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Cotswolds Villages: Full-Day Small-Group Tour from Oxford for Unveiling Idyllic English Beauty
4.9
282 Ratings
Oxfordshire
Embark on a full-day small-group tour from Oxford to explore the picturesque Cotswolds villages. Discover hidden gems and local favorites while enjoying the idyllic English beauty of the region.
Embark on a full-day small-group tour from Oxford to explore the picturesque Cotswolds villages. Discover hidden gems and local favorites while enjoying the idyllic English beauty of the region.
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Oxford - Gather outside Oxford train station at 10am.
- Wilkinson Hall Limited - A charming village with thatched cottages and stunning landscapes, away from the tourist crowds. Home to several famous figures and future royalty.
- Stow-on-the-Wold Market Square - Once the heart of the wool trade in the Cotswolds. Enjoy time to explore…
- Oxford - Gather outside Oxford train station at 10am.
- Wilkinson Hall Limited - A charming village with thatched cottages and stunning landscapes, away from the tourist crowds. Home to several famous figures and future royalty.
- Stow-on-the-Wold Market Square - Once the heart of the wool trade in the Cotswolds. Enjoy time to explore honey-coloured buildings, cosy pubs, narrow streets, unique shops, and quaint tea rooms.
- Lower Slaughter Museum - Visit the picturesque village of Lower Slaughter, renowned as one of the most romantic spots in the Northern Cotswolds, surrounded by breathtaking countryside. Larger vehicles are not permitted.
- Bourton on the Water - Next, visit Bourton-on-the-Water, often voted one of England’s prettiest villages and known as the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’. Enjoy free time to explore its many attractions, shops, restaurants, and tea rooms, and have lunch.
- Burford Library - Travel through enchanting Cotswold villages to Burford, known as the ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’. This iconic town features one of the region’s most beautiful and ancient churches, rich with stories.
- St Mary’s Church - Journey through the stunning Windrush Valley, visiting hidden villages like Swinbrook, one of the most secluded spots and home to the infamous Mitford Sisters.
- Minster Lovell Hall & Dovecote - A tour highlight featuring Cotswold stone and thatched roofs, and known as the region’s most haunted village. Famous for the ruins of its 15th-century hall, owned by the Lovell family. A true hidden gem!
What's Included
- Knowledgeable, local driver-guide
- Transport by modern, comfortable air-conditioned minivan
- Small-group tour of the Cotswolds
- Knowledgeable, local driver-guide
- Transport by modern, comfortable air-conditioned minivan
- Small-group tour of the Cotswolds
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information
Discover the charm of the Cotswolds with its picturesque English villages on this seven-hour small group tour. Ideal for those wishing to explore the Cotswolds from either London Paddington or Oxford, the tour begins and ends at Oxford train station. It includes visits to many of the Cotswolds’ main attractions, along with hidden treasures typically…
Discover the charm of the Cotswolds with its picturesque English villages on this seven-hour small group tour. Ideal for those wishing to explore the Cotswolds from either London Paddington or Oxford, the tour begins and ends at Oxford train station. It includes visits to many of the Cotswolds’ main attractions, along with hidden treasures typically enjoyed only by locals. Guests will be guided by our experienced local driver-guide and travel in one of our comfortable vehicles, accommodating up to seven passengers. As the smallest small group tour available, we have exclusive access to villages that other Cotswolds small group tour companies cannot visit.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum age is 5 years
- Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark
Location
Oxford Railway Station
Park End Street
Your driver guide will meet you in the pick up area outside the front of Oxford Railway Station. Waiting is not allowed in the pick up area so they will arrive 5 minutes before the tour starts and will be standing with the Mercedes minibus holding a green sign saying Undiscovered Cotswolds.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(282 Ratings)
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Alcanc2021
Mar 29, 2025
Wonderful tour! - The tour is marvelous. We had lived in the Cotswolds many years ago and really enjoyed seeing some familiar sites and several new ones. The trip is well planned and the guide has extensive knowledge of the area and the particular sites. We really enjoyed it and found it to be a great way to see the main things and leave the driving to someone else.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
113kerstik
Mar 26, 2025
Perfect day in a good company and beautiful neighbourhood - This was really exiting trip, exactly the right amount of people and fantastic guide-driver Andrew. I enjoyed most the way Andrew was communicating with local people, it gave me a feeling that I belong to them. Good jokes, interesting history lessons and enough time to just wander around made the day perfect.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Handoop
Mar 25, 2025
Beautiful day at Cotswold - Fantastic trip to beautiful Cotswold area. Driver Andrew was fantastic, explained the history of Cotswold and why it's important in history. We did see most important and beautiful places, had enough time to explore the villages visited
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hando_p
Mar 22, 2025
Excellent trip to Cotswold - Excellent overview of Cotswold history and villages. Enough time spent on most important places to get a overview. One day is not enough to get all out of Cotswold, but this tour takes maximum out of it. Our driver/guide Andrew was great and I would recommend him to everyone.
Review provided by Viator
Patrick_c
Mar 18, 2025
Fantastic Cotswolds - Andrew was an amazingly knowledgeable and fun guide. We saw a lot of amazing things on this tour of old villages in the Cotswolds.
Review provided by Viator
Jennifer_b
Mar 10, 2025
History and Beautiful Villages - Ian provided a well planned and organized van tour highlighting the history of the many villages we visited. Recommend this tour if you don’t want to rent a car to tour this beautiful countryside.
Review provided by Viator
Judel313
Feb 27, 2025
Beautiful Cotswolds - Lovely day wandering around the Cotswolds and Andrew was brilliant. It was a lovely way to finish my trip. The pace was perfect with no rush to move on to the next spot. I would recommend this tour but I would suggest doing it another season as winter doesn't show the real beauty of the countryside.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rachar0
Feb 22, 2025
This tour is a winner. - Went on the “secret cotswolds” tour w our guide, Colin. He was brilliant. Sincerely enthusiastic about the region, and it showed in his delight with the views, the legends and the bucolic villages. A wonderful day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y8533immarcelod
Jan 12, 2025
The best option to visit the Costwolds. - The tour is excellent. Your guide has an excellent predisposition, knows the Costwolds and will make you live the best experience. If you don’t have a car this is the best option. You will know the most charming villages pub, history, you will have time to tour, shop, take pictures. The tour is in English but if you don’t speak the language you can stroll and strive so you can understand the explanation. It was a right decision and an amazing day
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V9812tqrosac
Jan 10, 2025
Excellent small group tour for a taste of Cotswold - Our driver/guide Jo was fantastic. She shared many historical facts and threw in bits about Tolkien and other people who worked from or resided in the village. We stopped at about 5-7 locations (i lost count) and had sufficient time at each village to explore on our own.
We went to one of Jo’s recommended lunch locations, and it was perfect!
Since it was so cold and there weren’t as many tourists at each village, I appreciated that Jo drove around alleys to give us a flavor and a lay of the land. Also she pointed out the good WCs for my elderly parents, including the cleanest WC inside a church. Thanks, Jo!
We stopped at a variety of quaint and picturesque villages. The backroads through some of the areas were exactly the type of exploration we were seeking. Our bonus stop was our favorite — the remnants of a 12th century home that was taken down and moved. We could see why this was the perfect backdrop for music videos and special events.
The 7-hours went by quickly. Note for the Shakespeare fans — we did not go to Stratford Upon Avon.
I would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
