The Best Cheap Things to Do in Bath, England

Bath, England, is one of many beautiful cities in the UK that has been on my radar for quite some time. Going there was a thrilling and fulfilling experience for me.

Known as one of England’s most romantic and picturesque cities, I can now see why.

Its beautiful Georgian buildings, rich history, and natural hot springs from the Roman era make Bath, England, a pleasant city, and its city centre is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Bath offers something for everyone, regardless of interests—history, nature, or unwinding. However, Bath, like a lot of other cities in the UK, has a reputation for being pricey.

In this post, I share the best cheap travel tips for visiting Bath so you can get the most out of your trip without spending a lot of money.

This is a budget-friendly travel guide to and around Bath. It includes ideas for free and cheap things to do and see, as well as cheap places to stay in great areas.

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How to Get to Bath, England, on a Budget from London

First, let’s talk about where Bath is and the best way to get there from London, which, as of this writing (early 2024), I think is by bus.

The city of Bath is the capital of the English county of Somerset. It is located in the southwest of England. It’s not too far from London, and it’s close to Bristol and Wales.

A day trip to Bath from London is a great idea since it’s not far away. But spending a day or two, as we did, is what I would suggest if you want to explore it more.

Getting to Bath, England, by Train

The fastest way to get from London to Bath is by train. You’ll be in Bath in just over an hour and a half.

The London Paddington train station is where most of the trains go to get to Bath Spa’s main train station.

The UK train price, on the other hand, is known to be the most expensive in Europe. Just one-way train tickets from London to Bath cost more than £40 or $50 at the time we visited.

If you decide to go this route, I suggest that you try to book ahead of time, but don’t expect prices to drop too much. You could also book your trip through Trainline and look for deals and savings there.

Getting to Bath, England, by Bus

Buses are the best and cheapest way to get from London to Bath. This is what we did, and I highly recommend it if you are a budget traveller or just want to save money.

Also, driving through some of the UK’s countryside and towns is kind of an adventure, at least for me.

Coaches (buses) travel throughout England, with many departing from London Victoria coach stops. Among the few options are Megabus and National Express.

If you live in the south-west of London or the county of Surrey, you could also take the bus from Heathrow Airport to Bath.

We did this instead of going to Victoria Station, which would have cost more money. You can get the cheapest bus or coach travel in Europe by using FlixBus.

One-way bus tickets from London Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3, and 5 to Bristol (Bond Street North) cost only £10! In all honesty, this was a complete bargain for the UK!

Then, take the X39 bus from Bristol’s coach station to Bath for £2. This should take 2 hours and a half or less, depending on traffic, in total from London to Bath.

Getting to Bath, England, by Car

Last but not least, you can drive to Bath from London by going west on the M4 highway. You could also take a day trip by bus that goes to three towns, such as Bath, Windsor, and Stonehenge.

Where to stay in Bath, England, on a budget?

When you go to Bath, England, you should plan where you’ll stay so that you don’t spend too much on your stay.

You don’t have to do this if you’re just going to the city for the day. It’s pretty pricey in Bath, as I said at the beginning of the post.

Please don’t think it will be easy to find extremely cheap accommodation here! If you want to find cheap places to stay in Bath, my best advice is not to look in the centre.

Bath isn’t a very small city, but keep in mind that you can get around on foot and that most of the best sights are close to each other.

We stayed at a lovely, cosy place with green touches and a backyard—Near Major Attractions, for example. The property is in the north of Bath’s Upper Town area, which is not in the centre.

The Royal Crescent was less than 1 km away. The beautiful botanical gardens and Royal Victoria Park were both just a short 5-minute walk away.

The price of £80 a night for this place to stay close to the main sites was well worth it for what we were looking for. It was also our wedding anniversary trip. I would highly recommend it!

Find budget-friendly accommodation here!

Budget-friendly Attractions and free things to do in Bath

Even though Bath, England, might look like an expensive place to visit, there are many things to see and do there that won’t cost a lot of money.

Not only that, but many of the best sights can be seen for free! The city is also pretty easy to get around on foot.

Free Things to Do/See in Bath, England

#1: Explore Royal Victoria Park (a hidden gem)

This beautiful park is great for lunch or a slow walk in the afternoon.

Alex and I walked through this garden on our first afternoon in Bath and sat on a few of the benches to watch people go by.

It took us two hours to get from London to Bath by bus, so we had to keep moving to avoid getting “bus lag.”

We also got to Bath earlier than planned, and our accommodation was only five minutes away from this park.

We had to check in at 4 pm, so this lovely park where we could stay outside in the fresh air helped us a lot.

Luckily, the nice weather made the park’s beautiful trees, gardens, and walking paths even better.

It was a nice way to start our anniversary trip to Bath. I’d also recommend this lovely spot for unwinding after a day of sightseeing, with a stunning view of the Royal Crescent.

#2: Wander through The Circus and Royal Crescent

You have to see these two famous Georgian buildings while you’re in Bath. A beautiful park is in front of this huge Royal Crescent-shaped building.

According to the Visit Bath website, these magnificent Georgian buildings were built by John Wood Senior and younger.

Honestly, walking here felt like you’d stepped back in history, and the best part is that you can soak up all the beauty of these historic buildings for free.

If you’ve money to spare, you can also pay to see the No. 1 Royal Crescent Museum if you want to see inside these curved homes. These two are pretty close to each other.

Also, depending on the time of year you visit, you may see a lot of tourists taking the more famous “Bath postcard” picture at the Royal Crescent.

So, I’d suggest coming here early to have it all to yourself. Luckily, we visited during the off-peak season, so we were practically the only ones.

Want to watch on video? No problem, you can watch it here on YouTube:

#3: Walk along Pulteney Bridge

One of the most well-known bridges in Bath is the Pulteney Bridge. This beautiful bridge over the River Avon is lined with shops and bars.

In between steps, take a moment to enjoy the sound of the water and the view of Bath Abbey. While walking on it, it does look like any other street.

But you won’t know that was a bridge until you walk down to the Grand Parade.

This is one of the few bridges in the UK where people live. You can see a lot of similarities between it and the Rialto Bridge in Venice and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence, Italy.

Even better, it makes a nice background for a boat ride down the River Avon. It is a very beautiful place, with the bridge in the background and the Pulteney Weir.

We visited during the day, but it was pissing a lot (typical UK weather; one of the cons of visiting off-season), so we didn’t have time to fully enjoy it. But it was still wonderful to gaze at.

#4: Soak in the city views at Alexandra Park

Overall, you’ll see that the city of Bath has a lot of big green areas where you can relax. Say, the Parade Gardens, which you will have to pay £2 to get into.

That’s why we didn’t go there. But, of course, you should go if you don’t mind spending some money.

However, Alexandra Park on the south side of Bath is the best place to see the city views.

The bad news is that it’s up high on a hill, so you’ll have to walk a long way to get there.

But when you do, the views are truly amazing. I also think you should wear clothes and shoes that are comfortable.

The park is near Bath Spa station, which is the city’s main train station, and the main bus station is about 300 feet from it.

For day trips by train, consider stopping at this park at the end of the trip.

#5: Admire the Jane Austen Centre from outside (FREE)

Another place you might love is the Jane Austen Centre, if you are a big fan of hers.

But it’s important to note that the centre is not free to enter. It was beautiful outside, and we took some photos and videos with Meeter/Greeter, Martin Salter.

Salter meets people who come to the Jane Austen Centre to honour the famous Regency author.

He is such a funny character; he makes visitors feel special in an amusing way! According to this Jane Austen blog, Martin Salter is the “most photographed” man in England.

So, make sure you don’t miss that opportunity to photograph the most photographed man in England for free.

Affordable Tours & Attractions in Bath, England

Going on a free walking tour is one of the best cheap ways to see Bath.

Several companies offer walking trips with a guide that include the Bath Abbey and the Royal Crescent, among other things.

Usually, these tours last for two hours and teach you interesting things about Bath’s past and buildings.

But, if you don’t want to do these guided tours, you can do a self-guided walking tour; that is what we did. This is very helpful because we generally look up walking paths when we plan our trips.

Also, most places to stay in Bath offer city guidebooks. We were lucky that the place we were staying had one.

1. Roman Baths

The Roman baths are without a doubt one of the must-see attractions on a visit to Bath. They represent the pinnacle of bathing experiences.

You might be wondering if it’s worth visiting there. In my opinion, absolutely, and I would highly recommend it!

Even though it can be pricey to get into the Roman Baths, students, older people, and families can often get savings.

Explore this interesting historical site for an afternoon and learn about how the Romans used to unwind in their fancy bathing complex.

You should spend money on this one. Also, you can buy tickets at the Roman Baths or online at their official website.

2. Bath Abbey

Bath’s other famous attraction is the Bath Abbey, located right next to the Roman Baths. From the outside, it resembles other large Gothic churches in Europe.

Even if you don’t like churches, this square is great to hang around in, especially when musicians and performers play. For just £7, you can also visit inside and admire its wonderful interiors.

Because I was visiting Bath for the first time, I had to pay to see the Bath Abbey inside. However, I found it too expensive for them to charge £7 to just enter the church.

In my opinion, it should be free to enter and maybe give visitors a choice to donate if they wish.

Overall, it’s pretty nice, and it’s lighter than most churches I’ve seen in Europe. The layout is pretty much the same as in most cathedrals.

Bath Abbey is an important structure in the city of Bath. According to the Visit Bath website, it’s thought to be the first church in the country to formally crown a king. It’s known as one of the nicest churches in the UK!

Pro Tip: Bath has a lot of museums and hot spring spas, and most of them cost money to get into. Overall, I think the places listed above are worth the money, especially if you are on a tight budget. If money isn't an issue, you can visit more museums that interest you.

Affordable Dining Options in Bath, England

While Bath is famous for its beautiful architecture and rich history, it also has some great, relatively cheap dining choices for tourists as well as locals.

Within this beautiful city, there are many inexpensive cafes and restaurants where you can grab a quick bite or take your time with a meal.

A popular way to eat in Bath on a budget is at one of the market stalls, like the ones at the Bath Guildhall Market, which sell tasty meals at fair prices.

There are many street food sellers all over the city, selling everything from freshly baked pastries to gourmet sandwiches.

Some of Bath’s pubs serve cheap lunch and dinner, so go there if you’re hungry for a hearty meal without spending much money.

There are a lot of pubs that offer cheap traditional British food like fish and chips or bangers and mash.

Another cheap option for a meal would be to just get fast food from places like McDonald’s or Burger King.

These are the only choices for budget travellers. In fact, on our last day, we had Burger King.

Where to Eat in Bath on a Budget

If you’re on a budget but still want to try foreign food, Bath has several ethnic restaurants that serve tasty food at fair prices.

There are cheap places to eat all over the city, whether you want Italian pasta, Indian food, or Thai stir-fry.

We had a Turkish dinner at Cappadocia Mediterranean Restaurant on our first night, and our anniversary dinner at Ponte Vecchio, an Italian restaurant with a view of the Pulteney Bridge, was great.

Although it should be noted that Ponte Vecchio wasn’t cheap, I would still suggest it as a great place to eat Italian food.

The Bath, Bun

Lastly, don’t miss the chance to eat breakfast or lunch at one of Bath’s many cafes or bakeries.

You might wish to try a special food item that is scarce anywhere else in the world!

Knowing about this while planning this trip fascinated me. Of course, this was the first item on our list of foods to try. Okay, enough with the rambling!

This unique dish is the “Bath bun”, a sweet variation of the French brioche bun with less butter, lighter, and larger. Plus, only two places in the city of Bath do them.

The Bath Bun and Sally Lunn’s. You can choose which one you want to try.

We decided to eat at the Bath Bun because we didn’t need to make a reservation, and, if I’m being honest, the price was fair for a tourist spot.

They make their version of the bath bun and put fruit and crystallised sugar on top of it.

It costs £8 and comes with jam, cream, and tea. I enjoy this bun; it’s fresh and tastes great.

The restaurant has a traditional English afternoon vibe, which is wonderful.

Either way, you’ll find plenty of good, affordable options.

Day Trips from Bath, England

There’s a lot to see and do in Bath, England, but if you want to see more of the country, there are a few towns and villages close by that are worth a day trip.

These are some of the best day trips you can take from Bath:

Bristol—If you want to experience a bigger city, Bristol is only a short train ride or a cheap (15–20 minute) ride on bus X39 from Bath.

This lively city has a lot to offer tourists, such as museums, art galleries, shopping areas, and things to do on the water.

Sadly, we were only able to catch a glimpse of the coach station from the bus to Bath as we were wandering around.

I’m sure I’ll want to explore it properly on my future trip around England.

OTHER DAY TRIPS FROM BATH, I'D RECOMMEND!

Final Thoughts on Visiting Bath, England on a Budget

Overall, it’s possible to visit Bath on a budget with a carefully planned itinerary, whether that be a day trip or a few days in the city.

Just so you know, Bath isn’t a cheap place to visit. Most things will cost more than they do in London, in this lovely city. It could be even worse based on when you go.

But this shouldn’t stop you from going, especially if you are travelling on a budget. I hope I’ve inspired you to plan your trip to Bath with my recommendations.

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