Oxford, Stratford, Cotswolds & Warwick Castle Tour from London
Description
Walking Tour of Oxford Drive through the beautiful Cotswolds Entry to Shakespeare's Birthplace Exclusive private hidden gems tour at Warwick Castle Luxury air-conditioned vehicle
Tour Options
Itinerary
Swap the hustle and bustle of London for a gorgeous escape to the English countryside. Take a step back in time at the thrilling Warwick Castle, visit the charming hometown of one of Britain’s most iconic playwrights and wander through the lovely streets of Oxford! Your coach will be departing from Victoria, central London at 8:30am sharp – make sure you are there at least 30 minutes before to check in and prepare for your Great British adventure!
The first stop of the day will be Warwick Castle, a striking place brimming with history and activities. Originally built by William the Conqueror in 1068, this castle is now a highly interactive venue that’s great for all ages. Wander through the beautiful Great Hall and State Rooms, spot peacocks in the landscaped gardens and explore the castle’s towers and ramparts. Meet and greet experience as they arrive at Warwick Castle by a special medieval host as well as an introduction to the spectacular castle. You can enjoy an exclusive private hidden gems tour at Warwick Castle. Led by an expert guide, see rooms that are not generally accessible to the public as you gain deeper insight into the Castle's history.
Your coach will be driving through the beautiful Cotswolds – be prepared for picture-ready views of this breath-taking part of the English countryside! Designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Cotswolds comprises sleepy villages reminiscent of another era, bustling market towns and irresistible scenery.
From an electrifying castle to an idyllic English town – the next part of your adventure will be the scenic Stratford-upon-Avon, known for being the birthplace and gravesite of playwright legend William Shakespeare. You will get to visit the very home where he was born and hear about his formative years in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Featuring cobbled streets, impressive architecture and an infectiously vibrant atmosphere, Oxford is an absolute must-see. As you wander through this University City and take in all the pretty views, your guide will tell you about Oxford’s fascinating history. You’ll also hear about the many renowned individuals that have graced the streets of Oxford while studying at the university – it’s an undoubtedly impressive list of alumni!
Your walking tour includes entry to the stunning 13th century University Church of St Mary the Virgin. Adopted by the University of Oxford as one of its first buildings, this gem is considered to be the spiritual heart of Oxford. Soak in spectacular sights of its unique baroque design and learn about its key role within the university and Oxford community.
Once you’ve explored Oxford, it’ll be time to return to London – to which you will get back to for roughly 7pm.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please show this e-ticket to gain entry to this tour.
- On Christmas Eve Shakespeare's Birthplace will be closed.
- Signature Tour Option: Take advantage of the best views on the bus with our premium seating option and a knowledgeable live guide. Plus, enjoy a lunch pack. Once at each location, you will have access to Warwick Castle and Shakespeare’s Birthplace, giving you a complete and immersive experience.
Reviews(819)
Oliver was a very knowledgeable tour guide that provided narrative at all the key locations as well as pointed out many great opportunities for photos. Rapide was a very quick driver.
Eileen was very entertaining and knowledgeable. We had the perfect tour, just right. Morino was our driver and they were a great team. We plan to revisit Oxford for an extended stay in the future! Highly recommended.
Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re delighted to hear you had such an enjoyable experience exploring Oxford, Stratford, the Cotswolds, and Warwick Castle. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Eileen and Morino for making your day so memorable. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again soon.
Oliver and Vi were very welcoming to all of us. Great information at every stop and everything was done in a very timely manner. Would recommend taking this tour to see Oxford and Warwick Castle.
Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re so pleased to hear that Oliver and Vee helped make your experience enjoyable with their warm welcome, great knowledge, and excellent organisation. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again on another Golden Tours adventure!
Very easy to book and good follow up prior to departure. Pick up point was not too crowded and easy enough to find unlike other operators. Bus very comfortable after initial confusion re seating/lunch bags for premium ticket holders versus non premium. Tour guide's in depth history information was a little too intense for us. Felt like being in a classroom. Would have preferred a more light hearted and fun approach. Enjoyed Warwick and Stratford but would have loved more free time in Oxford. Also would love if pick up and drop off locations could be the same.
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback! We’re pleased to hear you enjoyed your day out, found the booking process easy, and appreciated the convenient pickup experience and comfortable coach. We value your comments regarding tour pacing, commentary style, free time in Oxford, and pickup/drop-off arrangements, and we’ll share these insights with our team as we continue to improve the experience. We hope to welcome you back on another Golden Tours adventure soon!
Torn on how to review. Kelvin was dynamic, engaging, enjoyable, and entertaining. However, we did catch a few errors. For example, he talked about J.R. Tolkien (should be J.R.R. Tolkien) and his friendship with Lewis Carroll (it was C.S. Lewis). Also said Tale of Two Cities was by Shakespeare (it was Charles Dickens). As for the stops, we loved Warwick Castle and could have spent all day there but weren't as enamored with stops at Stratford and Oxford.
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback! We’re pleased to hear that Kelvin’s engaging and entertaining approach helped make your tour enjoyable. We appreciate your comments regarding the accuracy of the commentary and will share this with our team as we continue to enhance our guide training. We’re also glad you enjoyed Warwick Castle and appreciate your thoughts on the time spent at each stop. Thank you for helping us improve, and we hope to welcome you back on another Golden Tours adventure soon!
This Golden Tours day trip was a highlight of our london stay. Kavin was an exceptional guide—full of humor, great energy, and fascinating facts that kept us all thoroughly entertained and interactive throughout the day. Mario was a fantastic driver who made the journey comfortable and seamless. The pace of the trip was excellent - especially with senior citizens, striking the perfect balance between travel and exploring time. Thank you both for a wonderful day out!
Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear that Kavin and Mario helped make your Oxford, Stratford, Cotswolds, and Warwick Castle tour a highlight of your London stay. It’s wonderful to know that Kavin’s humour, energy, and knowledge, along with Mario’s smooth driving, created such an enjoyable and comfortable experience for everyone. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with them and hope to welcome you back for another Golden Tours adventure soon!
It was nice experience to visit all these places with near and dear ones. It was exhilarating and enjoyable journey
Excellent guidance and engagement by our guide Dan
Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your experience and that Dan made the tour engaging and informative. We will be sure to share your kind words with him. We hope to welcome you back on another Golden Tours experience soon!
Overall, this was a well-organized tour that covered a lot of ground in one day, and our guide and driver did a good job keeping everything on schedule. However, there were several aspects that future travelers should be aware of. The biggest issue was the luggage policy. We were traveling onward after the tour and each had a carry-on suitcase. I contacted the company beforehand to ask if we could bring them, and was told no. They directed us to luggage storage at Victoria Station, which cost us £15 per bag. Once we boarded the coach, we discovered there was ample undercarriage luggage storage that easily could have accommodated our bags. To make matters worse, the tour didn’t even return to Victoria Station—it ended near Gloucester Road Station instead. We then had to make our way back to Victoria to retrieve our luggage, adding both time and expense to our day. The stop in Stratford-upon-Avon also felt far too rushed, given that this is where the tour expected us to get lunch. We had less than 90 minutes to find lunch and visit Shakespeare’s birthplace, which wasn’t enough time to enjoy either. An extra 15 minutes here would have made a significant difference. It could have been taken from the time we spent in Oxford. Warwick Castle was impressive, but our arrival coincided with numerous school groups. The castle was extremely crowded, making it difficult to enjoy the exhibits. Finally, if you’re booking this tour primarily to see the Cotswolds, you may be disappointed. The itinerary states you’ll drive through the Cotswolds, and technically that’s true, but we only skirted the edge of the region on the way to Oxford. We didn’t pass through any of the picturesque villages or scenic spots that make the Cotswolds famous. If seeing charming Cotswold villages is a priority, this probably isn’t the right tour. Another note: we were able to get student discount tickets online for much less than what the tour company was charging for tickets that included entry. For reference, our day was roughly: * 2-hour drive to Warwick Castle * 90 minutes at Warwick Castle * 30-minute drive to Stratford-upon-Avon * About 80 minutes for lunch and Shakespeare’s birthplace * 1½-hour drive to Oxford through the edge of the Cotswolds * 90 minutes in Oxford * 1½-hour drive back to London, arriving around 7:00 p.m. Overall, the tour is a good way to see several destinations in a single day, but it prioritizes covering a lot of ground over spending meaningful time at each stop.
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We are pleased to hear that you found the tour well organised and appreciated the efforts of our guide and driver in managing the itinerary. We are sorry to hear about the inconvenience caused by the luggage arrangements. While our tour information does advise that the tour concludes near Gloucester Road Station, we understand how frustrating the additional journey back to Victoria Station must have been. We appreciate you sharing your experience, and your comments regarding the luggage information have been passed on to our team for review. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the time spent at each location. As this tour covers several destinations in one day, the itinerary is designed to provide guests with an introduction to each area, including a scenic drive through parts of the Cotswolds region. Guests looking for more time to explore specific locations may prefer our tours that focus on fewer destinations. Guests can also customise their tour package by adding their preferred entry options or choosing our Signature option, which includes a lunch pack for a more enhanced experience. Thank you again for your constructive feedback. We hope to welcome you back on another Golden Tours experience in the future.
Great experience! Had a fun guide with Oliver who explained everything in a funny way. Enough time at every stop to explore all that has to be seen!
Thank you for your lovely review. We are delighted to hear that you had a great experience exploring Oxford, Stratford, the Cotswolds, and Warwick Castle with us. We will be sure to share your kind words with Oliver. We are pleased to hear that his fun and engaging commentary helped make your day memorable. We hope to welcome you back on another tour soon.
