Discover the Cotswolds: Where to Stay, What to Do & How to Travel

This summer my husband and I took a two week trip to the UK that included one of my ALL TIME favorite areas… the Cotswolds.

The Cotswolds region is a range of hills in the southwest of England that have been designated an Area Of Natural Beauty (AONB). They cover 800 square miles of rolling hills and beautiful country side dotted with picturesque country homes, castles and villages. It’s from the limestone in these hills that created the distinctive honey-colored stone that most of the area’s buildings were built. Extending across several counties in south-central England, the Cotswolds form a broad crescent-shaped area that stretches from the northern edge of Oxfordshire, through Gloucestershire, and into parts of Wiltshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. I wrote this guide based on my research and my own travels through this amazing part of England.

When To Visit…

We’ve visited and enjoyed the Cotswolds in every season, but my personal favorite is winter. Living in Florida, I already have plenty of hot weather. Wearing winter clothing and cozying up to a fire is a novel experience for us!

Spring (March, April, May)

Pros:

• Blooming, vibrant landscapes- wildflowers in April, bluebells and wisteria in May
• Mild temperatures, high 48˚- 61˚F / low 36˚- 45˚F
• Starts to dry out in May
• Shoulder season = lower crowds & more reasonable costs
• Events:

• • March- Cheltenham Festival/ Race Week
  • May- Winchombe Walking Festival
  • May- Cheltenham Jazz Festival
  • June- Cheese Rolling on Cooper’s Hill- Brockworth

Cons:

• Unpredictable weather- can be very wet and muddy, especially in April
• High pollen count
• Easter and May Half-Term holidays = very busy

Summer (June, July, August)

Pros:

• Sunniest weather, high 66˚-70˚ F / low 50˚-52˚ F
• Village festivals, fairs and garden tours
• Fewer family crowds through June
• Great weather for “glamping” (very popular and many options to choose from)
• Events:

• • June- Summer Solstice (longest day of the year, 16.5 hours of daylight)
  • June- Cotswolds Olimpick Games on Dover’s Hill- Chipping Campden
  • July- Royal International Air Tattoo- RAF Fairford
  • July- Cotswold Show & Food Festival- Cirencester
  • August- Wilderness Music Festival- Charlbury
  • August- Big Feastival- Kingham
  • August- Foodies Festival- Oxford

Cons:

• Peak season = crowded, expensive, travel delays
• Many lodgings do not have air conditioning
• Local school holidays in July & August = family crowds
• Need to book activities and make reservations for hotels & restaurants/pubs well in advance

Fall (September, October, November)

Pros:

• Cooler temperatures, high 64˚- 48˚ F / low 50˚- 37˚ F
• Fall colors in the woodlands
• Harvest season
• Christmas decor at the end of November
• School back in session = less crowds
• Events:

• • September- Heritage Open Days (various locations)
  • September- Jane Austen Festival- Bath
  • September- International Horse Trials- Blenheim Palace, Woodstock
  • September- Frampton Country Fair- Gloucester
  • September- Summer Sundown Country Music Festival- Cheltenham
  • October- Cheltenham Literary Festival
  • October- Oktoberfest- Cirencester
  • October- Halloween at Blenheim Palace- Woodstock
  • November- Bonfire Night (various locations)
  • November- Christmas Gift Market- Cheltenham
  • November- Woodstock Festive Fayre

Cons:

• Can be rainy, muddy
• Shorter days
• Chilly temperatures
• Landscape starts to go dormant by November

Winter (December, January, February)

Pros:

• Quietest time (after Christmas)
• Cosy fires in pubs and lodgings
• Clear skies and long nights = best star gazing
• Christmas decorations
• Best chance for snowy landscapes in Jan & Feb
• Snowdrops start to bloom in February

 

• Events:

• • December- Christmas markets
  • December- Warwickshire Vintage Steam Railway’s Santa Express- Gloucestershire
  • December- Christmas Arts & Crafts Market- Cheltenham
  • December- The Christmas Meeting (horse racing)- Cheltenham
  • Jan/Feb- Snowdrop Weekends at Colesbourne Park- Cirencester

Cons:

• Coldest weather- high 43˚- 45˚ F / low 34˚- 36˚ F
• Occasionally icy roads
• Very short days (8 hrs of daylight in Jan)
• Shops and restaurants may have limited hours
• Premium prices over Christmas and New Year’s Eve

 

How To Get There & Get Around…

The Cotswolds are conveniently located within easy reach of cities like London, Birmingham and Bristol. You can fly into the major cities from the US or Europe. Once in the UK, the region is accessible by car, train, or bus.

If traveling by train, the main stations are in Moreton-in-Marsh and Kingham, which are well-connected to London Paddington.

I highly recommend renting a car for exploring the area at your own pace and reaching some of the more remote villages. Tip- when looking for where to park in a town, type “High Street” (like Main St in the US) into your Google maps app and it will show areas for public parking near the town’s main shopping street, designated with blue signs labeled “P”. Most are pay-to-park and many have public restrooms.

Taxis (sometimes Uber) are usually available in towns for local transportation.

We find the best deals flying into London Heathrow. We rent a car at the airport and drive the hour or so to our destination. For day trips to some of the larger surrounding cities where parking might be difficult, we’ll take a local train. And for nights when it’s too far to walk back from dinner, we’ll hire a taxi.

 

Which Villages to Visit…

In the Cotswolds there are mainly villages and market towns. Everyone has their favorites and no one can agree on a “Top 10” list. These are the main ones we personally recommend, but there are literally dozens more and it’s possible to visit a few in one day.

Bibury

Bibury, often described as the most picturesque village in the Cotswolds, is a tiny enclave that enchants visitors with its idyllic charm and timeless beauty. Known for its iconic Arlington Row, a collection of charming, stone cottages with steeply pitched roofs, Bibury exudes a fairy-tale quality that has captivated travelers for centuries. There’s not much in the way of attractions here other than taking some very Instagram worthy photos, but you can fish for trout at England’s oldest working trout farm right in the center of town (Bibury Trout Farm).

Events/Attractions:

• Bibury Trout Farm
• Bibury Open Gardens- June
• BibLit- April

Lodging:

• The Swan Hotel
• Cotteswold House

Food & Drinks:

• The Swan Brasserie
• Catherine Wheel

Bourton-on-the-Water

Known as the “Venice of the Cotswolds,” this small village is in the north-central area of the Cotswolds. The shallow Windrush river flows through the center of town and features charming low bridges for crossing. With the wading ducks, bordering trees and shops with their window boxes- it really is a post card scene. The Model Village, a one-ninth scale replica of Bourton itself, is touted as this village’s most famous attraction but we found The Cotswold Toy & Motoring Museum to be fascinating. If you’re into antique cars, it’s a must-see.

Attractions/ Events:

• River Football Game- August
• Hawkstone Brewery

Food & Drink:

• Rose Tree Restaurant
• The Mousetrap Inn Restaurant

Bradford-on-Avon

Bradford-On-Avon is a large market town on the southern wedge of the Cotswolds. A major road runs right through the city, so traffic can be very busy in summer. The town is quite hilly with beautiful views of the stately homes on the hillsides. There’s a small train station with many connections daily. Sites to visit are the 14th-century Tithe Barn, an impressive medieval structure with its vast, open interior, perfect for absorbing the town’s historical ambiance. And the St. Laurence’s Church, known for its remarkable 12th-century Norman architecture. The town is also home to the delightful Bradford-on-Avon Canal, where you can enjoy leisurely walks along the towpath or take a scenic boat trip.

Lodging:

• Timbrell’s Yard
• The Priory Steps
• AirBnB

Food:

• The Bunch of Grapes
• The Dandy Lion
• The Longs Arms
• The George

Drinks:

• The Stagger Inn
• The Dandy Lion
• The George
• The Dog & Fox Inn

Broadway

Broadway in Worcestershire is often referred to as the “Jewel of the Cotswolds.” This market town is located at the foot of the rolling Cotswold hills and is dominated by a wide tree-lined High Street packed with boutique shops, cozy tearooms, charming galleries and highly rated restaurants and hotels. This is one of my favorite shopping towns, especially during the Christmas season when the decorations are just beautiful. If you visit in spring, the wisteria blooming in May is so spectacular that it’s known as ‘Wisteria Hysteria.” Near by Broadway Tower offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside and in Snowshill you can see the Cotswolds Lavender Fields in full bloom come June. There is so much to explore and do in the area, Broadway would be a great home base for your trip.

Attractions/ Events:

• Bloomery- floristry workshops
• All Things Wild Nature Center- family attraction
• Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway- historic steam train rides
• Gordon Russel Design Museum
• Cotswold Lavender
• Snowshill Manor- National Trust home & garden
• Honeybourne Pottery- pottery classes

Lodging:

• Abbots Grange Manor House
• The Lygon Arms Hotel
• Dormy House Hotel

Food:

• Russel’s of Broadway,
• Broadway Deli
• Market Pantry
• The Swan

Drinks:

• The Lygon Arms Bar
• Snowshill Arms
• Jockey Bar

Burford

Burford is a charming market town in the eastern side of the Cotswolds, just a short drive from Oxford. Nestled along the banks of the River Windrush, it features a busy and picturesque High Street adorned with honey-colored stone buildings, boutiques, antique shops and inviting cafes. This is another of my top shopping towns, especially if you’re looking for nice quality clothing. There are wonderful alleyways and side streets just waiting to be explored and next to a set of medieval almshouses stands St John the Baptist church. Dating back to the 12th century, it holds many interesting relics and displays and is well worth a walk through.

Attractions/ Events:

• Levellers Day- May
• The Madhatter Bookshop
• Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens- over 260 different animal species
• Minster Lovell Hall and Dovecote- 15th century ruins
• The Garden Spa at Minster Mill

Lodging:

• The Three Horseshoes Asthall
• The Bay Tree Hotel
• The Lamb Inn

Food & Drinks:

• The Carpenter’s Arms
• The Highway Inn
• The Royal Oak at Burford
• The Angel

Castle Combe

A tiny village (pop 356) on the southern edge of the Cotswolds, Castle Combe is known as “The Prettiest Village in England.” There’s no longer a castle here, but visiting this village will take you back in time. No new houses have been built in the historic center since 1600 and it has over a hundred Grade I & II Listed (think historic preservation) properties. The roads are very narrow and there is no public parking so a car park is provided at the top of the hill. It’s a pretty good walk to the village center and can become very crowded in busy seasons. There isn’t much in the way of shops- the architecture and landscape are the main draws for visitors- so a couple of hours to visit is more than enough.

Lodging:

• The Manor House
• The Castle Inn

Food, Drinks:

• Bybrook at The Manor House (Michelin star)
• The Castle Inn
• Ellen’s Cottage
• The Old Stables

Lower Slaughter

Though a small village, it’s well worth your time to stop in Lower Slaughter in the north-central region of the Cotswolds. Primarily a residential area, a walk through the center of the village will take you past some of the most charming homes you’ll see in England. Add the pretty little church and the Old Mill with it’s water wheel and you’ll think you’re on a movie set. Lunch at The Slaughter’s Country Inn makes this a perfect rest point on a day of touring.  (The twin village of Upper Slaughter is a short walk away, if you want to visit both. And in case it seems gruesome- the name Slaughter comes from the Old English term “slough”, meaning wet land. )

Events:

• Village Fete- August

Lodging, Food & Drink:

• The Slaughter’s Country Inn

Moreton-In-Marsh

Moreton-In-Marsh is a large, busy market town in the eastern Cotswolds. It boasts a lively High Street, a historic 17th century Market Hall that regularly holds antiques and craft fairs and a train station with direct rail to London. You can also take bus tours from here- so if you didn’t want drive in the UK, this could be a good home base for your trip. There’s even an outdoor market every Tuesday with produce, goods, clothing and much more. Just outside of town is the Four Shire Stone that marks the meeting point of four counties. If you’re a Tolkien fan, this stone is thought to be the inspiration for the Three-Farthing Stone. Tolkien regularly visited the area and The Bell Inn is said to have inspired The Prancing Pony in the books.

Attractions/ Events:

• September- Moreton-In-Marsh Show- biggest agricultural show in the UK
• Batsford Arboretum & Garden Center
• Blenheim Palace- historic home with over 2000 acres of landscapes, many tours & events for the public
• Cotswold Falconry Center
• Bourton House Garden
• Chastleton House- National Trust home & garden
• Cotswolds Distillery- tours
• Larkswold- crafts classes
• Todenham Manor Farm- award winning farm shop

Lodging:

• The Manor House
• Whitehart Royal Hotel
• Redesdale Arms Hotel

Food:

• The Black Bear
• Horse and Groom

Drinks:

• Horse & Groom
• The Bell Inn

Stow-on-the-Wold

Perched atop the hills, Stow-On The Wold is the highest (800ft) of the Cotswold towns. Once a bust hub for wool traders, it’s Market Square is now home to distinctive boutiques, traditional pubs and Michelin guide restaurants. Historic town houses and inns line the main street. St E

dwards church, dating from the 15th century, sits in the middle of town. Famous for its side door which is flanked by two ancient yew trees which seem to be growing out of the building. This door is said to be the inspiration for the ‘Doors of Durin’ in the Lord of the Rings. Stow’s proximity to other areas of interest make it a perfect home base for travelers. This is our favorite place to stay when my husband and I are in the Cotswolds. We loved staying at The Porch House (oldest Inn in England) but also enjoyed staying at AirBnBs.

Attractions/ Events:

• Cotswold Festival/ Stow Motor Show- May
• Larkswold- craft classes
• Daylesford Organic Farms- shop, garden center, restaurant, wine bar, cookery classes
• Adam Henson’
  s Cotswold Farm Park- family fun, animals
• Diddly Squat Farm Shop- from the show ‘Clarkson Farms”
• Sudeley Castle- historic private home for royalty, open for tours
• The Rollright Stones- ancient stone circle and burial comples

 

Lodging:

• The Porch House
• The Old Stocks Inn
• Sheep on Sheep Street
• AirBnB

Food:

• The Old Butchers
• The Bell
• The OId Stocks Inn
• Lucy’s Tea Room
• Huffkins Cafe & Bakery

Drinks:

• The Kings Arms
• The Queens Head
• The Cellar
• The Bell

Tetbury

Known for its antique shops and historic buildings, Tetbury is a small market town with a rich heritage. The Tetbury Market House, an iconic 17th-century building that hosts a variety of local markets, is a famous landmark. As well as the beautiful gothic revival style Church of St Mary the Virgin dating back to 1781. But nearby Highgrove House, the private estate of His Majesty, King Charles III, is it’s most famous attraction. You can visit the estate’s impressive gardens April to September by appointment only. If you’re unable to visit the estate- you can visit the Highgrove Shop in town which offers products produced on the estate and other favorites of the King & Queen.

Attractions/ Events:

• Tetbury Woolsack Races- May
• Westonbirt, The National Arboretum
• Highgrove Gardens
• Chavenage House

Lodging:

• The Close Hotel
• Hare and Hounds Hotel
• The Priory Inn

Food & Drinks:

• The Snooty Fox
• The Ormond at Tetbury
• The Cafe

What to do…

Exploring Villages & Towns

The Cotswolds have, for the most part, preserved their historic villages by holding back modern development. No where else can you see so many of these frozen in time towns with literally hundreds of Grade I & II listed properties. Each village has it’s own character and story, thriving through the dedication of it’s residents and visiting tourists.

Hiking

There are hundreds of public footpaths, bridleways and byways for hikers and maps are readily available. Needless to say, walking/hiking is very popular among tourists and locals. The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile-long trail that stretches from Chipping Campden to Bath, offering some of the most stunning landscapes in the region. Whether you’re up for a multi-day hike or just a leisurely stroll, there are plenty of trails suited to all levels.

Day Trips to Nearby Cities

If you need a break from the countryside, Oxford and Bath are both beautiful cities worthy of a day trip. You can reach either city by bus or train from almost any town.

Dining

As of 2023 the Cotswolds was home to four Michelin star restaurants and there are hundreds on the Michelin guide. However, I have found equally delicious meals at the charming pubs located in Inns. The best Sunday roast, a perfect toastie & soup and an excellent shepherd’s pie can all be found in these mostly independently owned gems.

Classes

Many of the local farms and estates offer a wide range of classes- cooking, pottery, archery, weaving, falconry, riding- are all available for those looking to expand their skills.

Camping

I haven’t tried this myself in the UK, but from the sheer amount of campers I saw go by this last trip- I definitely want to try it. If you’re game for this type of adventure, camper rentals are easy to find, as well as Glamping sites. But you need to reserve far in advance if you’re planning a summer trip- they book up fast!

Until next time…

I hope this has inspired you to consider visiting the truly stunning Cotswolds. We’ve taken trips as short as four days and as long as two weeks- both were excellent. Sometimes we’ll spend a couple nights in London, other times we’ve come from Ireland or France. And there’s always more to explore. So if you do visit and find something you loved- please let me know. I’m always looking for ideas for my next trip!

(If you’d like to see more pictures & videos from our latest trip, check out my reels on my Instagram- click the link on the right.)

-Rebecca