Cotswolds in a Day
New to the Cotswolds or short on time?
This full-day, guided small group tour is the perfect way to experience the best of the Cotswolds in just one day – ideal for first-time visitors!
- Departure: from Stratford-upon-Avon (08:50) or Moreton-in-Marsh (09:30)
- Price: £70-£85 adults, £60-£75 children aged 3-15 (sorry, no under 3s)
- Visit the picture-perfect villages of Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, and our favourite ‘secret’ village, tucked away from the tourist trail
- Free time to explore the charming market towns of Chipping Campden and Stow-on-the-Wold
Want an exclusive experience just for your family or friends? Book a private version of this tour, ideal for larger groups of up to 16 people!
tour itinerary
After picking you up from either Stratford-upon-Avon or Moreton-in-Marsh (see below), you’ll visit the following locations:
- Dover’s Hill (20 minutes)*. A wonderful viewpoint at the northernmost end of the Cotswold Hills. Take in panoramic countryside views and enjoy an introduction to the Cotswolds, as well as some of our more quirky traditions! *In poor weather, we may omit the stop at Dover’s Hill. It’s beautiful in nice weather, but it can be very muddy with poor visibility when it’s wet!
- Chipping Campden (1 hour). Many of the buildings in this beautiful, historic town date from the 14th to the 17th Century. Chipping Campden is also the start point of the famous Cotswold Way trail. Use our unique maps, so you can explore our recommended things to see and do.
- Snowshill (20 minutes). This tiny hillside village is off the main tourist trail, but many people agree it’s the highlight of the tour!
- Stow-on-the-Wold (1 hour 10 minutes). A bustling Cotswolds market town, steeped in history and with wonderful independent shops to discover. Don’t miss the famous ‘Tolkien door’! Get a grab-and-go lunch so you’ll have time to explore properly – though the fantastic independent tea rooms and cafes can be hard to resist!
- Bibury (30 minutes). Home to the iconic ‘Arlington Row’ of chocolate-box cottages, tiny Bibury has been described as “the prettiest village in England”, so will you agree?
- Bourton-on-the-Water (45 minutes). A beautiful village where pretty Cotswold stone bridges cross the crystal waters of the River Windrush.
In between stops, you’ll travel the scenic back roads in our comfy minibus, while our friendly local guides tell you all about this beautiful area we call home.
Pick-up & drop-off times & locations
stratford-upon-avon
- Departure time: 08.50
- Return time: 17.30
- Location: Shakespeare’s Birthplace Coach Terminal, Windsor Street, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/kyq8upDKhZnbdwpF8
- What3Words: ///evenly.blur.ending
moreton-in-marsh
- Departure time: 09.30
- Return time: 17.00
- Location: Moreton-in-Marsh Railway Station (wait in the car park outside the ticket office)
- Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/RkMYSdNizneTnzRGA
- What3Words: ///retain.incurring.processes
- Please note: we collect our first passengers from Stratford-upon-Avon at 08.50, then travel to Moreton-in-Marsh to collect remaining passengers at 09.30. Your booking may show a tour ‘start time’ of 08.50 regardless of which pick up point you have selected. However, if you selected Moreton-in-Marsh, the departure time is 09.30.
- Travelling from London, Reading, Oxford or Birmingham? Arriving by train, bus or car? Click here for more information about how to reach our pick up points.
- If you would like to change your pick up point after booking, you can do so using the ‘Manage this booking’ link in your confirmation email, or by contacting Go Cotswolds. If you’re not sure which pick up point to choose, please ask!
On request:
- We can pick you up in Stratford-upon-Avon and drop you off at Moreton-in-Marsh station (or vice versa). No problem! Please let us know in advance.
- We can also drop you off in Bourton-on-the-Water or Stow-on-the-Wold at the end of this tour – but please let us know in advance. Our guides sometimes alter the order of the stops on this tour so Bourton-on-the-Water isn’t always the last stop, and we don’t always pass through Stow-on-the-Wold at the end of the tour.
What’s included?
- Transport in a comfy, spacious, air-conditioned 16-passenger seat Mercedes minibus with USB chargers and panoramic windows so everyone gets a great view!
- Plenty of free time in each location - you're free to do as much or as little as you like at each stop
- Souvenir booklets containing maps, photographs and information. We’ve highlighted our recommended things to see and do at each stop, so you can make the most of your free time.
- Expert insights from one of our fun, friendly driver-guides. All of our guides are locals, so we’ll bring the story of the Cotswolds to life.
What’s not included?
- Lunch and refreshments – bring your own picnic, or purchase food and drinks at the stops on the tour.
- Village walking tours - practically and logistically,our guides can't accompany you at every stop, but we find our guests really value this flexibility!
- Entry fees to any attractions you may wish to visit (e.g. Bourton Model Village in Bourton-on-the-Water
- Tips - always welcome, but never expected
What to wear?
- Please dress in comfortable clothes that are appropriate for the weather conditions. Bring a raincoat or umbrella if it’s raining, and a hat, water and sunscreen if it’s hot.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
tips for travel by public transport
- From London (Paddington station), Reading, Oxford, Charlbury and Kingham, take a direct train to Moreton-in-Marsh. The train arriving at approx. 09.20 is perfect! We’ll pick you up from right outside Moreton-in-Marsh train station.
- From Honeybourne, Evesham or Worcester, take a direct train to Moreton-in-Marsh. We’ll pick you up from right outside Moreton-in-Marsh train station.
- From Birmingham, take a direct train to Stratford-upon-Avon – our pick up point is just a 5-10 minute walk from Stratford-upon-Avon train station. (See this Google Map for walking directions.) Not on Sundays.
We always recommend you buy a flexible ‘anytime’ ticket that allows you to take any train. The times stated above are usually the latest we expect to get to the drop-off points – we are often a few minutes earlier, but we can never 100% guarantee this. If you have a flexible ticket, then you can take an earlier train and won’t have to wait around.
However, if you wish to book a particular train to take advantage of cheaper ‘advance single’ tickets, then we recommend you plan to depart after the drop-off times stated above.
We recommend The Trainline* for online train ticket bookings. Book train tickets 6-8 weeks ahead of the travel date for the best prices.
more travel tips
- Please see our webpage here for more information on accommodation and getting to our pick up points.
package offers
Our Cotswolds in a Day tour is fantastic as a stand-alone tour. However, if you have more time, combine it with our other tours to create a 1-4 day itinerary.
- Get 10% off when you book more than one tour at the same time
- Top tip: it doesn’t matter which way around you take our tours!
- Need accommodation? Accommodation is not included in our packages. Try our recommendations in Stratford-upon-Avon or Moreton-Marsh.
cancellation policy, terms & Conditions
- Our Cotswolds in a Day tour may be amended, or cancelled for a full refund, up to 24 hours before departure.
- No refunds, credit or transfers are given for no-shows or cancellations made within 24 hours of the tour start time.
- We’re sorry, children under 3 are not permitted on this tour.
- With the exception of registered assistance animals (who are highly trained to assist a person with activities of daily living), we do not allow pets on our tours.
- Click here for our Terms and Conditions – you will need to agree to these if you make a booking