Cotswolds Day Tour from Oxford - Explore Downton and Beyond
Description
Discover the picturesque beauty of the Cotswolds on this new day tour from Oxford with an established, award-winning local company! Visit charming villages like Bampton (the real-life 'Downton'!), and enjoy free time to explore the idyllic surroundings of Shilton, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water and Burford. With insights from fun, friendly, local driver-guides, you'll learn about the rich history and culture of the Cotswolds while enjoying a leisurely day in the countryside. Ideal for solo travelers, couples, or small groups seeking an affordable and enjoyable day trip experience. - Full-day tour departs central Oxford at 09:30 and returns by 16:30 - Explore Bampton, Shilton, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Burford - Travel in a comfortable, air-conditioned minibus with a local guide - Free time at each location to enjoy shops, cafes, and stunning views
Tour Options
Itinerary
A scenic, 40-minute drive from Oxford city centre brings us to the edge of the Cotswolds and the pretty village of Bampton – though fans of a certain TV show may know it better as ‘Downton’! There are cafés and shops here to stock up on snacks and a small Downton Abbey exhibition for the superfans!
After a 15-minute drive from Bampton, we'll arrive in the lovely village of Shilton - a hidden gem here in the Cotswolds! This charming village is off the tourist trail, quiet and peaceful, with a very picturesque ford (river crossing the street). It’s a beautiful place to stop and get snap-happy with your camera!
Leaving Shilton, we'll take the scenic back roads (30 mins), via the pretty villages of Eastleach and Coln St Aldwyn's, to arrive at your next stop - the popular village of Bibury. Home to the famous Arlington Row of cottages, Bibury is often described as "the prettiest village in England". See for yourself!
16-seater minibuses can travel on roads unsuitable for larger coaches - and the 40-minute scenic route from Bibury to Bourton-on-the-Water is a perfect example of this! Winding our way through the gorgeous Coln Valley, we'll arrive in the must-see village of Bourton-on-the-Water (a village where larger coaches cannot park). You'll have approximately 1 hour 15 minutes of free time here to explore this pretty riverside village. Perhaps have some lunch in one of the many charming tea-rooms or cafés, stroll along the river Windrush, shop for gifts or visit a local museum.
Leaving Bourton-on-the-Water, a 25-minute drive - passing through the lovely villages of Great Barrington and Taynton - brings us to your final stop in the historic Cotswold market town of Burford. Hike up ‘The Hill’ for gorgeous cottages and far-reaching views, shop for gifts and antiques, or have a cream tea in one of the local tea-rooms. Don’t miss the impressive ‘wool church’ of St. John The Baptist with its surprising history!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Kindly arrive at the pick up point at least 10 minutes before your scheduled departure so we can get everyone checked in and depart right on time!.
- Look out for our friendly guide in Go Cotswolds uniform, driving a large white minibus with green and purple Go Cotswolds branding—you won’t miss us!
- If you are arriving in Oxford by train, note that our pick-up point is a 10-15 minute walk from Oxford railway station.
- Uber and similar services are not widely available in Oxford and the Cotswolds, and local taxis can be difficult to book last minute. We strongly recommend booking taxis in advance or using public transport where possible.
- If you're not at your pick-up point on time (09:30) and we can't contact you, the tour will depart without you. Make sure we have your correct mobile number with international dial code before your tour.
- After the tour, please plan any onward travel after 16.30.
- We have plenty of secure luggage space on board our vehicles, though please note our guides may not be able to assist with very heavy luggage
- Children aged 3–15 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Sorry, no children under 3.
- Tours run in all but dangerous weather—please dress appropriately!
- Accessibility: Users of lightweight mobility equipment such as canes, walking frames and foldable manual wheelchairs are welcome on our tours, provided you can climb 3 steps to get on and off our minibus, multiple times during the tour. Lightweight, foldable manual wheelchairs can be stored in the luggage compartment of our minibus. We're sorry, we cannot accommodate wheelchair users who are unable to get in and out of their chair unassisted, nor can we accommodate any electric wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
Reviews(5)
The tour was wonderful. The visited towns were charming. Our guide, Pete, was very friendly, and his pronunciation of English was very clear and easy to understand. The stories he told were very interesting and entertaining. 100% recommendable. The only detail is that we would have liked to spend more time at each stop; a suggestion is to extend the duration of the excursion.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring the beautiful Cotswolds villages and that Peter helped make your day both informative and entertaining. Peter has a real talent for bringing the history, stories, and character of the Cotswolds to life, and we're pleased that you found his commentary clear, engaging, and easy to follow. It's fantastic to know that you found the villages charming and that the tour gave you a memorable introduction to this beautiful part of England. We also greatly appreciate your recommendation. Thank you as well for your suggestion regarding extending the tour. We completely understand the desire to spend more time in each village—it's one of the most common compliments we receive about the Cotswolds! Unfortunately, extending the day isn't practical due to the strict driving hours and working time regulations that our driver/ guides must follow. Their days are already long, and these limits are important for both safety and staff wellbeing. Designing a Cotswolds day tour always involves balancing the number of villages visited with the time available at each stop. While we'd all love a few extra hours in these beautiful locations, we're committed to operating within safe and responsible working hours for our team. Thank you again for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back for another Cotswolds adventure in the future - for more time in those fabulous villages!
Lots of nice villages and towns but not enough time between stops. Some stops were not really necessary and staying longer to the most busy places would have been nicer. The driver was very kind and helpful with lots of information to share between locations
Thank you for your feedback, Eva. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed visiting the Cotswolds' beautiful towns and villages on our Cotswolds Day tour from Oxford, and that you found your driver kind, helpful, and informative throughout the day. We'll be sure to pass your compliments on to them. We also appreciate your comments regarding the time spent at each stop. One of the challenges of a day tour is balancing time in the most popular locations with the opportunity to show guests some of the smaller villages and hidden gems that make the Cotswolds so special. We know that different guests often have different favourites and wish they could spend longer in different places. Your feedback is very valuable, and we'll certainly take it into consideration as we continue to review and refine our itineraries. Thank you again for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back to the Cotswolds in the future.
Our guide Wendy was delightful and informative—a very enjoyable day. Traveling in a minibus we were able to go on back roads and see much more of the Cotswolds.
Thank you for your lovely feedback. We’re so pleased to hear you had an enjoyable day with Wendy. Her friendly, informative style really helps bring the Cotswolds to life, and it’s great to know that came through on your tour. We also appreciate your comments about travelling by minibus—being able to take the quieter back roads and reach more hidden parts of the Cotswolds is something we really value, and it’s wonderful that it added to your experience. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts, and we hope to see you on another Go Cotswolds tour in the future.
Excellent all driver explanation and punctuality The excursion is worth it It's better than renting a car and going freelance
¡Gracias por tu amable reseña! We’re so pleased you enjoyed the tour and found the commentary informative and the day well organised. We especially appreciate your comments about touring with us instead of driving independently. Exploring the Cotswolds can be tricky on unfamiliar roads, so we’re glad you were able to relax and enjoy the experience without the stress of navigating yourself. Thanks again for travelling with us and for your recommendation!
The guide, a very kind and very prepared gentleman. The villages visited on the tour are a real wonder!!
Gracias por tu amable reseña. We’re so pleased you enjoyed the tour and the villages we visited. Our guides are passionate about sharing the Cotswolds, so it’s great to hear your guide helped make the day special. We hope to welcome you back again soon!
