This guide is for you if you are based in London and want Bath and a couple of Cotswold villages in one day. It covers the decisions to make before you book: which day of the week, which tickets to buy in advance, the travel permit most visitors now need, and whether to swap a village for Stonehenge.
Which day to pick
The day of the week matters more here than the month, because of Bath Abbey. On weekdays the abbey is open to visitors from 10am to 5.30pm, and on Saturdays until 6pm. On Sundays it opens only from 1pm to 3.30pm. Our time in the abbey and the old centre starts at about 11:30, so on a Sunday you would see it from the outside unless you change the order of the day with your driver. If going inside matters to you, choose Monday to Saturday. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing, and hours can change, so check the abbey's site before you go.
The Roman Baths are open every day of the year except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Outside the summer holidays they open from 9am to 6pm, and in high summer they stay open into the evening. Our arrival at about 09:45 falls inside those hours in every season. Ticket prices for the baths change with the time of year and between weekdays and weekends, which is another small reason to look at a weekday.
If you are travelling over Christmas, avoid 25 and 26 December for this day. The baths are shut, and the day would lose its main stop.
How the eleven hours are spent
You are collected from your hotel in central London at 07:00 and dropped back at about 18:00. The first stretch, out of London and west to Bath, takes most of the early morning. You are at the Roman Baths at around 09:45.
Bath takes the late morning: the baths first, then the abbey beside them, lunch in the old centre, and a walk up to the Circus and the Royal Crescent. In the afternoon the day turns into the countryside, with Castle Combe at about 13:30 and Bibury at about 15:00, before the drive back to London.
Because the car is yours, the plan bends. You can stay longer in Bath and drop a village, or skip lunch in town for a longer walk. Tell your driver in the morning, so the afternoon can be arranged around it.
The price covers the vehicle, the driver, fuel and parking. Entrance to the Roman Baths, the abbey ticket and lunch are paid separately.
Bath, Stonehenge or both
Stonehenge is close to the road to Bath, and it can take the place of one of the villages. It adds about an hour to the day. Ask when you book, so the right timings go into the plan. If you have only one day outside London and the stones matter more to you than Bath, look instead at our Stonehenge and Oxford day, which puts the stones in the morning.
Castle Combe and Bibury are small villages in the countryside. Linking them with Bath and getting back to London the same evening is what a car makes simple. If Bath alone is what you want, you may prefer to go on your own and give the city the whole day. The price of the private day depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
What to book or bring
Start with your travel permission. Most visitors to the UK now need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) or a visa, depending on nationality. Every traveller needs one, babies and children included. Holders of a British or Irish passport do not. Apply through GOV.UK, and steer clear of websites that copy the look of government services and charge more.
Then the tickets:
- The Roman Baths. The baths ask visitors to book in advance to secure entry, and the advance rate is lower. Choose a time close to 09:45 and tell us when you book the tour.
- Bath Abbey. No booking is needed for a normal visit. Tickets are sold online or at the welcome desk. Groups of ten or more must book ahead.
- The abbey tower. Tower tours are booked separately and are not accessible to wheelchair users. Check the times against your morning before you buy.
And a few things for the bag:
- Comfortable shoes. The walk up to the Circus and the Royal Crescent is on foot, and so are the villages.
- A light waterproof. English weather changes over a day this long.
- Money or a card for lunch, coffee and the entrance tickets.
- A phone with charge, and your tickets saved on it.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits a first visit to England from London, a family, or a group of friends who want the old towns and the countryside without changing hotels. The vehicle is shared only among you, so the pace is yours.
Access at the main stops is better than many expect. The Roman Baths say the site is 90 per cent accessible to wheelchair users. They also offer quiet times and a quiet room for visitors with sensory needs, guides in British Sign Language and descriptive audio, tactile models and Braille panels. Carers come in free; to book a carer ticket, contact the baths' customer service team. At the abbey, the Discovery Centre is reached by lift, there is a level-access toilet, and carers of disabled visitors are admitted free.
Think twice in these cases:
- Your only free day is a Sunday and you want to go inside the abbey. Talk to us about changing the order, or come on a weekday.
- Children who dislike long drives. Several hours of the day are in the car. Our Windsor Castle tour is shorter and stays close to London.
- More than 16 of you. Two vehicles travel together on one booking. Message us with your numbers.
For a side-by-side look at all our days out of the city, see our guide to day trips from London.
Questions people ask
Is the spring water really still hot?
Yes. Water at 46°C rises at the Sacred Spring every day, more than a million litres of it, as it has for thousands of years. The steam over the Great Bath comes from it.
Can we stay on in Bath instead of coming back?
Yes. We can leave you in Bath and you make your own way on. A one-way day is priced differently, so message us before you book.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. The details are on our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Pick a weekday or a Saturday if you want the abbey, book the Roman Baths ahead, and decide whether Stonehenge should take a village's place. Then book the Bath and the Cotswolds private day trip from London and choose the size of your group.
