Reasons to visit the Cotswolds

One of the delights of visiting the Cotswolds is exploring the different areas, each with its own identity, yet all with those defining Cotswold features: golden stone and rolling hills, the ‘wolds’.

Explore quintessentially English villages of honey-coloured stone; take in splendid, lively market towns; visit some of the country’s greatest palaces, castles and country houses; marvel at the natural world and at some of the most famous arboretas in Britain; walk through breath-taking landscapes along historic trails; or maybe visit some of the towns and bigger villages.

There’s a vibrant buzz in places like Cheltenham, Cirencester, Tewkesbury, Stroud and Witney.  And an arty heartbeat too – which extends to the wealth of festivals that are testimony to the creative vibe of the region.

First and foremost though, the Cotswolds is a richly rural area: more than 3,000 miles of footpaths and bridleways to explore; ancient woodlands and wildflower meadows; 4,000 miles of historic Cotswold stone walls dividing up the landscape.

Unsurprisingly this landscape provides a rich harvest of fine food with local cheeses, meats and drinks appearing prominently on the menus of the gastro pubs, old inns, colourful cafes and fine-dining restaurants scattered generously across the region.