Themed Holidays

As such a beautiful city with a long history of the finer things in life such as food and art, Bath is an ideal venue for trying to pick up a new skill with a themed break.

COOKERY

Bath is home to Demuths, one of the country’s finest vegetarian restaurants. Its owner Rachel Demuth runs a Vegetarian Cookery School (tel: 01225 427938; www.vegetariancookeryschool.com) at Terrace Walk in the centre of Bath with views of the Abbey and a superb kitchen. There’s a varied selection of courses, for beginners or accomplished cooks, and a wide range of world foods to get your teeth into, such as Thai and Vietnamese, Indian, Moroccan, Mediterranean, Italian, Spanish and Middle Eastern.

Owned and run by French chef and baker, Richard Bertinet, the Bertinet Kitchen (tel: 01225 445531; www.thebertinetkitchen.com) offers a range of relaxed and fun courses for food-lovers of all abilities. Most popular are Bertinet’s breadmaking courses, based on his award-winning book Dough. You can even spend five days learning how to make bread the Bertinet way, and also find out how to make ice creams and sauces. There are classes where you can learn about knife skills and carving, pasta making or Indian street food and a pastry masterclass, as well as classes for kids. Bertinet’s book has sold over 100,000 copies and has been translated into seven languages.

PHOTOGRAPHY

With its stunning buildings and lovely countryside, Bath is a great place to hone your photographic skills. The Royal Photographic Society (tel: 01225 325733; www.rps.org), based at 122 Wells Road, offers workshops open to non-members. You can learn about studio portraiture, wedding photography, nature photography, Photoshop, and how to use a digital SLR camera. Alternatively, you can try Bath with Spirit photographic courses (www.capturethespirit.co.uk), run by one of the country’s leading location photographers. Neill Menneer will guide you around the city, showing you how to take more interesting pictures, and offering technical tips and practical advice. He also runs courses on studio portraits and Photoshop.

SPA

With its rejuvenating springs, Bath is the perfect place to go for a pampering spa break. Bath’s modern Thermae Bath Spa (tel: 01225 331234; www.thermaebathspa.com) offers a variety of relaxation packages, including a traditional full body massage to relieve everyday tension. Experience the warming Kraxen stove treatment and an Aromatic Moor Mud Wrap. Many hotels, such as Harington’s (for more information, click here), offer special deals combining a luxury stay with a relaxing session at the spa.