UPDATED FEB 2020. If you on have a couple of days spare for a weekend away, then this one is for you. Today I’m sharing a guide on how to spend a weekend in Bath with a bunch of fun things to do. Everything on the list is foot-friendly so you can walk to all of these if you are staying in the city. The only one further away is Stonehenge which is 2 hours away but you can walk to the train station from the center of town. I hope this guide can help you plan your trip and if you have any questions, just let me know in the comments.
How To Spend A Weekend In Bath As A Solo Female Traveler
Disclaimer
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How to get around
If you are only visiting Bath then there’s no need to rent a car.
The parking is a bit tricky and hard to find, so it would save time to just walk and use public transport.
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Where to stay in Bath
I stayed at Halcyon Apartments and they were fantastic.
These were self-catering apartments that had a great location that made walking to everything easily. You have kitchen facilities to cook in the apartment, but if you prefer to go out, it’s close to a lot of restaurants.
If you prefer somewhere else, I recommend searching on Booking.com. This is what I use to find accommodation when I travel and I can always find a good deal there.
Is Bath safe for solo female travelers?
Bath is a great option for solo female travel, particularly for beginners.
Just take the regular safety precautions that you would at home.
Don’t get written off drunk and walk around alone at night, protect your belongings from pickpocketers – basic common sense things like that.
Here is my guide to solo female travel safety tips to help prepare you.
Journey back in time at the Roman Baths
The Roman Baths have to be one of the most popular sights in Bath. It was certainly one of my favorites too.
With popularity comes a crowd so make sure you get here early – ready to walk in as the doors open.
The self-guided tour will take you up top to view the baths from above first, then take you down through a very informative, interesting, and well put together museum before bringing you out to walk around the bath itself.
Along the way you learn all about the use of the baths, the early steam rooms and cold rooms, the goddess Minerva and you can also view a lot of ancient artifacts that have been recovered over time.
The water is green and not suitable for swimming in anymore – though keep reading to the end for a way you can take a mineral bath like the Romans during your visit.
It’s well worth a visit and will take you about two hours.
Escape a panic room at Bath Escape
I didn’t experience Bath Escape because I didn’t pre-book and when I arrived the only room available was a little expensive for my budget. I’m sharing it for you to learn from my mistake.
It seems like a lot of fun! Bath Escape offers something a little different to your regular sightseeing days.
Here you can enter yourself in a panic room situation where you have to use your problem-solving skills to solve the mysteries that lead you to your escape.
They offer a choice of rooms and tours ranging in price from £59 to £85 so check out their website to learn more about each option.
Check out the famous Stonehenge
Stonehenge isn’t located in Bath, but with the many public transport options, it is easily accessible and makes for a nice day trip.
Take the train (not the underground tube) from Bath Spa station to Salisbury. Then take the Stonehenge bus which picks you up from outside the Salisbury station.
Bring cash to buy your tickets or buy them online prior. You can get a ticket just to Stonehenge (£10) or add-on Old Sarum Castle and Salisbury Castle (£25).
The bus is fitted with headphones and offers a commentary filled with interesting history about the areas you travel through.
There’s a lot to learn and the self-guided audio tour does a great job of giving you the information in short intervals so it doesn’t get too overwhelming.
If you prefer, you can also download the audio to your phone and there is wi-fi in the visitor center to download.
The bus runs frequently and on the way back you can stop at Old Sarum Castle and Salisbury Cathedral.
Experience a Rugby Game
You need to check out the schedules to see if this will line up with your visit, but if you get the chance, check out a local rugby game.
While I was visiting I saw people walking around in football jerseys and I figured there was a game on.
As I was wandering around town I ended up at the stadium about halfway through the game. They weren’t selling tickets anymore, so I watched the game from a small hill outside the stadium.
If you get the chance, get yourself a ticket to be able to experience a rugby game because it sounded like a lot of fun in there.
Explore around the Pulteney Bridge
The Pulteney Bridge is an interesting bridge and the surrounding area is a really pretty walking spot.
Before you cross the bridge, you can relax in the Parade Gardens. Then, after you cross the bridge you will see a staircase to take you down to the riverside walk.
There are also inexpensive boat tours that run regularly if you prefer that to walking and they pick you up from the bottom of the stairs.
If you’ve worked up an appetite on your riverside walk then you have a range of cafes and pubs to choose from.
Enjoy a proper afternoon tea
This is just one of those things that you have to do while visiting England, and Bath is a perfect place to tick it off your list.
I tried as many as I could and, though they were all delicious, my personal favorite was at The Pump Room next to the Roman Baths. I even went there twice because it was so good!
Plated tiers of fresh scones, sandwiches, savory snacks, cakes are accompanied by a pot of tea and served to the classical sound of a piano playing on the stage at one end of the room.
The setting is classy, welcoming and encourages the slow enjoyment of your afternoon tea. No booking is required but be prepared to wait if you are visiting at a busy time.
Take a Tower Tour at Bath Abbey
Towering beside the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey is a large and historic church that commands your attention as you walk by.
For a donation of your choosing (£2 per person was recommended), you can go inside and look around at the memorials and glass stained windows or simply sit on one of the many pews and reflect.
If you would like to see more, I recommend doing a guided Tower Tour. For £6 you can climb a spiral staircase made up of 212 stairs and stand at the very top of the building.
You also get to stop and various spots along the way like the room that holds all of the ginormous bells (my favorite) and the area behind the clock face.
View from the top of Bath Abbey
See the Royal Crescent
The Royal Crescent is a pleasant 15-minute walk from the Roman Baths.
This giant curved row of houses is an iconic sight built in the 1700s and I promise it is much bigger and more curved than it looks in the photos.
It’s situated directly across from a large, grassy park so it would be the perfect spot for a picnic after you are finished taking photos.
It’s not something that is going to take up a lot of time from your day, but it’s a nice option if you are planning a slow weekend.
The Royal Crescent
Take a hot air balloon ride
I’m adding this one to the post because it is on my list for the next time I visit.
What better way to get a good look at the city than from the air?
Bath Balloons runs hot air balloon tours in the morning and evening from March to October offering incredible views of the city and surrounding countryside.
Relax at Thermae Bath Spa
To put it simply, this is a MUST DO.
As I gazed out at the views of the city from the rooftop pool, the sun began to warm up my face, and the bubble jets massaged my body. It was such a relaxing way to start the day.
With the basic Thermae Welcome package, you can also experience the brand new Wellness Suite which takes the experience to a whole new level.
In the Wellness Suite, you can experience an infrared sauna, two different (and opulently designed) steam rooms, an ice exfoliation in the ice chamber, and finish it all off with a little zen time in the space-themed relaxation room, moving between the rooms at your own pace.
There are so many different services at Thermae Bath Spa so check out their website to find what you prefer.
I visited for two hours but I could’ve easily done three.
Rooftop pool at Thermae Bath Spa
Other guides to help you plan a visit to England
Where To Stay In Bath England – Don’t Miss These Chic Apartments
Where To Eat In Bath, UK – Here’s What You Don’t Want To Miss
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Hi Katie! That’s a nice compilation of things to do in Bath. I spent the Easter weekend in Bath last month, and it was actually even more interesting than I thought it’d be! I’ve been reading a lot about the city lately since I was writing a post myself. That’s how I found your blog (through VisitBath’s twitter account). I did a few different things during my weekend there, I went for a walk alongside the river and found Kennet & Avon Canal which I didn’t know about. And even got to learn about canal locks. Bath Deep Lock is actually the second deepest lock in the country.
Thats so funny, I come from Bristol near Bath and currently in Vicenza, I never knew Bath could sound so glamorous! When You are a local it is too easy to overlook what other people might see :-). Glad you enjoyed it! I recommend if folks are going to Bath to go to Bristol city or Wells, both closely. The graffiti are tours in Bristol are great, lots of Banksy if this is something you are interested in. At Wells there is a local market and the Cathedral is beautiful, the Swans at the Bishops Palace actually ring a bell for their dinner! 🙂
Haha it’s so true though, I find it so interesting when people visit my hometowns because they always notice or like things I wouldn’t have thought of or took for granted. Thanks so much for the tips, maybe now I need to go back 😀