Broadway
This has to be my all time favourite village in the Cotswolds. Especially during Wisteria season. The shops & houses become covered in lilac blooms which make for the perfect picturesque time to visit Broadway, as if you've walked into an Instagram photo of the Cotswolds.
There's lovely antique shops, country clothing (especially Landmark for the more luxurious country brands), charity shops, The Man Cave is also worth a visit during your time in Broadway, as if you have someone or even yourself, that loves cars & unique pieces, this is the shop to stop by & have a browse in. Diddly Squat Farm Shop also sell their merchandise in The Man Cave that they can't sell at the farm shop. Parking at Broadway can be difficult after 10:30am, especially on a weekend, so make sure to get there early to grab yourself a spot rather than having to go round in circles in the hope someone will leave for you to grab a spot.
If you are visiting Broadway in summer time, make sure to stop by the Cotswolds Lavender during specific times between June-August. Take along your picnic blanket & picnic baskets on a lovely sunny day surrounded by the sunshine (when we get it), and soak up the incredible fresh smell of the lavender plants surrounding you & make sure to try out the lavender goodies they have at their shops, as well as their lavender ice cream, it's lovely! You can also purchase all sorts of lavender scented and flavoured goods at the Cotswolds Lavender shop. Entry into the Cotswolds Lavender is £7.50 for Adults, £3.25 for children (5-15 years), under 5's go free. They also have a season ticket available for £18.75 for adults, £8.15 for children. Of course, this would be more beneficial for those that live nearby or in the Cotswolds itself.
Be sure to stop by Broadway Tower as well if you are nearby the Cotswolds Lavender or Broadway village. You'll be treated to, in my opinion, the best view of the Cotswolds there is. With English countryside as far as the eye can see & you can go up the tower to learn about its history & its previous owners. Just be sure to grab a ticket from the shop before you go in as well as your parking ticket. Tickets for the tower & park are from £14, but you can also just pay £4 per person for admission to the grounds. The car park was also £3 for up to 4 hours there or £6 for a full day of parking. Lovely place for a spot of lunch or a cream tea in their onsite café too. Make sure to check out the Broadway Tower website as they have fabulous events on, as well as admission to a nuclear bunker they have available to see.
Bourton-On-The-Water
Another favourite village, mainly because of its idyllic stream going through the village with the lovely local shops & small businesses. Be sure to check out the Christmas shop, model village & a bag of chips from The Chip Shed to eat alongside the stream. Also, a sweet treat for dessert is best from the fabulous Bakery On The Water. They do the dreamiest pastries & cakes you'll be drooling over just from looking at them through the window. There's also a crystal shop, old school style perfumery, & lovely pubs along the stream. Make sure to get your wellies on or get your toes out to have a paddle in the stream with the ducks if you fancy it. Look out for events on in the area, as they had a lovely craft fair on with small local businesses that I actually bought kiwi jam from, which I'm also yet to make some jammy dodgers with thinking about it.
The model village is a must if you haven't been there already, with just £4.50 for adults and £3.50 for children, it's a lovely addition to your visit to Bourton, as you can see the whole village built in miniature, it's adorable & you feel like a giant walking round them. Super cute location for those instagramable snaps too.
Bibury
I have so many favourites in the Cotswolds, but this one is yet another, with the famous row of Cotswolds cottages, flowing river going through the village, the adorable gift shop & lovely views all around. Make sure to grab a photo in front of The Swan across the bridge for a beautiful Instagram worthy snap.
The Slaughters
The prettiest villages, especially Lower Slaughter, that’s another firm favourite. With the beautiful stream rolling through, make sure to walk around the beautiful houses along the stream & stop by the mill which is so wonderful to see still going strong. There’s a lovely countryside pub in Lower Slaughter to you can treat yourself to a drink after a lovely walk around the village.
Upper Slaughter I’ve seen a few people get married at the Lords of the Manor, I’m yet to go to for afternoon tea there - which I’ve heard is lovely by the way. Upper Slaughter is also wonderful for countryside walks, getting those beautiful Cotswolds house shots & just a general walk around the village is lovely.
Stow On The Wold
Possibly one of the most popular of villages with it being on the main strip of the Cotswolds. When I stayed in the Cotswolds, we stayed a night in The Bell Inn at Stow - super cute & cosy by the way there, but we stayed in the door mouse room & you couldn’t move in there (literally) but it was incredibly cosy to say the least. There’s lovely shops in Stow, from the incredible Fairfax & Favor to lovely local business. There’s a good amount of charity shops & also antique shops which are fabulous. Make sure to grab an ice cream or sweet treat whilst you’re there too.
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