Arrival
Getting There
The Cotswolds sit northwest of London, spanning nearly 800 square miles across five counties with small towns, rolling hills, and cute stone houses throughout. The easiest way to travel to the area is by car. Depending on where you’re headed first, plan for about a 2-hour drive from London. If you’re a regular UK driver, no issue, but if you are not used to driving on the left side of the road, expect more of a challenge some of the roads are narrow enough that two-way traffic feels impossible, though there are pull-out points, and locals and taxi drivers tend to move fast.
A car also gets you to the smaller towns that trains can’t reach. If you’d rather not drive the whole way, you can train it to one of the Cotswolds stations like Banbury, Cheltenham, Moreton-in-Marsh, or Kingham and then and rent a car from there, or plan to stay put in one area. Oxford, Bath, and Stroud are other nearby towns with stations worth considering.
Getting Around
It’s tough to see much of the Cotswolds without a car. Buses run between towns but aren’t frequent, and taxis usually need to be booked in advance. Distances that look walkable on a map often aren’t, since the roads aren’t built for walkers, though there are countryside paths if you have the right shoes and dry weather. Once you’re in any given town, though, everything is easy to explore on foot and small enough to cover in an hour or two.
A few tips if you’re renting a car:
- Get one with the driver’s seat on the right side (standard here, but cars occasionally still have it on the left, which makes for a confusing swap)
- Stick to an automatic even if you know how to drive manual (using the clutch with your opposite hand adds an unnecessary challenge)
- Double check whether the car takes petrol or diesel.
If you’re planning to rely on taxis, look up companies in your area ahead of time and book pickups and drop-offs in advance. Excelsior Taxis is convenient for those staying around Chipping Norton, Kingham, or Milton-under-Wychwood, and AG Private Hire works well for those based in Bourton-on-the-Water.
Where to stay
With so many towns spread across the region, picking a home base can be the hardest part of planning. For the full experience, stay in a quaint pub inn or a little countryside cottage. Sand & Stone has a solid portfolio of cozy cottages scattered across the Cotswolds worth browsing.
This itinerary bases you out of Stow-on-the-Wold, a hidden gem of a town that’s small but has just enough going on with antique shops, boutiques, cafes, and a handful of good pubs and restaurants. It sits centrally enough to reach most of the key spots without too much driving. The Bell Inn is a great pick here: a cute pub with rooms upstairs plus additional rooms in coach houses a few minutes away. Daylesford Organic Farm, just a 10-minute drive from Stow-on-the-Wold has cottages to book for a different taste than a pub.
If you’d rather base yourself elsewhere, a few solid alternatives:
- Bourton-on-the-Water: bigger and more touristy, but with the most options for dining, shopping, and accommodations, plus a prime location near other small towns. Expect more crowds here in summer and on nice weekends.
- Broadway: another moderately sized town, cute and walkable, close to the Broadway Tower.
- The Slaughters: Upper and Lower Slaughter are about as picturesque as it gets, though very quiet with few dining options of their own; close enough to Bourton-on-the-Water to drive in for meals.
- Milton-under-Wychwood: an especially small town with a lovely pub, The Hare, and a cute breakfast spot, Rise & Flour Artisan Bakery and Cafe. There’s a small grocery shop within a 5-minute walk, and the neighboring towns of Ascott-under-Wychwood and Shipton-under-Wychwood are walkable too, though a car is still useful for reaching Daylesford, the Wild Rabbit, and other nearby spots.
- Nether Westcote: home to The Feathered Nest, a pub and inn with a well-regarded restaurant, a large wine list, and stunning views over the hills from the back porch. They host a pizza night for locals in the summer. It’s a quiet, relaxing option, but you’ll want a car if you plan to come and go at all.
Snapshot Itinerary
Day 1
Bourton-on-the-Water & the Slaughters
- Drive ~2 hours from London into the Cotswolds
- Explore Bourton-on-the-Water
- Walk to Hawkstone Brewery for a pint
- Check into The Bell Inn in Stow-on-the-Wold
- Countryside walk to the Slaughters (~1 hour each way) with a stop at The Slaughters Country Inn
- Dinner at The Porch House or The Bell Inn
Day 2
Shopping, Daylesford & Broadway Tower
- Morning shopping in Stow-on-the-Wold
- Lunch at Daylesford Organic
- Views from Broadway Tower
- Stroll through Broadway
- Dinner at The Wild Rabbit in Kingham
Day 3
Bibury, Castle Combe & Stonehenge
- Depart Stow-on-the-Wold early for Bibury
- Walk to Arlington Row
- Lunch in Castle Combe or at The Salutation Inn
- Stop at Stonehenge on the way back to London
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1
Day 1 | Morning
ARRIVE AND EXPLORE BOURTON-ON-THE-WATER
Depart London and make the roughly 2-hour drive northwest into the Cotswolds. If you’re not used to driving on the left, give yourself a little grace on the narrow country roads. Make your first stop Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the “Venice of the Cotswolds” for the little river running straight through town. It’s one of the bigger, busier towns in the region, which means more options for shopping and a bite to eat. Grab a coffee or a sit-down breakfast at The Den, then walk it off along the river.
Day 1 | Afternoon
LUNCH AND A STOP AT HAWKSTONE BREWERY
Stay in Bourton-on-the-Water for lunch, then walk the easy 20 minutes out to Hawkstone Brewery for a locally brewed pint. This is a nice way to get out of the touristy town centre for a bit. If you’d rather learn more about the process, they also run brewery tours. On your way back through town, stop for a scoop at Cotswolds Ice Cream before heading to Stow-on-the-Wold.
Day 1 | Evening
WALK TO THE SLAUGHTERS AND CHECK IN
Arrive in Stow-on-the-Wold, your home base for the next two nights, and check into The Bell Inn, a cute pub with rooms upstairs and a few more in coach houses just a few minutes away. Before dinner, take the countryside walk to the Slaughters (about an hour each way), stopping at The Slaughters Country Inn in Lower Slaughter for a drink in the courtyard. Head back to Stow-on-the-Wold for dinner at The Porch House, known for the best Sunday roast in the Cotswolds, or The Bell Inn itself are both easy, cozy options.
Day 2
Day 2 | Morning
SHOPPING IN STOW-ON-THE-WOLD
Spend the morning exploring Stow-on-the-Wold on foot. It’s a small town, but there’s enough to fill a few hours including antique stores, boutique shops, and local crafts. Pop into the Cotswolds Chocolate Company for some locally made chocolate (you can watch it being made in the back of the store), and grab a coffee at The Hive or Coach House Coffee before heading out for the day.
Day 2 | Afternoon
LUNCH AT DAYLESFORD ORGANIC
Drive about 10 minutes to Daylesford Organic in Moreton-in-Marsh, a sustainable farm with a farm shop, a cookery school, and several places to eat. For lunch, try The Old Spot Restaurant for sharing plates and pizzas, or The Trough Café if you want something a bit more special. The Trough Cafe holds a Michelin Green Star. Plan a few hours here to shop, wander the grounds, and enjoy a meal.
Day 2 | Evening
BROADWAY TOWER, BROADWAY, AND DINNER AT THE WILD RABBIT
From Daylesford, drive to Broadway Tower, which sits on top of a hill with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside (there’s a deer farm right next to it, and a small museum with a rooftop platform if you’re interested). Afterward, wander through Broadway itself for a stroll, some shopping, or a snack. Head back toward Stow-on-the-Wold for dinner at The Wild Rabbit in Kingham, an upscale restaurant run by the owners of Daylesford Farm. Book ahead, and note it’s closed Monday and Tuesday evenings, in which case the pub is a good backup for a drink.
Day 3
Day 3 | Morning
BIBURY AND ARLINGTON ROW
Check out and depart Stow-on-the-Wold early for Bibury. Stop at The Twig, a small café a short walk from Arlington Row, for a morning coffee and something homemade. Park near Arlington Row and take the short walk to see the row of historic weavers’ cottages. This is one of the most photographed spots in the Cotswolds.
Day 3 | Afternoon
LUNCH IN CASTLE COMBE
Drive to Castle Combe, a village that feels straight out of a fairytale and is another one of the most photographed spots in the region. Grab lunch at one of the pubs in the village itself, or drive 5–10 minutes up the road to The Salutation Inn for a sit-down meal with a slightly more expansive menu.
Day 3 | Evening
STONEHENGE
Finish the trip with a stop at Stonehenge on your way back toward London. It is technically just south of the Cotswolds region, but well worth folding into the itinerary before you head home. Buy a ticket to visit the small museum and learn a bit about the site’s history (its origins are still a mystery to historians), then take the 5-minute shuttle bus out to the stones themselves. You can also walk from the museum, but budget about 30 minutes each way if you go on foot.
