Thermae Bath Spa

Thermae Bath Spa sits in the heart of Bath, a city built around Britain’s only naturally hot spring waters. The spa combines a modern glass-and-stone building with historic Georgian structures, all linked by walkways and terraces. Nearby stand the ancient Roman Baths and the Cross Bath, a Grade I listed Georgian pool. The New Royal Bath, designed by Grimshaw Architects, encloses two indoor thermal pools and a rooftop pool open to the sky. A separate Cross Bath holds one open-air thermal bath in its preserved Georgian setting. The spa’s waters have drawn visitors for centuries, from Roman engineers to 18th-century health seekers. After a 28-year closure caused by contamination fears, the spa reopened in 2006 thanks to a £45 million project funded by the Millennium Commission and local supporters. Its reopening brought back bathing to the hot springs, drawing an extra 260,000 visitors a year and adding £15 million to Bath’s economy. The project faced delays and legal disputes but finally delivered safe, modern spa facilities alongside historic spaces. Inside, visitors find two natural thermal baths, an open-air rooftop pool and an indoor pool fed by the spring. The wellness suite includes steam rooms, an ice chamber, an infrared sauna and a celestial relaxation room. Treatment rooms range from modern spaces to the 18th-century hot bath where water-based massage like Watsu is given. Outside, the glass cube building contrasts with nearby Georgian architecture, while terraces and walkways link the spa to the city’s historic baths. The rooftop pool offers views over Bath’s stone rooftops and spires.