United Kingdom
The Cotswolds
Rolling hills and limestone villages; spend 2–3 nights in Stow, Chipping Campden or nearby. This guide pulls together 3 sights, 2 activities and 1 outdoor spot from our curated routes.
- Places
- 9
- Curated routes
- 1
- Best season
- May – Sep
- Warmest month
- July
- Coolest month
- January
- Wettest month
- October
3 See · 2 Do · 1 Outdoors · 2 Eat · 1 Drink
London, the Cotswolds & Bath
from our route notes
21°C / 70°F avg high
6°C / 42°F avg high
about 81 mm rain
Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.
Things to do in The Cotswolds
9 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.
See
The landmarks we would not skip in The Cotswolds across Bibury, Broadway and Winchcombe.
Photo: Saffron Blaze · CC BY-SA 3.0SeeArlington Row
Row of 17th-century weavers' cottages beside a water meadow in Bibury.
Tip Visit before 9am to beat tour coaches.
Photo: The author is Newton2 (cropped by Yummifruitbat) · CC BY 2.5SeeBroadway Tower
Folly tower on a hilltop above Broadway with views across up to 16 counties.
Tip Walk up from Broadway village on the Cotswold Way, about 1 hour.
Photo: Rebecca Watts · GoogleSeeSudeley Castle
Castle and gardens where Katherine Parr, Henry VIII's last queen, is buried.
Tip Check opening dates; it closes in winter.
Do
Hands-on ways to spend time in The Cotswolds across Chipping Campden and Stow-on-the-Wold. All 2 are free to visit.
Photo: Stephen McKay · CC BY-SA 2.0DoChipping Campden
Wool town with a curving high street and a 1627 Market Hall; start of the Cotswold Way.
Tip Walk 1 mile up to Dover's Hill for the view.
Photo: Bs0u10e01 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Outdoors
Trails, views and open space in and around The Cotswolds.
Photo: Richard Slessor · CC BY-SA 2.0OutdoorsHidcote
Arts and Crafts garden of hedged outdoor rooms, at its best in early summer.
Tip Combine with Chipping Campden, 4 miles away.
Eat
2 places to eat in Kingham, picked for groups who care about the food.
Photo: Daylesford Organic · GoogleEatDaylesford Organic Farm
Organic farm shop, café and bakery in converted barns near Kingham.
Tip Lunch fills by 12:30; arrive early or book.
Photo: The Wild Rabbit · GoogleEatThe Wild Rabbit
Stone-built inn in Kingham serving seasonal British cooking with farm produce.
Tip Book dinner ahead, especially on weekends.
Drink
1 bar or café in Stow-on-the-Wold for coffee, a round or a nightcap.
Photo: The Porch House · Google
How to fit The Cotswolds into a trip
The Cotswolds is stop 2 of 3 on our London, the Cotswolds & Bath route. Follow it as-is or lift The Cotswolds into your own plan.
Stop 2 of 3
London, the Cotswolds & Bath
Museums, stone villages and Georgian spa streets
- Trip length
- 8 days
- Best season
- May – Sep
- Pace
- easy
Getting here and onward
- The Cotswolds to BathBath is about 70 km / 44 mi away in a straight line
- London to The CotswoldsLondon is about 122 km / 76 mi away in a straight line
Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.
The Cotswolds month by month
Average daily highs run from 6°C / 42°F in January to 21°C / 70°F in July. October is the wettest month, with about 81 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.
- Jan6° / 42°F average high
- Feb6° / 44°F average high
- Mar9° / 48°F average high
- Apr13° / 55°F average high
- May16° / 60°F average high, in our recommended season
- Jun19° / 66°F average high, in our recommended season
- Jul21° / 70°F average high, in our recommended season
- Aug21° / 69°F average high, in our recommended season
- Sep18° / 65°F average high, in our recommended season
- Oct14° / 57°F average high
- Nov9° / 48°F average high
- Dec6° / 43°F average high
Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. The Cotswolds weather and the best time to visit →
Near The Cotswolds
5 other destinations from our guides within about 400 km (249 mi), measured in a straight line.
The Cotswolds questions, answered
How many days do you need in The Cotswolds?
Our route notes suggest 2–3 nights in The Cotswolds. On our London, the Cotswolds & Bath route it is stop 2 of 3 in a 8-day trip. The listed visit times for our 9 places add up to roughly 14 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.
What is The Cotswolds best known for?
Rolling hills and limestone villages; spend 2–3 nights in Stow, Chipping Campden or nearby. Standouts on our list: Arlington Row (Row of 17th-century weavers' cottages beside a water meadow in Bibury); Broadway Tower (Folly tower on a hilltop above Broadway with views across up to 16 counties); Sudeley Castle (Castle and gardens where Katherine Parr, Henry VIII's last queen, is buried).
When is the best time to visit The Cotswolds?
Our London, the Cotswolds & Bath route is best May – Sep. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (21°C / 70°F), the coolest in January (6°C / 42°F) and the most rain in October (about 81 mm).
What are the best things to do in The Cotswolds?
Start with Arlington Row, Broadway Tower, Hidcote, Sudeley Castle and Chipping Campden. Our guide lists 9 places in all, from 3 sights, 2 activities, 1 outdoor spot, 2 places to eat and 1 bar or café.
Where should a group eat in The Cotswolds?
Our picks: Daylesford Organic Farm (Kingham); The Wild Rabbit (Kingham). Lunch fills by 12:30; arrive early or book (Daylesford Organic Farm).
What is near The Cotswolds?
The closest destinations in our guides are Bath (about 70 km / 44 mi), London (about 122 km / 76 mi) and Dublin (about 343 km / 213 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.
Plan The Cotswolds with your crew
Open the London, the Cotswolds & Bath route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 9 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.
Plan around The Cotswolds
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