One is that transportation around the Cotswolds doesnt run very frequently. 5 124 Reviews. If you havent yet been and have some spare time, you can stop at Stonehenge to the south of Oxford to the north along the way. It also has plenty to offer on its own, including a quiet, quaint High Street, the Wilson Museum and Art Gallery, and Sanford Parks Lido. If you are planning 2 to 3 days in the Cotswolds, use this Cotswolds itinerary to experience all the best this incredible region has to offer. You can buy the passes at train stations or on board buses. This is a small place with an attractive historic church and medieval buildings, which you can wander around before the trip back to London, arriving at around 5.30pm. Spanning a whopping 40 square miles, this park has 180 lakes and offers the ideal destination for bird and animal watching. Lacock - Harry Potter fans will get a kick out of visiting the Lacock Abbey Cloisters, which were used as Hogwarts' corridors in the movies. Off the beaten path of the usual tourist route, Winchcombe is an excellent spot to escape the crowds in summer. We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience. The major operators, Oxford Bus Company and Oxford Tube offer direct routes from London, Birmingham, and Leeds. Deemed the southern gateway to the Cotswolds, this beautiful town on the river Windrush remains a crossroads. Would suggest you break it down as Day 1 Bath (overnight Bath), Day 2 train to Chippenham and bus to Bibury (overnight Northleach), Day 3 bus to Bourton and Stow (overnight Moreton-in-Marsh), Day 4 bus to Broadway then walk or bus to Stanton. Hear Victoria chat about the Cotswolds (and her fabulous tours) in episode 20 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR PRIVATE BESPOKE TOUR OF THE COTSWOLDS WITH VICTORIA. I, Our day tours of the Cotswolds are perfect for sol, Roses are red, violets are blue Choose a ready-made private Cotswolds Day Tour, or create an itinerary that is completely tailored to your needs. Our Oxford tours from London take you to the home of the world's most famous university. Learn More Beautiful Blenheim with Galahad Tours By train I'd suggest going to Cheltenham, then bus to the town centre and another bus to somewhere in the Cotswolds. Meander along the quaint streets and idyllic stone bridges crossing the River Windrush and streams. Once you have arrived you can visit one of the Tourist Information Centres where you will receive a personal touch to help you plan your trip further. The day includes 2 hours in Stratford-upon-Avon to spend as you wish, and your guide will be happy to offer suggestions. It was a totally impressive, different character holiday. This includes Winchcombe Antiques Centre, with its basement tearoom serving afternoon tea, warm beverages and cakes. Where is it better to sleep the night? This 15th-century fortress, with its 10 gorgeous gardens, stands on the site of a former 12th-century castle and boasts connections to the late royals Anne Boleyn and Katherine Parr, two of Henry VIIIs wives. So often its quicker and easier to catch a bus between two places rather than having to change trains and hang around waiting at stations. No Car! Embark on a day trip to the Cotswolds from . Then, visit The Model Village, a 1/9th stone scale model for an alternate birds-eye view of the town. The village is also home to several boutiques and antiquarians and Englands oldest inn,The Porch House, which has served shelter and sustenance for over 11 centuries. Level Contributor 44 posts 2 reviews 2. Cotswolds - Drive through and explore the iconic region known as the . If I want to go to Stock-on-the-wold, Burton on the water, Bibury, Bath, Castle Combe, Stanton and Bath. How can I make it? If the weather is nice and youre keen on a hike, consider taking the footpath trail from Market Place. Or you can take the S2 bus to the medieval town of Burford (50 minutes), which calls at Northleach (65 minutes) on its way to Cheltenham. We would love to go from Stow-on-the-Wold to Castle Combe by public transport, do you think it's viable? info@cotswoldtoursandtravel.com Although I am a little bit lost with something. If you have time, stop by Greystones Nature Reserve, home to wildflower meadows, Iron Age ramparts and a replica Iron Age roundhouse, and an organic farm. This company is awesome, they are revitalising what can be done in the countryside and are bringing locals with stories to tell closer to mainstream tourism. Please read my Customer reviews on Trip Advisor: A guided Cotswold tour will take you to hidden villages amongst the stunning English Countryside. Terms apply for children under 3. Take a small group trip through its rolling hills, home to some of the most famous and historic towns and villages of England. You could either catch a train to one of the bigger towns or cities like Oxford or Cheltenham and do day trips by bus into the Cotswolds. You ideally need a car - or go on an organised tour. Deals of The Week:Spring into Solo Adventure! From Bourton its a lovely 1.5-mile walk along the River Windrush to Lower Slaughter, where you can do a short diversion to neighbouring Upper Slaughter, and on to Stow-on-the-Wold. The tour also takes in Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds, a pretty place thats packed with honey-coloured stone cottages and low bridges. We've got 26 adventures going to Cotswolds, starting from just 5 days in length, and the longest tour is 24 days. Hello from both of us Tracy and Doug Collins. Discover wonderful attractions and many other things to see and do to keep you entertained. Or connect on to one of the smaller places like Broadway or Bourton-on-the-Water and stay there, using buses and footpaths to explore nearby. until our last Cotswold, Happy people discovering happy places However, if you dont have that luxury, it is quite possible to get a feel for the region and experience several of its highlights in a weekend break. Not recommended for small children. Click here to browse more Cotswolds hotels! Tetbury - " an unspoilt market town". Relish in the culinary delights on offer at the wonderful restaurants, pubs, cafes and tea rooms in the Cotswolds. You can get normal single and return tickets as well as rover tickets which let you use the service all day and cost 25 for adults and 10 for children aged 515. Next youll call at Stow-on-the-Wold, one of the biggest Cotswolds settlements. If so, could you recommend what would be the best way to do it? Day tours from London usually include round-trip transport, a tour guide, and entrance fees. Bibury - "the most beautiful Cotswold village". There are three main train routes which run through the Cotswolds one in the north, one in the centre and one in the south, calling at: There are also railway stations in larger towns and cities just outside the Cotswolds which are on different train lines: Stratford-upon-Avon, Chippenham, Bradford on Avon and Banbury. Every tour is important to our family company and your time with us matters. My private tours are for groups of 1 to 6 guests couples, families, friends and solo guests. If youre one or both, take a hike from the village to Belas Knap, an ancient Neolithic Burial Ground, and Hailes Abbey, the remnants of a 13-century Cistercian Monastery. Each itinerary involves basing yourself in one place and visiting nearby places by bus or train over a few days. Afterwards, stop by the Old Rectory Tea Room for fresh-baked scones before heading to the next stop on your Cotswolds itinerary. Concierge Services of the Cotswolds & England, Long Distance Travel to & from the Cotswolds, Cotswold Conference & Hospitality Transportation. Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, is routinely voted one of Englands prettiest villages. Filton. check available options on Rentalcars.com. The region offers itself to various forms of exploration to suite the visitor including the following:- Walking Tours - Guided & Self-Guided Walks You can revoke your consent any time using the Revoke consent button. This full day Cotswolds from London day trip takes in all the key highlights of the Cotswolds. First youll stop in Burford, where the high street slopes down towards the River Windrush. Adult from 174.25 pp (based on 2 people sharing) Small group Avebury Bath - chance to see Roman Baths Lacock Bibury & Stow-on-Wold Overnight accommodation & breakfast BOOK NOW Top of the page Looking at photos of the Cotswolds, you will more than likely come upon the Great Yew in the yard of the medieval St. Edwards Church. Such a helpful article, thank you very much. Chauffeured by our friendly, fully qualified and insured drivers, our comfortable, luxury minibuses are ideal for transporting groups of up to 16 people. Gift vouchers are available for any of our Cotswolds tours and, with a two-year expiry, theres plenty of time to find the right date. As well as 9 of the best, we also cover a couple of bonus private tour options. There are also numerous festivals throughout the year, including the enormously popular horse racing event, the Cheltenham Festival. Looking for travel insurance before visiting England? We listen, respond, and deliver tours that go beyond the basic contrived sites. The dovecote and garden at Rousham in winter. Have any questions about this itinerary? Tetbury is a Cotswold town of great architectural interest and is well placed as a base for touring the Cotswolds. From the delightful Market place you can admire the Parish Church of St John the Baptist. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Embark on a full-day guided tour of the English countryside from London. Walk to the top of High Street and take in the view of the rows of centuries-old buildings sweeping down to the River Windrush, straddled by an impressive three-arched medieval bridge. I could write a book on the simplicity/experiences and the Cirencester is a must see place for any Cotswolds Tours. You can also reach Painswick using the 66 bus (35 minutes) or head to Cirencester on the 51 (40 minutes). However, as many villages and small towns are sparsely populated, service is limited within the region. You could easily spend a few days in the city of dreaming spires and not run out of things to do. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Kate Daniel is a writer for The World Was Here First. One of the countrys most picturesque villages, it is also one of the Cotswolds most famous, having starred in films like Doctor Thorne, Doctor Dolittle, Robin Hood, Stardust, War Horse, and Poirot. Many guides can reel off the history and be boring teachers, our tour guides burst with passion and enthusiasm and as local ambassadors we show our guests real local life, sharing the stories we love whilst showcasing the best of the area and meeting local characters along the way. From the delightful Market place you can admire the Parish Church of St John the Baptist. The Ultimate London-Scotland-Ireland Itinerary. The Cotswolds isalso richly rural: more than 3,000 miles of footpaths and bridleways to explore; ancient woodlands and wildflower meadows; 4,000 miles of historicCotswold stone walls dividing up the landscape. But local train and bus links are good enough to reach the Cotswolds main towns and villages without a car, so not having access to one or not wanting to drive shouldnt put you off visiting. And just outside the city is grand Blenheim Palace easy to reach on the S3/7 buses (50 minutes), and you get a 30% discount on entry if you arrive by bus. W, Spaces available on our Cotswolds in a Day tour TO, Rail strikes on March 16, 18 and 30, and April 1, 2023, Private Cotswolds in a Day Tour for 1-16 people, Go Cotswolds: now members of the Cotswold Way Association, We help to protect the Cotswolds with the Caring for the Cotswolds scheme. Hello Lucy! This day trip to Cotswolds from London by car is led by a former city taxi driver in a six-seater Mercedes, and youll be transported by luxury Mercedes to see the Cotswolds finest sights. Cirencester the Capital of the Cotswolds. We offer affordable local private guided historical and cultural day tours for small groups. The 801 runs northeast to Bourton-on-the-Water (45 minutes), Stow-on-the-Wold (60 minutes) and Moreton-in-Marsh (70 minutes), with around nine services a day. Fact File: Population: 139,000 | Counties: Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire Size: 2,038 km Explore all our tours Why you'll love the Cotswolds Wonderful Villages This ancient, ivy-clad inn is located in the centre of Bibury on the banks of the River Coln, providing a scenic setting for a delicious pub meal. Report inappropriate content Penmere Cheltenham, United. There are lots of accommodation options to choose from so if youre looking for the perfect place to stay in the Cotswolds, browse through these suggestions: The Lamb Inn This idyllic pub located in the village of Bourton-on-the-Water is the perfect place to stay in the Cotswolds. You can check available options on Rentalcars.com which aggregates results from many major car hire companies. Use our Contact Form, For private tours and groups of more than 16, please see. Winchcombe is also a haven for walkers and history buffs. The W connects Cheltenham with Winchcombe (30 minutes), as does the less-frequent 606, which carries on to Broadway (1 hour 35 minutes) and Chipping Campden (2 hours). Can you get around the Cotswolds without a car? This 18th-century spa town is a convenient gateway to the region, with direct train links to London, Birmingham, and Bristol and public transit connections to several of the regions villages. Or the 802 connects with trains from London at Kingham and will take you to Bourton in just under an hour. The original Dr. Doolittle film with Rex Harrison was filmed here. From 99.00. After departing Stratford youll enjoy a scenic drive through the Cotswolds before heading to Oxford. What a wh, Beautiful, frosty, crunchy winter mornings in, We are ON tomorrow! Subscribe to our emails for tips and updates about our friendly tours across the UK & Europe. You can also head south on the 882 bus to visit the town of Tetbury (35 minutes), or take the 93 bus south to Malmesbury (50 minutes), which is surrounded by the River Avon and known as the Queen of Hilltop Towns. The Cotswolds have a diversity of rolling . Alternatively, you could catch the train to Stroud where its a seven-mile walk along the canal to Stonehouse, where you can pick up a return train to Cheltenham. North Cotswolds 6 hour Tour from 450 per group ( 4 hour tour option from 350), South Cotswolds 6 hour Tour from 450 per group (4 hour tour option from 350), Bespoke Cotswolds 6 hour Tour from 500 per group (4 hour tour option from 400). The twin villages monikers come from the Old English word for a muddy or boggy place, slough, and belie their quaint characters. While you can rely solely on public transit, consider hiring a car, especially if you have just two or three days in the Cotswolds. It is said the poet John Milton stayed here and was inspired to write Paradise Lost. The Cotswold town of Stow on the Wold Getting To and Around the Cotswolds Located between Bristol and Oxford and just south of Birmingham, the Cotswolds region spans nearly 800 square miles. Terms apply for children under 3. From Cirencester you can head north on the 855 bus to visit Bibury (17 minutes), where Arlington Row is one of the Cotswolds most photographed spots. Our certified and talented tour guides will perfect each day you travel with us along with their in-depth local knowledge will maximise your time on vacation, whilst travelling in style in one of our luxury Mercedes vehicles. 2023 The World Was Here First All rights reserved. Kemble is the closest, with the 882 bus connecting to trains from London and only taking 12 minutes to reach Cirencester. Castle Combe - " such a pretty village ". Hi there, if you want to cover all those places you will need a few days and it'll be easier if you stay in different places. Spread over 800 square miles of countryside, the Cotswolds isnt the most obvious place to visit by public transport. Cirencester - " Capital of the Cotswolds". 10 pretty Cotswolds villages and towns to visit, Destinations: Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, Whats included: Transport, guide, 2 course lunch, Destinations: University of Oxford, Burford & Bibury, Departure point: Greenline Coach Terminal near Victoria Coach Station, Whats included: Transport, guide, free time to explore, Destinations: Stratford-upon-Avon, the Cotswolds & Oxford, Departure point: Stanhope Arms pub opposite Gloucester Road underground, Destinations: Blenheim Palace, Cotswolds & Downton Abbey villages, Departure point: Varies according to date, Whats included: Transport, audio headset, Blenheim Palace State Rooms. Located at the Southern edge of the Cotswolds, an hour south of Cheltenham by car, Castle Combe is a bit of a trek but well worthwhile. Join us in the Cotswolds! Victoria will collect you from Hanborough Train Station (only an hour by train from Paddington Station) and design a private Cotswold tour which is perfect for your interests. If you want to go from London to the Cotswolds for a day trip, then stay right here to find the ideal Cotswolds day trip itinerary. So you need to plan carefully and keep an eye on the time, especially to make sure you dont miss the last bus. With an end goal that is the one-time home of actual Shakespeare, it's a pretty cool one at that. See the town's small tea houses before heading south to picturesque Bibury for lunch. Go Cotswolds is an award-winning family-run guided tour company. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Gloucestershire-Warwickshire Steam Railway, 9 easy day trips from Cheltenham to Cotswolds (without a car), Worcestershire Parkway > Pershore > Evesham > Honeybourne > Moreton-in-Marsh > Kingham > Charlbury > Hanborough > Oxford (and on to London), Cheltenham > Gloucester > Stonehouse > Stroud > Kemble > Swindon (and on to London), Bristol > Yate > Cam and Dursley > Gloucester, Cheltenham Racecourse > Gotherington > Winchcombe > Toddington > Broadway. The Cotswolds covers a huge area almost 800 square miles and runs through five counties (Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire). This blog has been sooo useful- especially the train/bus map. Find out more. 9 of the best Cotswolds tours from London, London to Cotswolds full day trip with lunch, London to Cotswolds villages and Oxford day tour, London day trip to Oxford, Stratford and the Cotswolds, Day tour to Blenheim Palace, Downton Abbey and Cotswolds villages, Day trip to Highclere Castle, the Cotswolds and Downton Abbey, London to the Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace with lunch, Private day tour of the Cotswolds and Lacock village. Click to book this London full day tour to the Cotswolds. Visiting Cotswolds: a weekend in Bath and Cotswolds Once you're done with Bath, although, arguably, you can't be done with Bath, this city has so much to see, you can drive to Cotswolds. Youll also visit Bourton-on-the-Water, Burford and Bibury, though as the tour is private it can be personalised to suit your preferences. Cotswold Tours & Travel are a highly respected leader in luxury travel and tours in the Cotswolds and the U.K. Cotswold Tours & Travel cares for perfection and puts you first, listening to your desires and interests. Another must-visit is Sudeley Castle & Gardens. Burfords High Street is also home to Englands oldest pharmacy, which opened its doors in 1734, and the Tolsey Museum, which highlights the towns history. You could either catch a train to one of the bigger towns or cities like Oxford or Cheltenham and do day trips by bus into the Cotswolds. The Cotswold Way is a popular long-distance walking trail and this 7-day trip is the perfect way to explore its southern section between Painswick and Bath. * There are also some tours starting in the Cotswolds, which cuts down on time on the bus, with one from Moreton-in-Marsh* and another from Oxford.*. 11. Welcome tothe Cotswolds, a very special, very wonderful place. , You need to book NOW if you want to take a tou, The Cotswold Way is for everyone, not just for har, Hey, London travellers! 2 nights in The Cotswolds Explore quintessentially English villages of honey-coloured stone; take in splendid, lively market towns, and visit some of the country`s greatest palaces, castles and country houses in the Cotswolds, a collection of small, rural villages with acclaimed reserves and some of the most breath-taking landscapes available in England. Alternatively I can design a bespoke tour for you - a perfect Cotswolds guided . Afterwards, venture a little further from the center to explore country roads and get a taste of local life. Happy New Year! Some people might say visiting the Cotswolds by public transport is too difficult to bother, but we disagree! Stay at one of the many accommodation options and experience wonderful hospitality. Every tour and experience will be an everlasting distinctive memory when you travel with us, No tour is ever the same with us, we will plan and deliver your tour and experience the way you want it. Dont be put off by their sinister-sounding names. The order in which these are visited may vary. Theaccommodation is just as wide ranging and welcoming: enjoy the finest of country house hotels, go chic and boutique, take a spa break, snuggle up in a charming B&B, put up a tent at a beautifully located campsite. Yes there are some villages and attractions which you cant get to without a car or which would take too long or involve too many connections to be worth it. Will w, Valentine, galentine, or treat yo'self? The English countryside is a unique place. Not quite what youre looking for? Tel: 0117 450 9940. Go Cotswolds is an award-winning family-run guided tour company. Next, head a few miles east to Daylesford Organic, a trendy, award-winning farm shop and caf specializing in organic, sustainable local foods, including produce grown on-site, as well as an in-house butcher and creamery. The Eyford House has replaced a now-ruined Norman castle as the villages focal point. Discover the very best of the Cotswolds Lower Slaughter beautiful old Mill, Upper Slaughter delightful quiet village, Stow on the Wold large Market square , Broadway an old coaching town, Lacock backdrop for period drama filming , Cirencester Capital of the Cotswolds, Bibury the most beautiful Cotswold village.