Bath

Georgian crescents sweep around green squares in perfect honey-coloured limestone. This is Bath at its most refined - a city that feels like an entire Georgian town planning dream made real. The Romans started things off with their hot springs, but it's the 18th-century architecture that really steals the show.

Wandering through Queen Square, past its distinctive obelisk, you'll understand why UNESCO made the whole place a World Heritage Site. The Assembly Rooms and Fashion Museum gives you the full Jane Austen experience - this is where Regency society came to see and be seen. For something completely different, hunt down the oldest house in Bath, tucked away from the grand terraces.

Evenings mean proper entertainment. The Everyman Cinema does things with style, while the Odeon keeps things classic. Between film screenings, you might stumble across Rebecca Fountain or catch the Resurrection of Christ gallery during a quiet afternoon.

The surrounding countryside rolls away in gentle Somerset hills. Getting here couldn't be easier - Bath Spa station connects you to London in 90 minutes, Bristol in 15. The city sits in a bowl of hills, which means those Georgian terraces climbing the slopes offer cracking views back across the valley.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. Bath Mill Lodge Retreat puts you right on the doorstep, while spots like Widbrook Barns and Glamping on the Hill give you countryside peace with easy access. You'll avoid the city centre parking nightmare and still be minutes from those famous Roman Baths. The combination works brilliantly - wake up in green fields, spend your day exploring 2,000 years of history.