Cotswolds· 1 min read
Prettiest Cotswolds Villages to Visit — 12 Worth a Day Out
The honey-stone villages that make the Cotswolds famous — which are genuinely worth your day, which to skip in peak season, and where to walk between them.
The Cotswolds is really a collection of villages, and picking the right ones makes or breaks a day out. Some are exquisite and quiet; some are exquisite and rammed by 11am. Here are 12 worth the trip and how to enjoy them.
The showstoppers (go early)
- Bibury — Arlington Row's weavers' cottages are the most photographed scene in the Cotswolds. Arrive before 10am or you're sharing it with three coaches.
- Castle Combe — often called England's prettiest village; a film-set of a place with no visible modern buildings.
Best for families
- Bourton-on-the-Water — shallow river, low stone bridges to paddle under, a model village and plenty of ice cream.
- Broadway — a broad, handsome high street with the folly of Broadway Tower and its deer park above.
Walk between them
The classic free day out is the 1.5-mile loop between Lower and Upper Slaughter — flat, gorgeous, and doable with a buggy. Or link Stow-on-the-Wold to the Slaughters for a longer amble.
Practical notes
Parking is the main expense and fills fast in summer — Bourton and Bibury especially. Come midweek or early, wear proper shoes for the paths, and picnic on a village green rather than paying tourist-café prices.
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