Between comfort food, picturesque Georgian streets and Roman hot springs, Bath is the perfect place for a winter getaway.
Come the colder months, many of us begin to crave a short, spirit-lifting break or two, whether to outpace winter’s lull or revel in its icy glamour. Either way, the secret lies in choosing a destination that feels both close to home and ever-so-slightly otherworldly: pretty, walkable and steeped in history.
For Londoners, this often leads to Bath. Its Roman past as a centre of ritual, wellness, healing and indulgence lingers in its streets and buildings. And thanks to the city’s revival as a fashionable retreat in the 1700s, intricate Georgian architecture layers on top of that history, giving Bath a couple of thousand years’ worth of grandeur.
If you’re driving, the approach itself is a kind of overture: seesawing hills followed by sweeps of Georgian facades dotted off narrow streets. The sort of reveal that prompts even the most steadfast Londoner to proclaim, quite earnestly: “I could definitely live here.”
Alternatively, arrive by train for an entirely different experience. Bath Spa station is only about an hour and 20 minutes from London Paddington, and you’ll realise immediately just how compact the city really is (you could probably walk its circuit in an hour and a half).
Where to stay in Bath
In a city as easily walkable as this, you needn’t look too far outside its centre for accommodation. Housed in a historic building on Queen Square, the Francis Hotel, a collection of seven Georgian townhouses, makes a fitting base. Its 18th-century bones — high ceilings, grand windows and elaborate mouldings inspired by Roman and Greek architecture — are brought sharply into to the present by the revamped decor’s modern accents and deep-hued furnishings.
Book one of the ‘Generous’ rooms — or better still, one of the newly unveiled John Wood suites — and you may find yourself looking out to Queen Square itself through floor-to-ceiling windows framed by heavy curtains. It’s the kind of view that invites a little daydreaming about how one might once have circled the square arm-in-arm with a beau during the social season in the 1800s.
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For moments spent resting rather than imagining life in a period drama, a smart TV and a spacious, super-king bed offers blissful refuge after a day spent wandering the city.
What to do in Bath in December
A seven-minute walk from the hotel lands you in Bath’s historic city centre. With the aromas of Belgian chocolate crepes and mulled wine in the air, you can wander straight into Bath’s Christmas market, now in its 25th year and lauded as one of the UK’s most beloved festive markets.
Feast on German bratwurst and sweet churros, while you sip spiced mulled wine or rich hot chocolate and browse more than 250 stalls abundant in artisan candles, intricate ornaments and handmade jewellery.
Visit the Roman Baths museum
Once you’ve exhausted the full loop of the market, you’ll find yourself perfectly placed among some of Bath’s most storied landmarks. Begin with the Roman Baths museum, whose many tiered walkways guide you through its ancient thermal springs, which were once worshipped by Roman Britons (a complimentary audio guide and headset provide all the details).
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Stroll through Bath Abbey
Around 50 yards away, Bath Abbey stands high over the square. Inside, admire its soaring fan vaulting, stained glass windows and centuries-old memorials and statues. Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop on the way out for seasonal ornaments or even a ‘monk bear’ — a very sweet stuffed bear dressed in monk robes.
Onwards to Pulteney Bridge, via a quick detour to Bath Guildhall Market — a year-round trove of quirky bric-a-brac, local crafts and, if you fancy, a builder’s tea and vinegary chips from the classically British cafe. At the bridge, pause to admire the medieval horseshoe weir, built to prevent the River Avon flooding the city, before weaving through some of the independent shops — mostly vintage decor, titbits and bakeries — that line the bridge.
Explore The Jane Austen Centre
From here, make your way back past the hotel to The Jane Austen Centre where an actor delivers a raucous 10-minute retelling of the author’s life. If time allows, take traditional afternoon tea in the tea rooms, where you’d be remiss not to don some of the genuine period clothing for a photo.
Finally, venture further uphill towards the Royal Crescent and into Royal Victoria Park, where you can take a few leisurely turns around the skating rink at Bath on Ice under a blanket of lights.
Where to eat in Bath
After a day’s exploring, head back to the Francis for dinner at Emberwood, the hotel’s brasserie. Start with beef tartare topped with beef tallow crisps or coal-roasted Cornish scallops with garlic butter and gremolata.
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But it’s the hearth that will steal the show. A natural flame smokes away from the brasserie’s farthest corner cooking Wagyu bavette and grass-fed sirloin steaks from the local area, along with a formidable côte de beouf and the catch of the day. To finish? Anything that catches your eye from the dessert trolley being wheeled around.
Food further afield
The next evening, venture beyond the city and into the West Country. Drive (or take a taxi) half-an-hour south west and about five miles north east of Frome to Rode, a tiny Somerset parish that’s well worth the detour.
If you’re driving through, take heed: the locals navigate the narrow lanes at surprising speed. Don’t be alarmed if, concerned at your own speed (or lack thereof), a helpful resident flags you down to check whether you’re lost or simply unable to drive.
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If they do, tell them you’re heading to The Cross Keys inn — a charming village pub with the unmistakable air of a local favourite: regulars settled in corners, mismatched chairs and an atmosphere closer to someone’s living room than a dining room. Those chatting at the bar may well turn out to be strangers who’ve met — and befriended one another — that very night.
Order anything from the menu and it’ll be comforting and satisfying. In winter, the baked garlic and rosemary camembert with fig and walnut bread and a port and orange sauce is a good place to start. For mains, the lamb rump, fish stew or freshly battered haddock with chips, and for dessert, a sticky toffee pudding with rum butter ice cream, of course.
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The best spa in Bath for Christmas
You can hardly visit England’s most historic spa city without sampling its wellness scene. Begin at Thermae Bath Spa, where a two-hour session grants access to a good chunk of the complex. The rooftop pool is the highlight: warm, steaming and naturally rich in minerals, it has views of Bath Abbey’s spires and the rolling hills that cradle the city.
Back indoors, the Minerva Bath, named after the Roman goddess of health and wisdom, is the largest of the thermal pools. A slow swim around its curves puts you in good stead for the wellness suite: try the Roman-inspired steam room, the Georgian steam chamber, the infrared sauna or bracing ice room.
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There are plenty of more low-key options to round out the stay, such as at the Soul Spa, tucked away on a cobbled side street. End your trip with either a VR meditation, massage or sound bath in a darkened room, comfortably seated while gongs gently guide you to reflect on your stay.
Feature image: Visit Bath
