Bath

American Museum and Gardens

The only museum of Americana outside of the United States. A little way outside of Bath in Claverton (accessible by bus), but well-worth a visit. The gardens in particular are of note, being designed by the celebrated landscape architects Oehme van Sweden. There are also extensive map and quilt collections and a programme of changing exhibitions.

Closed Jan to mid-Mar·Adult House, Gardens and Exhibition Ticket £15.50

Bath Abbey

The last Gothic church in England, started in 1499 and built on the ruins of the former Norman cathedral, this impressively large church (of small cathedral proportions) is next to the Roman Baths. A place of Australian pilgrimage: Arthur Philip, first Governor of New South Wales and founder of the city of Sydney has his burial and memorial within the Abbey. A wonderful view of Bath can be had with a trip up the Abbey tower

Mon-Fri 10AM-5:30PM; Sat 10AM-6PM; Sun 1:15-2:30PM 4:30PM-6:30PM·Adults £6.50, students £5.50, children (5 -15) £3.50

Building of Bath Museum

One of the most fascinating museums in Bath. It gives an excellent history of the development of the Georgian city, illustrated with cut-away wooden models which give a better insight than any book into the construction and structure of Georgian houses and their furnishings. It also houses a unique collection of 18th-century builder's tools. No queues, off the tourist track - but only a 7-minute walk from the Roman Baths and set in a wonderful Georgian area of the city.

Claverton Pumping Station

This was built in 1813: the River Avon powers a 24 ft (7 m) breastshot water wheel, which lifts water 48 ft (15 m) into the canal. It fell into disuse in 1952 but was restored in the 1970s.

Georgian garden

Dating back to 1761, this small garden has been through multiple transformations over the years. It has now been restored to a Georgian style (c. 1770–1836), with gravel, a stone path, and simple topiaries, and is open to the public. If you're near the Royal Crescent, the garden is worth a visit to step back into the Georgian era for a few minutes.

9AM–5PM daily·Free

Great Pulteney Street

Quintessential Georgian street on the other side of Pulteney Bridge. Film location for 2005's Vanity Fair (the Reese Witherspoon version). Made for casual strolling past the Laura Place fountain, down to the Holburne Museum, around Sydney Gardens, then back up Great Pulteney Street. Below Great Pulteney Street is the Recreation Ground, home of the Bath rugby union club.

Herschel Museum of Astronomy

An excellent museum if you are interested in the history of science and astronomy music and culture at the time when Bath was at the height of fashion; it is also a perfectly restored Georgian townhouse of the type lived in by people of 'the middling sort' and the Georgian garden is delightful. William Herschel lived here with his sister Caroline, and it was here that he discovered the planet Uranus using what was then the world's most powerful telescope that he had made himself in his workshop. The museum has a gallery for temporary exhibitions.

Adult £5, concessions available

Holburne Museum of Arts

Displays the treasures collected by Sir William Holburne: superb English and continental silver, porcelain, maiolica, glass and Renaissance bronzes. The Picture Gallery contains works by Turner, Guardi, Stubbs and others plus portraits of Bath society by Thomas Gainsborough.

Jane Austen Centre

The, Queens Square. This museum is very popular and a fascinating testament to Jane Austen's lasting appeal. As a museum, it is somewhat disappointing as it is in a house where Jane never lived and contains no items with any connection to her (unless you count items from recent films).

Museum of Costume

A world-class collection of contemporary and historical dress.

No.1 Royal Crescent

Visitors can see this grand Georgian town house redecorated and furnished to show how it might have appeared in the late 18th century.

mid-Feb until mid-Dec: Mon noon-5:30PM; Tue-Sun 10:30AM-5:30PM·£8.50/adults, £3.50/child, £6.50/seniors, £6.50/students

Parade Gardens

In the heart of town overlooking the river, this is where the locals come to laze away the afternoon. Small entrance charge for visitors but free to residents. This park normally has a topical floral display and has a bandstand for music in the summer months.

Pulteney Bridge & Pulteney Weir

Designed by Robert Adam and completed in 1773. It is one of only four bridges in the world with shops across the full span on both sides and overlooks the impressive Pulteney Weir. Tourist trips by boat leave from the Weir during summer months.

Roman Baths

Built by the Romans around 2000 years ago, and rediscovered by the Victorians, the Roman Baths are the must-see tourist attraction in Bath. The baths are fueled by England's only mineral hot springs, outputting over a million litres of hot water each day. You can wander the rooms that made up the baths, including the large open air 'Great Bath', see Roman, medieval, and Georgian architecture, and learn about the history of Bath Spa. The Baths are superbly maintained and the exhibits are filled with eye-popping archaeology. A fountain at the end offers a free taste of the (filtered) thermal water. Don't forget to pick up your free audio guide at the entrance. Reserve a minimum of 2 hours for a complete visit. As the most popular attraction in Bath there are often waiting lines at the entrance because only a limited number of visitors are inside at any time, so make sure to buy a ticket online or come early if possible.

Nov-Feb: 9:30AM-5:30PM; Mar-Jun Sep-Oct: 9AM-6PM, Jul-Aug: 9AM-10PM·Prices vary depending on month and day of the week. Weekend prices £20.50-28.00/adult, £19.50-27.00/seniors, £13.00-20.50/child, prices on weekdays are £2-4 cheaper.

Royal Crescent

A magnificent semi-elliptical crescent of houses designed by John Wood and completed in 1774. This was the first of Bath's eight crescents, and its shape remains unique. You can visit one of the houses which has been redecorated to resemble what it would have been like at the end of the 18th century. But you don't need to go in to admire the exterior and its view over Bath. There is also a large semi-circular lawn out the front owned by the Royal Crescent residents. It is separated from Victoria Park by a ha-ha (a recessed landscape design element that creates a vertical barrier while preserving an uninterrupted view of the landscape beyond).

Royal Victoria Park

Bath's largest park in front of the Royal Crescent. Ideal for ball games or feeding the ducks. The in the north-western corner of the park make for a pleasant wander.

Open now · open 24 hours·Free

Sally Lunn's Refreshment House & Museum

City centre shrine to the original Bath Bun — claims to be the oldest house in Bath, and it very nearly is — the simple but enjoyable museum in cellars is free if guests take refreshment. See below under Eat.

Saltford Brass Mill

Zinc was mined locally from prehistoric times and copper was plentiful in the West Country: put them together and you get brass. The mill was built in 1720, with an annealing furnace to create the alloy and water-powered mills to work it.

May-Oct 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month, 10AM-4PM

Sion Hill

Wealthy neighbourhood in the upper part of the city that makes for a pleasant stroll. Attractive Bath stone buildings.

The Circus

The Circus is a striking circular arrangement of Georgian townhouses designed by John Wood the Elder and completed by his son in 1768. Inspired by classical Roman forms, its three curved terraces feature superimposed Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns, creating one of Bath’s most distinctive architectural set pieces.

The Museum of Bath at Work

Housed in an eighteenth-century Real Tennis Court, the museum traces the development of Bath a retailing and manufacturing centre. If you want to see a side of Bath that's not in the guidebooks, like Victorian factories, this museum is well worth a visit.

10:30AM-5PM (Nov-Mar weekends only)·£6

The Museum of East Asian Art

A fascinating selection of ceramics, jades, bronzes, and other art from China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia.

Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM·£5 (£3 while the first-floor gallery is closed)

Walcot Street

Bath's 'Camden Town' bohemia with "bargain" antiques and weekend markets.

Bath's other crescents

Georgian architecture at its best can be seen at Bath's handful of crescent shaped, residential streets, offering superb views over the city. The Royal Crescent is the most famous, but Camden Crescent offers the best views, Cavendish Crescent is the most petite. Lansdown Crescent and Widcombe Crescent are also fine examples.

Beckford's Tower & Museum

A small tower with an interesting history and museum.

Mar-Oct: Sat Sun 10:30AM-5PM·£4/adult, £3/concessions, £1.50/child, £9/family

Sydney Gardens

A free park that Jane Austen used to visit.