- Trains from London Paddington reach Moreton-in-Marsh in about 1h30
- A car is the easiest way to hop between villages
- Visit the best-known villages early or late in the day to avoid coach crowds
- The Cotswold Way is a superb long-distance walk, but short pub walks are just as rewarding
- Airports
- Birmingham (BHX), Bristol (BRS)
- Best time to go
- May-June and September-October; December for cosy pubs and Christmas markets
- Type
- Region
The Cotswolds are a range of gentle limestone hills spreading across Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Their beauty comes from the golden stone used in almost every cottage, church and drystone wall, and from villages that have changed remarkably little in centuries. It is a place for slow weekends: country walks, long pub lunches, antiques and afternoon tea.
Bath sits at the southern end of the Cotswolds, and our United Kingdom guide has more ideas.
Where to stay
- Chipping Campden – an elegant wool town with a beautiful high street, at the start of the Cotswold Way.
- Stow-on-the-Wold – a hilltop market town with good pubs, central for touring.
- Bourton-on-the-Water – the "Venice of the Cotswolds", with low bridges over the River Windrush; very busy by day.
- Burford – a sloping high street of shops and inns, handy from Oxford and London.
- Broadway – a polished village below Broadway Tower, with some smart hotels.
- Cirencester – a larger market town with Roman history, good for the southern Cotswolds.
- Castle Combe and Tetbury – the southern wolds, near Bath and Highgrove.
Things to do
- Bibury – Arlington Row, a much-photographed terrace of 17th-century weavers' cottages.
- Blenheim Palace – the birthplace of Winston Churchill, with gardens and parkland by Capability Brown, at Woodstock.
- Broadway Tower – a folly with views over several counties.
- Walk part of the Cotswold Way – 102 miles from Chipping Campden to Bath; try a short section.
- Hidcote and Snowshill Manor – National Trust gardens and a quirky manor house.
- Sudeley Castle – the burial place of Katherine Parr, near Winchcombe.
- Daylesford and farm shops – the Cotswolds are known for upmarket farm shops and food.
- Lower and Upper Slaughter – two tiny riverside villages linked by a short footpath.
Best time to visit
Late spring and early summer are lovely, with lush green hills and lavender at Snowshill around late June and July. September and October bring autumn colours and fewer coaches. Summer weekends and bank holidays are very busy in Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury and Castle Combe. In winter the villages are quiet and pubs with open fires come into their own, and many towns have Christmas markets in December.
Getting there
GWR trains run from London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh and Kingham in about 1h30, to Charlbury in about 1h15 and to Kemble, near Cirencester, in about 1h15, with a change at Swindon on some services. Cheltenham Spa has direct trains from Birmingham, Manchester and the north via CrossCountry. By car, the Cotswolds are around two hours from London via the M40 or M4, and about an hour from Birmingham via the M5 or M40.
Getting around
A car is by far the easiest way to explore, though roads are narrow and parking in honeypot villages is limited. Buses link the main towns, but services are often infrequent, particularly on Sundays and in the evenings. Cycling is pleasant on quiet lanes, though it is hillier than it looks, and e-bike hire is available in a few towns. Walking between neighbouring villages is one of the best ways to see the area.
Stay in a lesser-known village and visit Bibury or Bourton early in the morning or after 5pm, when the day-trippers have gone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the prettiest village in the Cotswolds?
It is a matter of taste. Bibury, Castle Combe, Chipping Campden and the Slaughters are the most celebrated, while Snowshill, Painswick and Bisley are quieter favourites.
Can you visit the Cotswolds by train?
Yes. Moreton-in-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury, Kemble and Cheltenham all have stations, though you will need buses, taxis or bikes to reach many villages.
How many days do you need in the Cotswolds?
A weekend is enough for a handful of villages and a walk. Four or five days lets you add Blenheim Palace, gardens and Bath.
Written by
Emma City breaks & deals editor
Emma plans city breaks the way other people plan the weekly shop: on a budget, with a spreadsheet and a backup plan. She covers city guides and deal-hunting.
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