Located just two hours west of London, the Cotswolds is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) that looks like it leapt straight out of a pastoral British novel. Defined by rolling emerald hills, dry stone walls, and quaint villages constructed from warm, honey-colored Jurassic limestone, this countryside region offers the ultimate peaceful escape.
Here is our guide to the most picture-perfect towns and villages in the Cotswolds, with recommendations for cozy historic pubs, scenic walking trails, and traditional afternoon teas.
The Prettiest Cotswold Villages You Must Visit
1. Castle Combe: “The Prettiest Village in England”
Frequently voted the most photogenic village in the UK, Castle Combe has zero streetlights, neon signs, or visible power lines—preserving its authentic 17th-century medieval appearance. Walk down the main street toward the picturesque stone bridge crossing the Bybrook river, and stop at the 14th-century Market Cross.
2. Bourton-on-the-Water: “The Venice of the Cotswolds”
Spanned by five arched stone footbridges crossing the gently flowing River Windrush, Bourton-on-the-Water is famous for its riverside green banks, cozy tea rooms, and the charming Model Village—a 1/9th scale miniature reproduction of the village itself!
3. Bibury & The Iconic Arlington Row
Described by artist William Morris as the most beautiful village in England, Bibury is home to Arlington Row: a row of 14th-century weavers’ stone cottages with steep slate roofs that is so quintessentially British it is depicted inside the cover of all UK passports.
4. Stow-on-the-Wold & St. Edward’s Church
Perched atop an 800-foot hill at the junction of ancient Roman roads, Stow-on-the-Wold features an expansive historic market square, renowned antique shops, and the northern entrance of St. Edward’s Church—where a medieval wooden door is famously flanked by two ancient, twisting yew trees said to have inspired J.R.R. Tolkien’s Doors of Durin in The Lord of the Rings.
5. Chipping Campden & The Cotswold Way
The historic center of the English wool trade, Chipping Campden boasts a grand high street lined with limestone merchant houses and the 1627 Market Hall. It also serves as the northern trailhead for the Cotswold Way, a 102-mile national walking trail.