A PERFECT DAY

Do

The Royal Crescent

Built by John Wood the Younger from 1767 to 1775, when it overlooked fields, Bath’s most singularly impressive piece of architecture is, in fact, a half-ellipse, not a crescent. Its 30 houses are now mostly divided up into apartments – John Cleese owns one, and the crescent is popular with filmmakers and producers of TV period dramas, having featured in Persuasion and The Duchess. Take a look at No 1 Royal Crescent (no1royalcrescent.org.uk). Maintained by the Bath Preservation Trust, it is furnished in period style, and a major restoration project has reunited it with its original service wing.

Eat

Casanis

Soupe de poissons, magret, confit de canard, tarte aux pommes, tarte tatin... Casanis produces reliably good classic French dishes and serves them very properly, in pretty, elegant and intimate Georgian dining rooms. The chef, Laurent Couvreur, is from Provence – a giant vat of his grandmother’s vin d’orange sits on the bar – and his hospitable wife, Jill, looks after front of house. They live above the bistro. Dine downstairs for more atmosphere, upstairs for more space. 4 Saville Row (01225 780055; casanis.co.uk)

Drink

The Star Inn

The most enjoyable traditional pub in Bath can be found on the Paragon. You can expect cosy, panelled rooms, a “death row” bench inside the entrance for elderly regulars – and an absence of music or fruit machines. Try a pint of locally brewed Bellringer. On Thursday evenings, generous free nibbles (mostly cheeses) are laid out on the bar; the first Sunday of the month is quiz night. 23 The Vineyards (01225 425072; star-inn-bath.co.uk)