A Complete Guide to Your First Trip to the Cotswolds

Idyllic. Bucolic. Romantic. Words I would use to describe one of the most magical places on Earth. The Cotswolds. A place where fairytales come to life. There’s so much beauty to be found—in the uniformity of sage green doors set against honey-coloured stone, in the vines and wisteria snaking their way up the sides of old thatched cottages, and in the rolling hills dotted with white sheep as you drive through the countryside, stumbling upon the next idyllic town. If you want to escape the city and pretend, even for a short little while, that everything is still alright in the world, then I recommend a trip to the Cotswolds.

When is the Best Time to Visit the Cotswolds?

I don’t think there’s ever really a bad time to visit the Cotswolds, as it would look stunning in any season. However, each season brings its pros and cons. 

How Long Should You Stay in the Cotswolds

The Cotswolds are so charming, it’s hard to suggest going for anything less than a week. Spread across a wide rural landscape, the Cotswolds are best discovered slowly. It’s a region that invites you to wander without hurry—strolling through stone villages, stepping into adorable boutique shops, and lingering over cream tea in a cozy café.

Anything less than 3 nights would feel rushed. My recommendation is for a minimum of 5 nights, ideally 6 or 7. 

How to Get to the Cotswolds 

In order to properly explore the Cotswolds, it’s imperative that you rent a car. While public transit can take you to some of the larger towns, relying on buses and trains can be time-consuming and will limit how much of the region you’re able to explore.

That being said, there are still trains that can take you to the Cotswolds such as the National Rail and Great Western Railway.

There are also several coach or bus options that can take you to the Cotswolds from London (and surrounding cities). I recommend looking into the National Express for more information on bus routes. 

My recommendation is to rent a car for your time traveling the Cotswolds. This will allow you the most flexibility in visiting the different villages and will save you the most time. 

If you’re not used to driving on the left side of the road and are nervous about driving in the city of London (where the traffic is heavy and the driving is wild), you can take a train out to either Heathrow Airport or a city further east, like Oxford, and rent a car from there. 

Where Should You Stay in the Cotswolds?

You will most likely want to stay at a few different places during your roadtrip through the Cotswolds. You can either start from the south and work your way north, or vice versa. By staying at 2-3 places along the way, it allows you to experience more unique stays and saves you time (and gas) having to drive back and forth. 

For a quintessential English experience, I would recommend staying at a bed and breakfast or a traditional pub. A small caveat for the latter – if you are a light sleeper you might want to skip staying overnight at a pub. A drunken crowd spilling out onto the street as they close for the night won’t be very quiet. 

Here are a few of my recommendations for the best places to stay in the Cotswolds.

Tucked away in the small village of Alderton, The Manor Farm is a 17th century farm house in the south part of the Cotswolds. A cozy and quintessential English bed and breakfast, it sits on 500 acres of land and still functions as a working farm. You will get to meet many horses and the friendliest dogs during your stay. Victoria, the host of The Manor Farm, is exceptional at welcoming you and making you feel at home. No expense is spared for high quality linens, pillows and towels. The highlight of the stay is the breakfast, as a spread fit for a royalty is offered every morning without fuss. The town of Aldertown is also very quaint and is worth a stroll through to see St. Giles Church, which dates back to the 11th or 12th century. 

The Manor Farm – Chippingham

Link to The Manor Farm on Google Maps

Pytts House Boutique Bed and Breakfast – Burford

A charming bed and breakfast that feels as though you’ve stepped straight into a real-life fairy tale. The 15th century home is full of character – the host, Anna, has a passion for antique furniture and design. While the interior of the home is filled with beautiful objects, the exterior is just as lovely. Brightly coloured flowers dot the garden like jewels and tasseled umbrellas shade you on vintage sofas. Anna is also a very talented chef, preparing an elevated, more modern rendition of the full English (and one of our favourite breakfasts from the entire trip). Pytts House is centrally located, making it a good location to explore The Cotswolds or to visit Oxford as well. 

Link to Pytts House Boutique Bed and Breakfast on Google Maps

Additional hotel options

While I haven’t personally stayed at these locations myself, these are the hotels that do come up time and time again as most recommended in The Cotswolds.

The PIG – Hunstrete

Set in a honey-hued Georgian country house in the Mendip Hills, THE PIG‑near Bath is a relaxed countryside escape known for its rustic charm, crackling fires, and garden-to-table dining sourced largely from its own kitchen garden. Link to Google Maps.

Lucknam Park, Emblems Collection – Chippenham

Set within 500 acres of immaculate Wiltshire parkland on the edge of the Cotswolds, Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa is a grand Palladian country house that blends old-world elegance with modern luxury. With its Michelin-starred dining, serene spa, and tree-lined approach to a stunning manor, it’s an English countryside retreat designed for indulgence. Link to Google Maps.

Thyme – Gloucestershire

Set in the postcard-perfect village of Southrop, Thyme is less a hotel and more a “village within a village,” with honey-stone cottages, barns, and a manor house scattered across a sprawling countryside estate. Rooted in nature and seasonality, it pairs beautifully curated interiors with farm-to-table dining, a serene spa, and a deeply immersive sense of English country living. Link to Google Maps.

What Should You Do in the Cotswolds?

Explore Postcard Perfect Villages

The main attraction of the Cotswolds is to drive through all the charming and picture-perfect villages that dot the countryside. Trying to narrow down which villages to visit might seem overwhelming at first – there are so many to choose from!

I go into more depth about each small town and my top recommendations in this blog post: 9 Dreamy Cotswold Villages That Feel Straight Out of a Fairytale.

Castles

Sudeley Castle

Sudeley Castle has a history stretching back over 1,000 years, once serving as a royal residence and most famously as the home of Queen Katherine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII, who is buried in its chapel. Today, visitors can explore its beautifully preserved rooms, romantic gardens, and exhibitions that bring its Tudor and royal past to life. 

Berkeley Castle

Berkeley Castle is one of the oldest continuously inhabited castles in England, with origins dating back to the 12th century. It is most famously associated with the imprisonment and suspected murder of King Edward II in 1327, a story that still shapes much of its legend and atmosphere today.

Visitors can explore its well-preserved medieval rooms, grand Great Hall, and historic dungeons, along with beautiful terraced gardens that overlook the surrounding countryside of the Cotswolds.

Blenheim Palace 

Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of Winston Churchill. It was built in the early 18th century as a gift to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, for his military victory at the Battle of Blenheim. Its grand Baroque architecture, vast landscaped parklands designed by Capability Brown, and richly decorated state rooms make it one of the most impressive stately homes in England.

Cotswold Farm Park

A gem in the Cotswolds for animal lovers. A farm dedicated to conserving rare British breeds of farm animals, visitors can get up close with animals like lambs, goats, and piglets. If you visit in the spring, you could watch a lamb give birth and help bottle feed the babies.  The park also features outdoor play areas and wildlife walks, making it a hands-on, family-friendly experience focused on conservation and farming heritage.

Ancient History

Exploring the UK always feels special to me, largely because of how deeply history is woven into everything you see and experience. I get very excited when visiting sites of ancient history and the Cotswolds (and surrounding areas) have some pretty incredible things to see. 

Stonehenge

Technically not situated within the Cotswolds, but so close, it would be crazy not to make a stop if you never had the chance to visit before. Stonehenge needs no introduction. The prehistoric megalith structure has captured our awe and imagination for nearly 4,500 years!  

I go into more detail about visiting Stonehenge in this guide, so feel free to read that for more information if you plan on going. 

Avebury

If you’re interested in prehistoric megaliths but don’t want to deal with the crowds at Stonehenge, Avebury is the perfect alternative option. Considered one of the largest neolithic stone circles in the world, the main henge is about 420 metres in diameter. 

Sometime between the early middle ages and the late medieval period, a village began to grow within the henge, many of the townspeople breaking apart the megaliths to use for stone to build their homes. It wasn’t until the Ancient Monuments Protection Act in 1882 that made it illegal to break up the stones for construction. 

Now, you can enjoy walking around the stones at your leisure before heading into the Red Lion pub for a pint and a bite to eat. The pub itself is an attraction in its own right, with its 400-year-old structure and thatched roof standing out at the centre of the henge.

The Rollright Stones

The Rollright Stones are a prehistoric stone circle and standing stone complex near Chipping Campden, dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age (around 4,000–5,000 years old). The site includes three main parts: the King’s Men stone circle, the Whispering Knights burial chamber, and the solitary King Stone.

They’re steeped in legend—most famously a local myth that a king and his army were turned to stone by a witch—and are one of the most atmospheric ancient sites in the Cotswolds region.

The Cotswolds Way Trail

While I haven’t personally done the Cotswold Way Trail yet, this is definitely something that is on my bucket list. The entire trail is a 164 km walking route along the Cotswold Escarpment between Chipping Campden and Bath in England. If you want to complete the entire trail, it would take at least 8-10 days. You can opt for less if you don’t want to walk the trail in its entirety. 

What makes this trail so special isn’t only the rolling landscapes, passing through fields with grazing Cotswold sheep, or the historic landmarks along the way. It’s the ability to hire a luggage transfer service, allowing you to walk the trails with nothing more than some essentials in your backpack, knowing your items will be waiting for you at the pre-booked inn at the end of the day. Suddenly a week-long hike becomes a luxurious endeavor, with a freshly cooked meal, hot shower and cozy bed to look forward to at the end of each day. 

National Trails has an excellent list of walking holiday companies that can arrange from  baggage transfer to planning the entire route for you.