John, was ready to go about five minutes prior to our start time which we appreciate. He explained the itinerary for the day with a brief of each stop. He was a safe driver and gave information about what we were seeing along the way. At each stop he explained what was shot at for Downton Abbey with a great background as why the location and what had to be done to convert the scene to the time period of the shoot. He showed clips of the show that were shot at the location. He allowed us to do our wondering and take the photos that we wanted. We enjoyed him so much that we invited him to our lunch. He picked a great place to eat and booked in advance. We had so much fun and learned a lot we decided we are going to watch Downton Abbey for a third time. We loved the day and it was a very fun and great experience because of John. We liked him so much we booked him to take us to the airport the next day.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- All transport and guiding fees are included in the cost of this tour.
Excludes
- Gratuities
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Lunch
- Snacks
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Traveler pick up offered
Itinerary
Our tour starts with a visit to the gravesite of Britain’s favourite Britain Sir Winston Churchill. Unlike other great national heroes who are buried in one of the great cathedrals in London, Sir Winston is buried in The Parish Church of Saint Martin Bladon, close to where he was born. Whilst here, you will be able to pay your respects to the great wartime leader, and your guide will explain just why Sir Winston is such an important (and sometimes controversial) figure. If The Parish Church of Saint Martin Bladon is open to the public on the day of your tour, you will also have time to see the Churchill memorial window which is housed inside the Church.
Chipping Norton is the highest town in Oxfordshire and gets its name from the old English word for market. A market town since the 13th century and a significant Wool trading town since the 15th century, this lively Cotswolds town is also home to the famous Bliss Mill. This one of a kind former tweed mill is known throughout the area for looking like a cross between a mansion and a folly rather than a factory. After driving through Chipping Norton you'll have chance to stop an admire the beauty of this rather wonderful factory folly before continuing your journey.
Moreton-in-Marsh is one of the main market towns in the northern Cotswolds. Located on the Fosse Way, the old Roman road that linked Exeter to Lincoln, this picturesque market town is still busy with a local market every Tuesday. Founded in 1227, this weekly market is now one of the oldest markets in the United Kingdom. Like all Cotswolds villages, the local pubs at the heart of the community and the town’s history. Whilst in Moreton-in-Marsh you will hear how Charles I sheltered in one of the town’s pubs during the English Civil War, and how the author JR R Tolkien is believed to have been inspired by The Bell Inn when writing his famous work The Lord of the Rings.
Blockley is a charming and largely unspoiled midway point between Moreton-in-the-Marsh and Chipping Campden. This beautiful village was once a leading production centre for silk, which used the local stream to power the silk mills. Today, the village is regularly seen on the TV series Father Brown where the Norman church of St Peter and St Paul stands in as the fictional St Mary’s Church and where the local vicarage doubles as father Brown’s residents. Whilst visiting Blockley, you have time to explore the village and its stunning surroundings and take photographs of the quaint houses, cottages, and shops.
Chipping Campden like Stow-In-The-Wold, Burton-On-The-Water, and Burford (all places that you will visit on this tour) is regularly listed as one of the best places to see in the Cotswolds by bloggers and journalists alike. Bursting with history, as well as beautiful buildings and fascinating history, Chipping Campden’s high street was once described by the historian, G.M. Trevelyan, as “the most beautiful village street now left in the island”. Today this high street remains largely untouched as the wide and gentle arc of the road is fringed in a continuous stretch of buildings that date from the 14th century. With over 250 listed properties, including one that dates back to 1380, this charming town is the perfect place to get photos that will make the folk back home jealous of your getaway.
As we drive through the countryside to our next location we will travel through the twin villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter. If you'd like to briefly stop here, please let your guide know and they will be happy to make a brief additional stop.
As we drive through the countryside to our next location we will travel through the twin villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter. If you'd like to briefly stop here, please let your guide know and they will be happy to make a brief additional stop.
Bourton-On-The-Water is sometimes known as the Venice of the Cotswolds. Like the vibrant Venetian city, Bourton-On-The-Water is an excellent place to get photographs that will make your friends jealous of your trip. The gently flowing river Windrush is crossed throughout the town with several small and beautiful bridges, the perfect places to pose for a picture. The town is also full of a wide range of shops varying from jewellery to perfume and pottery which offers you the chance to pick up some perfect presents to take back home. Should you wish to spend a little bit longer in Bourton-On-The-Water, there’s also the chance to visit the local model village, a perfect 1/9 scale replica of Bourton-On-The-Water created in the 1930s or Greystones Nature Reserve, home to a wide variety of local wildlife, and site of the Neolithic and Iron Age encampment (which is now on the schedule of ancient monuments) which gives Bourton-On-The-Water its name.
Our final destination on this tour is the stunning chocolate box village of Burford. Regularly voted as one of the top places to visit in the Cotswolds (alongside Bourton-on-the-Water and Chipping Campden) Burford includes pretty pubs, stunning shops, including a traditional sweet store, and traditional grocery and clothing stores. Arranged along a central road, which will take your breath away, the town of Burford was a favourite retreat for Charles II and his mistress Nell Gwyn and contains Britain’s oldest pharmacy, which opened all the way back in 1734. As you drive through this location your guide will explain the history of the village that has been known for centuries as 'the gateway to the cotswolds'.
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Reviews
We had a fantastic day in the Cotswolds. Since we did not have time for an extended stay this day trip was the perfect way to get a feel for the area and know where we want to return on our next trip. Guide was great, so knowledgeable and very personable.
Sue was a fantastic guide who showed us beautiful sights, helped arrange a lunch reservation, and made the experience very customized, easy and memorable.
What a relaxing time we had exploring the Cotswolds. Dewi picked all perfect places to see. He is very knowledgeable about the area and its history. It was wonderful having our tour in a black cab with our personal driver. I can’t imagine a better way to get around.
The Cotswolds are a must see! It felt like a trip back in time. Lovely to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city to the quite of this beautiful countryside. Our tour guide, John, was fantastic! He is very knowledgeable about the Cotswolds. His suggestions were spot on and made the trip more enjoyable.
The day was wonderful. John gave us history and commentary throughout the entire trip on the areas we explored. My husband, father and I loved all the stops, especially the picturesque visit to Lower Slaughter. Our pub lunch completed the experience. Would definitely recommend it and would take any tour John hosts on our future visits!
My mother and I did a private daytrip to the Cotswolds and it was absolutely perfect! Our driver, John, was prompt, attentive, and a very helpful, knowledgable guide. My mother has some mobility issues and he made sure to park close to everything that he wanted to show us. It’s worth noting that the taxi is also wheelchair accessible if you need that. The day was a great mix of scenery and history, plus a stop for a lovely lunch in a local tearoom. You can customize the tour if you like, but we were happy to let John lead the way and show us the highlights. Would 100% recommend the experience!
November was an amazing time to explore the Cotswolds. No crowds, no tour busses, Christmas lights and decorations everywhere. John picked us up at our hotel in an iconic British taxi which was very comfortable with loads of space and big windows to see out. It's a good 2hrs to get out of London (and back) but we were a bit jet-lagged so we used it as an opportunity for a nap. John, our tour guide, was incredibly kind, knowledgable and accommodating. Our favorite part might have been his lesson for us on Cockney rhyming slang - highly recommend you ask him about that ;-)
Our guide Richard was excellent, knowledgable, and flexible! The car (a newer taxi model was super spacious and had great windows. The Cotswolds is a long-ish trip (depending on how far east you are in London), so take that into consideration. Highly recommend though and job well done by Richard!!
Richard gave us an excellent tour of the Cotswolds and included history and fun facts from the moment he picked us up at our hotel in London through the moment he dropped us off. He was easy to talk with, modified the tour based on our interests, and kept everything moving at a beautiful pace. We enjoyed the restaurant he recommended for lunch and would absolutely seek him out for another tour.
Do not book this tour. The pick up car is a taxi. The guide has no knowledge of the area. He gives a very very vague overview. We were promised four different areas of the Cotswolds and was not taken to Bibery. They started driving us back to London and would not tell us that we are headed back. I had to keep asking where we are going. The guide did not give us a verbal itinerary. He did not tell us how long we will be spending at each location. He kept talking about himself and how he is an actor on PBS. The taxi car is extremely uncomfortable. The driver is sort of nice but his driving can be aggressive at times. I tried to get my money back from Viator and got very random responses. I paid for multiple sights and was told by guide and driver that we would go but at the end of the day we were not taken. I had planned for this day for many months and very disappointed. This was my twin daughter’s graduation gift and it went in shambles. I started getting afraid in the car but thank God my husband was able to track our location.
Our guide was amazing. He was so accommodating even when I got hangry and wanted to eat lunch, he found a good place. He allowed me to shop and let me tell you, I like to shop. He was an encyclopedia of information about the Cotswolds, but had great info when we were driving out of London, he gave us all this information he went above and beyond and I highly recommend him and for some darn reason, I can’t remember his name so if you see this, please let me know your name and send me your information because I would like to send people to you as a guide and I may want to come back and use you .
The individual doing the tour was very knowledgeable and added many specific insights . Very relaxed with shopping interspersed but also informative.
Informative. More than we expected. We will recommend the tour to all our friends. Both the guide and driver were delightful.
David was amazing, he was prompt for our hotel pickup. As a tour guide he had amazing commentary during the entire trip. He knew where to find the best picture. My family loved how much information he know, from the ancient to the current. I would highly recommend touring with David. If I ever have a chance to be back in the London area I wail ask for him specifically !
Our guide, David, was very pleasant, knowledgeable, and engaging. His vehicle was clean & comfortable. We had a wonderful time!
Great tour. Dewi was an excellent and sincere guide with a plethora of knowledge and provided a fun and insightful tour. Would recommend to our friends and family. Photo opportunities aplenty.
Dewi was an absolutely joy to travel with, he kept us entertained and informed for the entire trip. I would highly recommend him and this tour to anyone!
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