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Arriving and settling in
The arrival day is deliberately kept short: just one driving leg after landing.
Take extra care driving on the left on the first day, especially at roundabouts.
Long leg — plan for breaks.
This is where your journey begins. You fly to London, pick up your hire car at the airport and continue on into the Cotswolds. As you're travelling by car, this is simply the symbolic starting point of the round trip.
You'll collect your hire car at the airport. Allow a bit of time for the paperwork and get used to driving on the left before setting off. From here it's about two hours to the Cotswolds.
Burford is known as the gateway to the Cotswolds and welcomes you with a broad, sloping High Street lined with old stone houses, antique shops and tearooms. A good, quiet place to arrive and have your first wander. Parking on the edge of town is easy.
A historic 15th-century inn with creaking floorboards, open fireplaces and a good restaurant. Ideal for settling in gently after your journey and enjoying some regional cooking.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Stone villages at a leisurely pace
Short distances today – plenty of time for photos and a long lunch stop in Cirencester.
Visit Bibury in the morning, before the coach tours arrive.
Bibury, with its famous row of houses Arlington Row, is often considered England's most beautiful village. The low 17th-century weavers' cottages and the clear River Coln make it especially photogenic. Mornings are the quietest time to visit.
One of England's oldest trout farms, where you can watch the fish in the ponds and take home some fresh trout. A charming, unhurried stop right next to the village.
The former Roman town of Corinium is now a lively market town with the impressive Church of St John the Baptist and a good weekly market. The Corinium Museum displays Roman mosaics from the surrounding area. Perfect for a wander and a late lunch.
Roman heritage and Georgian elegance
Use the park and ride for Bath and explore the day on foot – that way you avoid the hunt for parking in the narrow city centre.
Two nights in Bath, so you can experience the city without rushing.
The remarkably well-preserved Roman bathing complex around the hot spring is the heart of Bath and a World Heritage Site. The audio guide brings the steaming Great Bath and the excavations vividly to life. Be sure to book tickets online in advance.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)
The late Gothic abbey church right next to the Roman Baths impresses with its delicate fan vaulting and huge stained-glass windows. A peaceful contrast to the bustle outside.
See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)
The sweeping Georgian terrace Royal Crescent and the ring of houses known as The Circus showcase the elegant 18th-century town planning. A walk past the golden façades is a Bath must.
A lovingly run Georgian B&B within walking distance of Pulteney Bridge and the city centre. Charming rooms and a great base for exploring Bath on foot in the evening.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Ancient stone circles
The day trip is deliberately timed so you roll back through the idyllic village of Lacock in the afternoon.
Total driving time stays well under three hours.
The world-famous Neolithic stone circle stands mysteriously in the vast expanse of Salisbury Plain. A circular path and a visitor centre with an exhibition explain its construction and significance. Be sure to book timed tickets in advance.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)
An almost completely preserved medieval village owned by the National Trust, often used as a film location. The lanes free of modern buildings, the old abbey and the cosy George Inn make this stop on the way back well worth it.
The prettiest village and honey-coloured hills
A moving day taken in small stages with two lovely stops along the way – never drive for more than a good hour at a stretch.
You'll stay three nights from Stow onwards, which saves on packing and unpacking.
Often called England's most beautiful village, Castle Combe feels frozen in time: stone houses, a market cross and a stream, with no modern buildings in sight. A short, enchanting stroll through the village is well worth it in the morning.
A pretty market town with the distinctive Market House on pillars, antique shops and good cafés. A relaxed lunch stop on the way north.
The highest town in the Cotswolds gathers around a large market square with antique shops and pubs. Famous for the old door of St Edward's Church, framed between two yew trees. An ideal base for the coming nights.
A stylishly modernised inn right on the market square with a very good restaurant and a cosy bar. A central base for exploring the northern Cotswold villages.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Water villages and indulgence
A deliberately restful day with very short drives and plenty of time for strolling.
Visit Bourton early, then the peaceful Slaughters.
The Venice of the Cotswolds is crossed by the shallow River Windrush, spanned by low stone bridges. Besides strolling along the water, there's a model village and a motoring museum. Early morning is the quietest time to visit.
Two tiny, especially unspoilt villages, linked by a short footpath along the Eye Brook. A peaceful walk between the water mill and stone cottages, far from the crowds.
Back in Stow, there's time to browse the antique shops and enjoy a good meal in one of the pubs on the market square. A relaxed end to an easy-going day.
The northern Cotswolds
The three highlight destinations of Chipping Campden, Broadway Tower and Snowshill lie close together and combine easily into one relaxed day.
For Snowshill Manor, it's worth checking the time slot in the morning.
One of the loveliest market towns in the Cotswolds, with a sweeping High Street and the historic Market Hall dating from 1627. This former wool trading town has fine shops, good cafés and a splendid wool church. Ideal for a leisurely morning.
A romantic folly tower on the second-highest point in the Cotswolds, with sweeping views over up to 16 counties on a clear day. Deer graze in the surrounding park, and there's a café. An airy highlight of the day.
A stately National Trust house crammed with Charles Wade's quirky collections, surrounded by a terraced garden and the dreamy village of Snowshill. An idiosyncratic, highly atmospheric place.
Farewell and homeward journey
Departure day with a relaxed stop in Oxford, then on to the airport with plenty of time.
Allow enough buffer time for the car hire drop-off and check-in.
Long leg — plan for breaks.
On the way to the airport, it's worth a short stop in the university city of Oxford, with its venerable colleges and the Covered Market. Enjoy a coffee and a last wander before heading to the car hire drop-off. Use a park and ride, as the centre is narrow.
Return the hire car in good time before your flight home and allow a buffer for a fuel stop and the drop-off paperwork. From here you fly back to Frankfurt.
Return to Frankfurt – this is where your Cotswolds round trip ends. With stone villages, Roman baths and ancient stone circles in your memory.
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