Quick Answer
- Christmas Market: 26 November to 13 December 2026, free, over 180 chalets.
- Roman Baths: £23.50 weekdays, £26.50 weekends (advance, 1 November to 18 December), £2 more on the day.
- Thermae Bath Spa: two hours for £44 weekdays or £49 weekends, ages 16 and over.
- From London: GWR from Paddington in around 1 hour 20 minutes, about every 30 minutes.
- Weather: December highs about 8.5°C and around 14 rainy days (Met Office 1991-2020).
At a glance
- Best time
- May–Sep; 26 Nov to 13 Dec for the market
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 days
- Currency
- Pound sterling (GBP)
- Language
- English
- Visa
- UK ETA (£20) for most visitors
- Getting around
- On foot; GWR trains from London Paddington
Bath is a small Georgian city built around hot springs that the Romans turned into a temple and bathing complex, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage city. It works as a day trip from London, but it rewards a night: the Roman Baths and the Abbey fill the day, and the rooftop pool at Thermae Bath Spa is at its best after dark. The trip comes down to three choices: whether you come for the Christmas Market, which day of the week you visit (weekend tickets cost more), and whether you stay over. Dates and prices below were checked on 10 October 2026.
When is the best time to visit Bath?
May to September has the longest days and the most sunshine. Late November to mid-December is the Christmas Market season, the main reason to come in winter.
| Month | Average high / low (°C) | Rain days (≥1 mm) | Sunshine (hours a month) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 11.2 / 4.9 | 13.7 | 67 | Christmas Market opens 26 November |
| December | 8.5 / 2.5 | 13.6 | 51 | Market until 13 December; wettest month (91 mm) |
| January | 8.0 / 2.2 | 13.2 | 56 | Quiet streets, cheaper weekday tickets |
| February | 8.5 / 2.2 | 10.8 | 68 | Museums and an evening at the spa |
| May | 17.1 / 7.8 | 10.0 | 197 | Long, bright days |
| July | 21.8 / 12.7 | 9.7 | 211 | Warmest and sunniest month |
| October | 14.9 / 7.9 | 12.2 | 104 | Autumn colour, before the market |
Figures are the Met Office’s 1991-2020 normals for its Bath climate station at Beechen Cliff School. Bath gets about 830 mm of rain a year over around 133 rainy days, and December and January each average about 8 days of air frost, so expect cold mornings but daytime temperatures above freezing. Waterproof shoes matter more than a heavy coat, and our best travel umbrellas guide covers the compact, windproof kind. For how Bath fits into a wider trip, see our UK travel guide.
Bath Christmas Market 2026: dates and what is on
Bath & North East Somerset Council runs the market, which started in 2001 with a group of local businesses and artisans.
- Dates: Thursday 26 November to Sunday 13 December 2026, inclusive.
- Opening hours: Monday to Wednesday 10am to 7pm, Thursday to Saturday 10am to 8pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm.
- Size: over 180 chalets across the city centre, including Bath Street, Union Street and the Abbey Quarter, with over 250 traders from the South West and beyond, spanning from Abbeygate Street in the south to Milsom Street in the north.
- Entry: free and open-air. You pay per stall.
Go for the handmade gifts, the hot food and the lights on the Georgian streets around the Abbey. The market closes on 13 December, much earlier than most, so it suits a late-November or early-December trip. Weekday afternoons are calmer than Saturdays. Comparing Bath with other markets? See our Christmas markets in Europe 2026 guide, Manchester’s markets, which run to 22 December, and Christmas markets by train.
Where should you stay in Bath?
The centre is compact and walkable, so choose by atmosphere, hills and price.
| Area | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| City centre (Abbey, Stall Street, Milsom Street) | Walking to the Roman Baths, the spa and every market chalet | The priciest rooms on market weekends |
| Near Bath Spa station and Southgate | Arriving by train, shops, an easy walk to everything | Busier, more functional streets |
| Royal Crescent and The Circus (upper town) | Georgian architecture, quieter evenings | A steep walk back up from the centre |
| Bathwick and Great Pulteney Street | Grand terraces across Pulteney Bridge, calmer nights | A longer walk to the Abbey and the market |
For the Christmas Market, stay in the centre or near the station and you can skip the car entirely. Market weekends fill central hotels first, so book early if your dates overlap. Compare Bath hotel prices for your dates .
How do you get to and around Bath?
Bath has no airport of its own: London by train or Bristol Airport by bus are the usual ways in, and the centre is best on foot.
What should you not miss in Bath?
| Sight | Entry (adult, 2026) | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Roman Baths | £23.50 weekdays, £26.50 weekends (1 Nov to 18 Dec, booked ahead) | £2 more on the day; audioguide included in 13 languages |
| Thermae Bath Spa | £44 weekdays, £49 weekends for 2 hours | Ages 16 and over; go after dark for the rooftop pool |
| Bath Abbey | £9 (students £7.50, children 5 to 15 £5) | Tower tours climb 212 steps in about an hour, Monday to Saturday |
| No. 1 Royal Crescent | £16, under-18s free with an adult | Closed Mondays, 16 to 28 November and 25 to 26 December 2026 |
| Royal Crescent, The Circus, Pulteney Bridge | Free | Walk the Georgian loop in under an hour |
The Roman Baths are the reason Bath exists: the Great Bath, the Sacred Spring where hot water still rises, and the temple of Sulis Minerva, with the gilt bronze head of the goddess in the museum. Autumn opening is 9am to 6pm daily (last admission 5pm). The site closes on 25 and 26 December, closes early on 24 December (last entry 4.15pm) and opens at 10am on 1 January. A one-hour shared guided tour costs £8 on top of admission.
Thermae Bath Spa is the place to bathe in the same mineral-rich spring water. The Thermae Welcome session covers the open-air rooftop pool with views over the city, the Minerva Bath and the Wellness Suite with steam rooms, plus towels and robes. The spa opens 9am to 9.30pm (pools close at 9pm) and closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Book ahead: walk-in places are not guaranteed.
Bath Abbey opens Monday to Friday 10am to 5.30pm, Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday 1pm to 3.30pm. Tower tour prices are given at booking.
For food, book a Jane Austen afternoon tea in the Georgian Pump Room next to the Roman Baths, or graze the hot food stalls at the Christmas Market. Wrap up with a riverside walk below Pulteney Bridge and the weir.
Day trips from Bath
- Bristol: a short train ride west, for the harbourside, the SS Great Britain and Clifton Suspension Bridge.
- Stonehenge and the Cotswolds: easiest by organised tour or hire car in winter, when daylight is short.
- London: better as its own trip. See our London guide, or head north to Edinburgh for Hogmanay.
How many days do you need in Bath?
One full day covers the Roman Baths, the Abbey, Pulteney Bridge and the Royal Crescent, which is why so many visitors come from London on a day trip. Stay two days if you want an evening session at Thermae Bath Spa, No. 1 Royal Crescent and an unhurried visit to the Christmas Market.
What goes wrong in Bath?
- Turning up without a Roman Baths booking. Advance tickets are £2 cheaper and secure your entry time.
- Bringing under-16s to Thermae Bath Spa. The minimum age is 16, with proof of age required.
- Planning the market for Christmas week. The 2026 market closes on 13 December.
- Visiting No. 1 Royal Crescent on a Monday or in late November. It is closed Mondays (outside school and bank holidays) and from 16 to 28 November 2026.
- Forgetting the ETA. Most visitors need one before they travel.
Sources
Dates, prices and climate figures on this page were checked on 10 October 2026 against Bath Christmas Market (Bath & North East Somerset Council), the Roman Baths, Thermae Bath Spa, the Met Office, Great Western Railway, First Bus, Bath Abbey, No. 1 Royal Crescent and GOV.UK. The full list is in the sources box on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Bath Christmas Market in 2026?
Bath Christmas Market runs from Thursday 26 November to Sunday 13 December 2026. It opens from 10am to 7pm Monday to Wednesday, 10am to 8pm Thursday to Saturday and 10am to 6pm on Sunday. Entry is free, and over 180 chalets spread across the city centre, including Bath Street, Union Street and the Abbey Quarter.
How much are Roman Baths tickets?
Booked in advance for 1 November to 18 December 2026, an adult ticket costs £23.50 on weekdays and £26.50 at weekends, and a child (6 to 18) £16.50 or £19.50. Tickets bought on the day cost £2 more. The audioguide is included, and a one-hour guided tour costs £8 extra per person.
How much does Thermae Bath Spa cost, and is there an age limit?
A two-hour Thermae Welcome session costs £44 on weekdays and £49 at weekends. It includes the open-air rooftop pool, the Minerva Bath, the Wellness Suite with steam rooms, and towels and robes. The minimum age is 16 (18 for treatments), proof of age is required, and booking ahead is recommended because walk-in places are not guaranteed.
How do I get from London to Bath?
Great Western Railway runs direct trains from London Paddington to Bath Spa. GWR says the journey takes around 1 hour 20 minutes, with the fastest service at 1 hour 19 minutes, and around 72 trains run on an average weekday, so departures are roughly every 30 minutes. Bath Spa station is a short walk from the Roman Baths and the Christmas Market.
What is the weather like in Bath in winter?
Cool and damp rather than freezing. The Met Office’s 1991-2020 normals for Bath give December highs of about 8.5°C and lows of about 2.5°C, with around 14 days of rain, 91 mm in the month and only about 51 hours of sunshine. January is similar, with highs near 8°C and about 8 days of air frost.
How many days do you need in Bath?
One full day covers the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, Pulteney Bridge and the Royal Crescent, which is why many visitors come on a day trip from London. Two days lets you add an evening session at Thermae Bath Spa, No. 1 Royal Crescent and an unhurried Christmas Market visit, or a day trip to Bristol.
Start planning your Bath trip
If you are coming by train from London, you only need a room, and a weekday visit saves on Roman Baths and spa tickets. If you are flying in, compare dates in late November and early December, when the market is open.
Find cheap flights to Bristol for Bath | Compare Bath hotel prices
Planning a wider winter trip? See where to go in November, where to go in December and the hotels hub.
