Discover the highlights of Bath this winter

There is a lot happening in Bath & beyond this Winter, from a Jane Austen Festival in September, Bath Christmas Market at the end of November and rejuvenating spa breaks in January, to romantic breaks in February. Find out about the 'Highlights' of the packed 2007/8 winter season by ordering your copy of the 'Winter Highlights' brochure, soon to be launched at Visitbath.co.uk/winter.

The beautiful UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath is starting to make its name as a destination synonymous with the festive season, and is certainly the best place in the UK to blow away those winter blues and indulge in a wonderful winter break.

A new ‘Winter Highlights’ brochure and website are packed with information to help you plan your break – be that a post school holiday break, a pre Christmas shopping expedition, a refreshing New Year spa break or a relaxing getaway in the romantic capital of South West England.

September and October are traditionally the ‘wind down’ period for holiday destinations after the buzz of the summer period. However, the festival season never stops in Bath, continuing throughout the autumn and winter months, so there is plenty still happening for those of you who prefer to holiday after the children are back at school.

Bath’s most famous resident, Jane Austen, is celebrated with her own festival (21 – 30 September), which will see a range of talks, events and concerts at various events throughout the city. Food lovers will be in their element during Bath Food and Drink Fortnight (22 September – 7 October), when many of the best restaurants in the area will be offering special menus and promotions, highlighting their use of the finest locally produced ingredients in the region.

Music fans will be enthralled and entertained by two months spent continuously celebrating the works of two of the worlds best loved composers – Bach throughout October, and Mozart throughout November.

Families are always welcome in Bath, and this year sees the fist ever Bath Festival of Children’s Literature (21 – 30 September), during which some of the biggest and most creative names from the world of children’s publishing will be hosting talks, discussions and readings which are great for the whole family.

Bath is the perfect place to get into the Christmas spirit and start to plan and prepare for the upcoming festivities. With over 40% independent retailers as well as a full complement of high street stores, a central railway station and aesthetically pleasing streets, shopping in Bath is always a pleasure.

The run up to the festive period is an even more special time for this most pleasurable past time, with the addition of Bath Christmas Market (29 November – 9 December), the largest outdoor festive market in the region. 123 traditional wooden chalets adorn the streets in the vicinity of the world renowned Roman Baths and Bath Abbey, with retailers selling everything imaginable for the perfect shopping experience – local and unique crafts, jewellery, clothing, accessories and decorations.

Street decorations, musicians, entertainers, a Victorian carousel and warming winter food and drink complement the experience, and no-one could fail to get into the Christmas spirit after a visit to Bath Christmas Market. The Winter Highlights brochure is the official guide to the Christmas Market and includes a full list of the stallholders along with a site plan to help you plan your shopping trip.

If you are hoping to surprise your loved one with a really special gift this Christmas, why not organise a break away to Bath in the New Year? It is easy to organise, with helpful advice from Bath Tourist Information’s online booking facilities at Visitbath.co.uk.

New Year is another perfect time for a relaxing break in Bath. Spend some time browsing the designer boutiques and independent shops for that bargain treat, then wind down and recharge in one of the city’s wonderful spas. There are three spa hotels in the city as well as Thermae Bath Spa, the modern spa complex right in the heart of the city’s shopping district, which utilises the city’s most important resource – its naturally warm spring water.

With a range of beauty treatments and complementary therapies, Thermae Bath Spa’s real ‘jewel in it’s crown’ is it’s rooftop pool, from where you can overlook the city, lit with festive lighting, as steam rises from the water you are immersed in – a totall unique and wonderful experience!

With its beautiful architecture and stunning surroundings, fine restaurants and sumptuous accommodation, Bath is a romantic destination at any time of year. Valentines Day is a great time to show your other half just how special they are, and Bath is the perfect place to do it. See the Love Bath section of Visitbath.co.uk for advice about how to court your lady in the Georgian style, and to find out the best places in Bath to propose!

Whatever your reason for visiting Bath and beyond this winter, you will find all the information you need to plan your visit, online accommodation booking facilities and the chance to order your ‘Winter Highlights’ brochure at Visitbath.co.uk/winter.