Cotswolds 5-day itinerary

If you’re looking to visit a classic, picture-perfect English village, there’s nowhere better than the Cotswolds. The lush hills are dotted with small towns and villages, famous for their immaculately-kept medieval high streets, lined with half-timbered houses and cottages built with traditional, honey-coloured Cotswold stone.

Many of the villages date back as far as the 12th century, when the region was famous throughout Europe for its wool and cotton production. The area flourished, and over the following centuries many merchants built elegant houses, some of which still exist today.

Many of the villages have small museums, but really the best way to enjoy them is to simply potter, dipping into historic pubs and chintzy tea-rooms along the way.

This 18th-century folly designed by Capability Brown sits on the highest point in the Cotswolds, with views over 16 counties.

The tower barely justifies an excursion, but it’s a lovely countryside walk to get there. Start from the village of Broadway and follow the signposted footpath, heading north. Soak up the scenic views as you ascend the hill, and in approximately an hour, you’ll arrive at Broadway Tower.

If you’re looking to visit a classic, picture-perfect English village, there’s nowhere better than the Cotswolds. The lush hills are dotted with small towns and villages, famous for their immaculately-kept medieval high streets, lined with half-timbered houses and cottages built with traditional, honey-coloured Cotswold stone.

Many of the villages date back as far as the 12th century, when the region was famous throughout Europe for its wool and cotton production. The area flourished, and over the following centuries many merchants built elegant houses, some of which still exist today.

Many of the villages have small museums, but really the best way to enjoy them is to simply potter, dipping into historic pubs and chintzy tea-rooms along the way.

Birthplace of Winston Churchill, UNESCO World Heritage Site, 2,000 acres of Capability Brown-designed gardens, a gargantuan palace dating back to the early 18th-century – Blenheim is almost bewilderingly rich in heritage.

This Baroque beauty was built as a gift to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, from Queen Anne and a grateful nation in thanks for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim on 13th August 1704. Passed on down through the generations, it’s now home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family.

The Palace holds spectacular collections of art, furniture and porcelain, housed in ornate, grand state rooms. Alongside, there’s a new, interactive exhibition dedicated to Winston Churchill – and you can also see the tiny room where he was born.

There are several themed tours on offer – of the Marlborough’s private apartments, of the ‘downstairs’ where the servants worked (ala Downtown Abbey), buggy tours of the formal gardens, and of the stables – offering a deeper insight into life here in the 18th and 19th centuries.

One of the most sustainable, organic farms in the UK, Daylesford has an award-winning farm shop, café, wellness spa and cookery school – the ultimate hub for foodies.

The first full scale distillery in the Cotswolds, crafting a range of spirits including the award-winning Cotswolds Dry Gin and Single Malt whisky.

Ask an American to describe a traditional English village and they’d probably describe Castle Combe. Ridiculously pretty, this perfectly preserved slice of medieval life had a starring role in War Horse, and the cluster of stone cottages, edging a winding High Street, almost have the feel of a film set.

The Market Cross, at the village centre, dates back to the 14th century and the White Hart pub has been open for more than 500 years.

If you only visit one village in the Cotswolds – make it this one.

It doesn’t get much more bucket list than strolling through the private gardens of an English king. Highgrove House is the private home of King Charles III, and every spring and summer, the gardens open to the public for guided tours.

Designed and developed over forty years, the organic gardens spread over six different areas, from a colour-filled arboretum – home to acers, magnolia and cherry trees – to the Victorian ‘stumpery’, where tree ferns rise up beside natural wood sculptures, and a wildflower meadow.

Tours are led by the King’s garden guides, who have an encyclopaedic knowledge of Highgrove and all its treasures.

A charming small museum in Chipping Campden, shining a light on local craftspeople and artists working in the area from the 1900s to the present day.

Claiming to be England’s oldest inn, this stylish gastropub has been welcoming guests for over a thousand years, with a cosy, firelit dining room and boutique-chic bedrooms.

A history-rich, Grade I listed castle dating back to 1443, visited by King Henry VII. The big draw here, though, is the ten themed gardens covering 15 acres, including a reconstructed Elizabethan parterre garden.

This relatively new trail, developed by local cyclists, follows the route of the Cotswolds Line railway – meaning you can cycle as far as you like, and then conveniently hop on the train back.

The route cobbles together quiet, back-country lanes with off-road stretches, taking you through 75 traffic-light, scenic miles of idyllic countryside, with stops in pretty Cotswold villages including Moreton-in-the-Marsh and Kingham.

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.

This National Trust property is one of the best known and most influential Arts & Crafts gardens in Britain, with its linked ‘rooms’ of hedges, rare trees, shrubs and herbaceous border.