Top 10 Beautiful Cotswold Villages To Visit

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Why Should You Visit The Cotswolds?

The Cotswolds are one of the most beautiful places you can visit in the UK. This is an old and generally rural area of England, with many Cotswold stone houses and towns made up of gorgeous honey-coloured stone cottages lining the streets.

These historic films can be found covering the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Warwickshire.

The pretty Cotswold villages found here in are so picturesque they are very commonly used as filming locations for film and television shows – including Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice and Downton Abbey, amongst others.

If you want to see the quaint and lovely side of England that we see often in Jane Austen adaptations, the Cotswolds are exactly the place you want to head.

Full of history, wildlife, Cotswold countryside views, walks, and artisan shops and restaurants, there is something for everyone here in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

I’ve put together a list of the best villages in Cotswolds that are worth visiting. I’ve included Cotswold attractions and unique elements of each of the Cotswold market towns here so you can choose one that suits your particular tastes.

So, if you’re ready to plan your trip to one of the most beautiful Cotswolds parts of the UK, read on and discover all there is to know about the most beautiful Cotswold villages to visit.

Top 10 Beautiful Cotswold Villages to Visit

1. Banbury

Banbury is a charming historic market town, perfect for a spot of shopping surrounded by beautiful Cotswolds scenery.

Take a trip to the Castle Quay Shopping Centre and pop into one of the bakeries there to try the famous Banbury Cake – the town’s signature baked good. A sweet pastry filled with currents, it’s a scrummy snack with a cup of tea!

There are plenty of historic buildings to visit, including Broughton Castle, Upton House and Gardens, Sulgrave Manor and Gardens, and St. Mary’s Church.

Wildlife fans or those with children can visit the Cotswolds animal attractions such as Fir Tree Falconry to see the birds of prey or the Water Fowl Sanctuary and Children’s Farm.

To really learn the story of Banbury’s culture, visit Banbury Museum and Gallery. It is one of the more developed Cotswold towns, and there’s plenty to discover here, whatever your interests are.

2. Bourton-on-the-Water

Bourton-on-the-Water is the place to go for luxury shopping and eateries, as well as unique experiences and places to visit. This is definitely one of the best towns in Cotswolds.

There’s the Cotswold Motoring Museum for the classic car fans and the Cotswold Brewing Company for larger fans looking for a taster tour.

For those with kids, the Dragonfly Maze is great fun for any age, and a trip to Birdland holds sightings of penguins, flamingos and pelicans, among many other bird species.

The Bourton-on-the-Water town centre is built around the stunning River Windrush, which can be crossed via a number of low stone bridges. It is considered one of the top Cotswolds attractions.

There’s a large variety of cafes and restaurants to be found in Bourton-on-the-Water, as well as many shops filled with artisan products such as perfume, pottery and china.

A highlight of Bourton-on-the-Water includes the quant combines antique shops and tea rooms found in the picturesque streets of this quintessential English charm town centre.

3. Chipping Campden

This is one for the walkers, with so many beautiful gardens and walking trails to stroll along and take in the scenic views.

Some of the top attractions in Chipping Campden include Hidcote Manor Garden – a National Trust sight full of beautiful flowers and plants, and Kiftsgate Court Gardens, full of beautiful flowers including some to purchase.

Otherwise, there is Dover’s Hill which leads you on a walk through the traditional cotswolds countryside and a walk up to Broadway Tower, which contains beautiful views of the scenic surrounding rolling hills.

For those who are more interested in historical sights, there are many large historical buildings, including St. James’ Church, Market Hall, St. Eadburgha’s Church, and Old Campden House.

All are built from the gorgeous cotswold stone houses and boast impressive medieval architecture. Chipping Campden high street contains many boutique shops and places to eat and drink.

4. Stow-on-the-Wold

Perfect for arts and literature lovers, Stow-on-the-Wold – one of the best Cotswold villages – holds so many attractions there’s plenty to choose from.

Most significant for the literature fans is St. Edward’s Church, where you can find a door that supposedly inspired J.R.R.Tolkein’s Doors of Durin in the Lord of the Rings trilogy – one of the Co’s top attractions.

If you’re into Lord of the Rings, definitely check out my Lord of the Rings UK tour guide to discover locations all over the UK to visit.

Besides this mystical doorway, literature lovers can also visit The Borzoi Bookshop, and Jaffe and Neale Bookshop to stock up on new novels or a Cotswolds guidebook.

For the art fans, there’s the Peter Martin Gallery for photography, the Fosse Gallery for contemporary art and Binghams Art Gallery for oil paintings and sculpture.

Alongside this, there’s plenty of historic sights, buildings and quaint shops to see in the town centre.

5. Broadway

The town in which the Broadway Tower is situated – previously mentioned in the section about Chipping Campden.

Broadway is filled with so many of the wonderful things we associate with the Cotswolds’ prettiest villages, from history to galleries to artisan shops, making it one of the best villages to visit in the Cotswolds.

The Ashmolean Museum Broadway is the sister museum of the Ashmolean in Oxfordshire and is an interesting insight into Broadway’s history.

Alongside this are a number of art galleries to choose from, including the Gordon Russell Design Museum, Richard Hagen Gallery, Priory Gallery, and Broadway Luxury, where all the art pieces are available to buy.

There are a number of walks to go on in the areas wide green spaces. A unique highlight is the Cotswold Lavender field, in which you can walk amongst the fragrant lavender and buy products crafted from the lavender oil.

6. Burford

Burford is home to the Cotswold Water Park and Garden. This highly popular attraction lets you get up close and personal to a number of different animals from across the globe.

For kids, there is an additional playground and goat-petting area. You can even take a ride around the grounds on a small train. Plenty to keep you busy here for the whole day.

Besides this, there are again a number of beautiful buildings, especially churches. They include St John the Baptist, Saint Nicholas Church and St Mary’s Church. These can make wonderful visits for architectural photographers.

This Cotswold town is home to Onform London sculpture garden, which is home to over 300 different sculptures, as well as Asthall Manor Garden which often hosts external art exhibitions and events.

7. Kingham

Kingham is one for the more active readers amongst us. Particularly popular with walkers and cyclists, there are plenty of routes for you to see the beautiful cotswolds scenery.

Windrush Cycle Tours and Cotswold Electric Bike Tours are two companies that offer guided tours.

The latter is particularly ideal for the inexperienced cycles among us. There are two popular restaurants where you can replenish your energy. These are the Kingham Plough and The Wild Rabbit.

These are popular with foodie visitors, as is the Daylesford Organic Farm. Here you can buy local produce and ingredients from the great quality of the Cotswolds countryside.

Of course, this village holds all the style and charm of the prettiest villages in cotswolds and is a great option to visit, particularly for couples or single adults.

8. Lacock

For those who enjoy British period films, Lacock is the one to head to.

This picturesque Cotswold village is most famous as a filming location for many popular films and TV Shows. Segments of BBC’s Pride and Prejudice and Downton Abbey were filmed in the village centre.

For many, this is definitely one of the Cotswold’s best villages, thanks to its filming location status.

Lacock Abbey is most recognisable from the Harry Potter films. Sections of the Abbey were used as parts of the Hogwarts corridors, and it is very easy to recognise the ornate structures from the films.

Attached to the Abbey is the Fox Talbot Museum of Photography, containing many interesting exhibitions.

You can buy antiques and baked goods in the town, amongst other things, and lovely walks surround the area. There is plenty here to fill a day and soak up the unspoilt beauty.

Check out my post on Lacock to find out more.

9. Winchcombe

The main attraction in Winchcombe is Sudeley Castle. These beautiful and ornate castle ruins were once home to Henry VIII’s queen, Katherine Parr, and you can explore her history at the castle.

This was declared an award-winning attraction in 2021, with beautiful scenery and lots of original artefacts.

Another unique attraction is Belas Knapp, an ancient long barrow located at the top of a tall burial mound.

Ancient history combined with glorious views of the Cotswold Hills make this well worth the visit. There are plenty of other walks in the area, as always, and two churches in the town – Hailes Church and St. Peter’s Church.

This village is most suited to history lovers, and there is plenty to explore and keep you busy here.

10. Chedworth

Chedworth Cotswold village is home to the Chedworth Roman Villa – the ruins of a true Roman villa, of which the structures can still be clearly observed.

This is one of the most impressive Roman Villas in Britain and a unique attraction within the Cotswolds’ best villages. There is even an impressive mosaic that is over 2000 years old.

In the area is also St. Andrews Church, which could easily be visited within the same day as the villa.

This is one of the more rural Cotswold towns to visit on the list, so there’s not much shopping to do. However, there are some beautiful walks to go on and plenty of wonderful wildlife to observe.

Bonus: Bibury, Painswick, Upper and Lower Slaughter

While not in the top 10, a few other Cotswold villages deserve an honourable mention:

Bibury is often called the most beautiful village in England. Bibury is home to the picturesque Arlington Row cottages and makes a lovely stop on a Cotswolds driving tour.

The historic wool town of Painswick is known as the “Queen of the Cotswolds”. Painswick has charming streets to wander and the unique St Mary’s churchyard with 99 yew trees.

The twin villages of Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter are as lovely as their names are quirky. Take a stroll between them along the River Eye, stopping at the Old Mill along the way.

Many of the areas of these historic market towns have paths that run through the Cotswold Way and contain Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Discover The Top 10 Things To Do In The Cotswolds

Travel Berries has made a lovely video highlighting the top ten things to do in the Cotswolds. Check it out so you can plan your perfect trip.

Let’s Get Moving!

That just about wraps it up for my top 10 best villages to visit in the Cotswolds. I hope you enjoyed my list and it helped you get a sense of just how much the nicest villages in cotswolds has to offer.

Now, it’s time to start planning your trip! In the meantime, make sure to sign up for my newsletter so you always receive the latest on travel in the UK.

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know which picturesque Cotswold villages you’d like to visit most.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope to see you back here again soon.

Ta-ta for now! x