2 days in Bath

Book online in advance. Arrive at 9am opening. Allow 90 minutes for the full audio guide — the curse tablets, Gorgon's head, and the sacred spring are in the museum sections.

Cross Abbey Churchyard from the Roman Baths exit. Fan-vaulted ceiling, west facade angels ladder, and memorial tablets. Pre-book the tower tour (212 steps, from £10) if you want the rooftop view.

Walk north-east to the River Avon (8 minutes). Drop to the south bank for the classic view: bridge above, horseshoe weir in front. Walk across the bridge to Great Pulteney Street.

Return through the centre to Walcot Street. Saturday: the market (9am–2pm) is the best lunch option. Other days: The Fine Cheese Co. or Café Creme for a good sit-down.

Continue east along Great Pulteney Street to the Holburne Museum at the end. Gainsborough, Turner, decorative arts. 45–60 minutes for the permanent collection (free). The café on site for a mid-afternoon break.

Pre-book at thermaebathspa.com — essential for any visit. The rooftop pool at 40°C is the highlight. 2-hour minimum session. Arrive by 3pm for the full 2 hours with a calm early-evening window.

Walk back to the centre via Gay Street. Milsom Place courtyard has the better independent shops if still open. Dinner: The Circus Restaurant (Alfred Street), Sotto Sotto (George Street), or The Olive Tree at The Queensberry Hotel for Michelin-recommended cooking.

Start the morning in Victoria Park and its 9-acre botanical garden. Best before 10am on weekends before the families arrive. Walk through the park to the Royal Crescent end for the approach.

The 30-house crescent with its large public lawn. No. 1 Royal Crescent museum shows a Georgian townhouse interior — worth adding if you didn't cover the Jane Austen Centre yesterday.

Walk east from the Royal Crescent via Brock Street (200 metres). The Circus — 33 townhouses in a perfect circle. Walk the full circle. Gainsborough's house at number 17. The frieze on the second tier runs continuously around all 33 houses.

The Assembly Rooms are on Bennett Street, a short walk from The Circus. They are closed for renovation until 2027, and the Fashion Museum that was in the basement left in 2022 — so this is an exterior stop for now.

Milsom Street restaurants for lunch or Milsom Place courtyard. The Old Green Tree (no food, real ale pub — excellent lunchtime pint). Café Boho on Kingsmead Square for reasonable sit-down lunch.

Take Bus 2 from Bath Bus Station (12 minutes). One of four Palladian bridges in the world. Views over Bath from the upper garden. Allow 1.5 hours. No on-site parking — the bus is the only sensible option.

The return from Prior Park passes through or near Widcombe. A short detour to the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath (5 minutes from Prior Park Road) is worth it for a flat, scenic walk back towards Bath Spa station.

Final hour in the SouthGate shopping centre (adjacent to Bath Spa station) or Milsom Street independents. The Guildhall Market (Mon–Sat) is a good last stop for local food gifts.