Not to miss

Bath Abbey

Bath Abbey was built between 1499 and 1616, making it the last great medieval church raised in England. The nave's wonderful fan vaulting was erected in the 19th century. The most striking feature of the abbey's exterior is the west facade, where angels climb up and down stone ladders, commemorating a dream of the founder, Bishop Oliver King.

The abbey boasts the second largest collection of wall monuments after Westminster Abbey. Among those buried here are Sir Isaac Pitman, who devised the Pitman method of shorthand, and Beau Nash. Also worth a look are the choir stalls, carved with mythical beasts.

On the abbey's southern side, steps lead down to the small Heritage Vaults Museum which explores the abbey's history and its links with the nearby baths. It also contains fine stone bosses, archeological artefacts and a weird model of the 10th-century monk Aelfric, dressed in his traditional black Benedictine habit.

Jane Austen Centre

Though Bath only features in two Jane Austen novels (Persuasion and Northanger Abbey), for many people the city is the quintessential Austenesque setting, the perfect place for dashing young beaus to sweep retiring young dilettantes off their feet. Austen lived in the city from 1801 to 1806, residing at various houses including No 4 Sydney Pl (marked by a blue plaque opposite the Holburne Museum).

The Jane Austen Centre explores the author's connections with the city through costumed guides, pictorial prints and Austen-themed exhibits - there's even a Regency tearoom and a gift shop stocked with lace parasols. But sorry ladies - no sign of Mr Darcy…

Roman Baths Museum

The Roman Baths Museum is one of England's most popular attractions and can be overrun in summer. Ideally, visit early on a midweek morning and allow at least an hour to fully appreciate it. The monumental remains are some of the best preserved in Britain.

Your first sight is that of the Great Bath from the Victorian gallery terrace. Head down to water level and along the raised walkway to see the Roman paving and lead base. A series of excavated passages and chambers beneath street level lead off in several directions and let you inspect the remains of other smaller baths and hypocaust (heating) systems, while an audio guide explains the details. One of the most picturesque corners of the complex is the 12th-century King's Bath, built around the original sacred spring; 1.5 million litres of hot water still pour into the pool every day. You can see the ruins of the vast 2000-year-old Temple of Sulis-Minerva under the Pump Room, and recent excavations of the East Baths give an insight into its 4th-century form.

Head outside to Bath St and note the convenient arcading constructed so bathers could walk between the town's three sets of baths without getting wet. At the end of Bath St stands the Cross Bath where Mary of Modena, wife of James II, erected a cross in gratitude for her pregnancy in 1688. Opposite is the Hot Bath, the third bath built over Bath's hot springs. These two historic sites have been restored and, together with the Hetling Pump Room, are now part of the Thermae Bath Spa (Tel: 331234; www.thermaebathspa.com; Hot Bath St). Massively over budget and beset by legal problems, Bath's privately run and superbly designed complex finally opened in August 2006. The facilities are wonderful but demand is intense so be patient if you would like to indulge.