A historical UK city has been crowned the world’s best place to travel this year – and surprisingly, it isn’t .

According to The Times’ annual ‘52 Places to Travel 2025’, has nabbed the number one spot, thanks to a special anniversary being celebrated by the city this year. Explaining their destination behind the choice, the NYT said: "Each year, the central question is, Why now? Why should a destination be included this year? Is there an exciting event? A big anniversary? New infrastructure, new flights, a new atmosphere?"

This year, Bath will celebrate the 250th birthday of its famed author, , who lived in the city from 1801 to 1806 and wrote many of her best-sellings novels there. Austen, who was born in Steventon, North Hampshire, used Bath – a popular spa resort at the time – as inspiration for her work, with both 'Persuasion' and 'Northanger Abbey' partly set in the ancient city.

The NYT says: "Jane Austen fans have a good reason to explore the southwest of England this year: It’s the 250th anniversary of her birth, and celebrations abound. was both Austen’s birthplace and a source of inspiration; as a novelist, she was most prolific in this bucolic setting."

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The city will host a number of events this year to mark the special occassion, including the Jane Austen Country Fair in July. Die hard fans of the novelist can also head to Jane Austen's House for more themed events, as well as a Grand Regency Costumed Promenade at the Jane Austen Center.

Two balls will be held in Bath over the summer, including a Persuasion ball on May 31 and a Sanditon ball on June 28, followed by a winter birthday ball on December 13. At the Theatre Royal Bath, historian Jane Worsley chat about her life and her novels, while a retelling of Pride and Prejudice will take place. And No. 8 College Street, where Jane Austen spent the final weeks of her life before she died there in July 1817, will also open its doors to the public for the first time.

Kathryn Davis, managing director of the tourism body Visit West, said Netflix hit Bridgerton sparked further interest in the regency era, bringing more people to Bath. She told The Times: “It’s brought a younger and more diverse audience to the city and the region."

Those looking for the best places to stay overnight in Bath might be intersted in No.15 by Guesthouse - a boutique chain set within one of the city's traditional Georgian townhouses, with more locations open in Brighton and York. Travellers could also opt for the revamped Francis Hotel, also set within a historical building with a recent £13million restoration.

Travel writer Jo Kessel, who recently took a Jane Austen themed trip to Bath, said: "The best place to start is Gay Street’s Jane Austen Centre, where I costumed actors from Sense And Sensibility and Persuasion showing me Empire Line gowns to try. Pride and Prejudice womaniser Mr Wickham also entered who despite being a cad, allowed to 'help' me with my outfits.

"We even played Spillikins, a game loved by Jane using matchsticks although was beaten by the actors easily. There are tourist trails around 4 Sydney Place — Austen’s former house as well as Sydney Gardens opposite, a park where Jane promenaded. In the Footsteps of Jane Austen is a free 90-minute audio walking tour which also hits up Royal Crescent, Gravel Walk and the Pump Room."