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The Cotswolds Activities for couples

Our most recommended The Cotswolds Activities for couples

From London: Small Group Cotswolds Villages Tour

1. From London: Small Group Cotswolds Villages Tour

Depart from London and leave the busy streets of the city behind as you head towards the Cotswolds, the single largest Designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK. With its rustic rural charm, rolling hills, vibrant market towns, and picture-perfect villages, the Cotswolds covers nearly 800 square miles of unspoiled countryside. Take a trip through its rolling hills, home to some of the most famous and historic towns and villages of England.  An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this range of hills in west-central England is packed with picturesque villages built of Cotswold stone, beautiful churches, and vast manor houses.  As you make your way through little villages and historic market towns you will have the opportunity to explore the honey-colored cottages of Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury, and Burford.  Highlights include a stunning row of 17th-century weaver’s cottages and a tranquil river flowing through the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’.

From London: The Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace & Downtown Abbey

2. From London: The Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace & Downtown Abbey

Tick off some of southern England’s top attractions on a guided day trip by bus from London to Blenheim Palace and Cotswolds villages, including the Bampton filming location of the TV show Downtown Abbey. If you prefer exploring historic towns over attractions, enjoy the flexible tour option. Board your coach in London and head out of the city and towards your first stop at Blenheim Palace. Witness this masterpiece of English Baroque architecture which was also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Visit the stunning State Rooms, brimming with priceless works of art and magnificent tapestries (if option selected), and admire the 754-hectare gardens, including an exquisite water garden. Next, head into the charming Cotswolds region for a stop at the authentic village of Bourton-on-the-Water. Explore this picturesque location, complete with many attractive bridges crossing the gently-flowing river at its center. Complete your experience with a trip to Bampton; the film setting for many of the famous landmarks featured in the popular Downton Abbey TV series. See the buildings that played the part of the home of Isobel Crawley, the Downton Cottage Hospital, the church, and also the location for two fictional local pubs, The Grantham Arms and The Dog & Duck.

From London: Blenheim Palace & the Cotswolds with Lunch

3. From London: Blenheim Palace & the Cotswolds with Lunch

Discover the captivating Cotswolds! Enjoy views of breathtaking countryside, sleepy villages, and bustling market towns on this panoramic tour of one of England’s most beautiful regions. Bask in the beauty of Blenheim Palace! Early arrival at the Palace ensures an almost private visit of this fairy-tale country mansion. See the sumptuous State Rooms with their priceless treasures, stroll through sweeping landscaped gardens designed by Capability Brown, and grab a photo opportunity at the shimmering lake. Known as the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’, the picturesque village of Bourton–on–the–Water boasts of many traditional features of the Cotswolds. Take time to marvel at its elegant low bridges and stroll along the magnificent Main Street. Estimated arrival time back to London is around 6.30 pm.

From London: Oxford, Stratford, and Cotswolds Day Trip

4. From London: Oxford, Stratford, and Cotswolds Day Trip

Escape the bustle of London on a full-day sightseeing tour to see some of England's most glorious sights and countryside. Travel in a 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach, and enjoy an intimate, personalized experience as you visit Oxford, Stratford, and Cotswolds villages. Head out of the city on a route that shows you some of off-the-beaten-path London, and your guide will provide full commentary along the way. Then travel into the countryside, heading north-west to picturesque Stratford-upon-Avon. Before you arrive in Stratford, hear about the town’s history and its most famous resident, William Shakespeare. On arrival you’ll have the option of visiting Shakespeare’s birthplace if you wish, or you can explore the town on your own. Enjoy lunch in Stratford, and then take a guided walk through the town that includes a stop at the unusual church where Shakespeare is buried. Leaving Stratford the tour heads south to Oxford, passing through the stunning landscape of The Cotswolds. See some of the loveliest villages that the country has to offer. Narrow country lanes wind their way through classically English villages with clusters of thatched cottages. When you arrive at the world-renowned university city of Oxford, your guide will lead you on a walking tour to take in the city’s stunning architecture. See Oxford University’s colleges, some dating back 900 years. Explore gardens, alleys, pubs, and other hidden delights this city has to offer, as you hear about its history. After the walking tour, you’ll have plenty of time to explore further at your own pace, armed with a map provided by your guide. Afterwards the coach will head back to London, arriving at around 08:00 PM.

London: The Cotswolds and Broadway Tower with Cream Tea

5. London: The Cotswolds and Broadway Tower with Cream Tea

The Cotswolds is classified as an area of outstanding beauty, famed for its traditional villages, rolling hills, cream teas, sheep, and Victorian follies. It is one of the UK’s most popular tourist spots so join us on our small group tour to get a more ‘off the beaten track’ experience of this charming area. Beautiful in all seasons we will visit some of the highlights of the Cotswolds, all within a day’s driving distance from London. A rural idyll that was once the heart of the wool industry in the medieval times, exporting textiles throughout Europe. During the Victorian Era the newly built railways passed this area by, meaning that its medieval charm has been preserved. It was rediscovered by the pioneers of Arts & Crafts Movement and the Pre-Raphaelites in the late Victorian era, who made it fashionable and created lots of small artisan workshops making goods such as furniture, jewelry and ceramics. First we will go to Burford, known as the Gateway to the Cotswolds, an old Market town on the River Windrush that winds around a medieval church with a fascinating history. Then we will visit a variety of villages including Bibury with its Trout Farm and the old Weavers Cottages of Arlington Row. After a meander through nearby villages including Bourton on the Water, we will visit the iconic Broadway Tower for some great views across the countryside.

Frequently asked questions about The Cotswolds

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What people are saying about The Cotswolds

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 120 reviews

My mom and I had a magic time in the Cotswolds thanks to the fantastic Lesley and our lovely driver. l was even allowed to wear my Alice in Wonderland dress to take some nice pictures (we couldn't go to Oxford but we saw no reasons why Alice wouldn't take a trip and enjoy the Cotswolds ). I'm an autistic person with a joints disability and everything went great. The bus is comfortable and the visit pace totally ok. It was so great, we hope we'll be able to visit again someday! Thanks again for this wonderful experience!

Meeting point is in Evan Evans' office, even if it rains you can wait inside, where there is also a toilet. Peter told us a lot of interesting facts about London during the drive. The scenery is great, here too there was information about the people and the area in English that was easy to understand. The three villages are worth seeing, there are many small shops with antiques, souvenirs, food, tea and knickknacks. Everything is historical and very pretty.

There’s no restroom on the bus but the guide was good about pointing out bathrooms on the stops.

Nice tour, lovely village of Cotswold. Tour was great with great guide and right on time.

The Guide madam Christine and the driver Ives wa very very helfull and nice