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London Tours to Cotswolds – My Guide

The best way I can describe the Cotswolds, is that they’re the British Dream! The Cotswolds are a region in the South Of England. With rolling hills, limestone villages and a rich history.

The Cotswold Way has 102 miles of scenic walking routes. The region contains over 3,000 miles of footpaths. There’s also a thriving culinary scene. With farmers markets, gastropubs and modern restaurants.

Basically, the Cotswolds couldn’t be more English! Even the names of the Villages are super English (like Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold).

The Cotswolds are also a popular place for Americans to visit and to live in. However, the area isn’t close to London. The Village of Bourton-on-the-Water is 100 miles from Central London.

The Cotswolds attracts over 35 million visitors annually.

To get there from London, you’ll need your own car or to book an organised tour. In this article, I’ll review 3 separate London Tours to the Cotswolds. All include private transport from London.

All 3 tours are excellent! I don’t think any one is better than the other. The right tour for you will depend on what you’re looking for.

Book the highest rated tour here for £84. Visit 4 Cotswold villages in a small group, with an expert guide.


Book the cheapest tour here for £59. Visit two Cotswold villages and Oxford.

Book a combo ticket here for £102. You’ll visit Stratford Upon Avon (Shakespeare’s birthplace), Warwick Castle and the Cotswolds.

In the article I’ll also cover four different Cotswolds villages to visit. You don’t have visit all four. But if you do, you won’t regret it!

Go to this page on my website for some of my favourite travel deals. For how to save big on luxury travel. Including how to book airport lounges for £18.30 per visit.

I also have a bunch of other articles on how to have a great time when you visit London. I wrote a review of the Harry Potter Tour in London. Including a great photo of Platform 9¾.
## Top Highlights of London Tours to Cotswolds

• The Cotswolds are the British countryside dream. With rolling hills and limestone villages.
• Enjoy 102 miles of walking routes along the Cotswold Way.
• There’s a thriving food scene with farmers markets, gastropubs, and tea rooms.
• Bourton-on-the-Water is known as the Venice of the Cotswolds. With stone bridges over the River Windrush.
• Bibury has been described as the most beautiful village in England. Home to iconic Arlington Row cottages.
• Stow-on-the-Wold offers antique shops, art galleries, and England’s oldest pub, The Porch House.
• Burford is the Gateway to the Cotswolds, with a picturesque high street lined with medieval buildings.
• Book the best-rated Cotswolds tour for £84 to visit four stunning villages in one day.
• Choose a budget-friendly tour for £59 to see Oxford plus two Cotswold villages.
• Upgrade to a combo tour for £102 to include Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick Castle along with the Cotswolds.


Burford – The Gateway to the Cotswolds

Burford is 18 miles west of Oxford and referred to as the Gateway to the Cotswolds. It’s a really picturesque village.

It’s famous for the steep high street. With medieval buildings, unique shops and tea rooms.

For the uninitiated, tea rooms are a thing in England. Especially in villages. They’re similar to coffee shops, except you’ll get a wider variety of teas. Also, you’ll have the opportunity to order Afternoon Tea. Afternoon Tea is typically tea or coffee, with sandwiches, scones and cakes.

You can probably get some café dishes in a tea room. Like a baked potato or an English Breakfast.

Bourton-on-the-Water. The Venice of the Cotswolds

Bourton-on-the-Water is nicknamed the Venice of The Cotswolds. It’s famous for its river flowing through the middle of the village, with low stone bridges crossing it. Called the River Windrush.

The village is 100 miles from Central London.

Model Village is one of the most famous attractions there, with a 1/9th scale replica of Bourton-on-the-Water. The model village replica actually contains a 1/9 scale replica of model village! So that model would be 1/81 of the size of Bourton-on-the-Water.

The photo above is when I visited – in the rain!

There’s also a cool mix of cafes, bakeries, shops and traditional English pubs.

Bibury - The most beautiful village in England

Bibury is an historic village in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds. Described by William Morris as the most beautiful village in England.

If you’re looking at London Tours to the Cotswolds, and it’s not going to Bibury. Then it’s not a proper tour!

Bibury is known for its honey coloured stone cottages and the River Coln. It’s a popular place, sometimes receiving 20,000 visitors per weekend.

Arlington Row is an iconic line of 14th Century cottages. It’s one of the most photographed sites in the UK. The properties are owned by the National Trust, so you can’t buy one of the cottages. You can rent a cottage here at about £900/night in peak season.

St. Mary's Church is a Saxon church dating back to the 8th century. Featuring 13th-century stained glass.

Stow-On-The Wold

Stow-On-The Wold has to be the most English name in the world! An historic market town, at the top of an 800 foot hill.

The Market Square was once a sheep market, where as many as 20,000 sheep were sold at one time.

It's very popular for shopping. Especially for antiques and art.

You also have fantastic pubs and cozy cafes. The Porch House claims to be the oldest pub in England, dating back to the 10th Century.

Of Course, you have classic limestone coloured cottages that line the street.

Book the best rated tour for £84

Book the top rated of the London tours to Cotswolds for £84. Rated at 4.8* from over 2,500 reviews. The tour lasts 10 hours and you’ll visit 4 villages in the Cotswolds. Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-On-The Wold.

You’re guaranteed to travel in a small group. You’ll be picked up from South Kensington, which is one of the nicest parts of London. Then you’ll travel in a private minibus.

If you want to do the Cotswolds properly, this is an excellent tour. You’ll see the prettiest village in England, have lunch in Bourton and have time for a pint in a Cotswold pub.

 

 

Book the cheapest tour for £59

The cheapest of the London tours to Cotswolds can be booked here for £59. The Tour is rated 4.6* from over 1,500 reviews. A full day tour.

You’ll visit Oxford, and two villages in the Cotswolds. Bibury and Burford.

It’s an excellent tour, but you’ll miss out on Bourton-on-the-Water.

You’ll get picked up from Victoria Coach Station.


Combo inc. Stratford Upon Avon & Warwick Castle

The 3rd tour is a combination of the Cotswolds and some other great sites. Book a tour here for £102. You’ll visit Warwick Castle, Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford and you’ll drive through the Cotswolds.

You won’t get the full Cotswolds experience, but you’ll visit some of the best places in England.

Stratford Upon Avon is a beautiful town that was the birthplace of Shakespeare. The photo above is from my most recent visit, when I took a boat to the river.

There’s something about the atmosphere of the place. As you walk around, you can feel the history. The other photo is the most Shakespearean Costa Coffee in the UK!

Oxford is home to the oldest university in the English Speaking world. The city has historic architecture, dreaming spires and picturesque colleges. Although in my view, Cambridge is prettier!

Warwick Castle is a medieval fortress in the town of Warwick. First built in 1068. Then rebuilt in the 12th century.

The tour is rated 4.7* and is a great way to tick off some major attractions in one day.

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