From August Homes: An Insiders Day Trip to Bath

From the Romans to Jane Austen, Bath has been seducing visitors for quite literally centuries, and it shows. This is a city where you can clock two thousand years of British history in the space of a single stroll: From ancient Roman relics, honey-coloured Georgian crescents and the occasional Austen-esque bonneted enthusiast pausing for effect.

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From Bath Spa station, walk straight ahead for five minutes and you’ll find yourself at Pulteney Bridge, one of only a handful of bridges in the world with shops built across it. You might also recognise it from the Les Miserables film or the recent House of Gucci film, where it provided a suitably dramatic backdrop to rather grim cinematic fates. Even without Hollywood credentials, it’s worth soaking up: the view over the River Avon is one of Bath’s most photogenic.

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If the weather’s playing along, duck down into the small riverside Parade gardens nearby. They often host flower shows and seasonal displays and are a peaceful way to ease yourself into the city before the crowds fully wake up.

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For breakfast or coffee, head slightly north to Walcot Street, Bath’s bohemian streak. Landrace Bakery is the go-to for excellent coffee and genuinely outstanding pastries (arrive early; they sell out for a reason). If you want something more substantial, Walcot House does a solid eggs affair in relaxed but handsome surroundings.

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Walcot Street is also where Bath’s independent soul lives. Pop into The Bath Cheese Company for local cheeses worth smuggling home, browse homeware at Graham & Green, and then, non-negotiable, make your way back towards the centre for Toppings Booksellers. Housed in a former Georgian bank, its soaring shelves, rolling ladders and armchairs invite you to lose an entire afternoon. Even the most disciplined day-tripper tends to emerge with at least one book they didn’t know they needed.

No visit to Bath is complete without seeing the Royal Crescent, but don’t take the most obvious route. Walk via Gay Street and pause at The Circus first. Designed by John Wood the Elder, The Circus is a perfect circle of grand Georgian townhouses and one of the finest examples in the country, an elegant amuse-bouche before the main event.

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The Royal Crescent itself is a sweeping architectural statement: 30 terraced houses arranged in a crescent overlooking immaculately kept lawns. The central green is privately owned but the rest is open to locals, who treat it as an extension of their living room on sunny days. Johnny Depp once owned a house here, as did Nicholas Cage, proof that even eccentric Hollywood stars can’t resist Bath stone and good proportions.

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On a warm day, do as the locals do. Pick up a bagel from Taylor’s Bagels and picnic on the grass, or book an early lunch at Sôlina for dreamy pasta plates with a view over the river. You can’t reserve tables here, but their online queue is a lifesaver, join it about 20 minutes before you’re ready to eat and thank yourself later.

If you’re set on visiting the Roman Baths, book ahead and go early, this is Bath’s most popular attraction for a reason, but crowds can dilute the magic. If you’re feeling more spontaneous (or quietly allergic to school groups), The Holburne Museum is a refined alternative. Sitting at the end of Great Pulteney Street, one of the grandest boulevards in Britain, it hosts rotating exhibitions and a permanent collection that feels thoughtful rather than overwhelming.

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From here, wander back along Great Pulteney Street and see where the afternoon takes you. In the summer, rent a boat from Bath Boating Station, just around the corner and potter along the river. If it’s not, lean into the city’s spa heritage. The Thermae Bath Spa rooftop pool is the headline act, book a treatment if you can and head straight upstairs; the other levels are pleasant, but in our opinion not especially luxurious, perfectly nice, just not the reason you come.

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If you want a true spa experience, and, in our opinion, far better, the copper bath treatments at No.15 by GuestHouse are hard to beat. Hidden underground and surrounded by original Bath stone, they feel private, cocooning and quietly luxurious, exactly what you want after a long walk on cobbles.