A Sunday Afternoon in Bath, England

After spending a Sunday afternoon in Bath, I appreciated the luxury of travelling within the UK and I know that UK day trips are always a winner so read on for things to do in Bath on a Sunday! Bath is a city I can only describe as striking with its exclusively limestone buildings, fusion of global cuisines, beige aesthetics and modern bars.

The adjoining of ancient Roman baths and urban cocktail bars give the city its character and after a Bath day trip, you’ll learn why it’s one of the best places to visit in West England.

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How to Get to Bath & Where is Bath in UK?

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So where’s Bath in UK? Bath is located in the West of England, close to other major cities like Bristol and London and attractions like Glastonbury and Stonehenge. Bath has its own boasting rights being rooted in Roman history, vital to wool industry in the Middle Ages, home to (and featured in novels of) Jane Austen and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you’re staying in Bristol for a weekend, Bath is an ideal afternoon trip because it’s just half an hour away.

Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Hoi An, Vietnam | Bordeaux, France

From Bristol, it takes just 30 minutes by car and just 20 minutes by train (from Bristol Temple Meads). If you arrive in Bristol Airport, get an airport transfer from Bristol Airport here.

From Cardiff, it takes just over an hour by car down the M4 and around 2 hours by train (because there isn’t a direct train).

From London, the drive is over 2 hours but quicker by train being direct from London City Centre. Get an airport transfer here if you arrive in London by flight as it’s an easy day trip from London.

For train travel around England, get one of these BritRail England passes which is easy for 24 hours in Bath England and other day trips in UK.

If you are getting to Bath by car, the best places to park are Manvers Street Car Park Bath, Avon Street Car Park or The Podium Car Park Bath. Here’s a good map to download for visiting Bath England.

What To Do in Bath on a Sunday

There’s the obvious things to suggest for what to do in Bath such as sightseeing on a hop-on bus to see Bath Abbey and the circus, experiencing a Thermae Spa and of course, seeing the Roman baths! But my best advice for how to visit Bath in a day would be to stroll around the city, get lost marvelling at the buildings in Bath England, find a boutique shop, quirky book store, cool cocktail and top-class cuisine.

A Sunday Afternoon in Bath

The previous week, my friend and I started our Seafood Sundays adventures with our first sit-down meal after lockdown in San Carlo, Bristol where we indulged in shellfish. The very next Sunday we had an itch to drive to West England again from Barry but this time to explore the charming little city of Bath. We brought another friend who didn’t enjoy the city last time she visited and I was determined to change her mind on this Sunday in Bath!

Parking in Manvers Street Car Park, we took a stroll over the bridge and in just a 5 minute walk we were at the Roman Baths which is one of the top things to do in Bath England!

Coronavirus Measures in Bath Day Out

Usually there’s a free section you can visit of the Roman Baths but due to coronavirus measures in Bath, this area wasn’t available. We did have a great view of the Bath Abbey though with some (failed) selfies.

If you’re wondering what is Bath like? Buildings like this are it:

I was surprised to see the amount of people on the street especially in the direct centre of Bath. Coming from Wales, where we are around a month behind England in terms of lockdown measures lifted, I was a bit overwhelmed being amongst this amount of people for the first time since coming home in March.

What we did forget, however, was the mandatory mask-wearing rules in England shops had come into effect that day and we didn’t have one mask between the three of us. So after we marvelled at the Baths and Abbey, we went to Poundland and discussed how we were going to buy three masks if we weren’t allowed in without one. Anyway, they were being sold right on the doorstep so it was no biggie and we each sported (and sweated bad) black, cotton masks. The new norm.

Buildings and Streets of Bath

Walking through the streets of Bath, you notice pretty much all the buildings are impressive in grandeur, colour and rather than signs, the street names are carved into the walls.

Cocktails at Sub 13

The start of our Bath day trip was looking for where to go in Bath for cocktails and we found 2-4-1 cocktails at Sub 13 in Bath centre. They have a cool garden, half under gazebos, with sofas to enjoy your drinks.

Their attempt at a one-way system, down the stairs through a dark hall and up out the front steps was all well and good before I was hit with an open door half way through (hand-over-eye-emoji).

Espresso Martini, English Garden and Pornstar Martini please. Twice.

How lovely to spend Bath days out with refreshing drinks and cocktails are always a good answer for what to do in Bath for a day!

Roaming and Rejection – Things to do Bath England

Strolling around a place like Bath, and not knowing where you’re heading, is fun because at every turn there’s a quirky shop to browse or building to admire on any days out in Bath.

We glimpsed at shop-window after shop-window and explored a few boutique shops in Bath England. One of my main reasons for visiting Bath was to visit at least one of their independent book shops as I know it’s one of the best things to do in and around Bath!

Unfortunately, the time was 4.30pm and Google told me Mr B. Emporium wasn’t closing ’til 5pm. Happy days because I was 200 yards away. I rocked up, mask on, literature brain pulsating to be told they are closed!

Tapas at Pintxos Bath

Since my plan to move to Barcelona failed miserably, I was in the mood for Spanish food for tea and Pinxos Bath is one of the best things to do in Bath in a day! We happened to stumble across a random restaurant called Pintxo which is the name for tapas in San Sebastian.

We sat in their gorgeous little courtyard enjoying a Sangria and Estrella before ordering three dishes each plus one for good luck. It turned out to cost £30 each but the taste, the experience and setting was worth double that, to be fair.

Did you know? Pintxos and Tapas are actually different.

Our Food at Pintxo Bath — Look at What We Had!

The restaurants you don’t plan always turn out to be the best places.

What I’d Do Next Time in Bath

Obviously an afternoon Bath is not enough time to see this majestic city so next time I visit Bath, I have a Bath bucket list prepared as follows for where to go in Bath UK:

I’d visit the Jane Austen Centre and learn about her locations set in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.
Try a famous bun in Sally Lunn’s historical house (oldest house in Bath).
Stroll the River Avon.
Snap pictures of Royal Crescent.
Eat Thai Food at The Giggling Squid.
Take home local cheese from The Fine Cheese Co.

Thanks for reading about my Sunday afternoon in Bath, England!

A Sunday Afternoon in Bath, England

How to Get to Bath & Where is Bath in UK?

What To Do in Bath on a Sunday