The Ultimate 2 Day Bath Itinerary

Looking to discover the perfect 2-day itinerary for Bath, England? Then look no further, I have recently enjoyed a 2 day /1-night escape in partnership with Visit Bath and I am going to share why Bath is the perfect location to visit for a quintessentially English escape. I have visited Bath many times before, but I am always in awe of its quaint beauty and love to explore new sights. Intrigued to know what you can do in just 2 days in Bath? Read on for the best tips and advice for your Bath Itinerary.

The Perfect Bath Itinerary

We started our trip to Bath by arriving in the morning and heading straight to our first sight of the trip:

The Fashion Museum

The Fashion Museum in Bath is located in the beautiful building that houses the Assembly Rooms. You can stop in to check out the ballroom which was used as a filming location for the Netflix hit show Bridgerton. It won’t take long before you start imagining yourself dancing in the ballroom. Especially once you discover the historical clothing that is on display in the Fashion Museum just one floor below.

The Bath Fashion Museum showcases the history of fashion in 100 objects. Some of the clothing dates back to the time of Shakespeare. As you take in all of the pieces on display you begin to appreciate all of the details and effort that went into designing the clothes. It truly is like stepping back in time.

The latest collection on show whilst we visited was “Shoephoria!”. A huge collection of shoes from many different decades. We particularly liked learning that Manolo Blahnik has lived in Bath for over 40 years. There is a collection of his shoes on display along with the sketches of the designs. There is also a selection of the Modern Dress of the Year designs on show and they were simply incredible.

“The late Monsieur Christian Dior helped to launch the venture (the Fashion Museum) by allowing the first collection he ever brought to England to be shown for their benefit (this was at the Savoy Hotel in April 1950) and is fitting that he is represented by a large number of his creations.” -Doris Langley Moore, Founder of the Fashion Museum Bath, 1965.

If you are fascinated with history and want to see something unique then we highly recommend putting the Fashion Museum in Bath on your Bath Itinerary.

Pulteney Bridge

Our next stop was to visit the beautiful Pulteney Bridge. Dating back to 1769, this iconic bridge showcases classical Georgian architecture. It is one of only four bridges in the world that has shops across the entire bridge on both sides. Famously, it was also the filming location for Javert’s suicide in the 2012 film version of Les Misérables.

You can head out on a variety of boat trips on the river from here which is a great way to see Bath from a different perspective. We also spotted some stand-up paddle boarders enjoying a paddle down the river. The location is so central in Bath and is also a great spot to come for a picnic. Why not head down into the Parade gardens and relax whilst you enjoy this iconic view. This is also where you will see the crescent weir and this is the perfect location to take your photos of the bridge, a must for your perfect Bath itinerary.

Stroll the streets of Bath

We spent the next few hours strolling around the streets of Bath. It is an incredibly walkable city and as such, it is a great way to sightsee. However, if you prefer to be chauffeured around there is the popular open-top sightseeing bus that can drive you around. We chose to walk to the area where Bath Abbey is located as this really is a great hub for so many beautiful sights.

We stopped by Bath Abbey to take in the atmosphere. Buskers play here regularly and there is always a different genre of music to enjoy. This area is also the location for the Bath Pump Room who serves fantastic elegant afternoons teas. You can also step back in time and visit the Roman Baths, one of the best-preserved Roman remains in the world.

Take a stroll to nearby Church Street where you will discover beautiful lanes, quaint coffee shops, and historical delights. Often captured in many photos for being so incredibly photogenic, this area of Bath is nostalgic and simply beautiful. You will find Sally Lunn’s here, one of the oldest houses in Bath dating back to 1482! It is a bakery serving the famous Sally Lunn Bun, named after Sally who is said to have arrived in Bath as a French refugee in 1680 and established her own bakery there.

Holburne Museum

Located at the end of the magnificent Great Pulteney Street is the Holburne Museum. We came here purely to take some photos because it is absolutely stunning. A true representation of beautiful Bath architecture and a really pleasant place to come and relax. The fine art museum is a must-see if you like pretty things.

After visiting the Holburne Museum we wandered back into town for a late lunch. We came across a really lovely Greek restaurant that caught our eye. It is called Jars Meze and is a family-owned place serving the most delicious traditional Greek fare. The staff are super friendly and we would highly recommend adding it to your Bath itinerary.

Where to Stay in Bath?

We were booked in to stay at the 4* Hotel Indigo. Located in the heart of Bath this boutique hotel is housed in an 18th Century building. Only a couple of minutes walk from Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths, you couldn’t be in a better location. The hotel is a modern-themed hotel where the decor is traditional meets contemporary. The rooms are inspired by Bath and have beautiful finishing touches that really set this hotel apart. We particularly enjoyed the common areas for their unique decor.

We decided to spend the remainder of the afternoon relaxing in the room before dinner. After all, when you are staying in a luxury hotel you have to make the most of it. Our room came with a claw foot bathtub of your dreams and I immensely enjoyed drinking a glass of Bath Water in the bath! Soft fluffy robes and slippers are in the wardrobe and the free minibar stocked with soft drinks, wine and snacks was greatly appreciated. When creating your Bath itinerary – make sure to add this hotel to the list. You won’t regret it.

We had dinner booked at the restaurant connected to the hotel so decided to go for a local stroll around Bath beforehand. Since everything is so close we went back to Bath Abbey to take a few photos as it was a lot quieter. Seeing the streets of Bath at a less popular time transforms the city and helps you immerse yourself into the architecture and atmosphere.

Where to Eat Dinner in Bath?

The Elder restaurant is located inside Hotel Indigo Bath and hands down takes a top spot at being one of the best restaurants we have ever eaten at. Serving local contemporary food that offers a “field to fork” philosophy in a series of opulent and atmospheric dining rooms. They focus on sustainability, seasonality and locally sourced produce. Restauranteur Mike Robinson, the UK’s leading authority on wild food and game has created an exceptional dining experience.

We enjoyed a three-course dining experience where you are taken on a journey of discovery. To start we enjoyed aperitifs – Champagne for me and G&T for my husband. Followed by 3 delicious courses with wine pairings selected especially for each dish. The food is exquisite, made notable from the constant “mmm” that would escape from my mouth every time I took a bite of food. From the starter of warm Dorset crab tart to Pork Belly Main course, followed by poached pear with lavender ice cream for dessert. Every mouthful is a little slice of heaven. Not to mention the amazing and attentive staff who serve to make the whole experience truly memorable.

The next morning, after a wonderful nights sleep we enjoyed buffet breakfast served at our table in The Elder. It was included in our room package and was delicious. The perfect way to start out final day in Bath.

Thermae Bath Spa

After breakfast, we made our way to Thermae Bath Spa which is only a 10-minute walk from Hotel Indigo Bath. We arrived 1 hour before it opens to the public so we could experience the spa empty and take some photos for our social media (This was a press visit and normally cameras aren’t allowed inside the spa).

Thermae Bath Spa is Britains only natural thermal spring spa and the water contains 42 naturally derived minerals. The thermal spring was discovered by Prince Bladud around 863BC, who was cured of his skin disease after bathing in the waters.

The water fell as rain around 10,000 years ago and then sank to a depth of about 2km. Here it is heated by high-temperature rocks before rising back up through one of the three hot springs in the centre of the City, the Cross Spring, Hetling or King’s Spring, which supplies the Roman Baths.

On a visit to Thermae Bath Spa, you get to experience 2 hours of luxurious relaxation in the open-air rooftop pool that overlooks the bath skyline including Bath abbey. Aswell as Minerva Bath, the largest of the thermal baths and the Wellness suite (this was not open when we visited). If you visit with a group there is the super exclusive Cross Bath that is available for private hire. The source of the thermal spring and rumoured to have been built on ancient burial grounds, the Cross Bath is a unique experience.

We recommend booking to come as soon as the spa opens in order to experience a more relaxing and quiet experience in the popular rooftop pool.

Bath Abbey

After a relaxing 2 hours in the spa, we decided to visit inside Bath Abbey. We had seen plenty of it from the outside but now was the time to explore the interior. The Abbey dates back as far as Anglo-Saxon times and has a rich history with Kings and Queens. First appearing in historical records in 675AD, Bath Abbey has been an important place of worship for many important people throughout history. Stepping inside you feel a sense of peace and wonder. The building is architecturally beautiful and well worth stepping inside to admire. It is free to enter/by donation.

Castle Combe

Only a 30-minute drive away from Bath is one of my favourite Cotswold villages – Castle Combe. The incredibly quaint cottages with doors that suit no one taller than 5ft or the bridge that seems like it’s fit for a movie scene. Fun fact – the original Doctor Dolittle movie was filmed here.

It doesn’t take long to visit but boy is it worth it. Here are some of my favourite things to do whilst in Castle Combe:

• Walk through the gates past the pub to the incredibly grand Manor House hotel. Watch guests play croquet on the lawn or even stay for a night of country luxury.
• Take an iconic photo on the bridge at the bottom of the village. Take a breather and watch the world go by.
• A few of the houses sell home made cakes on stalls outside their doors. Grab a slice and go a for a walk around the country lanes.
• Grab a pint at one of the two pubs in the market square. Both offer alfresco seating and beautiful views to take in.

Helpful parking tip: there is a free car park for Castle Combe, however, it is located up a long hill. There is actually free roadside parking just beyond the village, depending on which way you enter. It is either after the free car park just before the town or after town before the free car park.

If you want more information on things to see and do in Bath, England – visit the Visit Bath website, the official Bath tourism website for more.

This post was in collaboration with Visit Bath – they provided complimentary entrance to Thermae Bath Spa and The Bath Fashion Museum. We also enjoyed a complimentary stay at Hotel Indigo Bath including dinner at the Elder. All opinions however are our own and as always, honest.

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Why not check out our other weekend itineraries. Discover The Ultimate Dorset Weekend Itinerary.