A Charming Bath Walking Tour (with map)

One of my favorite day trips from London is Bath in Somerset. Much of southern England is flat, having very little interesting topography. Bath on the other hand has beautiful rolling hills that set it apart from the surrounding area. A great geographical location coupled with just over two hours drive from London make Bath an easy day trip from London.

Coming to Bath from busy London, have us a really good feeling as we were walking the old streets. Much smaller, Bath is quiet and beautiful to walk through. So put on some comfortable shoes and come along with me on a beautiful Bath walking tour.

What to Expect on Your Bath Walking Tour

We came to Bath after visiting Stonehenge and driving through South England where the terrain is mostly flat with no interesting geographical features. Thus, when we arrived in Bath, we took the two-story bus from one of the parking areas outside of town. We took a seat upfront on the upper deck and we loved the ride into town because we came down one of the nearby hills which gave us a beautiful view of the city and its surrounding hills.

My Favorite Things to See in Bath

Here is a summary of my Bath walking tour.

The Bath Abbey is impressive.
The Roman Baths Museum is unique and worth your time.
Plutney Bridge over River Avon is a very pretty sight near the Parade Gardens.
Walking up Royal Avenue through Victoria Park towards the Royal Crescent.
Relax on the lawn in front of the Royal Crescent The Green Square with the Jane Austen Museum.

Bath walking tour map
See my photos from Bath

1. Bath Abbey

Bath, England – The Bath Abbey with the Roman Baths building on the right.
See my photos from Bath

We started our Bath walking tour around Bath Abbey. This is a great cathedral and it’s well worth your time to go visit it. It is also a great starting point for your visit to Bath as it is located centrally among most of the other tourist attractions.
Bath Abbey website

2. Roman Baths Museum

Bath, England – View of the main pool.
See my photos from Bath

We continued our Bath walking tour right next to Bath Abbey where you find the Roman Baths Museum. We found the museum to be very interesting and worth our time. It provides an unexpected window in time all the way to the time of the Roman Empire and it shows you what leisure time used to look like during the Roman Empire.

Even our small children loved to walk among the ruins and the pools with green water. They even enjoyed having us read to them some of the signs that were explaining the ruins.

The Roman Roman Baths Museum closes somewhat early from what I remember…around 4pm…so you might want to go see it earlier in the day.

3. Parade Gardens

Parade Gardens is located in the heart of Bath and displays beautiful flower arrangements.
See my photos of Bath

On our way to the famous Plutney Bridge we found a small but beautiful garden called North Parade Gardens. This is a great place to take a break, rest and relax. Originally known as St James’s Park, the Parade Gardens were laid out in 1709 to accompany Assembly Rooms for Spa visitors to Bath.

4. Pluteney Bridge

Bath’s Pulteney Bridge is one of four bridges in the world having shops on the full span of the bridge.
See my photos of Bath

Walking behind Bath Abbey to North Parade Street, we continued our Bath walking tour. Then up the street on Pierpont Street we continued walking towards Pluteney Bridge over River Avon. There are some beautiful views of the bridge and River Avon. You can then just cross over the bridge and back. It’s a very famous bridge with old shops on the entire length of the bridge.

Stores line up Pulteney Bridge which makes it resemble Ponte Vecchio (old bridge) from Florence, Italy.

5. Jane Austen Centre

Entrance to the Jane Austen Centre in Bath

The Jane Austen Centre is a small museum which you can visit if you have the time and interest. It will not take long and it also offers a beautiful tea room. The Jane Austen Centre in Bath hosts a permanent exhibit which tells the story of Jane Austen’s experience while visiting and living in Bath.

6. The Circus

The Circus is a circular Georgian housing area designed by John Wood.
See my photos from Bath

From Plutney Bridge we made our way towards the equally famous Crescent building. However, another interesting building was on our way. This set of buildings is completely circular and it is worth seeing as the entire area surprises you with its perfect symmetry. The Circus name comes from the Latin circus, meaning a ring, oval or circle. This old building has been completed in 1768 and we loved the feeling that it gives.

7. The Royal Crescent

Bath, England – The Royal Crescent lawn is a favorite area for locals to relax and play sports.
See my photos from Bath

Walking up to the Royal Crescent on Royal Avenue through Victoria park is my favorite walk in Bath. There are always flowers in the park and if it happens to be sunny, you will find lots of people relaxing on the beautiful green lawn in front of the Royal Crescent.

If you have time, you will probably enjoy a visit to the Royal Crescent #1 Museum. Decorated with 18th century furniture and adornments it is the perfect complement to your visit at Bath.

Plan Your Trip to Bath

Coming from London to Bath? Bath has easy access via train and freeway from London. We came from London in the morning to visit Stonehenge and from there we drove to Bath. After learning how to drive correctly in England, Bath has become one of our favorite day trips from London.

Stay in Bath. Search for budget hotels in Bath. With lots of choices in Bath, you should look for the best location for your travel situation. If you have a rental car, then aim for a place a bit on the outskirts so you can have free parking. Otherwise find something cozy near the center.

Where to park in Bath? As with most old towns in England, it is very difficult to find parking near the old town center. So we parked in one of the large park & ride lots on the outskirts of town. We took a bus from there which dropped us off right in the middle of town. It was very convenient.

Visit the Sally Lunn Museum. The Sally Lunn museum is one of the oldest buildings in Bath and an interesting place to visit if you have enough time in Bath.

Is Bath Worth Visiting?

We loved our Bath walking tour, especially after walking through London. We actually coupled our visit to Bath with a stop at Stonehenge as well. Bath is a great day trip from London and it provides a great break from the business and congestion of London. We loved it!

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