Winding lanes, honey-hued stone cottages, and sheep-dotted hills — it doesn’t get more quintessentially English than The Cotswolds. A designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this rolling countryside stretches across five counties and feels tailor-made for slow travel. It’s a place where antique markets brim with treasures, pubs come with centuries-old fireplaces, and village greens seem plucked from a storybook.

Here, days are best spent strolling through lavender fields, exploring castles, or lingering over cream tea beneath climbing roses. Whether you’re after cozy refinement or rural adventure, The Cotswolds invites you to step back in time — while enjoying all the luxuries of the present.

Countryside, Curated

The magic of The Cotswolds lies in its details — dry stone walls, ancient footpaths, and hamlets that feel untouched by time. Start with a walk from your residence to the nearby village of Kingham, often named one of England’s prettiest, or head to Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the “Venice of The Cotswolds,” for its low bridges and babbling brook.

Stow-on-the-Wold is ideal for antique hunting and proper pub lunches, while the hilltop village of Snowshill rewards wanderers with sweeping views and lavender fields in bloom come summer. Don’t miss Chipping Campden for its arts-and-crafts heritage and honey-hued buildings. 

Where Farm-to-Table is Just Called Lunch

This is a region where food is both simple and exquisite, grounded in the rhythms of the land. At Daylesford Organic Farmshop, you’ll find fresh produce, housemade cheeses, and wood-fired breads, all served with polished hospitality. There’s even a garden shop, spa, and café to round out your visit.

For a memorable evening, reserve a table at The Wild Rabbit, where Michelin-starred menus meet rustic-chic interiors. The Kingham Plough serves refined comfort food in a relaxed setting, while Huffkins in Burford is your go-to for classic cream tea, scones, and all.

Homes, Hedges, & History

History is alive and well in The Cotswolds, where grand estates and quiet gardens feel like living museum pieces. Blenheim Palace dazzles with its grandeur and grounds, while the romantic Sudeley Castle brings Tudor history into bloom with manicured hedges and ivy-covered walls.

Those with a love of plants should visit Hidcote Manor Garden — an Arts and Crafts-era dream of hidden paths and walled courtyards. Or for something more intimate, explore Chastleton House, where the rooms are preserved in quiet elegance, reflecting life as it once was.

Step Into the Landscape

The Cotswolds offers miles of rambling footpaths, ideal for countryside walks that pass through sheep pastures, forest glades, and the occasional village pub. Hikers and bikers will find scenic routes such as the Cotswold Way, which stretches more than 100 miles through the region’s best landscapes.

For a leisurely afternoon, explore the gardens at Sezincote, a surreal Indian-style palace with onion domes and peacocks, or rent bikes to pedal through the winding back lanes past fields of wildflowers and stone walls. The slower the pace, the more you’ll notice.

The beauty of The Cotswolds lies not in any single landmark, but in its sense of place — a rhythm of life that feels slower, more rooted, and irresistibly charming. Whether you’re tucking into local cheese by a roaring fire, pausing at a hilltop church, or simply admiring the view from a village green, you’re doing exactly what this region was made for: living well, and savoring every moment.