Cotswolds 3-day itinerary
United Kingdom (UK)
Where to go and what to see in the Cotswolds – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Annabelle Thorpe.
Best things to do & places to stay:
The Cotswolds, United Kingdom (UK)
Few places in the British Isles evoke a quintessential sense of England like the Cotswolds. The region spans five counties, with rolling hills and clusters of stone cottages that form picturesque villages and small towns.
It’s weekend break heaven, with luxurious, cosy hotels, gastropubs and a lattice of walking routes crossing the wooded valleys and steep escarpments. There are urban pleasures too – the region is flanked by some of Britain’s most iconic, beautiful towns, including Oxford, Bath, Stratford and Cheltenham.
The Cotswolds sprawls across Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Wiltshire, covering nearly 800sq miles. Visit Broadway Tower, the Cotswold’s highest point, for views over up to 16 counties.
Bath and Cheltenham are at the far western end of the region, with Oxford at the East, while Cirencester and Evesham are the southern/northern tips.
The pretty towns of Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-the-Marsh lie at the centre of the region, with Chipping Campden perhaps the most iconic and beautiful Cotswold town.
Our writer’s recommended itineraries for this destination
United Kingdom (UK)
Where to go and what to see in the Cotswolds – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Annabelle Thorpe.
United Kingdom (UK)
Where to go and what to see in the Cotswolds – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Annabelle Thorpe.
The bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination
Woodstock, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom (UK)
One of Britain’s greatest country houses, and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, Blenheim boasts 300 years of history in a spectacular setting.
Best for ages: 13+ | £32
Tetbury, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom (UK)
A beautiful, organic and sustainable garden, Highgrove is also the private home of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
Best for ages: 14+ | £2,950
Castle Combe, Wiltshire, United Kingdom (UK)
One of England’s prettiest villages, Castle Combe is a perfectly-preserved slice of medieval life, with a pub that has been open for more than 500 years.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
The Cotswolds, United Kingdom (UK)
Picturesque high streets, historic market squares, cosy pubs and traditional tea shops – the villages that dot the Cotswolds are some of England’s prettiest.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Other worthwhile experiences in this destination if you have the time or the interest
Berkeley, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom (UK)
A spectacular fortress, home to the Berkeley family since the late 12th century, surrounded by a beautiful grounds and deer park, with regular history-themed events.
Best for ages: 18+ | £15
Bicester, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom (UK)
Home to over 160 luxury fashion, lifestyle and homeware shops, Bicester is one of the biggest discount outlet centres in the UK.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Broadway, Worcestershire, United Kingdom (UK)
An 18th-century folly designed by Capability Brown, the Tower is the highest point in the Cotswolds, with views over 16 counties.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Burford, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom (UK)
Heaven for cheese lovers, the CCC stocks over 120 types of cheese, with a strong focus on local producers. They also have shops in Moreton-in Marsh and Stow-on-the-World.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay in this destination
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom (UK)
Multi-award-winning luxury but family-friendly hotel and exceptional spa set in 55-acre gardens, ideally located for exploring the beautiful Cotswolds.
Official star rating:
Cirencester, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom (UK)
A charming 17th-century manor house hotel, with a lovely spa, three restaurants and glorious gardens.
Official star rating:
Lechlade, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom (UK)
A rolling Cotswold estate that combines a luxury manor house hotel, gastropub, spa and cookery school, in bucolic surroundings.
Official star rating:
Broadway, Worcestershire, United Kingdom (UK)
The Cotswold’s oldest hotel offers sumptuous bedrooms, one of the region’s grandest dining rooms and cosy, fire-lit lounges. Located in one of the Cotswolds prettiest villages.
Official star rating:
The summer months – and particularly the school holidays of July and August – sees the Cotswolds throng with tourists.
Far better to visit if you can in September or October, when the villages are quieter and the countryside is ablaze with autumn colour. Equally beautiful are the spring months of April and May, when the fields are alive with daffodils and new-born lambs.
Bath, Cheltenham and Oxford all have excellent train connections from London. Heathrow Airport is just over an hour’s drive from the Cotswolds; Bristol airport around the same.
The Oxford Tube is an hourly bus service from London Victoria to Oxford, from where connecting buses and trains go to various towns in the Cotswolds area. Around two hours’ drive from London.
The Cotswolds is a large area so to explore it properly it’s best to have a car – although in summer the single-lane country roads are horribly busy. The only train stations in the Cotswolds are at Moreton-in-Marsh, Stroud and Stonehouse, with links to London and Birmingham.
Cycling is an excellent way to discover the Cotswolds; there are miles of bridleways and cycle paths that offer the chance to escape the busy roads.
North of the A40 is where most of the major tourist honeypots are – Bourton-on-the-Water, Broadway and Moreton-in-the-Marsh, while the southern Cotswolds are quieter and less visited.
Not all Cotswold villages are overrun with tourists; Blockley is a hidden gem with pretty houses and a great village shop for picnic supplies.
Excellent walking (and fishing) is to be found in the Windrush Valley, home to the villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter, while for long-distance hiking, Chipping Campden, Broadway and Winchcombe are all on the way
First timers looking for the quintessential Cotswolds experience should stay in Broadway or Chipping Camden, while those after a more tranquil, crowd-free break should stay south, in Tetbury or Bibury.
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