If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of London, look no further than the Cotswolds! The Cotswolds are an area of the English countryside covering six different counties. These little towns are famous for their quaint, stone houses and thatched roofs. Every single town in the Cotswolds is absolutely picturesque so you could spend days here, but if you only want to take a day trip to the Cotswolds, here are my recommendations!
Rail: Although there are a couple railways that run through this area, there aren’t too many, so if you choose to travel by rail, your itinerary will be largely determined by which towns have train stations in them. Which is why I recommend traveling by:
Car/Bus: This is definitely the best way to see the Cotswolds. You can take a public bus to the area, but it’s best if you can rent a car and drive out. It’s about a 2 hour drive from London, so you only need the car for a day! If renting a car is not possible, a dedicated bus tour would be the next best option.
Bibury
This the town with the most iconic Cotswolds view! Arlington Row is supposedly the one of the most photographed streets in England and is famous for being postcard-perfect. However, it’s accordingly usually very crowded, so for good photos come early or late!
Outside of the gorgeous Arlington Row, Bibury isn’t terribly large, so you probably only need an hour or so to explore the entire town. Visit the gorgeous Swan Hotel which often has real swans swimming around outside of it! Or walk up the winding path behind Arlington Row, where you’ll find endless cute houses on the hill.
Bourton-on-the-water
After you’ve finished snapping tons of photos of Arlington Row, head to Bourton-on-the-water! It’s a bustling little town full of canals (hence the name on-the-water); some even call it the Venice of the Cotswolds. Stone bridges span gorgeous canals full of ducks while vintage shops and crooked stone cafes reside next to the water. It’s absolutely picturesque.
Sadly, when I went, there were bright orange plastic barriers surrounding the canals, so I was unable to get any good photos. But come during the warmer months and they’re sure to be gone! I recommend eating lunch here, and there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to choose from! If you’re looking to purchase a souvenir, this is also a good spot!
Lower Slaughter
Head next to Lower Slaughter! Lower Slaughter is a mere 30 minute walk from Bourton-on-the-water, so if it’s a nice day out I definitely recommend enjoying the fresh air! If not, it’s a quick 5 minute drive away.
Lower Slaughter is not quite as big or touristy as Bourton-on-the-water but not as small as Bibury either. I found that it was far more peaceful than the other two towns. It’s built on the River Eye, and at the end of the village you can find a 19th-century water mill!
At the end of the river there’s also a small craft shop and tea room that I recommend looking around! Here you can buy some souvenirs or novelty items, or get a quick cup of tea.
After visiting Lower Slaughter you can head over to Upper Slaughter or head home, depending on how much time you have!
Have you ever been to the Cotswolds? Let me know in the comments below!
