cotswolds and oxford travel guide 2026
The Cotswolds
When I imagine the English countryside, I see vast farmland in all directions, some sheep, cute hallmark-esque village streets lined with shops teeming with both locals and tourists. And that’s exactly what you can find in the Cotswolds. There are plenty of villages to explore in the area along with farm shops for food, gifts and produce.
Read on below for details, and watch the vlog for more visuals!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
When we went
We went mid-April, and got lucky with the weather being amazing! We’ve read and seen how UK weather can be grey and rainy, and although we had some days/mornings like that, most of the time it was sunny blue skies.
Getting around
The best way to get around the Cotswolds is by car. Alternatively, you can definitely do a day trip to the Cotswolds from Bath or London via guided tours.
In the previous blogs, I mentioned having stayed in Bath for the first leg of our trip. Here, as we make our way back to London, we make a stop at the Cotswolds to explore the area a bit better with a side trip to Oxford (and the outlets for my parents).
After some research, we chose to stay in Cirencester as it was a bit closer to Bath/Stonehenge and a bit central in the Cotswolds.
Things to know
For highly rated restaurants, it’s best to book a table ahead. Check their Google Map pin for the link to their reservations system.
Majority of the establishments are cashless, although it’s still a good idea to bring some cash for places like the flea market, or in case there’s a connectivity issue (we were in the UK when the M&S cyberattack happened).
Hotel Recommendations
Bath
DoubleTree by Hilton- Where we stayed and recommend staying. My parents did have specific requirement with hotels (must have elevators), so that crossed out a bunch of renovated hotels in old buildings. Since we were 3 people, we got the King Superior Room with Sofa Bed.
The hotel is located on the quieter side of Bath but still considered central, and very walkable to the sights and shops. It’s also close to a supermarket (Waitrose), Landrace Bakery ;) and right next to the Flea & Antique Market that happens every Saturday! There was an issue with only 1 elevator working though, but I hope that has since been fixed.
Other family/group friendly hotels we considered are: Travelodge Bath City Centre, Apex City of Bath Hotel and Hampton by Hilton Bath
Cotswolds
We stayed in the Kings Head Hotel in Cirencester. The hotel dates back to the 1500s and while it’s been updated and modernized as much as possible since, you can still see and feel the remnants of the original structure. Cirencester is small and walkable, and the hotel is located at the heart of it. Their restaurant is also one of the best in the area. I wish I was braver to explore, but do ask about their history with tunnels!
The Cotswold Villages
Here’s a list of the villages we visited during our stay.
Cirencester
The capital of the Cotswolds and our chosen base for our 3 night stay in the area. A market town with a good mix of shops and restaurants. If I recall, there was a Barbour, a White Company shop and a Marks & Spencer supermarket.
We stayed in the Kings Head Hotel in Cirencester. The hotel dates back to the 1500s and while it’s been updated and modernized as much as possible since, you can still see and feel the remnants of the original structure. Cirencester is small and walkable, and the hotel is located at the heart of it, right across the Church of St John the Baptist (pictured).
The Kings Head Hotel’s restaurant is also one of the best in the area. I wish I was braver to explore, but do ask about their history with tunnels!
Bibury
I think it was the smallest of the towns we went to, really mostly residential still. Home to the Swan Hotel, Bibury Trout Farm and more famously, Arlington Row, a location for the film, Stardust.
I hadn’t known this, but the houses on Arlington Row are occupied, so please be mindful and respect their privacy when you go for pictures.
Bourton-on-the-Water
My favorite town! Beautiful willow trees and shops along the river. It was a beautiful sunny day, and plenty of people were lounging/picnic-ing by the water enjoying the sunny spring day.
Stow-on-the-Wold
The highest Cotswold village at 800 feet above sea level. It has a history of being an important trade route known as a wool town where sheep were brought and sold, and then as times changed, hosting fairs for horses which are still held annually to this day.
Antique lovers would love it here too! I saw at least 8 antique shops heading into the market square which is filled with more shops, bakeries and inns/hotels. You can definitely picture how busy it would have been back in the day.
Admittedly, I was there for one thing: the Yew Tree Door at St. Edward’s Church. A door sandwich between two trees, which is said to have given inspiration to the Doors of Durin in the Lord of the Rings trilogy by JRR Tolkien.
m.a.d.e.
A special mention for this eye catching gift shop in Cirencester which carries a mix of local and international brands for stationery, lifestyle, home and baby items. If you like whimsical vibes and Rifle Paper Co. aesthetics, give them a visit and you may just take something home!
Farm Shops
Of all the days, the one farm shop in my list was closed due to water supply issues :’) And while there are plenty of farm shops, we didn’t have time anymore to visit. Just Google map farm shops and you’ll see these shops with fresh produce and ingredients, farm to table food, and products to take home or gift as gifts.
Oxford
If you grew up reading and watching Harry Potter, then Oxford is a must visit! Being in the place where JK Rowling drew plenty of inspiration and seeing the filming locations and being in the colleges felt like a dream. Almost made me want to go back to school haha
We got tickets to the Divinity School + Duke’s Library (the Forbidden Section in HP), part of the group of 23 libraries that form the Bodleian Libraries.
Just make sure to book tickets when you know your dates. Our trip was a bit last minute, and didn’t find tickets until the night before where they seemed to have opened up slots for early morning the next day. There are longer tour options, including touring the Radcliffe Camera, however the time slot available was for a 30min tour.
Things to do in Oxford (day trip)
Divinity School + Duke Humfrey’s Library
We arrived on a cool, slightly foggy, rainy morning, ideal to spend some time in a library. As mentioned above, we managed to get last minute early morning tickets for the 30-minute tour of the Divinity School and Duke Humfrey’s Library, both locations for the HP films.
The Divinity School, Oxford University’s oldest classroom, named so for discussions/classes held on theology as well as for oral exams. Our guide told us that students would be tested on how well their reasoning is on a subject vs right or wrong answers. Nowadays, you can also rent out the space for events.
Above it is Duke Humfrey’s Library, aka the Hogwarts library. The library is the oldest reading room of Oxford University, formed in the 1450s and named after the Duke of Gloucester who donated 281 books after his passing. That was plenty of handwritten books as the printing press hadn’t been invented. Over the centuries, the library grew and expanded and is the university’s central library.
Radcliffe Camera
An iconic circular building that houses one of the 23 Bodleian Libraries. It is a working library, meaning University students are actively using it, and you can only go inside through a guided 90-min tour.
Christ Church College Guided Tour
This guided tour offers a glimpse of student life. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t understand how the Oxford University college system worked, but after our guide—who I must mention reminded me of Newt Scamander—talked about it, there definitely is a parallel to the Harry Potter books with houses and colleges.
The tour brings you to the staircase where Harry rejected Draco’s offer of friendship in the first movie, which leads up to the magical Great Hall. It’s being actively used as a dining hall for students, teachers and staff, so while the movie was not able to use the actual location, you can see how much it was inspired by it. Walking into it was such an inner child moment! 🥹
Right after the tour, the stairs were blocked off as staff prepared for lunch service. We head out to Tom Quad where our guide told us stories about previous student shenanigans, and we were free to see the Cloisters and cathedral inside.
Oxford Covered Market
A historic market set in a covered building.
Oxford Punting
My parents weren’t keen on doing this unfortunately, so I was not able to go for a boat tour. Seems like a nice chill way to see a different side to the city!
Bicester Village
It’s an approx. 30 minute drive from Oxford, and if you love to shop, then make your way here!
We missed out on Daylesford Organics, but I was surprised to find that they have an outlet here.
While the parents shopped, I was able to try the Apple custard crumble by Humble Crumble and loved it! Sort of like a deconstructed apple pie with warm custard!
Where we ate
SAVORY FOOD
Kings Head Hotel - The hotel we stayed in Cirencester offers an amazing menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At our time of stay, an ala carte breakfast menu was offered inclusive of the stay on top of their continental breakfast buffet. We also tried their dinner menu our first night and the food was delicious!
The Bear Inn - Also located in Cirencester, a lovely pub also with amazing food. Yes, as tourists, we had to try their fish and chips, and I’m happy to say it did not disappoint!
COFFEE & PASTRY
The Twig - a cozy coffee shop right by the entrance of Bibury
The Cornish Bakery - there’s one in Cirencester and one in Bourton-on-the-Water. Definitely try the cornish pasty!
Lynwood & Co - a cafe right beside the Kings Head Hotel in Cirencester. I stayed for a cozy cup of latte before we left for London.
The Independent Cafe - a great stop for a pick me up right across Christ Church College, Oxford
Thanks for reading!
