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The Best Things to Do in The Cotswolds: The Ultimate Guide to the Cotswolds


The Cotswolds is one of the loveliest parts of the UK, and certainly one of our best-loved holiday destinations. If you’re looking for a uniquely English experience, the Cotswolds, with its pretty villages and gentle landscape, is the perfect place.

Stretching from the Upper Thames to the Severn Estuary, the Cotswolds includes large swathes of gorgeous countryside as well as must-visit towns like Cirencester, Stroud and Tetbury. The name “Cotswolds” means “gentle hills with sheep” (reassuring for those of us who prefer a relaxing stroll to a hike!).

As the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in England, there’s plenty to see in the Cotswolds. Here’s our guide to a Cotswolds holiday.

What makes the Cotswolds special?


Rolling green hills, sweeping views and villages so pretty they look like film sets: what could possibly be lovelier? The Cotswolds is full of postcard-perfect villages, such as our own Bourton-on-the-Water. Characterised by that warm-coloured stone, winding little streets and idyllic cottage gardens, nowhere does picturesque villages quite like the Cotswolds. Add an old church, a welcoming pub and a meandering river, and you have the perfect English village.

Where are the best places to visit in the Cotswolds? Towns and villages like Broadway, the Upper and Lower Slaughters, Chipping Campden and Castle Combe are good starting places. Traditional market towns include Stow-on-the-Wold. Painswick and Winchcombe. You’d better book an extra night or two…

Outdoor Activities in the Cotswolds

If you love walking, the Cotswolds has a wonderful choice of routes. The Cotswold Way is our most famous walk, although at 102 miles long, we’d suggest simply choosing a stretch or two!

Our favourite local trail is the Warden’s Way, which runs from Bourton-on-the-Water to Winchcombe, taking in some beautiful views along the way. For a riverside walk, you can pick up the Windrush Way close to Lords of the Manor, too.

Enjoy a bracing walk up to Broadway Tower, or have a more sedate ramble around the grounds of Coombe Park (National Trust). Head for the Cotswold Water Park for lake-based adventures, from walking trails to watersports, and there’s even a beach in the summer. Snowshill and the Edge, and the Cleeve Hill Common Ring are other popular walks: don’t forget your camera

If you’re interested in wildlife, try the Cotswold Wildlife Park near Burford, home to over 260 species of animals among its 160 acres. If you’re visiting with children, head for Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park, where you’ll meet lots of adorable farm animals.

Are you visiting the Cotswolds with your dog? There are lots of dog-friendly outdoor attractions to enjoy with your pup. The National Arboretum is a beautiful place for a walk (most areas are lead-only), or choose a stretch of the Cotswold Way for a lovely day’s walking together.

Delving into history: the Cotswolds’ heritage sites


Keen historians will find plenty to entertain them in the Cotswolds. The Roman Baths in Bath has a fascinating exhibition as well as the baths themselves. Spend at least a day in this beautiful city (more if you’re a Jane Austen fan). If you want to know more about Roman Britain, visit Chedworth Roman Villa (National Trust). Too modern? Try the Rollright Stones,which are  Neolithic and Bronze Age megalithic monuments near Long Compton.

If you’re more of a medievalist, visit Tewkesbury Abbey and Gloucester Cathedral. Local castles include 12th-century Berkeley Castle and Sudeley Castle, which is famous as being the home of Katherine Parr, arguably Henry VIII’s luckiest wife.

Cotswolds’ food and drink


Love food? Like many rural places, the Cotswolds has the most fantastic local larder, and with at least one pub, gastropub or restaurant in every village, you’ll certainly have the chance to sample it. If you like hearty food, cooked well and served in a welcoming atmosphere, then you’ll have your pick of pubs in The Cotswolds.

From Gloucester Old Spot meat to Stinking Bishop cheese, this area produces some of Britain’s best-loved traditional food. Try to catch a farmer’s market while you’re in the Cotswolds: Chipping Norton, Malmesbury and our local Bourton-on-the-Water are all worth a visit.

As well as meats and cheeses, there are fantastic local ales and ciders to try. A chilled pint of scrumpy, enjoyed mid-walk in the garden of a riverside pub, is one of life’s real pleasures.

Experiencing arts and culture in the Cotswolds


Take a cultural tour of the Cotswolds, starting in Cirencester, where the excellent Corinium Museum is an excellent introduction to the area’s history. The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum in Cheltenham is another must-visit cultural attraction, and of course, there’s a wealth of museums and galleries in Bath.

If you prefer the performing arts, Cheltenham has the Everyman, the Playhouse and the Bacon theatres, and there’s also The Roses in Tewkesbury. Longborough is famous for opera, or if that’s not to your taste, try to get tickets to the famous Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

Stratford-upon-Avon isn’t officially in the Cotswolds, but it’s close enough for us to include it here! If you can, book seats for a Shakespeare play in one of the Royal Shakespeare Company theatres, and certainly visit the playwright’s birthplace and family home.

Shopping in the Cotswolds: from antique to boutique


The Cotswolds is full of wonderful shopping spots, from cities like Cheltenham and Bath to small market towns such as Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold and Stroud.

You’ll find a blend of independent shops and artisan stores, antique shops and farmers’ markets. Look out for little old local bookshops, inviting parfumeries and shops selling local ales and spirits.

There are also plenty of high street favourites and supermarkets for those essential purchases; however, we’d always recommend buying local wherever you can, especially when it comes to delicious Cotswold produce!

Essential tips for visiting the Cotswolds


The easiest way to travel to the Cotswolds is by car. However, we recommend leaving your car in the hotel car park once you’re down here, and exploring by food, pedal power and bus. The roads can be a bit winding for the uninitiated, and car parks fill up quickly during the school holidays.

You’ll also have your choice of trains from London Paddington to stations like Kingham, Kemble and Moreton-in-Marsh. There aren’t many branch lines, so a bus or taxi will be your best option.

When is the best time to come to the Cotswolds? We think it’s beautiful all year! However, if you want warmth and a bit of peace, try May or September. Our autumns are lovely, so late October is also worth exploring.

Book your Cotswolds Holiday

Does the Cotswolds sound like your kind of place? Take a look at the availability at the Lords of the Manor, and book your Cotswold stay today.