Bath, Roman baths and Georgian stone.

Bath is a small city in the west of England that was built twice: first by the Romans, who raised baths over the hot spring, and then in the 18th century, when taking the waters became fashionable and it filled with squares, crescents and avenues of honey-coloured stone. The whole city is a World Heritage Site. From London it is 1 hr 20 by train, so you can see it in a day, although a night lets you bathe on the rooftop after dark and leaves another day for Stonehenge.

How do you get there from London?

By train from Paddington. Great Western Railway takes around 1 hr 20, with trains almost every half hour. Bath Spa station is south of the centre: the Roman Baths and the abbey are five minutes away on foot. Book ahead if you want a low fare; a same-day peak-time ticket is expensive.

By car, it is about 185 km on the M4, around two and a half hours from central London without traffic. Bath has a narrow centre and parking is expensive: leave the car in a public car park such as Southgate, or in the park-and-ride sites on the outskirts.

From Spain, straight to Bristol. If you are only going to Bath and the west, Bristol airport, with direct flights from several Spanish cities, is much closer than London.

What to see in a day

Start first thing at the Roman Baths, with a ticket bought for the first slot: with fewer people, the Great Bath looks as it should. When you come out, the abbey is next door; if you like heights, book the tower tour. Mid-morning at Sally Lunn's to try its bun.

In the afternoon, walk up Gay Street and The Circus to the Royal Crescent and go into No. 1, a furnished Georgian house. Go down by the river to Pulteney Bridge. Finish at Thermae Bath Spa, in the hot water of the rooftop pool as the lights come on.

And Stonehenge?

Stonehenge is a good hour from Bath by road and difficult to reach independently without a car. The practical option is a small-group day trip, such as those run by Mad Max Tours, which combine Stonehenge with the Avebury circle and the villages of Castle Combe and Lacock, from £65. By car, buy your English Heritage ticket online the day before.

When to go

Bath works all year round. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant months for walking. In summer there are queues at the baths and it is best to buy a timed ticket. In late November and in December there is a Christmas market and plenty of people at weekends. In the cold, the rooftop bath is even better.