Visiting the Roman Baths in Bath, England
The Roman Baths are the highlight of any trip to Bath.
Not only are the Roman Baths an architectural masterpiece, but the city of Bath (the UK’s only UNESCO World Heritage city) is gorgeous.
Most visitors will only come for a day trip, but I believe this magical city at least deserves a weekend getaway! However, if you are only visiting for the day, the Roman Baths are a MUST-do.
Visiting the Roman Baths in Bath
Can you swim in the Roman Baths?
That’s a BIG no!
The baths still use the original system to keep the water flowing and that includes lead pipes which make the water very dangerous to swim and relax in.
The fascination with the only thermal hot springs in Britain has lasted many years, hundreds of years in fact… people would visit from far and wide to experience the healing powers of the water.
Where does this magical healing mineral water come from? It started thousands of years ago when rain fell on the Mendip Hills and seeped into the ground about 10,000 feet below the surface.
The water is heated to about 190 degrees and then under pressure, the water rises to the ground through fissures in the limestone beneath Bath.
By the time the water reaches the surface, it’s about 115 degrees and flowing at a rate of about 250,000 gallons per day.
The water contains 43 minerals, hence the reason many believed in its healing powers.
Fun Fact: The water is clear… so that soft lime green color you see is actually the mix of the heat of the water and sunlight that promotes the growth of algae.
The water comes from drilled boreholes and it’s a new borehole drilled in the 1980s that supplies the water to the pump room where you can taste the water for yourself.
Quick History of the Roman Baths
Back in the day, everyone had access to the Roman Baths.
Rich or poor, upper class or lower class… everyone was welcome. It was very cheap to enjoy the bath and on special occasions, the baths were free to enter.
The Romans completed the baths by about AD 75 (extensions continued for the next 300 years) and they included separate male and female areas with changing rooms, cold plunge pools, and saunas with an underfloor heating system.
The Great Bath had plenty of room around it, so people could avoid the splashing bathers, conduct business meetings (can we still do this today?), play board games, and socialize with each other.
Planning Your Visit to the Roman Baths
The entry fee fluctuates throughout the year, depending on the season. It’s always cheaper to purchase your ticket online. Make sure you go through all the options for other chances to save money, if you’re a family of four, you can purchase a family ticket instead of each individual ticket.
And if you plan your trip on a weekday then you’ll save a couple of pounds!
There’s a multiple-story museum with artifacts found at the baths and a detailed, in-depth history of the Romans in Bath and how the baths were built. You can purchase your tickets online if you wish, but it won’t make the line go any faster for you once you get there (once you get to the desk though, you’ll just breeze on by).
You enter from the top of the baths and get to take in the whole view. Walk around to the far side and you’ll get a great shot of Bath Abbey peeking out from behind the baths.
Walk through the entrance to the building which is the multi-story museum maze. It’s difficult to navigate if you are in a hurry and might seem overwhelming at first, so it’s best to take your time and soak it all in.
Once you get a couple of levels down, you’ll be able to see where the water is coming from and feeding into the baths.
Continue on and you’ll come to the exit of the museum area and you’re back outside, this time on the lower level.
Take your time to examine the detail of the baths and the beauty that it is now and once was.
You can explore the east and west sides of the baths and see the cold plunge pools, the saunas, the workings of the underfloor heating system, and the changing rooms.
Take note that a lot of the pools no longer have water in them.
Continue following the signs for the exit and you will come to a room with a tap and sink in it.
This is a clean, healthy stream of the spring water.
Take a cup and try it and see what you think of it.
Note: the water comes from a hot spring, so it is warm.
Follow the signs to the exit and you have made it to the end of your journey and the gift shop.
My favorite items in the gift shop were a collection of blue jewelry that’s made in Bath called Bath Aqua Glass.
It’s all a pretty blue color and their store is just down the street from the Roman Baths where you can watch your jewelry being made.
If you’re feeling hungry or would like some afternoon tea then pop by next door to The Pump Room. They serve water from the springs and have live classical music, all in a beautiful Georgian setting.
Looking for more info on the Roman Baths?! Check out my tips for visiting the Roman Baths!
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