It’s guaranteed to be ‘flaming’ June at Bath’s premier tourist attraction. That’s the month which sees the Roman Baths extend its hours. It will stay open until 10pm every evening this summer, with a torch-lit offering for visitors a chance to soak up the special atmosphere around the Great Bath.
Torchlit Summer Evenings will run from 16 June to 31 August with the last admission at 9pm.
The historic site takes on a magical atmosphere once the daylight fades and the flickering torches are lit. Visitors can walk around the Great Bath where people bathed nearly 2,000 years ago, see the ruins of the Temple of Sulis Minerva where Roman worshippers gathered, and wander around the Roman Baths museum. Evening visitors will also benefit from reduced ticket prices after 5pm.
Last year, the series of late nights was extended by two weeks and attracted a record number of visitors, with 55,203 people visiting in the evening, up from approximately 40,000 in 2016 and 33,000 in 2015.
Comments in the visitor book included:
- Very romantic by torchlight and so much inspiring history. Brilliant, just brilliant.
- Sunday evening, fabulous! Not too crowded, atmospheric and great tour guide.
- Baths look beautiful at night and a fabulous tour.
Admission to the Roman Baths is free for Bath and North East Somerset residents with a Discovery Card, and last summer 1,171 people used their Discovery Cards to visit in the evening.
Councillor Paul Myers (Conservative Midsomer Norton Redfield), Cabinet Member for Economic and Community Regeneration, said: “Torchlit Summer Evenings are a wonderful opportunity to explore the Roman Baths by torchlight after the daytime crowds have gone. I hope that lots of residents will use their Discovery Cards again this year to experience an evening at the Roman Baths for free.”
The Pump Room restaurant will be open late for dinner and drinks, with live music every evening. Last orders 9pm. Please call 01225 444477 or email events.bath@searcys.co.uk to book. The Roman Baths Kitchen offers a more informal setting with alfresco dining. Reservations can be made on 01225 477877 or email rbk@searcys.co.uk.
The Roman Baths shop will stay open every day until 9.45pm.
Visitors can combine a visit to the Roman Baths with a breakfast, lunch or dinner package or a trip to nearby Thermae Bath Spa, where they can bathe overlooking the twinkling lights of the city as the sun goes down.
The following packages are available:
Sunrise Breakfast and Tour
Enjoy breakfast (with coffee and orange juice) from the Sunrise Breakfast menu at the Roman Baths Kitchen between 9am and 11am and then visit the Roman Baths. £28.50 per person
The Roman Baths Tour and Lunch
Choose a two-course lunch from the set lunch menu at the Roman Baths Kitchen between 12pm and 3pm and explore the Roman Baths. £31.50 per person
Torchlit Visit and Dinner
Visit the Roman Baths and enjoy a three-course evening meal at the Roman Baths Kitchen. £44 (excluding wine)
From Romans to Georgians
Experience a visit to the Roman Baths followed by an evening meal in the Georgian splendour of the Pump Room restaurant. Includes a drink while enjoying the Roman Baths, a glass of famous spa water and an indulgent four-course dinner with live music. £50 (excluding wine)
Spas Ancient and Modern
Combine a visit to the Roman Baths, including a Champagne Tea or three-course lunch at the Pump Room restaurant, with an evening at Thermae Bath Spa. Spa treatments can be booked as an optional extra. £84.50
All packages can be booked through Visit Bath on 01225 614 420 or https://visitbath.digitickets.co.uk/tickets.
