The city centre may have bubbling thermal waters, but the lush green countryside surrounding Bath is an equally apt setting for a wellbeing break. Especially for seasoned visitors to the city wanting to explore the area from a different angle.

There are luxurious spa hotels, peaceful gardens, mindful activities and more to help you relax and reset, with all the city has to offer in easy reach too. We set the scene with this three-day itinerary for a wellbeing break in the country…

Where to Stay

Sleep soundly in between nourishing treatments at the outstanding countryside spa hotels close to Bath. Escape to Lucknam Park, a listed Palladian mansion surrounded by swathes of parkland or Georgian country house hotels Homewood and Bishopstrow House Hotel. On the opposite side of Bath, there's a chance to experience an Asian-inspired approach to hospitality at Montigo Resorts Somerset. Based in a scenic country estate, the luxurious hotel features a stunning spa and 28 individually designed rooms, offering an idyllic rural retreat in the heart of Somerset. 

Image: Montigo Resorts Somerset

If you’re happy day-tripping to the spas instead, try THE PIG-near Bath for bucketloads of homely charm, or Limpley Stoke Hotel for idyllic valley views. Beechfield House not only boasts an outdoor pool but also holds various AA accolades for its restaurant.

Image: Beechfield House Hotel

Competitive souls will love brand new countryside hangout Mad Swans in the Mendips, based just half an hour south of Bath, where you can stay and play to your heart's content! Challenge each other to games ranging from pickle and padel to shuffleboard, tuck in to classic pub dishes in the on-site restaurants, and bed down for the night in your very own cosy eco cabin. 

Deeper into the Somerset greenery, you'll find The Newt, an award-winning country house hotel with acres of relaxing gardens and a show-stopping spa. Book their Great Garden Escape, including First Class return travel from London Paddington to Castle Cary station, as well as guided tours, talks and tastings, mouth-watering meals, and a 12-month membership to The Newt's gardens and facilities. Along the way, you'll also have plenty of opportunity to explore the multitude of treats on offer at The Newt's Creamery shop and restaurant, based within Castle Cary station. 

Image - The Newt in Somerset 

Relish the peace of a self-catered bolthole? Book your very own room in The Hall Estate, a storied Jacobean mansion in Bradford-on-Avon, or stay in the Grade II listed cottage at the nearby Iford Manor, which has its own private south-facing garden and special access to the main gardens until 4pm every day (regardless of whether they're open to the general public that day or not).

Insider tip: Browse our special offers and book your stay midweek for the best deals on accommodation.

Image: The Moulton Room at The Hall Estate

Day One

Morning: Saddle Up

Alongside state-of-the-art spa facilities, Lucknam Park is home to its own Equestrian Centre where you can feel the benefits of a fun form of exercise and being around the horses. You’ll be matched with a horse that suits your ability before being led on an invigorating country hack, or a longer ride through scenic Cotswold countryside for more experienced riders.

The hotel offers packages that combine getting in the saddle with dining in their brasserie and/or relaxing in the spa.

Image: Lucknam Park

If you’re more comfortable with both feet on the ground, how about hitting the green for a round of golf at Bowood Hotel? There's no better place to do so, with the venue holding the title of Official PGA Golf Course for the South West.

Afternoon: Wind Down

After a morning of activity, make some time for rest and rejuvenation with spa treatments. However you fancy being pampered, you’ll find a package that takes you to a blissed out state – from hot stone massages in the Potting Shed at The PIG-near Bath, to rasul mud experiences at Bishopstrow House Hotel.

Image: The PIG-near Bath 

Evening: Dine In Style

Take your pick from the range of eateries at The Newt, whether you're craving the seasonal dishes crafted using fresh ingredients from the estate's gardens served in Hadspen House and the Garden Cafe, or one of the quirky and creative dishes at the Farmyard Kitchen. Don't just take our word for it: The Newt's dining experiences have also been endorsed by none other than Michel Roux Jr!

At Lucknam Park, you have the choice of dining in the Michelin-starred Restaurant Hywel Jones, or their more relaxed brasserie. Or, sink your teeth into hearty British dishes with a Mediterranean twist at Homewood’s Olio Restaurant, including the all-important afternoon tea. The hotel prides itself on using only the finest local ingredients, as well as fresh produce grown in their 'no-dig' kitchen garden. 

Beechfield House's award-winning restaurant is dog friendly, should you wish to bring your four-legged friend along for your relaxing getaway. 

Image: Homewood

Day Two

Morning: Countryside Cooking

Book a course at Vale House Kitchen and leave with a host of new skills in your arsenal. As well as lessons in cooking, baking, and preserves with leading South West culinary professionals, they cover countryside pursuits like fishing, foraging, and shooting. No matter which course you choose, everything you'll learn is in keeping with the school's field-to-fork philosophy.

Image: Vale House Kitchen

Afternoon: Countryside Strolls

Stretch your legs, embrace the fresh air, and take in awe-inspiring views on a feel-good ramble through the countryside. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to scenic routes in the green areas surrounding Bath, with many passing noteworthy sights or fabulous flora and fauna along the way. There's also the option to turn your hike into a pub walk, refuelling with a refreshing pint and bite to eat halfway through.

Image - Solsbury Hill, credit Bill Boaden

Day Three

Morning: Gorgeous Greenery

Follow up yesterday’s countryside caper by soaking up the peace and tranquillity of the region’s beautiful parks, gardens and historic houses.

Step into the breathtaking landscaped gardens of Iford Manor from April - September, where you'll discover garden designs inspired by Italian, Byzantine, Ancient Roman and oriental styles. Further east, explore the majestic gardens of Bowood House between March and November, complete with a lake, arboretum, pinetum, cascade, and much more. If you time your visit carefully, you'll also be able to visit the woodland garden, which opens for six weeks every spring. This offers a golden opportunity to experience flowering season in all its glory, with an oasis of bluebells, azaleas, magnolias, and rhododendrons waiting for you among the trees. 

For more woodland wanderings, take a trip to the expansive grounds of Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, home to around 3,000 different species of trees. Or admire herbaceous borders, a lily pond, box hedging, a rose garden, and a stone bath house in the gardens of stately house Corsham Court. 

Image - Westonbirt, credit Johnny Hathaway

Afternoon: Culture Hit

Immerse yourself in art and culture from across the pond at the American Museum and Gardens – the only museum of Americana outside of the United States. Their collection houses over 12,000 objects representing the wide range of American cultures, diving into stories from over 2,000 years of history. And that's not all - the museum also hosts special temporary exhibitions every year, which have previously featured everything from LEGO models of American landmarks to Renaissance maps, Native American artworks, and much more. 

Don't miss a chance to nab a bite to eat in the museum's Deli, and enjoy a wander around the magnificent gardens, which also offer unrivalled views over the scenic Limpley Stoke valley. 

Image - American Museum & Gardens

Alternatively, the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury tells a much more local story. Visit and take a journey through the county’s history and heritage, including its landscape, food, farming, working life and rural crafts.

Evening: Taste a 25-mile menu

Finish your stay with a dinner made entirely of locally sourced food. THE PIG-near Bath is obsessive in their commitment to homegrown grub. If the ingredients aren’t plucked fresh from their kitchen garden, they’re foraged or secured from independent suppliers within 25 miles of the hotel.

Image: Kitchen Garden Restaurant at THE PIG-near Bath

Read more:

• Wellbeing in Bath
• 11 of the best spa hotels in Bath
• Parks & Gardens in Bath