The Cotswolds Private Day Tour From London

Burford is described as the ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds' at 2 hours drive from London. This is your first stop & introduction to the charm & beauty of The Cotswolds, where you can simply admire the quality of architecture, shops & atmosphere of a five star English Town. You can decide to take refreshments in a Tea Room or enjoy the downhill walk with a coffee in hand, stopping in every shop, gallery or boutique on route to the magnificent St John the Baptist Church which is considered in the top ten Churches of the UK.

Swinbrook is a small village on the River Windrush, about 2 miles east of Burford. Untouched for generations, it is the quintessential English village with its stone walls, pretty church, village hall, cricket green with wooden pavilion, & an old romantic pub next to the old stone bridge across the River Windrush. It has been used for the filming of Downton Abbey & visited by a UK Prime Minister too!

Nestled in the Shill valley, is the village of Shilton, a place that exudes the quintessential Cotswold character, ambience and class. Shilton's close relationship with the Cotswolds is undeniable. Its traditional architecture, featuring honey-colored Cotswold stone, & the surrounding rolling hills, paint a picture of classic English countryside. The Shill Brook flows through the village into a clear pool, used by children & dogs on hot summer days! The area surrounding Shilton is one of natural beauty & historical significance.

Bibury is a charming, typical Cotswold village. With its stone buildings strung out along the banks of the River Coln, it is easy to see why artist, William Morris, called it 'The most beautiful village in England'. We will walk gently through Arlington Row cottages, which were originally built in the 14th century as monastic wool stores. It was later converted in the 17th century into a row of weaver's cottages & we take a short circular walk encompassing this, along side a trout farm & beautiful gardens.

Bourton-on-the-Water is famed for its picturesque High Street. Lying on the meandering River Windrush with several low arched stone bridges, resulted in the village becoming known as the " The Venice of the Cotswolds". Tour the many shops & take a manner of stunning photos of this unique village.

The Cotswolds' villages of Upper & Lower Slaughter are thankfully named after muddy wetland areas in the Old English language, nothing worse! Nestled on the banks of the River Eye, these twin villages are linked via a peaceful mile long drive. Lower Slaughter is home to one of the most romantic streets in the UK, Copse Hill Road, with its 19th century flour mill. We drive slowly by these tiny honey-hued houses, adorned with colourful flowers & traditional windows which sit aside the babbling brook. The village is a picturesque movie location too, & most recently the Jane Austin 2020 film ‘Emma’ was filmed here. Artists come from far & wide to paint these villages that have been untouched since 1906.

Stow-on-the-Wold is a town in the North East of the Cotswolds. The town centre, whilst small, is extremely beautiful, focused around the large market square & the pretty streets leading off of it. We stay for a true English pub lunch in the oldest Inn in England, The Porch House, founded in 962AD