Getting There -- Twenty-one trains depart daily from London's Paddington Station for the 2 1/4-hour trip. You may have to change trains at Bristol or Swindon. For information, call tel. 0845/748-4950 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk. Trains between Cheltenham and Bristol take an hour, with continuing service to Bath.
National Express offers 10 buses daily from London's Victoria Coach Station to Cheltenham. The ride takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. For schedules and information, call tel. 0870/580-8080 or visit www.nationalexpress.co.uk.
If you're driving from London, head northwest on the M40 to Oxford, continuing along the A40 to Cheltenham.
Visitor Information -- The Tourist Information Centre, 77 The Promenade (tel. 01242/522878; www.visitcheltenham.com), is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 5:15pm. On Wednesday mornings, it opens at 10am.
Special Events -- The International Festival of Music and the Festival of Literature take place each year in July and October, respectively, and attract internationally acclaimed performers and orchestras. There are other festivals as well -- a folk festival in February, a jazz festival in May, and a science festival in June. For details, call tel. 01242/227979 or visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.co.uk.
