BATH

It’s the history that draws most visitors to Bath — be it the city’s Roman baths or the buildings of the golden-hued Georgian era. But venture beyond the best-known attractions and you’ll find proudly independent shops and top-quality food and drink. And, thanks to its river and canal, Bath offers a wealth of waterborne activities, too.

A saunter. Here, sells refreshments between magnolia boughs. Next to the gardens, in the northwest corner of Royal Victoria Park, the has a walkway among majestic redwoods and conifers. Nearby, behind the sweeping arc of the Royal Crescent, is a quaint shopping parade that’s worth a potter: browse for jewellery and ceramics, then step back in time at , which sells wine, tea, spices and furniture, and recently had its 19th-century shop counters splendidly restored. Also worth admiring are the majestic sweeps of and (the latter offers views across the city).