A guide to Regency Bath on the anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth

It was January 1801 when Jane Austen moved to Bath. Considered a spinster at the grand age of 25, she followed her family as they left the countryside for the southwestern city, where her parents had married decades before. The move was, in hindsight, somewhat mistimed. Bath had been the beacon of high society in the 18th century, when it climbed the ranks as an elegant spa town, centred around hot springs and built up in Palladian fashion. By the time the Austens settled in, it was past its heyday. Seaside resorts like Brighton had come into vogue, and wellness retreats in northern Europe had grown more accessible.

Still, their arrival would have fallen in the swing of the ‘season’, or social calendar. Between October and June, Bath drew moneyed visitors from London and beyond, who rented flats for weeks on end to make the most of its events. A day might have started by ‘taking the waters’ — soaking in the Roman Baths, the city’s thermal complex. Afternoons were typically spent promenading along fashionable addresses like the Circus and Royal Crescent, or across Pulteney Bridge over the River Avon. There were plays on in theatres and balls held at the Assembly Rooms, where romance might be sparked mid-cotillion: step forward, turn back; see, be seen.

For many, this heritage remains a big draw. Bath has much going for it: its reputation as a health centre has spawned modern spas, and the uniform neo-classical architecture, built from honey-hued Bath stone, contributed to the city’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the only UK city to be listed in its entirety. The centre is walkable and community-focused, with independent hotels, shops spotlighting artisanal work and restaurants celebrating local produce. Yet Austen’s fans flock to see the sites associated with the author and the Regency era, be it her former residence or the streets featured in works like Persuasion and Northanger Abbey.

In 2025, these visitors will be well catered for as the city celebrates the 250th anniversary of her birth. The annual Jane Austen Festival will return with the usual parades, croquet games and sewing workshops in September, but there’ll be celebratory dances in summer and winter, too. Specialist operator Strictly Jane Austen Tours is offering five-night packages to mark the occasion; theatre companies will put on themed performances; and hotels are set to host special events for guests.

What would Jane Austen make of Bath’s claim to her legacy? Following her father’s death in 1805, her close family survived on strained finances; when they moved away in 1806, she wrote about ‘happy feelings of escape’. But the city, with its regimented social etiquette and class awareness, inspired her storylines for years to come. Anyone familiar with her novels will see it as a good enough match.

What to see & do

1. Get to know Jane Austen
Down the road from the author’s former residence, The Jane Austen Centre is a small museum dedicated to her life and legacy. Visits begin with an introduction to the Austen family by a costumed guide and continue through an exhibition housing memorabilia from the Regency period (1811-1820) and screen adaptations of her novels. Perhaps most interesting is the gallery wall, featuring Jane Austen’s only surviving portraits — and what’s believed to be her first piece of fan art.

2. Book a guided city tour
Strictly Jane Austen Tours runs private, two-and-a-half-hour themed walking tours for up to six people. While the focus is on the author, the outings introduce a full set of characters associated with Regency Bath, including architects John Wood the Elder and John Wood the Younger, who gave the city its unmistakable look, and Richard ‘Beau’ Nash, who pulled the strings of its social scene.

3. Learn about life in Georgian Bath
No.1 Royal Crescent is a townhouse-turned-museum decorated as it might have been in the 18th century, with original furniture ranging from a bureau bookcase to a wig-scratcher. The audio-visual visitor experience draws on passages from Austen novels to reveal what life was like for the family who lived here: in the withdrawing room, for example, visitors can listen to a narration of the dancing scene from Emma.

4. Go back to where it all started
It’s thanks to the hot springs that the city rose to prominence as a Regency spa town — and at the Roman Baths, visitors can watch the thermal waters bubble up in steaming pools. The bath house dates to around 70 CE, and its past is brought to life with holograms, actors in Roman costumes and historic accounts from those who once frequented it. Don’t leave without sipping the sulphur-smelling, rust-flavoured water from a fountain near the exit.

5. Take a walk
Jane Austen loved to escape to the countryside and was known to stroll to Beechen Cliff, a wooded hill a 20-minute walk south of the centre. At its top is the Alexandra Park viewpoint, which provides one of the most famous pulled-back views of the city. The route to reach it on foot includes a long, steep flight of steps known as Jacob’s Ladder; for something less strenuous, take the bus up and stroll around the 11-acre park.

6. Take the waters
Visitors can no longer soak in the Roman Baths, but they can reap the benefits of the city’s mineral-rich waters at Thermae Bath Spa. The undisputed highlight is the open-air rooftop pool, which hovers around a pleasant 33.5C and offers panoramic views of the city skyline, including the gothic tower of Bath Abbey. It can get busy; if possible, visit on a mid-week morning.

Where to shop

1. Always Sunday
This project began as a supper club with curated tablescapes, where everything on display was available to purchase. It’s since grown into a brand encompassing a homeware store, a pub and rooms around the city, all retaining a welcoming, in-the-know air. The store showcases artisanal items, many produced in the area, from pottery to table linen.

2. Topping & Company booksellers
You don’t need to be an Austen fan to go book-hunting in Bath — the city has a first-rate selection of independent stores. Topping & Company Booksellers, whose shelves are high enough to require sliding ladders, is a favourite. Book the ‘coffee with a bookseller’ service to get tailored recommendations over a hot drink, or pick up one of the wrapped titles by the till for a ‘blind date’ with a book.

3. Margaret’s Buildings
One of Bath’s most fashionable spots in Georgian times, this pedestrianised shopping strip is an elevated alternative to Walcot Street, the better-known artisanal quarter. It’s a top spot for interior stores and antique boutiques; highlights include Berdoulat and Bath Old Books.

Where to eat

1. Taylor’s Bagels
Siblings Natz and Kai Taylor might have taken a gamble when they opened a hole-in-the-wall bagel store on Walcot Street in their early 20s. Four years on, they operate three stores around Bath. Choose from classics (such as cream cheese and smoked salmon) or specialities (like barbecue pulled beef brisket, cheddar and mustard mayo), all hand-rolled and stacked high.

2. Oak
With fresh produce on sale by the entrance and wildflower garlands on the walls, this eco-minded, vegetarian restaurant looks every bit the part. The sharing platters change with the harvest; you might find courgette fritti with ajo blanco (a gazpacho-style almond soup), or ravioli with homemade ricotta, Old Winchester cheese and runner beans.

3. The Elder
The decor of The Elder is reminiscent of a hunting lodge, with mounted stag heads and equestrian paintings. It pairs nicely with the set menu, which features wild game and seasonal ingredients, from Cornish bass to Cotswold fallow venison, served across seven courses. Take your time with each — tables are reserved for the entire night.

Where to stay

1. Hill House
This guesthouse is as homely as they come. Visitors can browse a bookcase in the hallway, then sit back in one of six rooms, which have the sort of mix-and-match prints and bright colour palettes you might find at the home of an eccentric friend. The husband-and-wife team live on site and cook a classic British breakfast on the weekends, which is served around a communal table.

2. Eight
This B&B was named for the number of rooms in the townhouse in which it launched, but has since expanded into a second building around the corner. Now, options range from snug singles to spacious doubles with freestanding tubs. Take the few steps to Bath Abbey, then return for a drink at Eight’s basement bar, once a refectory for the monks.

3. The Gainsborough Bath Spa
This is the only hotel in Bath to have access to the city’s thermal waters, but there are extra reasons to book a stay in 2025. For six days in spring and autumn, guests can join special events, from a dance workshop to a day trip to Austen’s family home in Hampshire. Devotees can even hire Regency attire in advance.

Where to drink

1. The Bell Inn
When this live music pub on Walcot Street faced closure in 2013, 536 customers and workers rallied behind a community buyout scheme backed by stars like Robert Plant — at the time, the biggest pub buyout in Britain. It was a measure of the venue’s popularity, and little has changed since. Sit in the intimate indoor space or the spacious beer garden for local ales and free shows multiple nights a week.

2. The Hideout
Legend has it this bar was once a hangout for outlaws. The decor plays on the myth with touches like a piratical chest of pistols and empty bottles — a fun contrast to the menus styled like CD tracks and vinyl on the walls. Whisky is the speciality here; to help you choose from the 300-plus bottles, the staff will bring over options to ‘nose’.

3. Theatre Royal Bath
This is one of the UK’s oldest working theatres — and one of the finest in the South West. If visiting in April, catch a performance of Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), a comic retelling of the Austen classic. In June and July, keep an eye out for a season of productions directed by, or starring, Oscar-nominated actor Ralph Fiennes.

Explore like a local

1. Landrace
The word ‘landrace’ refers to wild, hyper-local crop varieties — a fitting name for this popular Walcot Street bakery. It produces all its flour with a custom-built mill, using wheat sourced from farmers experimenting with speciality grains south of the city. Grab one of their deliciously tangy sourdough loaves to go, or sit in the Upstairs bistro for ever-changing specials like homemade tagliatelle with Tuscan kale.

2. Bath Boating Station
Explore a two-mile section of the River Avon aboard a Thames skiff, a wooden canoe that’s been used for rowing on these waters since Victorian times. Bath Boating Station, a 20-minute walk north of the centre, rents out boats, some of which date from the 19th century. Afterwards, relax with a picnic on its riverfront lawn.

3. Sydney Gardens
This park is the oldest in the city, as well as the only remaining Georgian pleasure garden (designed for public entertainment) in the country. Its early patrons included Jane Austen, who lived directly opposite at 4 Sydney Place. Follow in her footsteps and stroll along the Kennet & Avon Canal, the city’s other waterway.