The best Cotswolds day trip destinations – the perfect English countryside staycation

Castle Combe is, without a doubt, one of the most popular places to visit in the Cotswolds. What Castle Combe lacks in size (you could probably walk from one side of the village to the other in half an hour), it certainly makes up for in charm. In fact it is frequently voted as England’s prettiest village.

In addition, the historic little village has been the filming location for several TV and film productions, including ‘War Horse‘ by Steven Spielberg, making it an even bigger pull for movie buffs!

When I last visited Castle Combe in October, it was a pretty dreary day, so after having a wander around with my camera, we were glad to find a number of options for places to sit down in the warm and enjoy a drink. We opted to stop in The White Hart, a lovely little pub with a very cosy interior, furnished mainly with dark wood and with an inviting glow from the fireplace and candles dotted around the windowsills. Although we didn’t have anything to eat here, there seemed to be a good menu available and the pub was dog friendly too!

Burford is another fantastic village to visit on a day trip through The Cotswolds. If you enjoy window shopping and bakery treats, you’ll love Burford. The village has a bit more of a lively energy than Castle Combe’s sleepy village aesthetic, but there is still plenty of historic charm here too.

The main shopping stretch of the village is set on a hill, which is a little steep, but comfortable enough to walk up and down when your stopping in front of shop windows every couple of minutes! Along this long street you’ll find plenty of little shops to pique your interest, such as handmade crafts and gifts and even a craft workshop where you can paint your own pottery! You’ll also find plenty of delicious baked goods and a pub or two along the way.

One of my favourite finds in Burford was The Burford Emporium, which is open 9am-5pm on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays (although due to current Covid lockdown restrictions, it remains closed for the moment). This wonderful little hodge-podge indoor market has so many unique items to rummage through, including pre-loved and vintage books, clothes and jewellery, as well as new hand crafted items. If you’re planning a day trip to Burford, be sure to pay a visit! 

Whilst the main street in Burford is a big draw, be sure to check out the side streets too for some really pretty photo ops! I found this very patriotic little photo spot outside of one of the pubs just off the main street. It was much quieter here too, making it easier to get that perfect shot without getting photobombed or having to dodge cars every 5 seconds!

At the bottom of the hill, where the main car park for Burford sits, there’s also a really lovely Church which is next to a small garden centre/nursery. I got a real sense of welcoming community spirit from both of these places. If there hadn’t been so many restrictions in place due to Covid I would have happily sat in on the Sunday service!

If you like a nice walk there are plenty of pretty countryside trails that you can take from Burford too, so be sure to pack your walking shoes.

Stow-on-the-Wold is another Cotswolds day trip with a lot to offer. Again, this market town in Gloucestershire is a little bigger and livelier than Castle Combe but still has plenty of that cosy Cotswolds vibe.

At the centre of Stow-On-The-Wold you will find a large market square, where several roads into the town all converge, which is unsurprising when you take into account that the town has existed as a historic trading hub since the iron ages! It’s a great place to spend an afternoon shopping, especially if you’re a fan of the usual Cotswolds fare of quality outdoorsy clothing, handmade gifts and treats. You won’t go wanting for food here either, as there is a dizzying choice of cafes, tea rooms, pubs and restaurants to choose from.

Bath is one of the UK’s most famous cities which dates back to Ancient Roman times. Bath is best known for it’s Roman-built baths which date all the way back to 43 AD. In fact the city’s thermic baths are the only place in Britain that you can bathe in a natural thermal spring.

In addition to it’s UNESCO World Heritage Roman Baths, there are plenty more sights and activities to keep you occupied for a day trip in Bath. Much of the city’s architecture is made up of typically grand Georgian era buildings, which all share the same honey coloured brickwork that you’ll find all over the Cotswolds. If you don’t mind heights and walking up a few stairs, it’s well worth climbing Bath Abbey Tower to enjoy the view of the city’s architecture from above.

Furthermore, Bath is a fantastic destination for food and shopping, with dozens of independent shops, cafes and restaurants to choose from. It’s well worth stopping in Bath Guildhall Market for a coffee and a slice of cake if you have the time!

Cirencester is a great place for exploring independent shops. I happily spent a few hours meandering through the cobbled streets and ducking into little courtyards finding little shops selling everything from clothes to handmade pottery.

There are also some lovely Church grounds surrounded by a large green area that would to take a wander around on a warm day. If you’re driving for your day trip to Cirencester, you can head out a little from town and explore the Elemental Sculpture Park too, which is a large open air museum of sculptures.

There are some great restaurants in Cirencester to choose from too. A popular choice is family run tapas restaurant, Tierra & Mar. I always love tapas style restaurants because you don’t have to commit to one meal – just order lots of things to share and try a bit of everything! Be warned though, this place books up quickly so be sure to make reservations in advance.

If you’re looking for a touch of glamour in your day trip to the Cotswolds, you’ll want to add Cheltenham to your itinerary. We stayed in Cheltenham when we visited the Cotswolds for the weekend in October and it definitely felt like a luxury destination – even outside the hotel!

There is a fantastic shopping scene in Cheltenham, with a great selection of independent boutiques alongside all of the high street mainstays that you’d expect. The town itself is full of gorgeous architecture accented by well maintained green spaces that reminded me a lot of some of the more affluent residential areas of central London.

In addition, there are plenty of opportunities to splash out on a fancy meal in Cheltenham including award winning and Michelin Star eateries. Of course, there are some more budget friendly options too, and if you’re looking for a great place to eat in Cheltenham that doesn’t break the bank be sure to check out my next recommendation below.

I couldn’t write about Cheltenham and not mention The Coconut Tree! Sometimes when it comes to travelling I’ve done all the research and have a good idea of which restaurants we should visit, other times I just wing it! This was one of those times where winging it paid off.

The Coconut Tree serves up some REALLY good Sri-Lankan street food. The menu features lots of small dishes (most cost between £3-7 each) that you can make endless combinations with, think of it like Sri-Lankan tapas. If you’ve never tried Sri-Lankan food before, you definitely need to try a hopper. It’s a coconut milk pancake shaped into a bowl and filled with sambal and other tasty flavours. A couple of my other favourites from the menu were the black pork and the king fish curry. The waiters at The Coconut Tree are more than happy to give you some great recommendations too!