If a tour is not offered at at time you want, this is generally because we are not able to operate tours at those times. This could be for one of a number of reasons:
Sundays & Evenings
At these times our suppliers have limited opening hours, and some are closed. However, we may be able to offer Private Tours at these times.
Lunchtime Rush
Many of our suppliers are not able to accommodate us during peak retail periods due to limited space. To allow for this, morning tours finish by 12:45pm, and afternoon tours start no earlier than 1:30pm.
Lead time
All tours are taken off sale 2 days before they operate to allow us time to book all the suppliers for your tour. We recommend completing your booking by a minimum of 2 days prior to the tour to avoid disappointment.
Use the calendar on our Tour Schedule page to check which tours are operating on the date you require. Once you’ve found the tour and/or date you require, you’ll see below the name of the tour how many places are remaining.
Our scheduled tours are all of 3 hours duration. Gin Tasting events all last between 1 hour and 1.5 hours. Our private tours are all bespoke to your needs so can be longer or shorter but we normally recommend a duration of 3 hours.
You’ll fine the duration of each scheduled tour is listed against the tour description – visit our Food & Drink Tours page now to select a tour and find out more.
Each tour starts from a different location which is within a 10-15 min walk from Bath Spa train station, Bath Abbey or the Roman Baths Museum. You’ll received detailed information about your tour in a tour confirmation email we’ll send you once you’ve completed your booking. This includes the starting location of the tour (address, postcode, and a what3words link) so you can see precisely where to meet your guide, using a map on your smart phone.
All our tours are walking tours, and all take place in central Bath. The maximum distance you’ll walk on any tour is approximately 1.5 miles over 3 hours, but most tours cover a distance of 1 mile or less. There are lots of stops throughout the tours, including some where you’ll have the chance to sit.
The routes for each of our scheduled tours are predetermined. If you have concerns about the amount of walking involved, we recommend booking a private tour which can be tailored to your needs.
The commentary on each tour is primarily focussed on the food you’ll be sampling and the independent businesses you’ll visit. However, our guides are passionate about Bath and the city’s unique history and culture, so anecdotal stories of Bath’s history will be included too. As we only operate tours for small groups, it’s easy for our guides to chat informally and answer your questions, so don’t be afraid to ask anything you want about the city and the places you’ll be seeing. We’ll also chat about a large range of the city’s food, drink, and retail outlets so you get to hear all our personal recommendations.
We take Special Dietary Requirements very seriously and we will request information from you regarding this during the booking process. We need a minimum of one week’s notice in order to confirm options with our suppliers. However, we are sadly not able to accommodate any special dietary requirements on our “Gin Tasting Masterclass”.
Vegetarian and pescatarian diets are easily catered for on our sampling tours, as long as you tell us during the booking process. However, if you require entirely gluten-free, or dairy/lactose-free products, or if you follow an entirely plant-based diet, you will not get the best value from our scheduled tours and we will sadly not be able to accommodate your needs at each visit during your tour.
We are also not able to accommodate severe allergies and intolerances such as milk protein allergy, severe nut allergies, or anything else which is likely to lead to an extreme physiological reaction. If you suffer from a severe allergy or if you are allergic/intolerant to 3 or more products, we do not recommend booking a tour with us.
If you are joining a private tour, please speak to the person who has booked your tour with us, to ensure they have informed us about your dietary needs.
You’ll find more information listed in each tour description regarding special dietary needs, and in our our Special Dietary Requirements Policy but please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions or concerns.
First you need to decide when you want to join a tour! Visit our Tour Schedule page to click the date you require from the calendar. This will show which tours are operating on that date. You can then select the tour of your choice which will take you through our booking process.
You will the find frequency of tours listed on each tours’ page, and a ‘Book Now’ button which you can also use to access the booking process.
Once you have completed your booking you will receive an automated confirmation by email, detailing all the information you need for the tour. You will also receive a reminder email around 2-3 days before the tour.
To book a private tour with us, please use our contact form to provide your date & time requirements, and how many people you’d like to bring. We’ll then get back to you asap, to confirm availability and a full quote.
Sadly not. We have to book and pay for all visits and samples for your tour several days (sometimes weeks) in advance, so last minute arrivals can’t be accommodated. Tickets are only available to book up to 2 days in advance at the latest and we are not able to accommodate anyone who arrives for a tour without a pre-booked ticket for that time slot.
Yes!… a broad palette and a culinary sense of adventure!
A decent pair of shoes helps as we’ll be walking around central Bath. Otherwise there’s nothing else you’ll specifically need to bring!
No you don’t! All the food samples we’ll provide are included in the price you pay to join the tour. If you wish to make purchases with our suppliers, we can normally allow some time for this, but this is neither compulsory nor expected.
As a parting gift, we’ll also provide a map at the end of the tour so you can head back to any supplier you might wish to revisit. Always mention that you previously visited with a Savouring Bath tour and you’ll be sure of a lovely, friendly welcome!
We automatically send your booking confirmation within a maximum of 2-3 mins after you have completed your booking. If you can’t find your confirmation in your inbox or spam/junk folder please contact us as soon as possible by emailing hello@savouringbath.com to let us know. Please ensure you provide a contact phone number, and we’ll do all we can to get in touch with you!
In order to ensure we get the best visits and food options for you on our tours, we book and pay for all your samples in advance of your tour. This means we are only able to make refunds under certain conditions. If you wish to cancel a scheduled tour more than 1 week in advance, or a private tour more than 1 month in advance, then we are able to make partial refunds. Please check our Booking Terms for full details.
If you don’t show up for your tour, we’ll try to call you to ensure you’re on your way and that you’re not struggling to find us, so if you know you’re not going to make it on time, we’d be grateful if you could let us know by emailing hello@savouringbath.com. Refunds are not available if you don’t arrive on time for the tour you booked, or if you arrive at a time/date different to that shown on your confirmation.
Bath is an old city with limited accessibility considerations in many areas and buildings where our tours take place (e.g. few venues have flat access). All our tours and activities involve moving through the city centre area, so participants with walking difficulties or impaired mobility may struggle to get the best out of the tour. But we will always do our best by planning ahead to make your tour as easy as possible, as long as we know your needs in advance.
The maximum walking distance between any 2 suppliers is currently ~300 yards. Though the average walking distance between most stops is about 100-200 yards. Many of our visits are not seated. If you struggle to walk this distance, or are unable to stand unaided for at least 15 minutes, you may want to discuss options with us before making your booking.
It is worth noting that we have had wheelchair users on our tours in the past and with advance notice, we have been able to tailor tours to their needs. We recommend that those with accessibility needs speak to us prior to booking a tour, to discuss options in detail (including whether a private or scheduled tour would work best for you).
We want our tours to be as accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of mobility issues. If you would like to discuss your accessibility requirements with us, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
We love to welcome children aged 8+ accompanied by a responsible adult on any of our weekly scheduled tours. However, please consider carefully before booking. Our tours are best enjoyed by those with a broad palette who are willing to taste something new, and have an interest in artisan businesses and local history. All the venues we visit on our scheduled tours admit children when accompanied by an adult.
Please note that because all samples and visits are all booked and paid for in advance of the tour, we cannot accommodate last minute dietary or preference requests
Special rates for children are not available and as we provide only samples and not large portions, food quantities cannot be changed based on a participants age or preference.
Anyone without a pre-booked ticket for the tour will be turned away – this includes young children or anyone not intending to consume samples. Always contact us if you have any questions or concerns even if it’s at the last minute.
Strollers are not permitted on any of our scheduled tours due to space and access limitations. Sadly this means that toddlers and babies will have to wait a few years before they can join us!
However, if you wish to bring children aged under 8, or more than 3 children in any group, please get in touch to discuss booking a private tour so that we can cater accordingly and ensure everyone has the best experience possible!
The overwhelming feedback we’ve had from visitors who’ve taken our tours since 2016, is that the element of surprise is one of the most fun parts of the tour!… so we made a very conscious decision to never advertise detail of specific samples included on any tour. However, the imagery across our website gives an idea of some of the samples which may be included. Not detailing samples on any tour also gives us the opportunity to regularly engage any new businesses opening in the city, to ensure we provide the best range of samples and best artisans the city has to offer, at the time you join your tour.
If you need to know what samples are included, or if you are concerned that there is something you are not going to like, or can’t eat, we recommend you get in touch to discuss this with us. We recommend our tours only for people who have a broad palette and a culinary sense of adventure. If you need lots of details about samples (for any reason) before you join the tour, we are likely to recommend that you may not get the best value from our tours, or that you book a private tour. Private tours include a bespoke itinerary which we will create, based on your preferences and answers to questions we’ll ask when you make your initial enquiry with us.
