This guide to the Cotswolds is a post I've been planning for a long time, and now I've finally done all the exploring and research I felt I needed to do in order to write it!
For all of my life (excluding my university years), I've lived very close to the Cotswold region, but I'd never been all that interested in travelling around it prior to 2020, as travelling to far-flung places was always more appealing to me. However, when the Covid-19 pandemic appeared, it put a stop to most international travel and at times even domestic travel. Of course, it didn't put a stop to my Wanderlust, and so I had to find a way to satisfy it somehow! The solution was to take regular day trips to places of interest in the local area, which is something I've been doing with my parents (and for a few months last year, with my boyfriend, Claudio) for well over a year now.
One thing that has surprised me a little bit is how much I've enjoyed exploring the Cotswolds in particular. Seeing it from the perspective of a tourist has made me realise why it enchants so many people from all corners of the world (including Claudio!). This Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty spanning six counties and three regions of England is internationally renowned for its pretty villages of honey-coloured stone and its picturesque countryside views.
So I've decided to use my experiences of exploring the Cotswolds quite thoroughly over the last year or so to create a handy guide to the most interesting cities, towns, villages, castles/palaces/historic houses, and natural spaces in the area. Hope it provides some travel inspiration!
Cities
Bath
Bath, which is located at the southern end of the Cotswolds, has to be one of the most beautiful cities in
the UK or even the world. It's doubly recognised by UNESCO for its Roman and Georgian history, and for being one of the great spa towns of
Europe. Must-see sites include the Roman Baths (pictured above), the abbey (also pictured above), Pulteney Bridge and the Royal Crescent.
Cheltenham
This is technically a town, but I feel it works better as a city for the purposes of this list (the classification of towns and cities in this country doesn't make much sense anyhow). Cheltenham, like Bath, is a spa town filled with Georgian architecture, including its very own Royal Crescent. My favourite attractions include the Neptune Fountain (pictured above), the Imperial Fountain and the Promenade, though to be honest, the entire town is very beautiful. I think of it as a sort of twin city to Bath, as they're very similar places, but Cheltenham is smaller with lighter-coloured buildings. I would definitely recommend visiting both.
Towns
Cirencester
Known as the capital of the Cotswolds, Cirencester is a hub for tourism, and many people choose it as a base for exploring the region. But it is worth a visit on its own merits, thanks to its many picturesque streets and attractions such as the castle (pictured above) and the Roman Amphitheatre.
Malmesbury
Malmesbury is the town where I went to secondary school, so I never used to think of it as an interesting place to visit! However, when I explored it on a few different occasions last year, I realised that it's actually a very scenic place. The main highlight, of course, has to be the abbey (pictured above), which has a long history dating back to the 7th century.
Bradford-on-Avon
Bradford-on-Avon isn't the most famous place on this list, but it's one of my favourites. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that it is home to the Bridge tearooms, a Victorian-style café that does amazing tea and cakes! But the town is also a great place to walk around, with plenty of historic architecture to look at, including the old bridge pictured above, which dates back centuries.
Read more here!
Lechlade-on-Thames
The small town of Lechlade on the edge of the Cotswold Water Park is an ideal destination for walking, rowing or simply relaxing! Its location on the River Thames makes it a very picturesque place to sit and watch the world (and the swans!) go by.
Villages
Bibury
The Cotswolds has many pretty villages, but three stand out from the rest. One of them is Bibury, a particularly beautiful village on the River Coln, best known for its famous street of cottages called Arlington Row (pictured above). It also has several other lesser-known photogenic sights, two of my favourites being the Swan Hotel and St Mary's Church.
Castle Combe
Perhaps the most photographed village in the Cotswolds is Castle Combe. Although it doesn't actually have a castle (despite its name), it still draws in crowds from all over the world, thanks to its picture-perfect streets filled with quaint little cottages.
Read more here!
Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the-Water is known as "the Venice of the Cotswolds", because of its numerous old bridges crossing the Windrush, the river that flows through the village. It's a very pretty place to wander around, and also has a motoring museum, a model village, and many nice cafés and tearooms.
Read more here!
Castles, Palaces and Historic Houses
Dyrham Park
Dyrham Park, a
National Trust property near Bath, is one of the most beautiful stately homes in the country. When you visit, you have to walk down a sloping path to get to the house itself, and there's a point where you turn a corner, and it suddenly appears below the hill, giving you an amazing view. The house is also just as impressive to see up close, and has very pretty gardens.
Sezincote
This is a place that is quite different to anywhere else on this list, and I have to say that going there was perhaps my favourite trip out of all of my local trips. This stunning Indian palace was inspired by buildings such as the Taj Mahal, and features beautiful gardens with many interesting design features, including a Temple to Surya (the Hindu sun god). Even though it was cold and rainy when I visited, I almost felt like I'd been transported to India.
Read more here!
Broadway Tower
Broadway Tower is one of the most iconic landmarks in the Cotswolds, and although it's smaller in real life than it looks in pictures, it's definitely worth a visit. Inside this little castle, you can see recreations of historic rooms, and the views from the roof are very impressive, as it is located on the second highest hill in the Cotswolds area.
Read more here!
Blenheim Palace
This palace is one of the grandest country houses in the UK, and has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, for its beautiful architecture, interiors and gardens. The whole estate is so big that you can discover something new each time you revisit it!
Read more here!
Places of Natural Beauty
The Cotswold Water Park
This little area near Cirencester contains around 150 lakes, including
Neigh Bridge Lake (pictured above), so it's an ideal place for seeing nature and wildlife. It also has several great cafés to eat in, log cabins and New England-style chalets to stay in, and opportunities to try out different sports, including water-skiing, windsurfing and open water swimming.
Batsford Arboretum
One of my other favourite places I've visited over the last year is Batsford Arboretum. It is the owner of Britain's national collection of Japanese cherry blossom trees, and the whole arboretum takes inspiration from Japan. You can find a Japanese rest house, a statue of the Buddha, and many pretty little red bridges there. It's a very peaceful place to spend a day.
Read more here!
That concludes my guide to places to visit in the Cotswolds. It's by no means an exhaustive list, but these are the places that I personally think are the most special in the area. Wherever you choose to visit, you're sure to have a lovely time, as it's a very pretty part of the world.
In other news, I updated my post about UNESCO World Heritage Sites earlier this week to reflect the recent changes to the list (check it out
here!). Plus, next week I'll be visiting a new (and very interesting-looking) place in my local area, and
a post about it will be on its way shortly afterwards!
Check out the rest of my Travel Tips here!
