12 Best Villages in the Cotswolds
Honey-colored stone, rolling hills, and country pubs — England's most photogenic countryside
The Cotswolds stretch across six counties in central England — roughly 800 square miles of limestone hills, sheep-dotted fields, and villages built from the same warm stone that gives the whole area its distinctive golden glow. It's the England that exists in everyone's imagination, and unlike most imagined places, it actually delivers.
The area runs from Chipping Campden in the north to Bath in the south, with most of the classic villages clustered in the northern half between Stow-on-the-Wold and Cirencester. A car is the best way to explore — the villages are close together but poorly linked by public transport.
1. Bourton-on-the-Water
The Venice of the Cotswolds
The River Windrush flows through the center of the village, crossed by a series of low stone bridges. It's the most visited village in the Cotswolds for good reason — the setting is genuinely beautiful. The Model Village (a 1/9th scale replica of the village itself, including a model of the Model Village) is charmingly eccentric. The Birdland Park and the Cotswold Motoring Museum add to the half-day appeal.
2. Bibury
Arlington Row — the most photographed cottages in England
William Morris called Bibury "the most beautiful village in England," and Arlington Row is why. This terrace of 14th-century weavers' cottages, built from Cotswold stone and fronted by a water meadow, appears on the inside cover of British passports. The village is tiny — Arlington Row, the church, the trout farm, and a pub. An hour is enough, but it's the kind of hour you remember.
3. Castle Combe
The prettiest village you've never heard of
Tucked in a wooded valley in the southern Cotswolds, Castle Combe has no main road running through it, no chain shops, and almost no visible modern additions. The market cross, the stone bridge, and the row of cottages climbing the hill have been used as filming locations for War Horse, Stardust, and Downton Abbey. It's 30 minutes from Bath — combine both in a day.
4. Stow-on-the-Wold
Market town on a hilltop
The highest town in the Cotswolds (800 feet), Stow's market square is surrounded by antique shops, galleries, and tea rooms. St Edward's Church has a north door framed by ancient yew trees that's said to have inspired Tolkien's Doors of Durin. The town's position makes it a natural hub for exploring — Bourton, the Slaughters, and Chipping Norton are all within 15 minutes.
5. The Slaughters
Upper and Lower Slaughter — quieter than their neighbors
The name comes from the Old English "slohtre" (muddy place), not anything violent. Lower Slaughter's old mill sits beside the River Eye with a stone footbridge — one of the most peaceful scenes in the Cotswolds. Upper Slaughter, a few minutes' walk upstream, is even quieter. Walk between them on the footpath (20 minutes) and you'll pass through classic Cotswold countryside with almost no one else around.
6. Chipping Campden
The northern gateway to the Cotswolds
A long, curving High Street of medieval and Jacobean buildings — many built by wool merchants who made Chipping Campden rich in the 14th and 15th centuries. The Market Hall (1627) still stands in the center. The town is the starting point of the Cotswold Way, a 102-mile long-distance trail that runs south to Bath. The Old Campden House ruins and the church of St James are worth seeing.
7. Broadway
Wide main street and the Broadway Tower
Broadway's main street is one of the widest in the Cotswolds — lined with galleries, restaurants, and the Lygon Arms (a 16th-century coaching inn). Broadway Tower, a folly on the escarpment above the village, offers views across 16 counties on a clear day. The Gordon Russell Design Museum celebrates the furniture maker who helped put Broadway on the map.
8. Painswick
The Queen of the Cotswolds
Known for its churchyard — 99 clipped yew trees (legend says the devil prevents a 100th from growing) surrounding a medieval church. The village itself is steep and compact, with stone houses climbing narrow streets. Painswick Rococo Garden, just outside the village, is the only complete rococo garden surviving in England — particularly beautiful in February when snowdrops cover the ground.
9. Cirencester
Capital of the Cotswolds
The largest town in the Cotswolds was the second-largest city in Roman Britain (Corinium). The Corinium Museum tells that story well. The market square hosts a charter market on Mondays and Fridays. The Parish Church of St John Baptist has one of the finest perpendicular Gothic porches in England. Cirencester Park — 3,000 acres of parkland — is free to walk.
10. Burford
The gateway from Oxford
Burford's steep High Street runs down to a medieval bridge over the River Windrush. Antique shops, independent bookshops, and tearooms line both sides. The Tolsey Museum (free) tells the town's wool-trade history. Burford is the first Cotswold town you hit coming from Oxford (20 miles), making it a natural first stop on a circuit.
11. Tetbury
Antiques capital and royal connections
Prince Charles's Highgrove estate is just outside Tetbury, and the town has leaned into its royal-adjacent identity with upmarket antique shops and delis. The Market House (1655) stands on stone pillars in the center of town. The Chipping Steps — a steep medieval staircase between Long Street and the old market area — are the most photographed spot. The Highgrove Shop sells produce from the estate gardens.
12. Moreton-in-Marsh
Best by public transport — and Tuesday market
Moreton has a direct train from London Paddington (90 minutes), making it the most accessible Cotswold town without a car. The Tuesday market is one of the largest street markets in the Cotswolds — stalls stretch the length of the High Street selling food, antiques, clothing, and local produce. From Moreton, buses connect to Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water.
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