The ULTIMATE Guide To Bath: A Country Escape You Need To Embark On ASAP
Sharing my top tips on what to do/see and stay in Bath - the ULTIMATE guide to my favourite UK destination!
Ben and I have just returned from the DREAMIEST weekend break to Bath and I’m absolutely bursting with excitement to share our trip and what we got up to with you all! We set off for our country escape Friday afternoon and drove home Sunday evening, it’s only around 2 hours from us so it’s the PERFECT city break that’s far enough to feel like you’ve been away, but close enough to fit into one weekend! I’d previously been to Bath twice, the first time was a few years back, and the more recent trip was last September for my birthday - Ben booked us in for a night at the Royal Cresent Hotel and it was SO magical!
I absolutely adore Bath, from the listed, characteristic buildings, to the quaint canal-side cafes, cobbled streets, lively bars and nightlife to the absolute wealth of history the city holds. We were so excited to play tourists in one of my favourite UK destinations, here’s what we go up to (and some places that I’d HIGHLY recommend you visit during a trip if you’re planning one ASAP!)…
Where to stay: We spent two nights in the Georgian Suite at Grove Lodge and oh my goddddddddd it was the most STUNNING luxury B&B I’ve ever been to/had the pleasure of staying in! A privately owned B&B run by the loveliest couple; Mary and Giovanni who will make you feel like you’re at home the second you walk through the door (they even have two SUPER CUTE kittens - which I OBVIOUSLY had to stroke, much to Bens dismay and severe eye rolling haha!).
Our room had a beautiful, large lounge area - complete with ‘that’ teal velvet sofa which I contemplated smuggling home, a monochrome and turquoise bathroom which was giving me ALL OF THE DECOR ENVY and quite possibly the comfiest bed i’ve ever slept in. Oh, and the breakfast - the breakfast was what dreams are ACTUALLY MADE OF (well my dreams anyway, because let’s be honest waffles and Nutella feature quite heavily!).
Grove Lodge was only around a 5/10 minute taxi journey from the centre of Bath and I absolutely cannot recommend this place enough - we’re already trying to think of excuses to go back and stay at the Lodge, it really was the PERFECT home from home!
Where to eat: We visited Sally Lunn's for Saturday lunch - an infamous bun shop that yes, you absolutely NEED to visit. Not only is Sally Lunn's one of Bath's most famous eateries, the historic building is also one of the oldest in Bath! From savoury to sweet - this is THE place to stop off for your lunch! I opted for the salt beef and mustard bun and Ben went for the caramel spread bun (yep, it was bloody DELICIOUS), there was queues out of the door for a table and after chatting to the staff I could tell it was a V popular spot with tourists and locals alike, absolutely worth the wait - a MUST visit!
Where to drink: So I’m going to be completely honest with you when I say I’ve never *really like gin, it’s always tasted so strong and bitter to me, just not really my vibe if I’m honest - always a drink that I thought I’d ‘like as I grew up’, but never did. That was until we visited the Canary Gin Bar and OHMIGOD my views on Gin have done a complete 180 because yes, it’s absolutely incredible! Since spending the evening with some of the most gin-loving-passionate-bar-
Our first drink was served with Rhubarb tonic (just as good as it sounds TBF!), it was a super long, refreshing drink - perfect for Summer! For the second drink we were allowed to pick from their EPIC cocktail list and I opted for Gin with raspberries, lemon and champagne - what’s not to love really?! It was just as amazing as it sounds… I’ve also learnt that Gin is *pretty strong and leaves a teeny tiny headache the next day LOL!
How to spend your time in Bath...
- Visit the Roman Baths - We spent one morning exploring the Roman Baths and it's honestly so, so interesting! Bath has a vast wealth of history and I'd highly recommend this to anyone visiting Bath - an absolute MUST!
- Explore the city by foot - you'll see SO much more this way! Stumble across cute cafes and quirky streets!
- Wander the Holburne Museum - We were recommended the Holburne Museum by the lovely couple who run our B&B, we were asking for tips on how to spend our morning and we honestly weren't disappointed! I love wandering a good museum and this one had the most stunning decor and private art collection! A must if you're looking for somewhere to spend your afternoon or are an art lover!
- Walk to the Royal Cresent - I adore the Royal Cresent; Ben actually took me there last year for my birthday where we stayed at the Royal Cresent Hotel so it was super special for us to be back there! It's stunning and worth the short walk from town!
- Explore the shops - Bath has the most incredible variety of shops! From amazing stand alone beauty stores such a Jo Malone and Kiehls to luxe department stores and some high street FAVS including Ted Baker, Topshop, Superdry, Kurt Geiger and SO many more!
- Walk the canals - One afternoon we wandered along the canals and it was so picturesque! Bath really is such a stunning city and one I'd just really recommend setting aside an afternoon to walk around and really take in the stunning sights and wealth of history!
- Visit the Thermae Bath Spa - On our first evening in bath we headed to the Thermae Bath Spa to spend a couple of hours in the rooftop pool, relaxing in the steam rooms and lazing in the pool.. it was SO lovely and the perfect way to spend a few hours! If you're looking to squeeze in some R&R during your trip I'd definitely recommend a visit! Oh, and the views from the rooftop pool are AMAZING!
Exploring the Holburne Museum!...
Walking along the beautiful canals!
One afternoon we took a tour to walk to the top of the Bath Abbey Tower and OHMIGOD the views were absolutely incredible! The tower is located next to the Roman Baths so if you're looking to spend a couple of cultural hours then I'd definitely say hit up the Abbey Tower & Roman Baths together!
We spent our last day at the Smoked & Uncut festival at The Pig Hotel just outside of Bath and it was bloody wonderful! It was the most chilled out festival; good weather, great music and even better food! From gourmet dishes to local Somerset cider - this festival was definitely a highlight for me! We've already decided that we're going to go back next year with Ben's nieces and nephews as it was so family orientated and great for kids! Just reason 2836243482562 of why you need to visit Bath ASAP!
For more information on Bath head on over to Visit Bath to help plan your trip! Looking for an alternative UK break? Take a look at the Join The World Campaign by Visit England to plan your dream trip within the UK!
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Have you been to Bath before? Did you love it as much as I did? If you're planning a trip, what's on your to-do list?
*This post was in collaboration with Visit England, all views and opinions as always are my own.