Roman Baths and Bath City Walking Tour
Bath

Price: £20
Min age: 0
Rating 4.55 / 5 [274 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Travel bucket list idea:
Credit Shutterstock.com/Edward Haylan
This superbly preserved Roman baths complex is Bath’s number one attraction, drawing in excess of a million visitors per year. Built over naturally occurring hot springs around AD 60, they were in use right up until the end of the Roman occupation circa AD 400. They stand today as a testament to the remarkable sophistication of Roman society and offer a fascinating insight into Roman life.
In case you’re wondering, bathing in the baths was ended in 1978, as the borehole water is no longer considered sufficiently hygienic. If you want the modern-day Roman bath experience, the nearby Thermae Bath Spa uses the same natural spring water taken from more recently drilled boreholes.
The historic Grand Pump Room next door has a fountain spouting genuine mineral-rich Bath spa water for tasting. It also does an enjoyable afternoon tea, a popular and highly recommended way to round off your visit.
Guided tours are only available for group bookings. Otherwise, there are informative displays, an excellent audio guide (included in the price), and original artefacts on show in the in-house museum. There’s also a special free audio guide available for children, using a Celtic Boy and a slave girl to tell their inside story of life at the baths in Roman times.
It’s open all year round, seven days a week.
The peak summer season sees hefty crowds, as do most weekends. It’s the city’s top tourist attraction, so it’s always popular. In July and August, the baths stay open until 9pm. This is a great time to visit – they’re torchlit and there are fewer crowds.
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Bath
Price: £20
Min age: 0
Rating 4.55 / 5 [274 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Somerset, United Kingdom (UK)
A lovely west country city of world-class Georgian architecture, ancient and modern spas, and an atmosphere of romance and refinement.
United Kingdom (UK)
Bristol is the beating heart of the UK’s South West, with an offbeat focus on culture and the arts plus interactive history, a cutting-edge independent food scene and street eats all on offer.
Round-ups that include this experience
Multiple countries
Leading European travel writer Dana Facaros, with a passionate interest in archaeological sites, round-ups the best ruins and remnants of arguably the world’s greatest empire.