It’s funny after living in the UK for so long I’d still not visited the beautiful Cotswolds.
It wasn’t until a friend from Australia travelling to the UK and on a mission to see the prettiest Cotswold villages that I visited myself! She loves all things British and what more British that cute little villages and towns in the Cotswolds.
We made it our mission to find and explore the best villages and of course, sampling traditional Cotswolds cream teas on the route.
During our mini road trip, we drove through many beautiful English villages but these 10 villages in the Cotswolds were certainly our favourites stops.
10 Prettiest Villages in the Cotswolds
Since I was travelling from Bath, plus a detour to Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral I will start at the bottom of the Cotswolds and work my way up north.
Feel free to read this list in reverse if you’re travelling the other way around!
Lacock Village
Starting off with this beautiful village which I admit I’d never heard of before, well if I’m honest I’d not heard of any of the village names but unlike the others, on this list, I had seen it before.
Lacock village is actually a popular filming location for some very popular TV shows and even a famous film.
Yep, would you believe it scenes for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince were filmed here, with Harry and Dumbledore walking through the village?
Another popular TV show, Downton Abbey was also filmed here too! But celebrity location name-dropping aside, this is a gorgeous village
Where to park in Lacock village?
- There’s the main National Trust car park that you can park in. It’s a pay and display and cost £4 for the day. (Free for National Trust members).
Castle Combe
The second stop on my Cotswolds mini road trip and this feels like your typical English village.
A cute English pub, cakes for sale and a picturesque stream running through the village, what more could you want!
Although a very tiny village, that’s what makes it so cute, it’s a beautiful place to visit. With a small square and daffodils growing out of pots I loved it here.
I can imagine at busy times though it might be quite as idyllic.
There’s a huge main car park before you enter the village (free parking) but here’s where big bus tours can stop and your cute Cotswold village could be quickly transformed into a horde of tourists and cameras.
Yes, slightly hypocritical as I’m one of those tourists but by having my own car for this road trip it makes it much easier to visit these quaint villages without 50+ other people.
Where to park in Castle Combe?
- Main car park before you enter the village, with a 1 km walk.
- There are also some spaces further down on the road if you struggle to walk but I’d suggest the car park is the best option.
Coln St Aldwyns
A pretty village not on everyone’s list, well that’s what makes it so good. I came across this village not by car but after a 3-mile hike from nearby cute village number four, Bibury.
Following the River Coln lead me to this cute village, again with the standard pub, church and post office that most of these places have.
Keep following and will tell you about this beautiful Cotswold hike soon!
Bibury Village
Once you’ve visited Bibury village you’ll immediately know what it’s famous for. Across the bridge and a short walk next to the River Coln there’s a small row of cottages, known as Arlington Row.
There’s something about cute cottages in the Cotswolds and this pretty row certainly brings the crowds for photos.
But that’s not all there is at Bibury, there’s a trout farm, an old mill – Arlington Mill and two pubs – The Catherine Wheel Inn and The Swan
Top Tip
- There’s a toilet you can use next to the shop/Trout Farm for 20p (don’t forget some change).
Bourton-on-the-Water
I absolutely loved Bourton-on-the-Water, with more cute cafes for cream tea stops and crafty shops that you can admire the intricate details of homemade items.
But Bourton-on-the-Water also has a car museum, with a few retros cars that you might spot.
Lower Slaughter
Stow on the Wold
Chipping Campden
Snowshill
Broadway + Broadway Tower
Are you planning a trip to the Cotswolds to visit all the prettiest villages?
Ask me any questions in the comments below.
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