24402BRI
opening days/times, entrance fees, etc. listed on yellow pages
City sightseeing with TM.
There are restrictions on coach access to certain parts of the city. Private Hire coaches are not allowed to use Pulteney Bridge. Coming from London follow the Pulteney Road (A36) South and use North Parade (Good view of Pulteney Bridge rhs) to get into the city centre. Discuss with your driver the route you’d like to take. Do your panoramic of the city first, doing your best to cover as many of the sites below, traffic and restrictions allowing:
- Pulteney Bridge
- The Abbey
- The Assembly Rooms
- The Circus
- View of Royal Crescent (from Royal Avenue across Victoria Park)
- Queen Square
NB
- Entrances are paid by voucher
- Confirm visits in advance & ask about special events, closed areas of sites etc.
• The central Bath Coach drop off is situated outside THE ABBEY HOTEL, North Parade, BA1 1LF. There are also bays on Terrace Walk.
From here, it’s a short walk to the Abbey and the Roman Baths. (The original parking spot is now for taxis only).
- No chewing gum allowed in Roman Baths museum
- Each individual will receive an electronic walking guide which has to be returned.
Roman Baths Museum (Admission by voucher)
Drop group in lay by on either North Parade or Terrace Walk. This will be your meeting point. Impress on group that they must be on time as coaches are not able to wait. Walk them past Abbey to the museum. Different timed entrance queues outside. You alert museum staff and pay the entrance by voucher. Teachers will be asked to wear a hi-vis jacket to identify that they are responsible for an educational group. Individual tickets then handed out, group receive brief welcome chat from staff and barcode on ticket is scanned before collecting audio guides. The museum is self-guiding. Post pandemic very strict on timings. Only allowed to join the queue 15 minutes before booked time. If you miss your time inform Museum security staff who will inform you what options are available.
Facilities in the Museum Buildings
Audio handsets distributed by staff – these are interesting, easy to use, not essential, but worth using.
The Pump Rooms – taste the spa water, small charge and sample the delicious cakes (esp. the famous Bath Bun) and tea in this elegant café. There is more often than not a chamber ensemble playing.
Toilets – gents to the left of main entrance and down stairs and ladies to the right. Inform steward on your way in. Next toilets are not for a while.
Shop and Toilets are at the conclusion of the visit.
Ensure group is aware that once they have left the museum, they are unable to re-enter. The exit from the Baths is on Stall Street. They then have free time in the city for lunch/shopping
Facilities/places of interest in city
Bureau de change – Marks and Spencer (Stall Street) is left at the arcade. Post Office 6, Union Street.
Cash-points – bottom of High St. (across from the Abbey), Union St and on Bath Street, opposite Roman Baths shop exit.
Abbey – worth looking inside, small fee, fab vaulted ceiling.
Sally Lunn’s – One of Bath’s oldest buildings, home to the Sally Lunn Bun.
Assembly Rooms/Museum of Costume – museum not great shakes, but the architecture is superb and atmospheric.
The Royal Crescent & the Circus – for a closer look at the architecture.
Shopping – good mix of high street, gift and souvenir stores.
