Our guide, Crissie, was personable and knowledgeable and we enjoyed the commentary along the way. We visited three villages, all pretty much the same—cute architecture and a row of shops, pubs, coffee houses and restaurants, and sidewalks filled with tourists with shopping bags and ice cream cones. We learned a lot about how to find a toilet, which ones were free and which were not, that the area was once Britain’s premier wool center, but has had to pivot to tourism to survive. We had plenty of time on our own to enjoy coffee, then beer, then tea. We did wander off and found a very old church which, according to a plaque, was the site of the execution in the 1600s of three Levellers who, though not monarchists, disagreed with some of Cromwell’s views on a new type of government. If you’re interested in buying gifts to bring home, the Cotswolds are for you.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Free Wi-Fi & USB Charging On-board
- Walking tour of Cotswold villages
- Expert guide
- Personal Audio Headset
- Small Group Vehicle
Excludes
- Hotel pick up and drop off
- Lunch
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Departs at 8:30am (boarding commences at 8:00am)
Return
- Returns: 7pm approx.
Itinerary
Regularly voted one of the prettiest villages in England, Bourton-on -the-Water has a unique appeal to visitors and residents alike. Known as the Venice of the Cotswolds, this one village offers a wealth of attractions and shops, restaurants and tea rooms, or simply the space for you to enjoy some tranquil time by the River Windrush, spanned by its five arched bridges. Bourton-on-the-Water’s most prized feature is its tranquil river. Fed from many springs, its source is approximately ten miles from the village, and even in the 1976 drought the flow continued. Where the river enters the village centre, over the rapids next to the Old Mill, its clear waters flow under a miscellany of arched stone bridges past the green with its banks of Cotswold stone.
Bibury - On arriving into Bibury you may think you have been transported back to a different age. The village was once described by the British poet, artist and novelist William Morris (1834-96) as “the most beautiful village in England”. Bibury’s attractions includes Arlington Row, a 17th century row of weavers cottages built of local stone next to the River Coln. It is one of the most photographed areas in the region and was chosen as a location for the 2007 film ‘Stardust’. Close by you will find the Bibury Trout Farm and a Saxon Church. The River Coln flows between the main village street and a water meadow: together with Arlington Row as a backdrop, it makes one of the most picturesque scenes you will find in the Cotswolds.
The picturesque Arlington Row cottages in Bibury were built in 1380 as a monastic wool store. This was then converted into a row of weavers' cottages in the 17th century. The cloth produced at Arlington Row was sent to Arlington Mill on the other side of Rack Isle. The cloth was then hung on wooden timber frames on Rack Isle after being degreased at Arlington Mill.
Burford – “Gateway to the Cotswolds” Burford is known as the gateway to the Cotswolds. Its High Street slopes from the high Wolds, where you have beautiful views over the open countryside, down to the willow fringed River Windrush in the pretty Windrush valley. Choose to visit Burford’s numerous small shops offering Cotswolds cheese, quality meats, freshly made cakes, antiques and books.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
We had a wonderful day. The 3 towns we visited were amazing and our tour guide, Phil was exceptionally good. He was so full of knowledge and imparted it with clarity and wit. It was a fun day. Highly recommend it.
This. Very quaint village tour. Cute towns with the vibe of old days. The cottages had very short doors.
Lovely day experiencing the beauty of the Cotswolds. Time was sufficient to explore the 3 small towns and get a bite to eat. Our guide was informative and helpful.
Great experience. Although would be best to visit during the summer as autumn is cloudy and wet around here. But the tours were great!
We lucked out with the weather. The towns were stunning. Guide was very knowledgeable. The price is a bit high but the smaller group made it worth it.
Nice vehicle, very informative tourguide. She talks many interesting stuff which captures our attention
This tour was fantastic. Our guide James knew so much about the area and each town we visited and could recommend highlights for us to see. Going with a smaller group was so much more convenient than being on a large bus.
The entire experience was well-organized and professionally-executed. Of course the Cotswolds were the main attraction but Anna and Gary were extremely capable and helpful and enhanced the experience.
Great experience with Gary excellent driver and Sheila Great Guide for the tour. Thank you very much
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Unforgettable Day in the Cotswolds! 🇬🇧❤️ Megan and Gary were absolutely amazing! We had the most wonderful time exploring the beautiful Cotswolds, and they made the entire experience so special. Megan was a fantastic tour guide, sharing the history, stories, and charm of each place we visited. Her knowledge, personality, and warmth made the day so enjoyable! Gary was an excellent driver, making us feel safe and comfortable as we traveled through the beautiful English countryside. The Cotswolds were everything we hoped for and more, and having Megan and Gary made the experience even better. They went above and beyond to make our day memorable, and we are so thankful for the wonderful memories we made. If you’re visiting England and considering a Cotswolds tour, ask for Megan and Gary! You will not be disappointed. This was truly one of the highlights of our trip! ❤️ Five stars just don’t seem like enough! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Megan and Gary were great. Megan is very knowledgeable.
Megan and Gary were so helpful and full of knowledge. It was a great experience getting to learn from them and see the countryside. They made the tour valuable.
Megan and Gary were awesome!!! Great tour!!! Book with them! You won’t be sorry!
Megan, our guide was the best we’ve had in our travels between London and Croatia. Gary, the driver is also very nice. When you put the meeting place on the ticket, you need to put the actual address on the street you’re located on it because it confused our Uber driver and he didn’t drop us off in front of your business. We had to find it walking.
This was a great day. It was a nice way to build in a day without a ton of walking and make the most of seeing a part of the country I don’t know that I would get a car to drive to. Even with light rain it was enjoyable. Megan was a fantastic tour guide offering interesting facts and a soothing voice. I think the timing was well planned at wash stop as well.
Megan was an excellent tour guide. She shared valuable and relevant information and was great with questions. Also, provided helpful info for restaurants and sweets. The smaller size of the tour was also nice. Gary was a very good coach driver, keeping us safe and managed the London traffic well. We had a fabulous time - highly recommend.
Megan and Gary gave a fun informative tour. We went to 3 villages in the Cotswolds. Megan guided us through each town giving interesting stories. There was plenty of time in each village. Gary stayed with the bus and greeted each guest as they came back. Ask for Megan and Gary. Thank you for a wonderful day.
Megan and Gary were absolutely amazing, kind, and knowledgeable of Cotswolds. My aunt and I had such a wonderful time exploring each of the stops and listening to every fact about the area. The tour was the perfect amount of time for each stop and there were plenty of restrooms at each stop, which is important for such a long day. We had a great time and would recommend booking the trip again with them.
Travel agent always recommends using the better known and more reliable established tour vendors. She wasn't wrong with using Evan Evans. The day didn't start out well however as the Uber driver dropped my wife and me off BEHIND the Evan Evans office as he said that is where the pin showed him. At any rate a passerby on the main street got us situated quickly. Checking in was a breeze once the office was open. Our guide, Cameron, and driver, Adrian were both top notch. Cameron was a wealth of information, and provided all sorts of helpful information. I especially liked suggestions for places to visit, places to eat, and it was extremely helpful to learn that most public toilets cost .50 p. Adrian got through spots when driving, that made me close my eyes. I was ever so glad we were on one of the smaller buses. At first I thought I could only see so many old homes, sheep grazing in a field, English nature photo opts. But Cameron filled in the gaps, and gained a new appreciation for the general tour. OK, would I do it again, was it worth the price...YES on both counts. It was nice to get out of London for a day, see some beautiful scenery, and learn a little at the same time.
Great tour! Phil was a font of knowledge on not only the Cotswolds but English history, Romans in Britannia, soccer, baseball, delves deeply into idiomology, and even warned us not to use a term Americans use for a waist belt/purse. He wouldn’t say it, but we figured it out and that sort of knowledge is important for us tourists! He is also an English country fashionista and has extensive knowledge of the royal family. I love history and as a hobby I like to learn more about it so it’s not everyday that I get to talk with someone who knows a so much more than I do in regards and compared to Phil I am a rank neophyte. It was a fabulous, and long day. The only negative was the suspension system of the bus. The shocks didn’t seem to be dampening the vertical motion, and motion sickness hit me pretty hard…
It was a nice day weather wise. The driver and guide did a great job. The vehicle was undersized in my opinion. Not comfortable for 5 hour plus roundtrip drive. Too many people in the vehicle. I had to high expectations and the reality didn't measure up. It was a nice day. One gentleman in their office that checked us in could have had a more friendly demeanor.
Great full day tour. Cotswolds are lovely. Our tour guide was great and provided a lot of interesting information. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN UNDER 10 YEARS OLD. Our entire trip was disturbed by a very loud family with two young children the entire time we were on the bus and we could not hear the tour guide. It was quite distracting and really detracted from the experience.
Great day learning about and seeing the town, and having free time to explore and shop. Would recommend!
This was a lovely day. The bus was clean and comfortable. Lesley our tour guide was a wealth of knowledge about the Cotswolds. She had great recommendations of things to see in each town, where the toilets were, and where to grab a cup of tea/coffee. The towns chosen for the tour all had something different to see. We really enjoyed our day. It was nice to escape the hustle and bustle of London for the day! I highly recommend.
Great tour of three villages. Plenty of free time to explore. You get a sample of what classic Cotswold villages are like all in one day. Time for coffee and lunch.
From a value perspective the time seeing sites versus traveling in the bus was an issue. Majority of the day was spent riding in the bus and very little time getting to see sites in Cotswalds area
Great day trip Gary and Angela were great Informative, comfortable bus, Good information at each stop
Angela our tour guide and Sorin our driver were fantastic! We ran early everywhere we went and visited some wonderful villages, Burford being a favorite! The Cotswolds were beautiful! Thanks for a wonderful tour!
Information was valuable & well presented. Time at each stop was plenty
This tour was very calm and relaxing. The tour guide provided just the right amount of information. You get ample time to explore each of the villages you visit. The villages are quaint and can easily be explored in the amount of time given.
Amazing tour in the Cotswold with our exceptional guide Angela & driver Gary. Had a beautiful day walking in Burford, went around the shops and had coffee. The next village enroute was Bourton-on-the-water, where we enjoyed having food on the banks of the river Windrush. The public footpath around the village is a must-do. It follows the Windrush river as it flows through numerous estates. The final village enroute is Bibury and Arlington which was established in the 1300s. The walk around the countryside is one of the best in England.
Angela and Gary were an excellent duo for this small group tour. Angela is friendly, organized and interesting to listen to. Her enthusiasm for the area is infectious! Thank you for the great experience, and we will be back for more
Our guide, Angela did a fantastic job guiding us through the Cotswold villages She did a great job explaining the history and gave great suggestions for dining and shopping. Gary navigated our bus on the tight roads with great skill.
Great experience! Angela educated us and Gary kept us alive! With his great driving skills! Jk. Beautiful country and amazing history.
Angela the guide and Gary the driver did a superb job. Angela was very knowledgeable about each place we visited. Gary made our departure and arrival quick and safe at each stop. I would highlight recommend requesting them.
Guide was well knowledgeable about the villages. Guide was Angela and driver was Gary.
Angela, our guide and Gary, our driver were excellent for our Cotswolds tour! Angela was full of great stories and was very knowledgeable! She told us great places to walk at each atop for the best views and photos.
Angela (Guide) was very knowledgeable and helpful. Time spent in each village was adequate. Michelangelo (Driver) provided a bonus route which was nice.
Angela (tour guide) and Michelangelo (driver) were brilliant! The tour was informative and well paced. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. We highly recommend the Cotswold Villages tour with team. And the weather was perfect… an added bonus.
Informative, nice photo ops, sufficient time to explore. Beautiful weather.
Nice! Tour guide is very knowledgeable!
Local travel agent Shelley Higgins from Esplanade Travel in Lakes Entrance Victoria Australia.
Our tour of the Cotswolds wonderful! Our tour guide Cameron was informative, helpful, and hilarious! And our driver Adrian got us around safely. Highly recommend this day trip from London.
Our guide, Cameron and the driver Adrian were fantastic. It was just a great tour. Learned a ton and laughed a lot with a great group. I highly recommend
My daughter and I had the Most Wonderful visit to 3 Beautiful Villages in the Cotswolds, today!!! Our tour guide, Cameron, was top notch, knowledgeable, kind, engaging, and incredibly entertaining!!! We learned an incredible amount of historical facts, along with interesting tidbits!!! We couldn’t have asked for a better experience with him❤️ Our coach driver, Adrian, was so thoughtful, to let us borrow an umbrella!! He was a super, safe driver and we do appreciate the great ride!!😊 Many thanks to both of them for giving us a fabulous and fun day!!!
Cameron and Adrian were fantastic. A great tour experience
Our guide was absolutely brilliant and very entertaining. I’d definitely recommend this tour to others!
Excellent education along with amazing architecture of buildings of flat stones and tan bricks. Even flat stones on roofs. Beautiful streams flowing through the towns. Great shopping for the wife. Tasty lunch, pastries, and ice cream. Cameron had a great knowledge of England’s, London. and the Cotswold’s.
Cameron and Adrian were fantastic!! Due to claustrophobia I was truly miserable during the drive to the first stop. For two hours my six foot two inch frame was wedged like a pretzel in the very back seat - behind the emergency exit row. I never dreamed the leg room could be so limited there. I made it to the first stop and then my wife spoke to Cameron. Cameron gave up the front seat for me and he moved to the jump seat. Cameron’s style, and skill, as a tour guide is second to none. He provided the entire group with amazing historical facts in an entertaining manner that held our attention from start to finish. He clearly has an intimate knowledge of The Cotswolds. He shared that knowledge in a way that will truly remain in my memory for a lifetime. Additionally, my wife and I felt completely safe and comfortable with Adrian’s driving. He is clearly a skilled, safe, professional driver. He is very personable as well. Adrian and Cameron were a perfect team!
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email
