Cotswolds Day Trips
A London to Cotswolds day trip delivers a classic English countryside experience. The Cotswolds are a popular UK destination. It has cute towns, rolling hills, and charming pubs. The area suits solo travelers, couples, and families. It offers outdoor adventures and rural beauty. The Cotswolds are close to London. They provide an escape from city life.
Lush meadows, hills, farms, and streams dot the land. Around 800 unspoiled square miles have protection here. But pretty scenery isn’t the only thing bringing visitors.
The villages entice visitors with their famous golden stones. They hold fascinating pasts to uncover. Grand old houses and stunning gardens appear too. The Cotswolds takes pride in its nice cafes, country bars, rambles, and unique shops.
Uncover the Cotswolds’ best country charm and gardens with visits to our 5 top Cotswold villages.
A London to Cotswolds tour lets you explore the beauty of the classic English countryside with minimal effort or organizational hassle. The Cotswolds will wow you with charming stone towns, blooming gardens, peaceful green hills, and meadows from fairy tales. You may find trails to awesome views or discover a tea garden from the 1600s. There, friendly locals share tales, laughs, and history.
London to Cotswolds Day Trip / Tours
Guided tours are great because they support sustainable tourism. You can explore while being mindful of the environment and local communities. These tours make the most of public transport. And they avoid bringing more cars into areas of natural beauty.
Guided tours also let you discover amazing places without adding traffic. So you can enjoy the sights while protecting the environment too.
London to Cotswolds Day Trip / Tour Benefits:
- Transporting You To Beautiful Scenery
- Giving Door-to-Door Service
- Granting Insider Access To Hidden Spots
- Allowing You to Relax While Sightseeing
- Bringing Historical Stories Alive
- Offering The Best Top Photo Opportunities
London to Cotswolds Day Trip We Think You Will Love:
5 Best Cotswolds Day Trips
1. Burford
Recommended Tour: Cotswolds Villages Day Trip
Burford also serves as the Gateway to the Cotswolds area. It is one of Oxfordshire’s most scenic towns. The steep main street winds down to the Windrush River. It passes Cotswold stone houses, Georgian buildings, a medieval church, shops, cafes, and old bars along the way. Use this locals guide to uncover the top attractions in charming Burford town.
Things to do in Burford:
Burford Hill
Climbing up Burford Hill reveals some of the town’s most charming scenery. Unlike the busy High Street crammed with stores, bars and eats, the hill offers pockets of peace. Historic Cotswold stone cottages line the route, home to local residents – so tread respectfully.
As you walk, take breaks on benches tucked alongside the trail. Gaze over the streets and fields beyond Burford from these perches. Such views make it very picturesque. Come early when possible – by afternoon, sunlight barely touches the hillside.
The Tolsey Museum
On High Street’s corner by Sheep Street sits the black and white Tolsey Museum. Built in the early 1500s, this half-timbered building first served as Burford’s Toll House. This is where the traders came to pay their toll fees. The Borough Court also met inside. A holding cell for prisoners existed out back then.
Today it operates as a tiny free museum displaying local history, culture and business. Exhibits span from the 1659 Keble Mortar cast by Burford’s Edward Neale to a doll house modelled after Witney Street’s Great House.
Church of St John The Baptist
The Grade I listed St. John the Baptist Church looms over central Burford. Founded in 1175, it grew over 400 years as wool funds entered the town. Its spire got added to an old tower in the 1400s – though unstable at first. Crews reinforced it later and still watch it carefully.
The church ranks as one of Britain’s top 10 most visited. It makes a leading Burford attraction too. Must-sees inside feature lovely stained glass, medieval wall art, and fancy tombs. As well as its unique “bale tombs” that have curved tops.
One memorial honours Edward Harman, barber and surgeon to Henry VIII in 1569. It has a rare early etching of Amazon Indians in Britain. The north chapel also houses a fancy 17th-century canopy tomb for Sir Lawrence Tanfield and Lady Tanfield from Italy.
Visit the High Street
Burford makes a top spot to buy antiques. Gateway Antiques focuses on 17th to early 1900s English and European furniture and decor. Close by, Burford Antiques & Interiors carries vintage and modern furniture, mirrors, and lighting. Lining High Street sits many charming home, gift, and decor boutiques.
Top picks include Three French Hens for cards, housewares, and presents. Bramble & Gooseberry sells hand-poured soy candles. Burford Wood craft carries lovely carved wood goods.
The Oxford Brush Company features plastic-free, eco-friendly brushes for all needs. England’s oldest pharmacy sits at 124 High Street too. Reavley Chemist first opened in 1734. It took over an old pub’s location. Since then, it has offered pills, ointments, and more to Burford locals. You can still buy their classic treatments besides new ones.
Video Credit: At Home in England
2. Lower Slaughter
Recommended Cotswold Day Trip
The small towns of Lower and Upper Slaughter rest along the River Eye. This shallow waterway sits a few miles north of Bourton-on-the-Water. Lower Slaughter shows off charming cottages with flowers. Its old stone footbridges also dazzle, as does a scenic mill. This country village stays preserved in history – no construction has happened since 1906!
Step back to Lower Slaughter’s captivating beauty during your London to Cotswolds day trip. We detail top attractions for visiting this Cotswold gem turned time capsule.
Things to do in Lower Slaughter:
The Old Mill
The Old Mill is Lower Slaughter’s most eye-catching building. Its red brick contrasts with the Cotswold stone making up the rest of town. You can see the water wheel reflecting in the river underneath. While a mill existed here since the Domesday Book, the current one went up in the 1700s. That makes it one of Lower Slaughter’s newest structures! The mill produced flour until 1958 when Joseph Wilkins ended his family’s four generations of millers in Lower Slaughter. It later served as a post office before opening as a museum in 1995. That museum closed down in 2023, so the building’s future remains unknown.
Copse Hill Road
Stroll down Copse hill Road for some of Britain’s most romantic sights. The lane took top honours for its darling cottages, stone footbridges, and irises on the water. Copse hill Road also houses Lower Slaughter’s Victorian village hall. First built in 1887 as a reading room, it now hosts community events and rotating local art displays.
The Slaughters Manor House
A manor house existed in Lower Slaughter since 1004 AD. It later shifted into a convent for nuns from Syon. In 1611, the manor was granted to Sir George Whitmore, Gloucestershire’s High Sheriff. His descendants inhabited it until the 1960s. Since then, full renovations have turned the manor into a lavish five-star hotel – perfect for an indulgent Cotswolds couples retreat. If too pricey for a stay, you can still pop by for a drink or bite to see inside.
St Mary’s Church
Lower Slaughter’s St. Mary’s Church dates back to the 1200s but saw major restoration in 1867 by architect Benjamin Ferrey. Though some original stonework remains, as does the later Cotswold stone roof, chancel, nave, and organ section. Inside sit 17th-century memorials to the Whitmores, who once owned the manor. Vibrant stained glass windows also reside within.
Video Credit: Jago Turner
3. Stow on the Wold
Recommended Cotswolds Day Trip
Stow-on-the-Wold sits atop a hill as the highest Cotswolds town. It lies in the north area, ringed by charming villages and rolling landscapes. This historic wool centre draws visits for its Market Square, antique boutiques, and ample pubs and inns – making it a regional must-see. So use our local guide to uncover top attractions in scenic Stow-on-the-Wold’s market town charm.
Things to do in Stow on the Wold:
The Market Square
Stow-on-the-Wold’s core is its striking Market Square, operating markets since 1107. At the wool trade’s peak, over 20,000 sheep were traded here. Narrow high-walled alleys dubbed “tures” branch off too – once used to channel sheep from Sheep Street’s fields. The Market Square is encircled by numerous 1500s golden stone structures – now home to antique stores, art galleries, and gift and home decor boutiques. History pops up too, like medieval stocks for binding criminal wrists and ankles on the green while people tossed insults and rotten food. The Market Square also holds the Market Cross, built to remind merchants to trade fairly. The 1500s Crooked House slants on the west side. Plus the 500-year-old King’s Arms Inn reportedly once hosted Charles I in 1645, the eve of his route to the Battle of Naseby. The Square maintains its original purpose too – monthly hosting a farmers’ market.
St Edward’s Church
Stow’s St. Edward’s Church spans from the Middle Ages, though its current form mixes the 1100s to Victorian eras. Its name comes from the town’s patron saint Edward. Within sits a memorial to Royalist Captain Hastings Keyte and a Crucifixion painting by Flemish artist Gaspar de Crayer. But a top Stow attraction is the church’s north entrance. The Yew Tree Door’s thick wood slabs studded with nails and framed by twisted oak trees look like a portal to another realm. Rumours say it may have inspired JRR Tolkien’s Doors of Durin in the Lord of the Rings books, but that remains unconfirmed.
Video Credit: Let’s Explore UK
4. Bourton On The Water
Recommended Cotswolds Day Trip
With stone footbridges traversing the Windrush River, trailing willows, a village green, and time-worn stone houses, it’s no shock Bourton-on-the-Water routinely gets named one of England’s most picturesque villages and a favoured Cotswolds stop. So use this guide covering top attractions in Bourton, fondly called the “Venice of the Cotswolds.”
Things to do in Bourton-on-the-water:
The River Windrush
The Windrush River flows directly through Bourton’s core, crossed by five stone footbridges. Locals and visitors often picnic at the riverside village green, watching ducks drift by or dunking feet to beat the heat. The oldest bridge is 1654’s Mill Bridge by the War Memorial and Motor Museum, followed by 1756’s High Bridge, 1776’s Payne Bridge, 1911’s New Bridge, and 1953’s newest Coronation Footbridge. The Windrush River stems from a Thames tributary originating near Winchcombe, ultimately meeting the Thames at Newbridge, Oxfordshire.
The Model Village
Visit Bourton in miniature at the Model Village. An exact 1/9th scale replica, it clones everything down to the shops, bars, homes, two churches, petite trees, and bridges over the mini Windrush River. It holds the lone Grade II-listed model village in Britain. The model village sits behind The Old New Inn on Rissington Road. Built-in the 1930s by the pub’s former landlord, local artisans spent over five years shaping it from Cotswold stone and slate for authenticity. As new stores open, the model gets updated too. It even contains its own 1/9 scale model village – with an even tinier model inside! A model landscapes exhibit and the tiny museum also resides there, tracing model-making methods and the miniature town’s origins.
The Cotswold Motoring Museum
Car buffs will want to hit the Cotswold Motoring Museum at The Old Mill. Showcasing over 50 rare vehicles, the earliest models date back to the early 1900s. The museum’s seven galleries overflow with vintage car memorabilia. Vintage toy and game displays also ignite nostalgia. But the star attraction is Brum – the vibrant yellow self-driving car from the 1990s kids’ TV show. Kids can take a spin on a mini Brum replica.
The Cotswold Perfumery
The Cotswold Perfumery has mixed scents for 50+ years, selling its upscale perfumes from a 300-year-old Grade II-listed Victoria Street shop. Its slanted floors and oak beams brim with character. Master perfumer John Stephen has crafted scents for global clients like the late Queen Elizabeth II. Aspiring perfumers can enrol in a one-day class to learn to blend and make their own signature scent.
Birdland Park And Gardens
One top family attraction in Bourton is Bird land on Rissington Road. Its nine acres of gardens and woods host over 500 feathered species. Among the residents are flamingos, emus, pelicans, owls, and parrots. It remains the lone UK breeder of King Penguins too. The Jurassic Journey area entertains with giant dinosaur replicas. Guests can watch feedings and hear keepers discuss species. An outdoor playground also keeps little ones busy.
The Dragonfly Maze
Next door to Bird land sits the Dragonfly Maze, a traditional yew hedge labyrinth welcoming dogs. Though not enormous, its twists prove trickier than expected – meanderers can quickly lose all sense of direction.
The aim of the Dragonfly Maze is to reach the centre along its half-mile of winding paths. But to find the Golden Dragonfly prize at the end, you must also solve 14 posted riddles.
Most navigate the full labyrinth in 30-50 minutes. However if completely losing your way among the disorienting twists and turns, staff can guide you out.
St Lawrence’s Church
Tucked behind High Street, the hushed St. Lawrence Church occupies a former Roman temple grounds. The first sanctuary was a basic Saxon wooden church from the 800s. A stone Norman building succeeded it in 1110.
Today’s incarnation mixes a 1300s chancel, Victorian nave, and Georgian-era tower. Note the clock tower’s rare rounded roof and chancel’s painted ceiling. The cemetery holds traditional Cotswold bale tombs too – curved roof chest graves mimicking wool bales common for late 1600s wool merchant plots.
Video Credit: Spectrum Walking Tours
5. Bibury
Recommended Tour: Oxford and the Cotswolds
Described by designer William Morris as “the most beautiful village in England,” Bibury is one of the most scenic and visited Cotswolds areas. Famed for its trout farm and lovely stone Arlington Row cottages lining the River Coln, this tiny village makes an ideal Cotswolds stop. We detail the top attractions in charming Bibury.
Things To Do In Bibury:
Arlington Row
Arlington Row is amongst England’s most photographed streets and even graced British passports! Once built to store monastic wool, its homes were converted to weavers’ cottages in the 1600s. Their crafts went to the neighbouring Arlington Mill.
This row of flower-lined stone dwellings sits on a peaceful brookside slope offering a serene setting for a London to Cotswolds day trip. Now National Trust owned, most lease to private residents – though one cottage can be rented for holiday stays.
Taking in the iconic views is a leading Bibury activity, but solitude seekers should visit early or off-peak. Arlington Row was also featured in the 2007 film “Stardust” with Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro. While the fictional “Wall” village was largely filmed 30 miles away in Castle Combe, Arlington Row starred as the home of Sienna Miller’s character Victoria.
Rack Isle Water Meadows
Arlington Row gazes down on Rack Isle’s wildflower meadows, named for the times when monks washed and rack-dried wool along the brook. Now preserved as habitats for kingfishers, dragonflies, water voles, and other stream side wildlife.
While the meadows stay protected, a path bordering Rack Isle links Arlington Row to Bibury proper. The lush track blooms with flowers like pink-ragged robins and yellow flag irises. Come late summer, conservation grazing Belted Galloway cattle appear to nourish wildflower growth.
The Trout Farm
Open since 1902, Bibury Trout Farm is England’s oldest operating trout farm. Its hatchery nurtures up to 10 million rainbow trout annually in the pure flows of the Bibury Spring, constant at 10°C year-round. Ducks, swans, kingfishers, geese, herons, and otters share the stunning setting.
An on-site smoker employs time-honoured salt and hardwood methods. Visitors can observe feedings and have a go at fishing too – all kits are provided. After a quick tutorial, any caught trout gets weighed and grilled on-site (pay by the kilo). For the catch-squeamish, the cafe and shop sell the farm’s stock ready to take home.
St Mary’s Church
St. Mary’s Church resides quietly just outside Bibury’s core. Tracing to the late 1000s AD, golden limestone walls and slate roofing create a graceful Cotswolds sanctuary. Inspect partial Saxon remnants along the North Wall and graveyard.
Over time, St. Mary’s expanded through assorted eras – evidenced by the ornate Norman doorway, medieval glass, and rare 13th-century square font. A lovely garden filled with fruit trees and roses also graces the exterior.
Video Credit: Apurvai
6. Castle Combe
Recommended Tour: Cotswolds Villages Day Trip
Often crowned “The Prettiest Village in England,” Castle Combe rests in a wooded valley in the southern Cotswolds. This perfectly preserved medieval village, with its honey-colored stone cottages and bubbling By Brook, appears frozen in the 1400s. No new buildings have gone up since the 1600s, making it a popular film backdrop for productions seeking authentic historic settings.
Things to do in Castle Combe:
The Market Cross
Castle Combe’s Market Cross stands proud in the village center, marking where markets have gathered since the 1300s. Built around 1390, this covered stone structure protected traders from weather while reminding them to deal fairly under God’s watch. Though markets no longer run here, the cross remains Castle Combe’s heart, surrounded by centuries-old cottages that once housed prosperous wool merchants.
Water Street
Water Street delivers Castle Combe’s most photographed view. This gentle slope lined with flower-draped cottages leads to the By Brook, creating the classic shot that’s graced countless postcards. Each building tells its own tale – like the Former Weavers’ Cottages with their broad windows designed to let in maximum light for cloth inspection. For the iconic photo without tourists, arrive at dawn when the morning light bathes the weathered stone.
St Andrew’s Church
The Grade I listed St Andrew’s Church stands as testament to Castle Combe’s medieval wool wealth. Its tower reaches 80 feet high, topped by a faceless clock believed to be one of England’s oldest working timepieces. Inside, look for the carved tomb of Sir Walter de Dunstanville, a 13th-century knight, and rare medieval roof bosses and stained glass from the 1400s.
The Bridge
The ancient bridge crossing the By Brook perfectly frames views of the village. This simple stone structure dates to medieval times when it helped transport wool to market. Today, its weathered arches reflect in the clear waters below, creating a peaceful spot to watch wildlife or enjoy village views.
Burford: London to Cotswolds Day Trip
Heading down High Street near Fulbrook and Stow-on-the-Wold, a medieval three-arch bridge crosses the River Windrush. This crossing gave Burford its name – “burh” meaning fortified town, and “ford” a river crossing.
It’s uncertain exactly when people first settled in Burford. But records document 200 residents living there in 1086. In the early 1100s, Burford received one of the earliest charters in the country from Robert Fitzhamon.
The charter allowed Burford to host a market. This brought traders from across the country to visit. Inns were constructed to give them places to stay. Some still stand today.
On May 13, 1649, over 340 “Levellers” were caught in Burford by troops. This group held radical views. The soldiers locked them in St. John the Baptist Church. That day saw much bloodshed.
Each May, Burford hosts “Levellers Day.” This event honours the group locked in the church in 1649. It celebrates their views – democracy, fairness and religious choice.
For over 40 years, Burford has held Levellers Day. The event includes talks on politics. It also features music, dancing and guest speakers. There is a parade through town.
Exploring Lower Slaughter: London to Cotswolds History
Lower Slaughter was once called “slothre.” This meant “muddy place,” not anything worse.
The River Eye flows through Lower Slaughter’s centre. It’s more of a stream than a river. You won’t find much mud now. The water lies at the town’s heart. A mill has stood there since 1086. That’s when the Domesday Book listed “Scolstre.” It had 32 homes.
In the 1200s, Lower Slaughter gained a church. In the 1600s, a manor house came next. Many current houses were built then too. They used the area’s signature stone. Though the village lacks attractions, its unspoiled nature draws visitors. It is also a favoured film site. This includes 2020’s “Emma” movie.
London to Cotswolds Day Trip We Think You Will Love:
The History of The Cotswolds
Stow on the Wold: A London to Cotswolds Day Trip Through Time
Stow-on-the-Wold sits 800 feet high – the highest point in the Cotswolds. In ancient times, an Iron Age fort stood on the hilltop site.
A preacher named Edward lived there alone during the Saxon period. This gave the town its first name – St Edward’s Stowe. “Stowe” meant “holy place” then. Later, “wold” or hill was added. This created the current name Stow-on-the-Wold. It means holy place atop a hill.
The town lies at the crossing of six roads. One is the old Roman road from Exeter to Lincoln. This prime spot helped Stow-on-the-Wold grow into an important trade hub.
In 1476, King Edward IV let Stow host two fairs each year. These took place on May 12 and October 24. They grew into huge wool trade events. Thousands of sheep came to town to sell. Stow became more important. When wool declined, horse fairs happened instead. Stow still runs annual Gypsy Horse Fairs on the old days.
St. Edward’s Church also played a big role in the English Civil War. On March 21, 1646, Parliament beat the Royalists at nearby Donnington. The Royalists retreated to Stow. Legend says Digbeth Street ran red from blood. Over 1,000 survivors locked up in the church.
Bourton-on-the-Water: An Historical London to Cotswolds Day Trip
Bourton-on-the-Water’s past traces to 4000 BC. Pieces of old pottery turned up nearby. Digs at Salmonsbury Camp also show activity from the Neolithic Period. This continued through the Bronze and Iron ages. Iron Age money bars were found close by too. These got swapped for items. Today, the bars sit in the British Museum.
The word “Bourton” is Saxon. It combines “burgh” meaning camp or defence, and “ton” for village or settlement.
Part of the old Roman road from Exeter to Lincoln runs through Bourton. This is the Fosse Way. The A429 follows it now. Crossing the Windrush River was key for the Romans then. It was wider and deeper at the time. So they built a settlement in western Bourton. Coins and pots from Rome have turned up there.
In the 1600s, the river got re-routed through town to power three mills. One mill today houses the Motor Museum. Many of Bourton’s stone houses also went up in the 1600s and 1700s.
From 1862 to 1962, trains from Cheltenham to Oxford stopped in Bourton. This helped make Bourton a top tourist spot for a London to Cotswolds day trip.
Bibury’s Heritage: London to Cotswolds Discovery
Bibury’s past reaches to the Iron Age. Remains of a hill fort and Roman villa turned up nearby. In the AD 700s, the land got gifted to Earl Leppas and his daughter Beaga. Back then it was called “Beagan-byring.” By 1086’s Domesday Book, it had become “Becheberie.” It slowly changed into Bibury.
Nearby abbeys first owned the area. The land started with St. Mary’s Priory in Worcester. Then in 1130, it passed to Osney Abbey in Oxford. That abbey’s monks built Arlington Row’s old houses in 1380. They stored wool there at first.
There used to be separate villages called Bibury and Arlington. The River Coln divided them. Today they have merged into the single village of Bibury.
The River Coln was known for its trout. This brought attention and visitors to Bibury, making it famous for its beauty on a London to Cotswolds day trip. William Morris adored it. So did the poet Alexander Pope. In 1726, he called its views “pleasing.”
Tourism rose around the town. By 1939, Bibury had two tea shops and a guest house. It has expanded some since. Now Bibury welcomes thousands yearly. Japanese tourists especially love it. This began after Emperor Hirohito stayed there in 1921 during his European trip.
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