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Bourton-on-the-Water Tours

Our most recommended Bourton-on-the-Water Tours

From London: Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace & Downtown Abbey

1. From London: Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace & Downtown Abbey

Tick off some of southern England’s top attractions on a guided day trip by bus from London to Blenheim Palace and Cotswolds villages, including the Bampton filming location of the TV show Downtown Abbey. If you prefer exploring historic towns over attractions, enjoy the flexible tour option. Board your coach in London and head out of the city and towards your first stop at Blenheim Palace. Witness this masterpiece of English Baroque architecture which was also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Visit the stunning State Rooms, brimming with priceless works of art and magnificent tapestries (if option selected), and admire the 754-hectare gardens, including an exquisite water garden. Next, head into the charming Cotswolds region for a stop at the authentic village of Bourton-on-the-Water. Explore this picturesque location, complete with many attractive bridges crossing the gently-flowing river at its center. Complete your experience with a trip to Bampton; the film setting for many of the famous landmarks featured in the popular Downton Abbey TV series. See the buildings that played the part of the home of Isobel Crawley, the Downton Cottage Hospital, the church, and also the location for two fictional local pubs, The Grantham Arms and The Dog & Duck.

From London: Cotswolds and Oxford Guided Day-Trip

2. From London: Cotswolds and Oxford Guided Day-Trip

Embark on a full-day guided tour of the English countryside from London. Admire the fairytale houses of the Cotswolds, the historic Oxford University, and the beauty of the English Countryside. Depart London on a full-day tour that takes you west to experience the beauty of the Cotswolds countryside, and the university city of Oxford. Drive through the Cotswolds, as you enjoy views of the lovely landscape and stone villages. A designated area of outstanding natural beauty, this is the English countryside at its finest. We will stop at Bourton-on-the-water and Bibury, the two most loved villages of the Cotswolds. Continue to Oxford to explore the most famous university city in the world. Free-time for lunch in the heart of the city. Take a walk among the college buildings and admire their dreamy spires. Your guide will recommend a walking route that covers the most famous sites, including the Bridge of Sighs and Christchurch Cathedral. Learn about Oxford’s connection with Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter. Find a great place for a meal (you guide will provide recommendations), or join local scholars and academics over a pint in the city’s most haunted pub. You'll be back in London by 6 in the evening and you can use the London Underground to travel quickly to all areas of London.

From London: Full-Day Cotswolds Small-Group Tour

3. From London: Full-Day Cotswolds Small-Group Tour

Spend a day exploring the quintessentially British countryside of the Cotswolds, an area known for its green landscapes, charming villages, and honey-colored stone cottages. Enjoy the highlights of the Cotswolds, as well as some of the quieter, less-seen areas of the countryside. First, stop in the small town of Burford, one of England’s most unchanged medieval towns with many buildings over 500 years old. Visit the historic church, stroll along the attractive high street, and explore the town. Next head to Bibury, known as the prettiest village in all of England. Wander along the river and see Arlington Row, a set of weaver's cottages that are now one of the symbols of the Cotswolds. Enjoy free time to explore the enchanting village. Continue on to the picturesque town of Bourton-on-the-water. Take ample time to stroll by the river and its small bridges, admire the stone cottages and have some lunch.  Cap your tour with a visit to Stow-on-the-Wold, a jumble of inns and antique shops situated around the ancient market square. Stow has been a center of trade in the Cotswolds for centuries and was the location of the last battle of the English Civil War in 1646. It's also the location of ‘England’s oldest pub’.  Afterward, the tour returns to the meeting point.

From London: Full-Day Cotswolds Tour with Lunch

4. From London: Full-Day Cotswolds Tour with Lunch

Enjoy the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, and visit 4 of its loveliest villages – Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Stow-on-the-Wold. Travel through the Cotswolds, an area seemingly unchanged with the passing of time. See rolling landscapes, dry stone walls, quaint churches, and streams that tumble past tiny villages and charming hamlets. On this full-day excursion from London, you’ll begin your tour in Burford, where the magnificent High Street slopes down to the River Windrush. See the town’s small tea houses before heading south to picturesque Bibury for lunch. Dine in one of the prettiest villages in England. A 2-course meal awaits you in the heart of the Cotswolds at the Swan Hotel. The restaurant, overlooking the River Coln, is housed in a 17th-century former coach inn, and serves a popular range of traditional dishes, along with ales and fine wines. Explore Bourton-on-the-Water, one of the loveliest villages in the Cotswolds. Afterwards, you’ll travel to Stow-on-the-Wold, a small market town known for its annual fairs. Enjoy a guided walk through the town center before returning to London.

From London: Blenheim Palace & the Cotswolds with Lunch

5. From London: Blenheim Palace & the Cotswolds with Lunch

Discover the captivating Cotswolds! Enjoy views of breathtaking countryside, sleepy villages, and bustling market towns on this panoramic tour of one of England’s most beautiful regions. Bask in the beauty of Blenheim Palace! Early arrival at the Palace ensures an almost private visit of this fairy-tale country mansion. See the sumptuous State Rooms with their priceless treasures, stroll through sweeping landscaped gardens designed by Capability Brown, and grab a photo opportunity at the shimmering lake. Known as the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’, the picturesque village of Bourton–on–the–Water boasts of many traditional features of the Cotswolds. Take time to marvel at its elegant low bridges and stroll along the magnificent Main Street. Estimated arrival time back to London is around 6.30 pm.

From Oxford: Cotswold Explorer Full-Day Tour

6. From Oxford: Cotswold Explorer Full-Day Tour

Start your unforgettable Cotswold journey by boarding the minibus in Oxford. Then, set off on a scenic drive to the charming village of Minster Lovell. Enjoy seeing the pretty thatched houses and exploring the ruined 15th century Hall. Continue the route through the idyllic villages of Asthall and Swinbrook to Burford, the 'Gateway to the Cotswolds'. Make a stop here to give you time to stroll around the sloping High Street and browse in the quirky shops and cafes. Next, travel further on your panoramic drive through the old quarrying villages of Taynton and the Barringtons towards Bourton-on-the-Water, the 'Venice of the Cotswolds'. Take a walk along the quaint River Windrush crossed with delightful stone bridges. From Bourton-on-the-Water, follow the route through some enchanting Cotswold villages to Broadway with its golden stone houses. Find a pub or cafe for lunch in this village which inspired artists and writers, such as Frank Millet, J M Barrie, and William Morris. After lunch, visit the beautiful market town of Chipping Campden, with its old market hall and wool church. Then, explore Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest town in the Cotswolds. Here you can browse among the narrow footpaths and the antique shops and art galleries. Finally, return to Oxford via the bustling market town of Chipping Norton with a final brief photo stop in Woodstock, the site of Blenheim Palace (the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill).

From Oxford: Cotswolds Towns and Villages Small Group Tour

7. From Oxford: Cotswolds Towns and Villages Small Group Tour

Discover quaint villages, tiny tea rooms, and 15th-century ruins on a day trip to the Cotswolds from Oxford. Explore Stow-on-the-Wold, Burford, Bourton-on-the-Water, and more unusually named places. Admire the scenery as you drive through the pretty countryside to picturesque villages. Departing from outside Oxford Railway Station in the morning at 10:00 AM, head to the village of Great Tew. Continue to Stow-on-the-Wold to reach the highest town in the region and browse the honey-colored buildings and tiny tea rooms. Visit the pretty village of Lower Slaughter before going to Bourton-on-the-Water, known as the "Venice of the Cotswolds", where you will have time for lunch. After lunch, discover the gateway to the Cotswolds in the village of Burford. Journey through the valley of the River Windrush and discover amazing villages such as Swinbrook along with the ruins of 15th-century Minster Lovell Hall. Departure will be late afternoon, returning to Oxford Railway Station by 5:00 PM

Shakespeare’s Stratford & Cotswolds

8. Shakespeare’s Stratford & Cotswolds

An expert guide leads the way, regaling you with stories and interesting facts about the rich history of these beautiful places. Stratford-upon-Avon, the hometown of legendary playwright William Shakespeare, is the first stop on this day trip.  Filled with history, pay a visit to the place the famous Bard was born - a quaint, unassuming half-timbered house. Learn amazing stories and quirks of Elizabethan living from your expert guide. The next stop is a visit to Shakespeare’s bride Anne Hathaway’s cottage and gardens. This beautiful little thatched farmhouse is the place where the Bard courted his bride. To this day, the property holds items of original furniture, including the Hathaway bed. It is nestled within stunning grounds and gardens, overflowing with fragrant blooms and traditional shrubs. Then continue to the Cotswolds. Visit what is often agreed to be one of the most beautiful areas in the whole of the UK. With quaint villages and breathtaking scenery, the Cotswolds looks like it jumped off the pages of a storybook. The tour makes photo stops at 3 stunning Cotswolds villages: Bourton-on-the-Water, also known as ‘Little Venice’ due to its low bridges and stone banks, Burford which features an ornate medieval bridge and Bibury, a town once described by William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in England’. After a wonderful day of sightseeing, arrive back to London at the approximate time of 7:15 PM.

From Oxford: Half-Day Cotswold Taster Tour

9. From Oxford: Half-Day Cotswold Taster Tour

Leave the medieval city of Oxford and head first to the pretty village of Minster Lovell. Walk through the village and see the pretty thatched cottages and River Windrush. Relax on a scenic drive that takes you through the idyllic hamlets of Asthall and Swinbrook to the old market town of Burford, the 'gateway to the Cotswolds'.  Enjoy time to browse in the sloping High Street of Burford, with its quirky shops and cafes. Continue through the old quarrying villages of Taynton and the Barringtons, where a panoramic drive takes you to Bourton-on-the-Water, often called the 'Venice of the Cotswolds'.  Wander along the banks of the quaint River Windrush with its old stone bridges or stop for a refreshment in one of the many cafes. Leaving Bourton-on-the-Water, you climb up to Stow Hill to Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest town in the Cotswolds and a market town since the 12th century. Stow is known for its many antique shops and art galleries, as well as many other shops and cafes.  Don't forget to visit St Edward's Church with its old door which inspired the writer Tolkien. On your way back to Oxford pass by the market town of Chipping Norton and Woodstock, the site of Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Stop for a brief photo stop of the palace before your return to Oxford.

From London: Cotswolds, Country Pub Lunch, & Blenheim Palace

10. From London: Cotswolds, Country Pub Lunch, & Blenheim Palace

Drive through the narrow, winding lanes of the Windrush Valley to Minster Lovell, with its ribbon of thatched cottages lining the main street. Meander on through Asthall and Swinbrook. picture-perfect houses nestle either side of the River Windrush as the bus travels up the narrow lanes to Stow-on-the-Wold. Admire the town square and the views from the hilltop, before stopping for a delicious lunch at one of the regions finest pubs, a traditional pub in Burford. Continue to neighbouring Bibury, a village referred to by authors and poets alike as "the prettiest in England." Admire the clear, trout-filled stream and village green, before traveling up the single-track country lane, through Ablington. Travel a little further along this secluded valley before heading onward to Bourton-on-the-Water, otherwise known as 'The Venice of the Cotswolds' with its stream running through the center of the village, dotted with stone bridges.  The tour then continues after lunch down to Woodstock and the magnificent Blenheim Palace - the largest privately-owned house in the country and birthplace of none other than Winston Churchill. Dating back to 1704, beautiful landscaped grounds surround the Palace. Explore the opulent interior, see the room where Sir Winston Churchill was born and marvel at the great dining hall and library. A wonderful way to end the day before the leisurely drive back to London.

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What people are saying about Bourton-on-the-Water

I absolutely loved this tour. The guide/driver was very personable, provided us with fun facts about the Cotswolds and gave great recommendations about key places to see or things to do. I felt the time spent in each location was just right for a first-time visitor and do not feel like I missed out on anything. I would certainly book another tour with this group in the future.

Our guide, Rosie, was phenomenal! She even made the two hour bus ride fun. Also, our driver was very safe. I was in awe of the beautiful towns we saw. The only thing that would improve the trip was a little more time in Stratford and Oxford.

Go Cotswolds was professional and insightful and provided an all round wonderful experience. Mark was especially a very kind and knowledgeable tour guide. A definite 10/10!!

we loved everything about the trip. the experience, the history, the places,the people

This tour was excellent. We loved all the small villages.