the water. There is also a place to sample it at the end of the Baths tour. Besides the Baths themselves my favorite object there is the gilt bronze head of Sulis Minerva. Wow, it is gorgeous.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulis

How would you spend one day in Bath?

In addition to what has been mentioned, we always look to see what is playing at the Theatre Royal. We've also enjoyed cream tea room near the Abbey Church recommended in the RS book (don't remember the name).

If you're taking an overnite flight my guess is that even with the coach ride you'll be in Bath by early afternoon so you might want to prepare some more options for that day. Not that you have to do them but something to have in your pocket in case you feel up to it. We took the river boat cruise down and back on our arrival day in Bath.

My favourite thing in Bath is Number One Royal Crescent. It’s a large townhouse at the end of the crescent with a recreated Georgian interior, so you can imagine how people lived when Bath was at it’s peak.

My second favourite thing is the Thermae Bath Spa. The rooftop pool has amazing views.

I also enjoy walking along the Kennet and Avon canal and the Bath Skyline walk. I have to confess I have never been to Prior Park and I should probably remedy that!

The Roman Baths are good to see. I think it’s a one off really so it would be a shame to miss them. I do agree that the entrance cost is too high.

Something of interest to keep an eye on is Cleveland Pools. This is a restored 200 year old lido but unfortunately it is still not open to the public. It’s due to open this summer.

I thought the baths were OK, interesting that they were there but you get the idea pretty quickly and then ... you ... keep ... walking.

I enjoyed the abbey, it isn't overwhelming but it is an attractive house of God and it's educational to look at the plaques and wall crypts. Be aware that they strongly encourage a "donation" to enter.

The Royal Crescent should be seen since it's a major site and very attractive. But again, after you've stared at it for a few minutes, there is really nothing else to see there. Probably should have gone into the museum but we didn't have much time.

There's a nice M&S in town if you need to do any currency exchange or use a loo, or get some last minute clothing.

I visited Bath on a long day trip via train from London last April--full disclosure, my main reason was to shop at the wonderful Persephone Books (they are located near the Circus and Royal Crescent), so I started my day with a 10 am entrance to the Roman Baths, and I must say I absolutely loved exploring them, quite fascinating and I spent about 1.5 hrs inside. I did not tour the Abbey, which is right near the baths. Lunch was at the Coeur de Lion pub on a nearby side street, Northumberland Pl, then rambled all over that area and the Pulteney Bridge area, including the Guildhall Market, made my way up to find the bookshop--they were open, thank goodness!--then a couple of blocks further to see the Circus and Crescent, opting to tour #1 Royal Crescent, thoroughly enjoyed that glimpse into life in the Georgian era. Meandered through the park--the path took me behind the homes and one of the private gardens was open to visitors--and finally spent a glorious hour selecting books and chatting with the staff at Persephone...that left me with 20 lbs of books and 2 hours til my train back to London so I sat for a while with coffee and cake, explored another area near the baths, and then it was time to head back to London. I did not tour the Jane Austen or Fashion museums, both of which were on my list, as I ended up happily wandering the streets instead...definitely for another trip.

Loved the Roman Baths! A big "yes" to going there.

About the cost.....I am not going to take a flight all the way to England and then not see the things I wish to see because of a high entry fee.

I was going to mention Number One! We enjoyed that.

As for the Abbey, the most fascinating part to me was learning that the floor is starting to collapse in places because the bodies underneath have decomposed and left gaps. The rector was chatting with us and told us this gruesome tidbit.

I thought the Roman baths themselves were interesting, but I do like history and musems.

We also went to the Thermae spa. It was pricey, but we wanted to do a bath in Bath, and we enjoyed the views from the rooftop pool.

We did a day trip to Bath (taking the train to and from Exeter, where our daughter was going to uni.)

About the cost.....I am not going to take a flight all the way to England and then not see the things I wish to see because of a high entry fee.

Neither am I. Which is why I am wondering if it is something I really wish to see. Like I said, it would be interesting to see the main bath, but not really sure the museum is grabbing my attention.

My favourite thing in Bath is Number One Royal Crescent. It’s a large townhouse at the end of the crescent with a recreated Georgian interior, so you can imagine how people lived when Bath was at it’s peak.

I was looking at that this morning and it looks much more interesting to me. Thanks for the recommendation.

I got up early so I could be the first one to enter the Baths and it was perfect....not crowded, completely engrossing, and so exciting. Of course, Roman Britain is a great interest of mine, but it really was the highlight of my trip to Bath and I tried to do everything while I was there and pretty much succeeded. Still, at the end of the day the Baths early in the morning was #1!

Since you mentioned perhaps not wanting to spend too much, would it be possible for your group to temporarily split up? Would save $$ if the baths aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. As we’re going next month, loved reading everybody’s views. Thanks!

I can't imagine going to Bath and not visiting the Roman Baths. It was our main reason for going to Bath and worth more than 20 pounds.

Hi Maryellen,
I can certainly understand you wondering if the Baths are something you really want to see.
Very wise of you to look around and see what else is available in Bath.
I believe you could do all three of these sights in one afternoon.

Number One Royal Crescent website:
https://no1royalcrescent.org.uk/

You may enjoy this museum more than the Baths:
The Holburne Museum:
https://www.holburne.org/the-collection/
https://www.holburne.org/
The Holburne contains works by Turner and portraits of Bath society by Thomas Gainsborough, plus collections of silver, porcelain, maiolica, glass and Renaissance bronzes.

The Museum of East Asian Art is also quite good.
https://meaa.org.uk/

In your initial post, you wrote: "For our full day we plan on seeing the Abbey, Pulteney Bridge, possibly part of Prior Park."
You could see the Abbey, then walk across Pulteney Bridge, keep on walking on Great Pulteney Street until you come to the Holburne Museum. Enjoy that, then walk to Prior Park. There are many city bus routes in Bath. You could make use of those to get around.
https://www.holburne.org/planning-your-visit/getting-here/

You may have enough time to see Number One Royal Crescent on your day of arrival, since you proposed visiting The Royal Crescent and The Circus then.

Enjoy Bath! It's lovely!

Since you mentioned perhaps not wanting to spend too much, would it be possible for your group to temporarily split up? Would save $$ if the baths aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. As we’re going next month, loved reading everybody’s views. Thanks!

We don't mind spending the money, I just had thought (before viewing their website) that there was a way to just see the baths. I just don't know that we are that interested in the museum portion. So now we need to decide if we want to spend that much time and extra money in order to just see the part we are interested in.

Hi Maryellen,
I can certainly understand you wondering if the Baths are something you really want to see.
Very wise of you to look around and see what else is available in Bath.
I believe you could do all three of these sights in one afternoon.

Number One Royal Crescent website:
https://no1royalcrescent.org.uk/

You may enjoy this museum more than the Baths:
The Holburne Museum:
https://www.holburne.org/the-collection/
https://www.holburne.org/
The Holburne contains works by Turner and portraits of Bath society by Thomas Gainsborough, plus collections of silver, porcelain, maiolica, glass and Renaissance bronzes.

The Museum of East Asian Art is also quite good.
https://meaa.org.uk/

Thanks, Rebecca, that is really helpful. And thanks for understanding where I was coming from in my post. It seems I am often misunderstood when I post a question here. We may end up doing the Number 1 Royal Crescent and the Holbourne. This will be the topic of our next family planning meeting!

The exterior of the Holbourne was used in Bridgerton. It was Lady Danbury’s house.

I have not been into the museum but the garden out the back is a very pleasant place to have a coffee on a sunny day. You can walk through the museum garden into Sydney Gardens and down to the canal for an interesting walk taking in some of the houseboats and locks.

I have not been into the museum but the garden out the back is a very pleasant place to have a coffee on a sunny day. You can walk through the museum garden into Sydney Gardens and down to the canal for an interesting walk taking in some of the houseboats and locks.

That sounds lovely, and a relaxing way to start our trip. Thanks for the ideas!