Cotswold Summer Explorer Tour: Discover Idyllic English Villages and Majestic Castles

Embark on a captivating Cotswold Summer Explorer Tour and immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of this designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Discover idyllic villages, majestic castles, and charming high streets on this unforgettable journey.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Minster Lovell Hall & Dovecote - You start your unforgettable Cotswold journey from central Oxford, driving to Burford (the Gateway to the Cotswolds) through Minster Lovell, with its its attractive thatched houses and ruined Hall.
  • Burford - Enjoy a walk around Burford with its quaint cafes and antiques shops or visit the impressive wool church of St John the Baptist.
  • Bourton on the Water - Our drive then takes us through some beautiful countryside and some of the old quarrying villages of the North Cotswolds to Bourton-on-the-Water, the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’. Bourton has many cafes and small souvenir shops to explore and there is also the picturesque River Windrush.
  • Broadway - Another picturesque route brings us to the charming and unspoilt Worcestershire town of Broadway. We stop here for lunch, where you can enjoy the fine shops and quaint cafes.
  • High Street Chipping Campden - Passing the quirky Broadway Tower we head to the delightful market town of Chipping Campden, the centre of the Arts and Crafts Movement in the Cotswolds. Here, you can browse in the quaint shops or visit the impressive
  • Stow-on-the-Wold Market Square - Our return route to Oxford takes us to the charming town of Stow-on-the-Wold. See the quaint antiques shops and boutiques and visit St Edwards Church with its quirky wooden door (said to have inspired the writer Tolkien).
  • Blenheim Palace - Our route back to Oxford passes through the delightful market town of Chipping Norton and Woodstock, the home of Blenheim Palace.
What's Included
  • Bottled water and select beverages
  • Professional Blue Badge guide
  • Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Additional Information

The Cotswolds is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which has inspired artists, writers and philosophers for many centuries. Come and discover idyllic English villages, nestling in quiet valleys, small stone thatched cottages, majestic castles and manors, and charming high streets peppered with quaint tea shops and antiques shops. Let your knowledgeable guides show you the English countryside at its best.

  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Location
Taylor Institution Library
St Giles'
Tour departs from coach bays next to Taylorian Institution Library in St Giles. Please arrive at the departure point 10 minutes before the tour is due to depart. Please look for a dark blue minibus with ‘Explore Oxford and the Cotswolds’ written on the sides.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(77 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Bryan_m
Jul 16, 2024
Best Cotswolds Tour!! - Isabelle and the driver we fantastic hosts and incredibly knowledgeable. Had an amazing day touring and visiting lovely villages. I absolutely recommend this tour experience to everyone!! 5 stars!!!
Review provided by Viator
Jwelch10
Jul 1, 2024
Out for a ride in the countryside - The COTSWOLD EXPLORER is a great way to get out of the city and see how the other half lives. The scenery, the quaint small towns and villages, and meeting new people made for a great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Irintiko
Jun 26, 2024
The trip you need to do at least once in your lifetime! Love to do it again though - Love everything about Cotswold! So many beautiful places and nice cafe to visit. The guide was very knowledgeable and she has lotsa interesting information about the places we visited. The driver was also an excellent driver equipped with good time management skill
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laura_g
Jun 4, 2024
Wonderful trip to the Cottswald - Isabel and David were truly amazing and this was a great tour to properly see the Cottswalds. Isabel's commentary was fantastic. David was very interesting to talk to especially about his time as a helicopter pilot. We had a wonderful day seeing so many villages. They are a little different and we loved them all.
Review provided by Viator
Val_r351
Jun 3, 2024
Fabulous Cotswolds Experience - Very well organised and informative trip. So glad we did the tour. We saw so many beautiful Cotswolds towns and loved the tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Billy266
May 31, 2024
Uniquely Memorable - An amazing small group tour of the Cotswold villages! Isabelle is an extremely well informed & articulate, professional guide with a wealth of knowledge. This tour is a perfect complement to a short stay in the Oxford University area. There was plenty of time to browse in the village shops, and have one of the most yummy clotted cream teas ever! The real bonus is the freedom to enjoy the English countryside without the hassle of driving, parking, navigating, etc.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ronaldf468
May 23, 2024
Cotswold encyclopaedia on wheels - This an exceptional operator couple - the facts and detail that Isabel walked us through none stop for many hours is insane - the local knowledge of the area, historical and current is remarkable - it is not comparable to the larger tours - the personalised attention really makes a difference - beautiful scenery- charming locals, off the normal tourist trappings - a memorable experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Timfromnj
May 21, 2024
A great tour of the countryside. - My wife Lisa and I took this full day tour while visiting Oxford. We had wanted to see the Coswolds and we are glad that we chose this tour. Isobel, the leader and her husband, David, the driver, were great. The tour lasted about 8 hours and included a beautiful drive through the countryside. We went through 8 villages, stopping in two for 40 minutes. We also had an hour lunch break I Broadway, a quaint village where we had a great lunch in The Swaw. The tour had 12 passengers in a nice, comfortable mini bus. The views were magnificent. The leaders very knowledgeable and nice. The participants were friendly and everyone really enjoyed the tour. We would highly recommend it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maureen_g
May 21, 2024
Cotswold tour - Wonderful day. Full of information. Guide was excellent, beutiful clear speaking. Value for money would do it again.
Review provided by Viator
Escape18435289905
Apr 23, 2024
Pleasant day tour with knowledgeable guide - A nice little day tour. Traveling solo but so were several others. Isobel is a very knowledgeable, entertaining guide. Nice range of places visited with a good amount of time at each.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 6 guests
1
Adult
September 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today