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Living in Bath: What to See, Eat and Do
Bath is best known for the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey and the Royal Crescent, but everyday life here is much less about sightseeing.
The city centre is compact. Shops, restaurants, cafés, parks and many of Bath’s best-known streets are within walking distance of each other.
That means a normal weekend can be simple: breakfast in town, shopping, lunch, then a walk along the canal or through one of the city’s parks.
Most of the city centre can be done on foot
Bath works well on foot.
The Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, Pulteney Bridge, Milsom Street and the main shopping areas are all close together.
From the centre, you can also walk towards the Royal Crescent and Royal Victoria Park without needing public transport.
For residents, this cuts down on short car journeys. It also makes it easy to meet friends, run errands or go out for dinner without planning around transport.
There are plenty of places to eat locally
Bath has a good range of independent cafés, bakeries, pubs and restaurants alongside the usual larger names.
Milsom Street, Walcot Street and the streets around the city centre have plenty of options for coffee, lunch and dinner.
Green Park is another useful spot. Bath Farmers’ Market is held there on Saturdays, with local food producers selling meat, cheese, bread, vegetables and other produce.
For residents, it gives Saturday mornings another option beyond the main shopping streets.
Independent shops are easy to find
Bath has major retailers around SouthGate and the city centre, but smaller independent shops are also a big part of the local mix.
Milsom Street has fashion, food and homeware. Walcot Street is known for independent shops, antiques and smaller local businesses.
There are also bookshops, food stores and specialist retailers across the smaller streets around the centre.
It gives residents more choice than relying only on shopping centres and large chains.
Parks and walking routes are close to town
Royal Victoria Park sits close to the city centre and covers 57 acres, with open lawns, gardens and space for walking.
Sydney Gardens is another option close to the centre.
For a longer walk, the Kennet and Avon Canal runs through Bath. The towpath gives you a traffic-free route through and beyond the city.
The Bath Skyline is another popular walking route, with woodland, fields and views across Bath.
You can choose between a short walk near town or a longer route without travelling far first.
Bath has plenty for a local weekend
You do not need to leave Bath every weekend.
You can visit Bath Farmers’ Market in the morning, have lunch in town and spend the afternoon walking through Royal Victoria Park or along the canal.
The city also has museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas and regular events.
If friends or family visit, the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge are all easy to fit into a day because they are close together.
Bristol and the surrounding countryside are close too
Bath also works well as a base for trips outside the city.
Bristol is nearby by rail, while the surrounding Somerset and Wiltshire countryside gives residents plenty of options for walks and day trips.
This gives people living in Bath a choice between staying local and travelling further at weekends.
