Museums that transport you back to the Domesday Book, yellow-stone Cotswold villages straight from a chocolate box and manors perched on rolling, emerald hills. If you like the great outdoors, you'll love The Cotswolds, a region that spans central England and the south west. If you’re looking for things to do in the Cotswolds – well, there’s plenty. Potter around Broadway or Bilbury, spot buzzards sweeping across the hilltops, raid farmers markets for local culinary delights like single Gloucester cheese or treat the kids to a day out at Cotswold farm park. After trekking escarpments, you can even swap hiking boots for top hat and tails at race days in elegant regency Cheltenham. Top that off with a stay at a choice of cosy Cotswolds cottages and hotels, and you’ve got a staycation to remember.
Places to visit in The Cotswolds
Walking in the Cotswolds
Join a walking route from Bourton-on-the-Water to the Slaughters.
Location: Oxfordshire
Enjoy scenic holiday routes in style with a Morgan car
Hire a Morgan Motor Car from the original Morgan factory which still produces British cars in Malvern Link over 100 years since production began.
Location: Malvern, Worcestershire
Be inspired with a visit to Tudor House
Tudor House is one of the most prominent buildings in Broadway which houses objects and artefacts on loan from the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Location: Broadway, Worcestershire
Spot Poldark at Chavenage House
Come and see 'Trenwith', the Poldark family home, actually 'played' by Chavenage House in Tetbury and you may spot Aiden Turner as Ross Poldark!
Location: Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Discover Laurie Lee Country
Take inspiration from the BBC adaptation of the classic novel ‘Cider with Rosie’ and follow in the footsteps of author Laurie Lee through the Slad Valley.
Location: Slad village near Stroud, Gloucestershire
Slow things down in Hidcote Manor Gardens
Forget about the outside world for a few hours in this perfect spot of Gloucestershire.
Location: Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
Eat delicious seasonal food at the Wild Rabbit Inn
Pop in for a drink by the fire or a locally-sourced meal, and then stay over at this charming inn in the idyllic Cotswold village of Kingham.
Location: Chipping Norton, Cotswolds
Go shopping for retro clothes on a Cotswolds vintage tour
Visit the Cotswolds and discover vintage treasures on a carefully designed retro-themed driving tour.
Location: Tewkesbury or Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Spoil yourself with a bit of luxury at Ellenborough Park
Indulge in classically beautiful surroundings and enjoy a hotel that strives for excellence.
Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Seek out wild garlic flowers amongst Gloucestershire’s woodland
Wild garlic flowers are pretty little things to spot on a summer’s ramble in the Cotswolds, and make for a delicious addition to your salad bowl.
Location: The Cotswolds, Gloucestershire
Explore the rooms and grounds of Snowshill Manor
From suits of Samurai armour to antique bicycles of all shapes and sizes, there are about 22,000 reasons to take a nose round Snowshill Manor.
Location: Snowshill, Gloucestershire
Discover the UK's only crocodile zoo
Come face to face with some of the most feared predators on the planet - Nile crocodiles, American alligators, black caiman and more!
Location: Brize Norton, Oxfordshire
Get an authentic taste of Cotswolds farm life
Ever fancied trying your hand at making your own sausages? Be part of a traditional farming experience at Old Farm, near Moreton in Marsh.
Location: Moreton In Marsh, Gloucestershire
Go wild for the wildlife of the Cotswolds
Experience the wild beauty of Batsford Arboretum and the sight of rare birds of prey soaring over the surrounding Cotswolds hills.
Location: Moreton In Marsh, Gloucestershire
Take part in the Cotswolds & Severn Vale circular cycling tour
Enjoy a circular self guided cycling holiday tour, so you spend a week exploring the Cotswolds & Severn Vale, on your bike with optional day routes.
Location: Gloucestershire, Cotswolds
Enjoy a touch of class in a riverside Cotswold inn
The kind of place you dream of but seldom find – an old stone inn, full of charm and history, in the beautiful Cotswold village of Burford.
Location: Burford, Oxfordshire
Retrace the Cotswolds’ Arts and Crafts movement
Explore William Morris's Cotswolds as you relive the area's arts and crafts movement in Chipping Campden and Broadway.
Location: Chipping Campden & Broadway, Gloucestershire
Experience a revival of Cotswolds’ culinary traditions
Perfect your culinary skills at Thyme at Southrop’s cookery school, then explore some of the Cotswolds’ best restaurants in Bibury and Nailsworth.
Location: Southrop, Gloucestershire
Get into green camping in the Cotswolds
Camp out amongst elderflowers and starlight at Thistledown Campsite. Acres of idyllic woodland surround your tent, waiting to be explored for free.
Location: Nympsfield, Gloucestershire
Enjoy afternoon tea in a thatched Cotswolds cottage
Tour the Cotswolds’ hidden gems and receive a warm welcome at the Secret Cottage, a private home where you are invited to traditional afternoon tea.
Location: Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Escape to Winchcombe, the walking capital of the Cotswolds
Explore an undiscovered side to the north Cotswolds by combining a tranquil stay in the ancient town of Winchcombe with some fantastic walking routes.
Location: Winchcombe, Gloucestershire