Bath day trip from London

I AM GOING TO BRITAIN FOR CHRISTMAS, TRAVELLING WITH MY PARTNER'S MUM WHO IS A SPRIGHTLY 78 YEARS YOUNG. WE ARE THINKING OF GOING TO AUSTRIA OR GERMANY TO VISIT THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS BEFORE THE UK FOR CHRISTMAS, SOMEWHERE A COUPLE OF HOURS OUT OF LONDON, WHICH WE WILL DRIVE TO. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS?

D. PASSMORE, HEATHCOTE

Bath would be my first choice. It's an easy drive from London, particularly if you're coming from Heathrow, and it's a really handsome city, a textbook study of the Georgian style with rewards on any number of levels. My personal list of favourites includes the Roman Baths, Royal Crescent, the Jane Austen Centre, the Victoria Gallery, Bath Abbey and Sally Lunn's Historic Eating House and Museum. Right on your doorstep you've got more stately houses and just to the north the picturebook villages and countryside of the Cotswolds. Bath is also a good base for exploring Glastonbury, Wells Cathedral, the Mendip Hills and Stratford-upon-Avon. There's plenty of choice of accommodation and the dining scene ranges from smart cafes to posh restaurants. Take a look at the Visit Bath website visitbath.co.uk for a detailed look at what the city has to offer.