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Attractions - London

Cotswolds, England

The honey-coloured stone of the villages nestled into green rolling hills makes the Cotswolds one of the most popular destinations in England. Set between the major towns of Oxford, Gloucestershire and Cheltenham and around 2 hours west of London, the area is characterized by its unbelievably charming villages and picturesque countryside, its ancient towns, and untouched architecture – a perfect glimpse into the idyllic English town.

The northern Cotswolds are what most people think of when imagining this unique area – with their distinctive stone and thatched cottages and pretty village squares, they are markedly different from the more sombre, less visited southern Cotswolds. The name `Cotswolds’ comes from the old word `cots’ for stone sheep shelters and ‘wold’ for rolling hill, words which perfectly describe this charming countryside. The area enjoyed great prosperity during the 16th century with the importance of wool, and this was when many of the old houses, manors, pubs and market halls were built from local honey-coloured limestone. Crammed full of old English gardens, historic houses, Roman villas and Jacobean architecture, the Cotswolds are a haven for weekenders from London and tourists from further afield. There are plenty of lovely old guesthouses and hotels, pubs and restaurants throughout the area, while for the more energetic tourists, the countryside is crossed by walkways and cycle routes, a great way to see the area at its most authentic.

Visit the quaint little towns of Upper and Lower Slaughter, named after the old name for a stream rather than anything more gruesome. With their little thatched cottages, wild flowers, streams and village ponds, they epitomize the charm of the Cotswolds. The town of Bibury was described by William Morris as `the most beautiful village in England’, with its trout-filled River Coln running by the old weavers’ cottages and the 17th century Arlington Mill. In the southern Cotswolds, the picture-perfect town of Painswick has houses from the 14th century and rococo gardens at nearby Painswick House. For old English pubs, you shouldn’t miss the 17th century oak-beamed and flagstoned pub Queens Head in Stow-on-the-Wold, or the 16th century thatched Royal Oak pub beside the Avon Canal in Wootton Rivers, with its authentic casked beers and riverside tables. Hidcote Manor, near the spectacularly beautiful town of Chipping Campden, is one of the finest English gardens, created as a series of six outdoor ‘rooms’ each with its own character, while Chedworth Roman Villa near Cheltenham offers a glimpse into ancient Roman England, with two bath complexes and local artifacts. Blenheim Palace – the birthplace of Winston Churchill - is one of the most splendid of English historic houses, a massive complex designed by Vanbrugh set in enormous landscaped grounds by Capability Brown. This unique region is best seen at a slow, leisurely pace, leaving time to soak up the aesthetic beauty and sense of history in every cobbled street, winding river and rolling hill.

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