Small-Group Cotswolds Tour (From London)

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. The day begins by departing London and travelling towards the quintessentially English countryside of The Cotswolds; an area that is famous for its beautiful landscape, charming villages and honey-coloured stone cottages. Our first stop will be the traditional town of Burford; known as the ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’. This is a historic place where many houses date back nearly 600 years and little has changed for centuries. During the visit there will be time to explore Burford, visit the magnificent church and stroll along the high street to visit a mix of independent family-run shops.

   1 h

2. The village of Bibury is often described as the 'prettiest village in England'. It's charming scene is a snapshot of traditional English country life. Wander along the gentle river and see the iconic Arlington Row; a set of weavers cottages that are now one of the symbols of the Cotswolds.

   40 min

3. Our lunch stop is the charming settlement of Bourton-on-the-Water. The town's river setting has seen it become known as the 'Venice of the Cotswolds'.

   1.5 h

4. We'll continue through the countryside to Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest town in the Cotswolds that is a jumble of ancient inns & antique shops located around the bustling market square. This historic town was a place of inspiration for JRR Tolkien and is also where the last battle of the English Civil War took place in 1646.

   50 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 3,162 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Great day at the Cotswolds

  The trip to the Cotswolds was amazing! We went in a small group, and our guide and driver, Chris, shared interesting facts about every village we visited, as well as funny stories that added to the experience. Highly recommend!

  504adrianna_September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Cotswolds tour

  First of all, Tony’s British playlist was fantastic. Tony was knowledgeable and had interesting facts and stories. The vehicle was comfortable, and he helped us navigate each stop. We were able to get a sense of the beauty of the Cotswolds. Super fun!

  745mimipSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 2Mainly a day in the bus

  The Cotswolds are beautiful. Our guide, Sean, was very kind and did his best with the itinerary. The trip felt extremely rushed. It is a LOT of driving (around 5.5 hours) with minimal time in the villages. A better approach would be to visit 1 (or maybe 2) villages and actually get to see them. As it was, we felt like we drove, jumped off the bus, jumped back on, ad nauseam. We were exhausted by the end of the day (but not in a good way!).

  Lauren_OSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Wonderful day exploring the Cotswolds

  We had a wonderful all-day tour of the Cotswolds, with scenic drives between each charming village. We visited Stow-on-the-Wold, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Burford, and each location had its own unique character and beauty. Len was our guide and driver, and he made the day enjoyable and easygoing. The scenic drives between the villages were a highlight in themselves, allowing us to take in the beautiful Cotswold countryside along the way. The highlight of the day for me was idyllic Arlington Row in Bibury—it was absolutely beautiful and felt like stepping into a postcard. A lovely way to experience several of the Cotswolds’ most picturesque villages in one day.

  RachelB27530September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 3Mr Toad's Wild Ride

  This was a long day! We spent way more time on the bus than visiting the charming Cotswolds villages. Time was limited at the stops. Fewer stops and more time to enjoy a village would have been preferred. The bus ride was very bumpy especially sitting in the back of the bus...which I would not recommend. If you get car sick...take some motion sickness meds prior to the trip. I would have preferred learning more historic facts about the Cotswolds instead of about rich and famous people who live there now. Listening to British music as we traveled was a nice touch however would have preferred more familiar British music. Overall, I'm glad I was able to visit some of the Cotswolds villages, not sure if I would go again.

  Janie_ISeptember 2026via Viator

• 5A break from London city to see idyllic countryside

  Lovely tour. We were taken to 4 villages and spent an allotted amount of time in each. Plan to pay 50 cents to use a bathroom, get portable bites to eat because you can use up all of the time for a sit down meal and you eat on the bus. Lots of shops for us tourists so don't stay long in one shop. Sean was a wonderful guide.

  JackieJohnstonSeptember 2026via Viator

Know before you go

How it compares in London

• Its from-price is 85% below the median of the 555 day trips we list in London.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 7 of 555.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About London

London mixes royal ceremony, world-class museums and riverside landmarks with distinct neighbourhoods, markets and parks to explore on foot.

The Thames threads the city together. On its banks stand the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the Tower of London with the Crown Jewels, Tower Bridge and the long South Bank walk past the London Eye, Shakespeare's Globe and Tate Modern. St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey anchor the older skyline, while glass towers crowd the financial district.

Top-ranked sights in London: St. Paul's Cathedral, Stonehenge, Tower of London.

See all 4793 experiences in London