PLACES TO GO

It's 15 minutes' drive from the Hamlet to the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon. The new 1,000-seat Royal Shakespeare Theatre is due to open in 2010. Until then, the Swan, a modern take on a 16th century theatre in the round, is also closed, but will reopen unchanged to share front-of-house space with the main theatre. Meanwhile, the new Courtyard Theatre (all scaffolding and steel) is hosting all the RSC productions. See www.rsc.org.uk/WhatsOn.

Work on the new theatre behind an RSC hoarding

If you want to do the tourist thing, Shakespeare’s birthplace, New Place, and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage are all worth a visit. Even Costa’s Coffee is set in a Tudor building! You can walk for miles along the Avon, which now has its famous swans back in abundance, hire a boat, visit the shops, see a film or shop for your supper at the farmers' market (1st and 3rd Sat in the month). Or why not eat out? Our favourite is the Coconut Lagoon in Sheep Street. www.coconutlagoon.com/stratford

Evesham

The Almoner's House

The capital of Thomas Hardy's Vale of Evesham, this is not the prettiest town, but useful for shopping (am M&S Food), easy to park and with some surprising features. Go for a walk along the Avon and be sure to visit the site of the former abbey and the Almoners' House, which once served it. This beautiful timber-framed building, parts of which date back to the 15th century, is open to the public. Sadly the abbey was destroyed  during the dissolution of the monasteries, but the bell tower remains.

Warwick

Lord Leycester Hospital

Just 18 miles away in the medieval town of Warwick is Warwick Castle, on the banks of the Avon. A great place for a day out, there are frequent events from jousting to falconry demonstrations. Make sure also to visit the Lord Leycester Hospital, long established as an old soldier's home, and the Collegiate Church of St Mary.

Winchcombe

Cottages off the high street

A largely unspoilt market town with houses built in Cotswold stone, Winchcombe now has its share of trendy shops, but there is still plenty for the history buff: a small museum, a railway museum and Winchcombe Pottery, just a walk away. You can also walk straight into the grounds of Sudely Castle from the high street, while the lovely ruins of Hailes Abbey are just a drive away past the turn off to the pottery.

Cheltenham

The Regency Terrace seen from the Imperial Gardens

An elegant Regency town if you can ignore the ugly modern shopping centre. Aim for Montpellier, if you want independent shops (including the White Company), pubs and cafes. A cultural centre, it hosts the Times Literature Festival in October, a jazz festival in the spring and a classical music festival in July. See www.cheltenhamfestivals.com. And don’t forget the Cheltenham Festival of the racing kind in March. See www.cheltenham.co.uk.

Two very happy shoppers at Bicester  Village

If you really love shopping, then it's worth the hour's drive to  Bicester Village, which has an increasing number of designer shops, all stocked with last season's goods. Brands, which include menswear, womenswear, children's and lifestyle, range from Kath Kidston, through the White Company to Molton Brown - all 80+ of them. We got almost all our Christmas presents there one year, saving a lot of money, and everyone seemed to like them. You can also eat there, though that is not such good value - Carluccio's, for example, is no longer owned by the famous chef. See http://www.bicestervillage.com/en_GB/. Of course, there's always Starbuck's - they get everywhere,