THE 12 BEST THINGS TO DO IN THE COTSWOLDS
What a wealth of things to see: geography and history have combined to offer a great gamut of attractions in the Cotswolds, from beautifully sited country houses and some of the country’s most glorious gardens to wonderful medieval churches and absorbing Roman remains. But the region is no time-warp; you’ll find that its chocolate-box prettiness doesn’t preclude contemporary enterprise and eccentric modern charm.
Take the family to walk in the treetops of one England’s greatest arboretums; introduce the kids to giraffes at eye height; learn about local gin, and enjoy a tipple. It would be a very tall call to explore all the venues the Cotswolds offers, so to advise and inspire we’ve selected these highlights.
For further inspiration, see our guide to the Cotswolds and the best hotels, restaurants, pubs, afternoon tea and shopping in the area.
Find things to do by area
- North Cotswolds
- Mid Cotswolds
- South Cotswolds
North Cotswolds
Get the best view of the Cotswolds from a tower
Hike around Broadway Tower, a folly on the escarpment above picturesque Broadway, and you get the best views in the Cotswolds. Then visit the monument for its sheer eccentricity. Designed by Capability Brown and completed in 1798, the tower became a holiday home of William Morris.
Insider tip: Intriguingly, one of the country’s Cold War nuclear bunkers, still equipped from the 1980s, can be visited here. You clamber down a ladder for 45-minute tours conducted by retired members of the Royal Observer Corps.
Contact: broadwaytower.co.uk
Price: £
Explore one of England’s most famous stately homes
Set on the fringes of Woodstock, near Oxford, Blenheim Palace is utterly magnificent. The 18th-century Baroque mansion was built for General John Churchill after his decisive victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. Today it’s home to his descendant, the 12th Duke of Marlborough. There’s a huge amount to see: the majestic state rooms; an exhibition on Winston Churchill, who was born here; an animated, interactive first-floor exhibition about Blenheim’s scandals and family stories; the kitchens (seen on a Downstairs tour); a butterfly house. But best of all are the grounds, largely created by Capability Brown.
Insider tip: Blenheim Palace has a fabulous collection of trees, particularly oaks. You’ll see the best of these on a 45-minute walk around the lake and Grand Cascade.
Contact: blenheimpalace.com
Price: ££
Visit an ancient church with compelling historical background
Many of the famous Mitford sisters are buried at St Mary’s Church in Swinbrook, which might be reason enough to visit. Yet there are other compelling sights in this ancient church (dating from the 12th century), especially the amazing tombs of the landowning Fettiplace family, whose effigies are stacked one above the other as if on shelves. From here you can also follow a path through fields to see 11th-century St Oswald’s church.
Insider tip: Pop down the road to have a drink at Swinbrook’s Swan pub and take in Mitford memorabilia on display there.
Contact: burfordchurch.org
Price: Free
Get to know your spirits at a distillery tour
Founded in 2014, The Cotswolds Distillery has become one of the Cotswolds’ most popular attractions. Tours of the stills and warehouses (adults-only) finish with generous tastings; you’ll learn about the botanicals from which the craft gin here is made, and about the single malt whisky first released in 2017.
Insider tip: Down the road is Whichford Pottery, a studio handmaking flowerpots and offering a relaxing café and gallery (open daily about the same hours as the distillery).
Contact: cotswoldsdistillery.com
Price: ££
Frolic in a beautiful 1920s garden
Kiftsgate Court Gardens is one of the most sublime of the Cotswolds’ many great gardens. It was started in the 1920s and subsequently beautifully expanded, so there’s an appealing mix of styles and planting. Come for the tulips, bluebells and especially the roses; in early to mid July the white Kiftsgate roses put on an amazing display.
Insider tip: Make a horticultural day of it and also visit the more formal gardens of the National Trust’s Hidcote Manor just across the way.
Contact: kiftsgate.co.uk
Price: £
Step back in time in a 17th-century country house
Chastleton House is a gem of a Jacobean country mansion – due to lack of money for generations of owners, it’s wonderfully little changed since the 17th century. You walk through great panelled rooms, admire portraits and tapestries, marvel at a magnificent vaulted long gallery and hear intriguing tales from the National Trust volunteers.
Insider tip: End your visit with a wander through the gardens. The topiary is terrific and there’s even a 400-year-old mulberry tree.
Contact: nationaltrust.org.uk
Price: £
Mid Cotswolds
Channel Gulliver’s Travels in a miniature village
The Model Village is the most enchanting of the many family-friendly attractions in picturesque Bourton-on-the-Water. It’s a one-ninth scale replica of the village, so most properties are just over knee-high to an adult. Complete with wonky guttering and little windows you can peer through, all the mini buildings are clad in Cotswold stone.
Insider tip: While you’re here, call in at Birdland, close to the centre of the village. Set across woodland and gardens beside the River Windrush, this magical nine-acre park is home to about 500 birds, from flamingos to pelicans, penguins and owls.
Contact: themodelvillage.com
Price: £
Immerse yourself in ancient Roman Britain
Cirencester was once Corinium Dubunnorum, the second largest town in Roman Britain. The amazing ancient remains in its eponymous Corinium Museum range from fabulous mosaics to carvings – this is one of the best collections of Roman antiquities in the country. There are other displays, too, from Neolithic to Victorian times.
Insider tip: For more Roman wonders head 10 miles north to the National Trust’s substantial Chedworth Roman Villa complete with bathouse rooms.
Contact: coriniummuseum.org
Price: £
Get up close and personal with the animal kingdom
Cotswold Wildlife Park, a private zoo and park, makes for an enchanting family day out. Rhinos graze in front of the Heyworth’s Neo-Gothic stately home, meerkats play in close-knit groups, penguins gather for elevenses. There’s an eye-to-eye giraffe walkway, a children’s farmyard with goats (among others) to stroke, an adventure playground and much more. The vibe is utterly charming – and eccentric.
Insider tip: Make sure you’re here at noon for the daily lemur feeding session and talk with the keepers of the Madagascar animals.
Contact: cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk
Price: ££
South Cotswolds
Expand your horticultural knowledge
From elegant acers to beautiful beeches, the 15,000 trees at The National Arboretum at Westonbirt are an inspiring collection that dates back to 1829. Walk some of the 17 miles of footpaths here and then head high; a 13 metre-high walkway runs some 300 metres (about the same length as London’s Millennium Bridge) and offers a wonderful outlook over the canopy.
Insider tip: Come in spring for outrageous colour from rhododendron blooms, in summer for fantastic walks with picnics under magnificent cedars, in autumn for terrific leaf colour from acers, and in winter for illuminated trails.
Contact: forestryengland.uk
Price: ££
Enjoy Baroque magnificence
Eight miles north of Bath, Dyrham Park is a beautiful Baroque country mansion set in 270 acres of parkland complete with ancient trees. Much of the joy of a visit here is to wander the grounds and the formal gardens. Make time to visit the house, too; it contains some of the National Trust’s finest tapestries and furniture.
Insider tip: Dyrham Park’s greenhouse is not only striking – when built in the 17th-century it used the latest technology – but it was a political statement at the time too, as it was used for growing oranges, and thus, showing support for the controversial king, William of Orange.
Contact: nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrham-park
Price: £
Visit one of the country’s best farmers’ markets
Every Saturday from 9am until about 2pm the centre of Stroud offers a cornucopia of foodie delights, its streets and squares lined with some 80 stalls selling everything from freshly baked bread to pickles and pies. You’ll find loaves from The Artisan Baker, honey from The Painswick Beekeeper, ales from Stroud Brewery and a host of street food such as dishes by Girish’s Vegan Indian Food. Alongside are ceramics, soaps, jewellery and lots of seasonal veg.
Insider tip: Crowds descend by about 10am so get here early – most stalls are set up by 8.30am
Contact: fresh-n-local.co.uk
Price: £ to ££
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
2023-05-26T15:45:50Z dg43tfdfdgfd