Why visit the Cotswolds?
There are countless number of beautiful places to visit in the Cotswolds, so I compiled a list of The 7 Prettiest Town & Villages to Visit in the Cotswolds to add to your next trip. The Cotswolds is one of my favorite areas in England. While visiting the Cotswolds, you have a chance to visit the quintessential English countryside. The area of England, known as the Cotswolds, has picture-perfect villages, charming tea rooms, and great walking trails for nature lovers. Everywhere you go in the Cotswolds can be described as cute and quaint.
When I visited the Cotswolds, I decided to take a full day private tour and had the chance to visit several popular villages. There are many to choose from, but there is no wrong choice, and they all have the same similar aesthetics. Also, you can see the same beautiful thatched roofs and Cotswold honey-colored stone throughout the region. The most important thing to remember is in the summer many of the shops in the Cotswolds towns close early at around 5pm.
How to get to the Cotswolds?
I never drive in any country other than the United States. And, never would want to attempt to try to drive in another country. The easiest way to get to the Cotswolds is by train. From London to Moreton- in-Marsh the train takes 90 minutes. You can buy your ticket the day of your trip at the train station ( London-Paddington) https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
Moreton-in-Marsh is the main train station in the Cotswold where many tours depart from for the day.
What Are The 7 Prettiest Towns & Villages to Visit in the Cotswolds?
1. Moreton-in-Marsh
Moreton-in-Marsh was the first village I visited. It is a cute little town that is known as a market town. The main area of town is only a short walk from the train station. There are plenty of small shops, and if you visit on a Tuesday, you can attend their Tuesday market which is held in the middle of town. Marshmallow Tearoom and Restaurant is a nice restaurant in town I went to before I took my return train back to London.
The Marshmallow tearoom and restaurant
2. Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the Water has a beautiful high street and is a picturesque village. The town has limestone cottages and tree-lined walking paths. Bourton-on-the Water sits on the banks of the River Windrush.
3. Burford
Burford is another market town in the Cotswolds. It is a town filled with antique shops, unique stores, and plenty of restaurants to pick. One popular place people love coming to for a meal is Huffkins Cotswolds Bakery & Tearoom. You can have a traditional afternoon tea to salads, and sandwiches. The town was bustling with people walking up and down its main street. I loved the old buildings and architecture.
4. Bilbury – Arlington Row
The one town that came to mind that I needed to visit is Bilbury. It is said to be voted one of the prettiest villages in England. In Bilbury, what is famous is a small street known as Arlington Row. Arlington Row is made up storybook cottages built back in the 1300s. The well-known structures were once weavers cottages. I love the cute stone houses with sloping roofs. Nowadays, people still live in the stone cottages, and my tour guide mentioned that some residents had to kick out tourists who wandered into their houses taking photos.
5. Eastleach Village
Eastleach Village is a small parish in the Cotswolds. I love old churches and got to visit St.Michael and St. Martin’s Church, which was founded back in the 12th century.
6. Minster Lovell
Minster Lovell is another charming town made up of houses with thatched roofs. I walked around for a bit marveling at the beautiful homes that belonged in a movie.
7. The Slaughters- Upper Slaughter/Lower Slaughter
The Slaughters doesn’t have the greatest name for a town, right? But, “Slaughters” is an old Anglo-Saxon word for a marshy place/muddy place due to the river that is in town. Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter are both beautiful areas in the Cotswold located next to each other.
I love the Cotswolds. There are of course many villages to choose from for a trip, and I can’t wait to explore the other towns when I return in the future. Which town in the Cotswolds is your favorite?
The 7 Prettiest Villages to Visit in the Cotswolds. The 7 Prettiest Villages to Visit in the Cotswolds