Cotswolds Day Trip from London

On this full-day tour of the Cotswolds, you’ll bask in the beauty of the English countryside, visiting villages that seem almost untouched by time in the company of an expert guide. Making a circular route with a private car from Oxford, you’ll be charmed by the Cotswolds’ churches, pristine rows of stone houses, and leafy lanes, stopping for a classic pub lunch along the way.

Your day will begin with a train ride through the English countryside from London to Oxford, where you’ll meet your expert guide and private car service. From here, you’ll set off on your scenic journey through rolling hills and winding country roads into the heart of the Cotswolds. Officially an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (the largest in the UK), the Cotswolds contains villages, country houses, and gardens of immense loveliness and your expert guide will help you discover the best that the area has to offer.

Your circuit around the Cotswolds will begin with stops in such picturesque villages as Chipping Norton, Kingham, or Stow-on-the-Wold, where you’ll admire cottages made out of the local limestone, and may pop into a church, village shop or art gallery. Depending on availability and interest, we may also pay a visit to one of the area’s stately homes or gardens to learn about their history and relationship to the surrounding countryside. Pausing for a classic English pub lunch - or even a picnic if the weather allows - you’ll get the chance to refuel while discussing in greater depth village life or noteworthy inhabitants of the past and present.

After lunch, your journey will continue through Upper and Lower Slaughter - exceptionally pretty villages, despite their macabre names - and into Burford, with its medieval bridge and vibrant high street. Your final stop for the day may be Swinbrook, where you may discover the Fettiplace effigies in the local church and discuss the famous (sometimes infamous) Mitford sisters who once lived there. Lastly, your driver and guide will drop you back off at Oxford station for your return train journey to London. You’ll depart with a deeper appreciation for the beauty and history of this part of the British countryside.

Where do we meet? Where do we end?
You will meet the guide and driver at the Oxford Parkway train station. From there you will proceed by private car that we've arranged for you. After the tour, the driver will drop you back at Oxford Parkway train station for your return journey to London. Your confirmation email will have more information about the exact meeting point, along with a map.

Do we visit any stately homes or gardens on this tour? 
We don’t include any stately homes or gardens as standard on this tour, due to their varying open days. However, if you are interested in visiting a stately home or gardens, your guide will be able to accommodate this on the day, depending on availability. Any entrance fees will be at your own expense on-site.