Last updated on June 28th, 2023 at 01:30 pm

Thanks to Shakespeare, Jane Austin, and the movies, an image of the English countryside was imprinted in my head. It was brought to life during my visit to the villages of Cotswold in the UK, and boy, was it surreal! If you are visiting London, then you MUST take a weekend trip to Cotswold; it sure was the highlight of my England trip mainly because of the effortless beauty of these villages.

How to Get to Cotswold?

Cotswold is 2:30 hrs away by car from London, so it’s an easy getaway. If you are doing a self-diy tour, then you need a car to rightfully explore multiple villages on a short weekend trip. For all American drivers, if you are not used to driving on the right-hand side, then you are in for a trip. The narrow roads through these villages add to the challenge, but hey, did I tell you that it’s the best way to see these villages. 

For those who do not wish to drive, you could consider taking a pre-arranged Cotswolds tour from London.

I visited at the end of May, the onset of summer when the weather was perfectly nice and crisp. Below is a map of Cotswold villages with respect to London to give you a perspective.

What to See in and Around Cotswolds?

My friend and I picked five beautiful villages, Chipping Camden, Snowshill, Stanton, Broadway, and Upper Slaughter & Lower Slaughter of Cotswold in southern England which I highly recommend (read along and you’ll know why).

We also stopped at the historic town of Stratford Upon Avon in Warwickshire along the way since it was only about 30 mins away from Cotswold, so why not! There are plenty of other things to do in Warwickshire if you have the time.

Below are details on what to see in each of these towns and villages.

STRATFORD UPON AVON

I grew up studying Shakespeare in school and like many of you, I admire I adore the bard’s wits, his flair for drama and his penchant for tragedies. Are you wondering why I bring him up here? Well here’s a fun fact, Stratford Upon Avon is the birthplace of this legend.

It is approximately a half hour drive from Cotswold and about 2 hours drive from London. In Stratford Upon Avon, time seemed to have stopped somewhere within the galore of Tudor buildings and the landscape that surround this small town. I suggest buying the Birthplace Plus pass which will cover all of the four attractions I mention below.

Things to see in Stratford 

1. Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Henley Street leads into Bard’s birthplace house giving a glimpse of what it was like for him to grow up in the 16^th century. Fun Fact: Did you know, Shakespeare’s father was a leather glove maker? 

2. Anne Hathaway’s Cottage & Gardens

This not so little cottage with its lush gardens all around is a true historic beauty happens to be Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathway’s home. While you are there, have a cup of tea at The Cottage Restaurant & Tea Gardens. And no, she is no way related to the actress of the same name.

3. Hall’s Croft

An admirable house of Shakespeare’s daughter comes on the way to Holy Trinity church.

4. Holy Trinity Church

This is the final resting place of Shakespeare and his family. Church records indicate that he was also baptized here on April 26, 1564, soon after his birth.

COTSWOLD

Cotswold villages often known for their famous lavender fields and beauty of English countryside are a treat to the eyes. If you don’t want to miss these purple fields than be sure to plan your travel around the seasonal lavender field’s opening timings which usually is around summer i.e. mid-June – August.

Don’t stop yourself from making abrupt stops when driving around here, take a moment to pause and soak it all in rather than hurrying into reaching your destination. Although I was a season too early for lavender fields in Cotswolds, I did get to experience one of the many bright yellow Rapeseed fields (also called Canola fields) in one of my abrupt stops. 

Where to Stay in Chipping Campden

We stayed in Holly House Bed & Breakfast in Ebrington, Chipping Campden. It’s a beautiful cottage owned by a lovely family just a few miles away from many popular Cotswold villages.

Places to See in Cotswolds

1. Chipping Campden

St. James church and quaint shops in the market street here is sure to keep you busy. Let me add that the best toffee pudding I had in the UK was in this village of Chipping Camden!

2. Snowshill

One of my favorite villages especially for its quaint and scenic walk. The main attraction in this village is Snowshill Manor.  Snowshill Manor is a fascinating mansion owned by Charles Wade who chose to store his rather huge collection of craftsmanship on display (which he spent his lifetime collecting) in this Manor.  He chose not to live here and rather resided in a modest priest’s house in the courtyard of his estate. The only pub we saw in this town was Snowshill Arms but unfortunately didn’t peek in.

There is a tiny house next to his mansion where Charles Wade (owner of Snowshill Manor) chose to live.

View from the Manor are spectacular, they should start a BmB here! The collectibles inside the Manor are worth the visit as well.

3. Stanton

Probably one of the prettiest of the villages in Cotswold especially because of the individual houses which could easily date back to 15^th or 16^th We had a great supper at The Mount Inn pub, probably the only pub open in Stanton.

4. Broadway

Broadway Tower in this village is the second highest point in Cotswold and should be on your stop list when passing through Broadway. Since Broadway is more commercialized than other villages in Cotswold, it offers more accommodation and food options.

5. Upper Slaughter & Lower Slaughter

This was easily my other favorite part of Cotswold especially because it came as a pleasant surprise. On a recommendation from fellow bed & breakfast, we decided to do the walking trail between Upper and Lower Slaughter villages. This walk actually fulfilled my dreams of living in a Jane Austin English era and actually walking through the meadows from one village to another, see for yourself.

Just like the beauty of the English countryside, the warmth and hospitality of Cotswold’s wonderful people exceeded my expectation. Definitely, a must go and experience yourself kind of place.

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Happy Traveling!