The simple answer: book the Roman Baths (from about £27.50) if you want the history and the spectacle, and Thermae Bath Spa (from about £42.50) if you want to actually bathe in the warm thermal water. They're fed by the same springs and sit a couple of minutes apart, but one is a museum you look at and the other is a spa you get into. Many people do both.
This is the most common question we get about Bath, so here's the honest breakdown.
Side by side
| Roman Baths | Thermae Bath Spa | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Historic site and museum | Modern working spa |
| Can you bathe? | No, viewing only | Yes, that's the point |
| From price | About £27.50 (adult, off-peak online) | About £42.50 (2-hour session, weekday) |
| Time needed | About 2 hours | 2 hours (session length) |
| Highlight | The Great Bath, temple and museum | The open-air rooftop pool |
| Best for | History, architecture, a first visit | Relaxation, a treat, a soak |
Prices checked August 2026; both use variable pricing, so weekends and peak slots cost more.
Choose the Roman Baths if...
You want to understand Bath. It's one of the best-preserved Roman sites in northern Europe, with the steaming Great Bath, the temple, the sacred spring and a genuinely good (free) audio guide. You look, you don't swim, and at the end you can taste the warm spa water in the Pump Room. Best booked for the earliest morning slot, when it's cheapest and quietest.
Choose Thermae Bath Spa if...
You want to relax in the water rather than read about it. A two-hour session gets you the naturally warm mineral pools and, above all, the open-air rooftop pool with its view over the Abbey and the rooftops. It's a spa, so it's calm and unhurried. Bring a costume; robe and towel are included.
Or do both
They complement each other neatly, and plenty of people spend a morning at the Roman Baths for the history, then a late-afternoon or twilight session at Thermae to actually soak. If you're in Bath for a weekend, that's a very good use of a day. See our Bath in one weekend plan for how it fits.
The honest alternative
If budget is tight, you don't strictly need either to enjoy Bath: the Georgian architecture, Pulteney Bridge and the Skyline walk are free. But if you're choosing one paid experience, pick by the single question, do you want to look at history or sit in warm water? That answers it for most people.
FAQs
What is the difference between the Roman Baths and Thermae Bath Spa?
The Roman Baths is a historic museum where you view the ancient baths but cannot enter the water. Thermae Bath Spa is a modern spa a couple of minutes away where you bathe in the same thermal water, including an open-air rooftop pool. Same springs, different experiences.
Can you swim in the Roman Baths?
No. The Roman Baths is a museum and the water is untreated, so bathing isn't allowed. To bathe in Bath's thermal water, book Thermae Bath Spa instead.
Which is better value, the Roman Baths or Thermae?
It depends what you want. The Roman Baths (from about £27.50) is cheaper and gives you the history and audio guide; Thermae (from about £42.50) costs more but lets you actually bathe and use the rooftop pool. Neither is better value in the abstract, they're different things.
Should I do both the Roman Baths and Thermae Bath Spa?
If you have the time and budget, yes, they complement each other well: the Baths in the morning for the history, Thermae later to relax in the water. Many visitors do exactly this over a day.