We’ll cut right to the chase - Bath is the most beautiful city in England. Disagree? Answers on a postcard are always appreciated, but it is hard to look past this Georgian beauty that has warranted UNESCO status all on its own. It isn’t all about the architecture though, as Bath has an energetic underbelly of creativity and cuisine that will impress even the most hard-nosed cynic, turning non-believers into obsessives after one meal or one sip of cider.

This is a famous city - the name suggests as much - and one that makes the most of its historic importance. It was once the epicentre of high society in England, a place where the rich came to frolic and meet new loves, be they acceptable or on the hush-hush, a city where people came from far and wide in search of something special, something more. Bath’s days as a trendsetter might be over, but it remains the sort of place where magic happens.

And plenty of magic has happened over the years, it only takes a cursory glance at the city’s buildings to understand that. Architecture takes on a whole new meaning in Bath, and you won’t find a more uniformly gorgeous setting in all of England. Roman and Georgian townhouses are everywhere, and just when you think you’ve found your favourite building a new one pops into view. The scary thing is that doesn’t come close to conveying how stunning this place is.

Add a swaggering collection of pubs and bars to go with the ever-increasing roster of cafes that blend well with the fantastic restaurants and you have one truly complete tourist destination. The Romans had the right idea when they built a social town around the country’s only hot springs, so here’s to the Romans…