Bath, England. Also known as my favorite place in the world.

Out of everywhere I’ve been, Bath has my heart. Only a two-and-a-half-hour train ride from London, the streets have been known for their leisure since Jane Austen’s time, and has been coined by the Brits as the City of Pleasure. The city’s popularity has taken off since Netflix released the steamy series Bridgerton (the nickname fits, huh), noticeable by the beautiful bath stone buildings that the city is known for.

But that’s not why Bath means so much to me. In college, I spent a summer abroad in the city, which changed my life. This city was the first place travel really became available to me and where my love for travelling really began. That summer was the perfect elixir of adventure, fellowship, and fulfillment—a combination that has since made Bath feel so magical to me. I hope that the city feels just as electric to you, so here are some of my favorite places to make your trip memorable.

How to Get There

Bath is most easily accessible by train (especially if you’re traveling from somewhere outside of England), which you can take into the Bath Spa station. There are two airports that you can fly into:

Bristol Airport:

This airport is best for flights within Europe. You can’t get a direct flight from the States, but it is the cheaper option. From Bristol, it’s about a 20 minute train—or about an hour bus ride—into Bath.

Heathrow Airport:

Flying into London is definitely the more expensive option, but it’s nice if you don’t want to have any layovers. You can either take a bus directly from the airport to Bath (which is about 3 hours), or you can take the train (about 2 hours). If you opt to take the train, you’ll want to hop onto the Heathrow Express in the airport and ride it about 15 minutes to Paddington train station, which is still within London. Once you’re at Paddington station, you can purchase your ticket into Bath Spa.

I recommend using the Trainline app for any bus or advance train tickets.

A Walkable City

I wouldn’t advise renting a car to stay in Bath, especially if you’re not used to driving on the opposite side of the street, because the roads are very curvy and narrow.

The city itself is extremely walkable, and you’ll get around much faster traveling by foot. From the northern part of the city down to the southern bit, near the train station, is a max 30 minute walk. Definitely pack good walking shoes though because most of the city is built on rolling hills.

Where to Stay

Try to get accommodations as close to the city center as possible. Otherwise, you’ll be lugging your bags up the steep hills across the city; the train station is all the way at the southern point of the city, so keep that in mind with your booking. Here are a few comfortable hotels that are less than a half mile walk.

Abbey Hotel Bath: A boutique hotel right along the city center. About a two minute walk to the Roman Baths!

The Gainsborough Bath Spa: A luxury hotel in the middle of Bath’s shopping center. This hotel is known for their luxury spa and aquatic body therapies.

St. Christopher’s Hostel: Save on money and book a bed in a hostel. This hostel company is known for their unique atmosphere and safe lodging all throughout Europe. This stay is right along the river and is close to some of the best cocktail bars and pubs.

A Night Out on George St.

George St. is where most of the nightlife happens on the weekends. You can find local pubs anywhere in the city, but if you’re looking for the clubs, this is the place to be. Here’s the rundown on where you should go.

Slug & Lettuce: The bar’s quirky name is only second to how seriously amazing the cocktails are. Start your night with their 2-for-1 cocktail special or even try your favorite concoction as a cocktail tree.

Sub 13: Right next door is another cocktail bar that is my absolute favorite spot in Bath (that also has a 2-for-1 drink special!). Sub 13 is a three-level experience that has an outside beer garden, a gin bar, a specialty cocktail bar, and an underground dance club. So yeah, they pretty much have it all.

Revolution: Revolution is the perfect spot for a girl’s night out. This is the type of bar that plays the top 100 hits and has a pretty crowded dancefloor. It’s always the most fun in the middle of the night, so it’s usually squeezed in as my third stop.

Moles: Dance until sunrise in this underground vault, which is open on the weekends until 4 am. They always have a DJ and good vibes so you can keep the party bumping all night long.

Insider Tip: End your night on the next street over at Taka Taka. While not a nightclub, they are open pretty late and have the most delicious cheesy chips. You can’t forget the carbs before going to bed!

What’s On Tap

Drinking beer at the pubs is an English cultural ritual. Grab a pint and get chatty with the locals at some of the liveliest pubs.

The Pig & The Fiddle: This was my go-to local pub during my summer in Bath. Not only do they have an authentic British pub atmosphere, but they also typically have live cover bands playing music.

The Trinity: This pub is a great spot to watch a game of football (soccer). I was lucky enough to experience the excitement of England during the World Cup, and this was always the liveliest place to be on game day.

Opium: Bath’s best kept secret! This cocktail bar is located in a tunnel beneath the Pultney Bridge. It’s a sexy speakeasy that used to be an opium den. Insider Tip: look through the drawers of the coffee tables. There’s old notes and Polaroids tucked away inside.

Tea & Scones

How do Brits take their tea? Cream and sugar, please! Bath has no shortage of tea rooms, but these three shops should be at the top of your list for afternoon tea time.

Sally Lunn’s Bunns: They specialize in the famous Bath bunn—a delicious cross between bread and cake that is both light on the stomach though generous in its portion. My personal favorite is the bunn smothered in cinnamon butter (and I usually top it with clotted cream as well).

The Pump Room: Have your afternoon tea overlooking the Roman baths! This tearoom used to be the center of social activity in the Victorian era. It is a little bit more expensive and requires a booking, but if you’re feeling like a fancy tea & scones sesh, this is the place to go.

Jane Austen Tea Room: For all my Victorian literature fans out there, this historical center combines a museum for the famous author with an afternoon tea room. It gets bonus points for the giant Colin Firth painting hanging above the fireplace.

The Bridge Coffee: This coffee shop has one of the most stunning views in Bath, overlooking the River Avon. Enjoy a full afternoon tea at one of their window seat tables or walk down to the canal walk for a closer view of the river.

The Pleasure Spots

I said what I said! Since Bath is known as the City of Pleasure, you’ll need to experience a few of the more leisurely activities.

Thermae Bath Spa: Do NOT leave Bath before relaxing at this rooftop spa! You can sign up for a two-hour spa session for £35 in their mineral thermal soaking baths and saunas. One of the soaking tubs is on the roof, where you get a 180˚ view of the city. Go late in the afternoon so you can catch the sunset from the pool.

Bath Abbey: The Abbey is one of Bath’s most famous structures. Admission is free to walk around the Abbey, however, you can take guided tours to the top of the tours for £10. The towers have an incredible panoramic views of the city!

Bath Farmers Market: Support Bath’s local traders by stopping through the farmers’ market. Its located inside of an old train station, so make sure to put Green Park Station in your GPS.

Kingsmeade Square: One of the most magical things you can do in Bath is walk down to Kingsmeade Square at night. Grab some gelato from Swoon (the strawberry & white chocolate is to DIE for) and sit beneath the firefly lights hung between the big London Planetree.

Royal Crescent & Victoria Park: If you need a few extra steps for the day, head over to the northern part of the city where you’ll find the famous Royal Crescent (if you’re a Bridgerton fan, you’ll definitely recognize it). There’s an open lawn across from the Crescent that is perfect for sunset picnics, but the park also has botanical gardens and many walking paths you can enjoy.

Pultney Bridge: Views of the Pultney Bridge and the River Avon are probably my favorite in the city. I enjoyed walking along the canal path, but you can also get some incredible views from the Parade Gardens, though it does cost £2 to get into the park.

And of course…The Roman Baths: You can’t go to Bath without visiting its namesake! The baths are natural springs that were used by the ancient Romans for public bathing. Today, it is a museum that preserves the springs and the Roman temples.

Bath is a hidden gem tucked away in the English hillsides. There’s so much to see and do, but these spots in the insider guide are a MUST when visiting Bath. I hope you love my little city as much as I do.

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