Veni vidi vici: Verulamium. Families may come for the schools (three secondaries rated outstanding) and the rail links (21 minutes to London St Pancras), but once they have seen the perfectly formed mini-cathedral city packed with history, green spaces and social events, they are won over. St Albans is a classy, community-minded contrast to the blandness of London’s commuter sprawl.
From the 37,000-strong Facebook group All Things St Albans to the blue plaques celebrating notable locals such as the physicist Stephen Hawking or the horticulturalist Frederick Sander — known as the “orchid king” — it’s clear that locals are proud of this special spot. The twice-weekly market has been running since the millennium before last yet it’s still where everyone comes for their fresh fish,