The City of Bath – my nearest WHS – is really two significant cities, one on top of the other (perhaps a bit like Aquileia). It have been there several times, including in May 2014 and July 2015. Bath is notable as both a Roman town “amongst the most famous and important Roman remains north of the Alps” and as a triumph of Georgian town planning.

Among the artifacts discovered in Bath is a fierce-looking carving that stood over the entrance. Archaeologists don’t agree on whom it is meant to depict – with snakes for hair it resembles a gorgon, except for the fact that gorgons were always female, and this face is clearly a man’s.

In addition to the bathhouse, Bath is famed for its consistent and extensive Georgian architectural style. This was the pet project of three 18th century architects under George III who set out to create in England one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. We crossed the river Avon, where a boat appeared to have taken a wrong turning, and walked up the impressive Great Pulteney Street toward Sydney Gardens.

I returned Bath the following summer. This time we went inside the preserved house, Number 1 Royal Crescent. It is a well-kept Georgian house with three stories and a prime position on the crescent, giving it an enviable view.