From the art galleries and Georgian architecture to the live music scene, you can enjoy many sides of Bath without spending a penny. Here are some of the top things to do for free in the city.
Bath World Heritage Centre
This new interactive visitor centre showcases what makes Bath a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the hot springs, Roman remains, Georgian architecture, Georgian town planning, the social setting of the Georgian spa town, and the city’s natural landscape setting. Explore exhibits, pick the brains of the local expert staff, and discover walking trails and guides to help you enjoy the city.
Image - Bath World Heritage Centre
Victoria Art Gallery
Based in the first-floor gallery, which has been restored to its Victorian splendour, the permanent collection at the city’s public art museum is free to visit. Admire works by European artists from the past 500 years, as well as a fantastic collection of decorative arts in the small upper gallery next door.
Image - Victoria Art Gallery
The Holburne Museum
While there’s usually an admission fee to visit the Holburne Museum, you can explore for free from 3pm to 5pm on Wednesdays or 5pm to 9pm on the last Friday of the month. This grand gallery – which you may recognise from Netflix smash-hit Bridgerton – houses a collection of fine and decorative art, with continually changing exhibitions on offer too.
Image - Holburne Museum
Free Live Music at Bath Pubs and Bars
Fancy a great gig for free? You’ll find one most nights of the week in Bath, at places like Komedia’s relaxed mini venue The Electric Bar; steakhouse and jazz bar Green Park Brasserie; and live music pubs The Bell Inn and The Grapes. Check our music listings to see what’s on while you’re in town.
Image - Green Park Brasserie
Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution BRLSI
Exhibitions at the BRLSI, where they maintain an extensive collection of books, fossils and artefacts, are free to enjoy. You can also attend talks from experts in science, the arts, and current affairs for as little as £2.
Image - BRLSI
The Royal Crescent
Brace yourself for the beauty of the Royal Crescent, one of the most magnificent examples of Georgian architecture in Bath. Designed by famed local architect John Wood, the Younger, the sweeping crescent of Grade I-listed houses built from honey-hued Bath stone and lined with classical Ionic columns is incredibly photogenic, so have your camera ready.
Image - The Royal Crescent
Royal Victoria Park
Just below the Royal Crescent is another “royal” must-visit in Bath. This green hangout was originally an arboretum and among the 57 acres of parkland, there’s still a beautiful botanic garden and secluded woodland forest glade, The Dell. Picnicking, duck feeding, mini golfing, ziplining and skateboarding are just some of the activities you can enjoy here. Look out for hot air balloons taking flight from the park when the weather is bright and still.
Image - The Botanical Gardens at Royal Victoria Park
Mayor of Bath Honorary Guides
These free, twice-daily walking tours cover all the main points of historic and architectural interest in the city, with each volunteer guide putting their own unique spin on the content. Join them from the Pump Room in Abbey Churchyard, at the sign board 'Free Walking Tours Here.'
In the Footsteps of Jane Austen: A Free Audio Walking Tour
Follow in the footsteps of Bath’s most famous resident on this self-guided walking tour. It includes extracts from Austen’s novels and letters, which describe Bath in its Georgian heyday, and can be completed at your own pace, with stop-offs for visits to attractions, cafes and shops whenever you please.
Bath Carnival
One of Bath’s best-loved summer events is completely free. The carnival is an arts extravaganza, filling the city streets with colourful outfits, energetic music and dance, and creative workshops.
Image - Bath Carnival, credit Lucy Baker Photography
The Bristol and Bath Railway Path
Have a cycling adventure along this 13-mile path connecting Bristol and Bath. Open to walkers too, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife and pieces of local history along the route. There are plenty of interesting places to explore between the two cities too, like the Avon Valley Railway and nature reserve Willsbridge Mill.
Image - Bristol and Bath Railway Path, credit @tatsuhiko_a
Alexandra Park
One of the best views of Bath is waiting in Alexandra Park. Take a walk up a wooded hillside just south of the city centre to Beechen Cliff to reach this tranquil spot, where you get a panoramic look at the city’s skyline.
Image - Alexandra Park, credit Paolo Ferla
Bath Skyline Walk
Speaking of the city’s skyline, this three-mile walking trail mixes city and countryside, taking in stunning views, hidden waterways, and Georgian history. It’s inspired by the leisurely strolls members of eighteenth-century high society would go on to “take the air”. There’s also a six-mile circular route if you have time for a longer walk.
Image - View from Bath Skyline Walk
Sydney Gardens
The oldest park in Bath dates back to 1795 and was a popular place for fashionable residents of Regency Bath to spend time, Jane Austen included. Today it’s a picturesque spot with fine trees, flowers, and a stretch of the Kennet and Avon Canal running through, as well as tennis courts and a children’s play area. Join one of the free walking tours for a wander through the park’s past.
Image - Sydney Gardens
The Circus
The Circus is a supremely pretty circle of Grade I-listed townhouses, rivalling the Royal Crescent as a piece of iconic Georgian architecture. It’s even designed by the same architect, John Wood, the Younger. It’s said that the Circus is joined to the Royal Crescent by a ley-line, and that together they represent the sun and the moon.
Image - The Circus
The Georgian Garden
When you’re finished marvelling at The Circus, peek behind the façade of number four to discover a faithful recreation of a garden from the 1760s. It’s a little oasis that transports you back to Georgian Bath.
Image - The Georgian Garden
Museum of Bath Stone
The Museum of Bath Stone tells the story of the material much of Bath's iconic buildings are built with. It has been exploited since Roman times but came to its peak in the 18th century. The museum features exhibits on geology, archaeology, social history and engineering, and is open on Fridays to the public (free to visit). Groups are also able to book throughout the week.
Pulteney Bridge and Weir
Another beautiful Bath landmark is Pulteney Bridge. Designed in 1769 and commissioned by an influential landowner, it was intended to be the first piece of a new town that would rival John Wood’s west side of the city. This grand scheme was never completed but luckily the elegant bridge remained. The horseshoe weir on the river below adds to the scenic setting, making this one of the most photographed views in the city.
Image - Pulteney Bridge and weir, credit Lloyd Evans
Summer Sundays
If you’re visiting in the summer months, look out for free family-friendly entertainment Sundays. The Summer Sundays programme brings a variety of arts, crafts and music to the city centre. You might catch a flamenco performance, stilt walkers, balloon modelling, or anything in between!
Bathscape Walking Festival
Any keen walkers will want to be in Bath for September’s annual Bathscape Walking Festival. Sign up for a host of free guided walks to discover Bath and beyond on two feet, learn about local history, and meet like-minded ramblers.
Two Tunnels Greenway
Journey through the longest cycling and walking tunnel, Combe Down, in Britain on the Two Tunnels Greenway. It’s over a mile long and features an interactive light and sound installation. Once a former railway line, the four-mile path also leads you through the Devonshire tunnel, a wooded valley, and over the Tucking Mill viaduct.
Image - Two Tunnels Greenway
Bath City Farm
A great free place to visit with kids, Bath City Farm has a play park, walking trails, a farm shop, café, and lots of farm animals. Donations are encouraged to help fund the running of the farm, which is also a charity supporting people with enduring mental health issues, living with disabilities, or otherwise facing adversity.
More Money-Saving Tips
Are you a Bath local? Sign up for a Residents’ Discovery Card and make the most of discounts and offers at heaps of attractions, places to eat, and on activities too.
Image - Roman Baths and Bath Abbey
Our special offers are another handy way to save money on your Bath break and you can also check our what’s on listings for free events happening while you’re in town.
If you’re staying the night, don’t forget to book accommodation direct to get the best rates possible. Perks like breakfast and parking are often included too!
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Related
Discover Bath’s unique cultural offering as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and learn what makes the city so special.
There's nowhere else quite like Bath Abbey. Magnificent stained-glass windows, columns of honey-gold stone and some of the finest fan vaulting in the world, create an extraordinary experience of light and space.
Victoria Art Gallery is Bath’s public art museum and home to a richly diverse collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts.
Green Park Brasserie is a popular independent live music restaurant specialising in locally sourced food with free live music four evenings a week.
An educational charity in the heart of Bath, were everyone is welcome to join discussions and lectures, or browse exhibitions.
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