Britain is a place shaped by its heritage, and by the long-departed people who left their mark upon these relatively small but magical isles.

From the Romans to the Vikings, the druids to the Normans, examples of the people who invaded, settled, and lived upon the land across the centuries is still visible even to this day. Britain is packed with rich history no matter where you look, so much so that it can be right under your nose without you even realising it.

Ancient mystery

So much of the physical remains of those ancient Britons, the buildings, roads, jewellery and other day-to-day items, are well preserved and open to the public to see.

Take Stonehenge for example. Just under a couple of hours west of London, the world-famous Neolithic circle of stones has stood on Salisbury Plain for around 5,000 years in one form or another. It comes from a time when there were no written records to explain how or why the stones were erected, or who put them there in the first place, leading to speculation and gossip that has spanned the ensuing millennia. One thing is for certain however: it’s an awe-inspiring sight and one that simply has to be experienced in person. The feeling of your hair raising as you look upon the stones for the first time is a never-to-be-forgotten experience, one that you’ll share with centuries and centuries of people who have been in the presence of this ancient wonder.

Roman character

There are towns and cities forged long ago that still buzz with the character of those who laid down their first foundation stones centuries ago. Roman cities such as Chester, York and Bath are living examples of Roman ingenuity and style, where you can still witness first-hand just how impressive and advanced their culture was.

Bath, just over two and a half hours west of London, is one such city where the Romans really made their mark. Named after the bath spa that they built around the ancient springs, it’s a beautiful city that has drawn visitors to relax, refresh and revive themselves for over two thousand years. The Roman name for the city was Aquae Sulis (meaning ‘the waters of Sulis’), in recognition of both the hot springs and the ancient shrine that already stood there, dedicated to the Celtic goddess Sulis. The Romans created a major spa complex there, complete wth a temple of their own to the goddess Minerva, and from there the city grew into an impressive walled town.

The Roman Empire declined and fell, and over time the original bath complex fell into disrepair before disappearing completely. However, throughout the medieval period the baths were modified until they were finally housed in a grand Romanesque structure in the 18th Century. By then, the city of Bath had grown from its Roman roots to become a Georgian jewel of breathtakingly beautiful architecture, complete with an exquisite abbey, delightful gardens and the globally-renowned Royal Crescent. Bath today is a one-of-a-kind historic city that warmly welcomes visitors to soak up the past while enjoying the splendour of the present.

Stonehenge and Bath day trip from London

A coach day trip to Stonehenge and Bath gives you the opportunity to really lose yourself in the history of these two incredible tourist attractions. Readybus can take you from London to Stonehenge and then onto Bath and home again, all in the space of an enjoyable, leisurely day at a pace to suit you. From a range of pick-up points in central and west London, you’ll be transported by luxury air-conditioned coach to Stonehenge, where you’ll have around two hours to explore the famous World Heritage stone circle and enjoy the visitor centre and cafe.

Then it’s back to the comfort of the coach for an hour-long trip through beautiful countryside to the city of Bath, for three hours to spend breathing in the history, marvelling at the Roman Baths and architecture, and eating, drinking and shopping in style.

The tour is fully escorted throughout and entry to Stonehenge and the Roman Baths is included in your trip.

From Bath it’s then a leisurely journey back to London to round off an enjoyable day of sightseeing and memory-making. As trips back in time go, it’s hard to beat and it’s available to you courtesy of Readybus.

Our next coach trip to Stonehenge and Bath leaves London on Wednesday 4th of May.