BATH IN TWO HOURS

The City of Bath in England is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is well-known for its hot springs, ancient Roman baths, impressive Georgian architecture, and museums.

Since I have a soft spot for properties on the Word Heritage List, I was determined to visit this city during the second half of our United Kingdom adventure. I thought it would be smart to book a tour that combined a visit to Bath with a few other places on my wish list (ahem, Stonehenge!)  given our limited time to travel outside London on this trip. Big mistake! The tour promised an entire afternoon and "ample free time" in Bath. In actuality, we had less than two hours to visit this beautiful city before lunch. While I would NOT recommend any traveler spend only two hours visiting the city, we sure did make the most of our limited time there.

How do you see Bath in only two hours?

1) Orient yourself to the city. Take a quick drive or walk around the city center to get your bearings. Notice the golden Bath Stone used for construction throughout the city. Pass the Royal Crescent and/or the Circus.

2) Visit the Roman Baths. Purchase your ticket in advance to skip the queue. You can devote nearly an hour to this museum if interested, but you may need to cut the audio tour short. Be sure to try a glass of Spa water from the fountain.

3) Look inside Bath Abbey. Be respectful since the church is an active place of worship. The Abbey invites a donation from visitors.

4) Stroll the Pulteney Bridge. This is one of the few historic bridges in the world to have shops built across its full span on both sides. Visit a few shops for good measure.

5) Buy a take away snack and continue to roam around the city. Watch the street performers. Snap a few photos. Take in the beautiful architecture.

6) Plan to return another day!

P.S. If you found this post because you booked a similar tour, we would recommend you skip the optional lunch. It takes another chunk of time away from your short visit. Buy a take away lunch to eat on the bus or while you stroll around the city.