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Ready to tour the gorgeous Cotswolds on a Cotswolds tour from London?
You’ve come to the right place, as we’re going to explore the best 11 Cotswolds tours that depart from London – all led by expert guides who want to share the beauty of this part of England and help you skip the tourist traps.
If you’re like, just cut to the chase already, then don’t worry.
The best Cotswolds tour from London is this Small Group Complete Cotswolds Enchanting Tour.
It has about 400 amazing reviews, so there’s no going wrong.
The Cotswolds are one of the most beautiful, picturesque and incredible parts of England filled with friendly people, thatched rooves, local pubs, and more.
If you want to see what your other options are, here are 10 more Cotswolds day trips from London that are definitely worth your time.
So let’s get into the list of the best tours of the Cotswolds from London so you can book it already!
PS – booking in advance is highly, highly recommended so you don’t miss out.
⏳ Don’t have time to read the whole list?
The best Cotswolds tour from London is this Small Group Complete Cotswolds tour.
Hey! Want more honest UK tips and planning advice? Click here to join my London and UK Travel Tips Facebook group, where I can answer more of your questions!
Easy Guide: Best Cotswolds Tour from London Picks
| #1 PICK 🏆 | Small Group Complete Cotswolds Tour | 5 out of 5 Stars, 480+ reviews | ▶ Book Here! |
| #2 PICK | Lunch in the Cotswolds Tour | 4 out of 5 stars, 600+ reviews | ▶ Book Here! |
| #3 PICK | Stratford-upon-Avon and Cotswolds Day Tour | 4.5 out of 5 stars, 110+ reviews | ▶ Book Here! |
11 Best Cotswolds Tours from London
1. Small Group Complete Enchanting Cotswolds Tour
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars, 480+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 9.5 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- Round-trip transportation from London
- A dedicated driver guide
- Small group atmosphere (16 people or less)
- Tours of Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the Water, Stow-on-the-Wold
Let’s talk about why this tour gets the top spot for one of the best Cotswolds tours from London.
Firstly, this trip to Cotswolds from London is perfectly paced, with four villages en route throughout the day (more on that in a second).
You’re only seeing the Cotswolds on this tour – that’s what you came for, right?
No extra stops, no cramming in other places that aren’t in the Cotswolds, just a full day of fun in the countryside with charming local guides who know the area like the back of their hands and an air-conditioned tour van that will take you along the winding roads with only a handful of other people on board.
You’ll start in the charming town of Burford to see houses that date back almost 600 years and churches that you have to see to believe.
You’ll get time to stroll the shops on the high street, before heading out to Bibury, making this also a Bibury tour from London!
Known as the “prettiest village in England,” Bibury is basically what you see on all of the screensavers.
Yes, seriously.
This is the symbolic Cotswolds, but it’s so real.
For lunch, you’ll get to explore Bourton-on-the-Water. Choose a place next to the river and enjoy an extended period of time here.
The last stop of the day is Stow-on-the-Wold, which inspired JRR Tolkien and is also a great place for history buffs, as it was where the last battle of the English Civil War took place.
After a full day out, relax on the bus as you get dropped back off in London, near South Kensington tube station, and head back to your London hotel filled with Cotswold memories.
2. Lunch in the Cotswolds Tour from London
⭐️ RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars, 680+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- 2-course lunch in the Cotswolds
- Round-trip transportation from London
- A dedicated driver guide
- Stops in Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold
Want a fantastic lunch included on your Cotswolds bus tour from London?
This tour follows a similar route to my #1 pick, starting off in Burford so you can see the incredible tea shops, then heading onto Bibury for some pictures of the iconic thatched houses.
But Bibury holds another treasure on this tour – lunch at the Swan hotel!
Dine with your traveling companions as you overlook the river, soaking in the views and appreciating a magical day out.
You don’t have to wait until everyone is finished with lunch – if you finish early, you can explore a bit before taking off to the next location with the group.
Your private tour guide will take you on short walking tours so you can see the sights of the Cotswolds, and you’ll finish the day with some free time in Stow-on-the-Wold before heading back to London.
This is a larger group experience, with up to 50 people allowed per tour on the tour bus, so keep this in mind when choosing if this one is right for you.
3. Discover Stratford-upon-Avon and the Cotswolds Tour
⭐️ RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars, 110+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- Entry to Shakespeare’s Birthplace
- Entry to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (no, not the actress)
- Photo stops in the Cotswolds
- Round-trip transportation from London
- A dedicated driver guide
This tour is a fantastic pick if you’re more into the Cotswolds for the photo opportunities, but also want to see another beautiful town in England.
You’ll spend most of your day in Stratford-upon-Avon, exploring the gorgeous winding roads, Shakespeare history, and quaint side streets.
An expert guide will give you tours of each location, ensuring that you understand the history and significance of each place.
A lunch stop allows you to get a bite to eat before joining back up with the tour (or pack a lunch so you can spend more time exploring), and then it’s off to the Cotswolds.
Your time in the Cotswolds is for a short walk and photo taking, appreciating the gorgeous scenery before returning back to London.
If you’re traveling with a mixed group of travel friends who want to do more than just Cotswold village-hop, this is the tour for you.
4. Three-Town Cotswolds Tour with Lunch Option
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars, 30+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- 3 stops in beautiful Cotswolds villages
- An option 3-course lunch option for a delicious break
- Small group atmosphere (16 people or less)
- Friendly tour guide
- Round trip transportation from London
This tour is another Cotswolds tour from London that covers just Cotswolds villages.
You’ll meet your friendly guide in London, departing from the Vauxhall bridge area, and then you’ll begin your whirlwind day with your first stop in Bibury.
Here, you’ll explore on foot, take pictures, and be taken to the famous Arlington Row – a string of stone houses along the River Coln.
After that, you’ll be whisked away to Burford, where an optional 3-course pub lunch awaits (think options like fish and chips and meat pies – with veggie options too!)
If you don’t choose the lunch option, you can go explore on your own or find your own place for lunch away from the crowds.
You’ll then carry on with your small group to Bourton-on-the-Water, the last stop on the tour and one of the Cotswold’s prettiest villages known as the “Venice of the Cotswolds.”
Yes, please.
5. Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds “Downton Abbey” Village
⭐️ RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars, 240+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- Personal audio headset
- Visit to Blenheim Palace, a royal countryside paradise
- Tour of Bampton, the Cotswolds filming location for “Downton Abbey”
- Expert, friendly guide
- Round trip transportation from London
Combine your visit to the Cotswolds with a trip to Blenheim Palace, an absolutely stunning countryside home used by the royals throughout their time on the thrones.
Known more famously for being the birthplace of Winston Churchill, you’ll start your visit to this part of the world with time to explore the gardens and interior of Blenheim Palace and take in the ornate furniture and gorgeous tapestries.
From there, it’s off to the Cotswolds, where you’ll get to explore either Bourton-on-the-Water or Bibury, both beautiful villages that make for picture perfect memories.
You’ll get time for lunch, shopping, and having a wander around the Cotswolds villages before finishing your day in Bampton.
This adorable village has featured heavily in Downton Abbey, so if you’re a fan, this is the tour for you (locations include the Downton Cottage Hospital, some of Isobel Crawley’s home, and the church!).
As with all of the tours in this list, you get round trip transportation from London so you can relax and enjoy this tour from London to Cotswolds.
6. Relaxing Cotswolds Guided Day Tour
⭐️ RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars, 20+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- On-board commentary
- Stops in 2-3 Cotswolds villages
- Time for a pub lunch
- Expert, friendly guide
- Round trip transportation from London
Want to experience the Cotswolds in a relaxing way, exploring up to 3 villages in one day while also being driven around to look at all of the beautiful scenery?
Then this tour is for you – one of the best Cotswolds day tours from London!
You’ll get picked up and dropped off from Earl’s Court in London, an easy station to access on the London Underground, and from there you’ll enjoy a fun day out in the Cotswolds featuring time in Burford, Bourton-on-the-Water, and likely one other village depending on timing for the day.
You’ll get time to stop for lunch on this London to Cotswolds tour and stretch your legs, while also enjoying on-board commentary as you travel through the Cotswolds and see some of it from the air-conditioned bus (a lot of the charm of the Cotswolds is in the winding roads and lovely villages, so seeing it by van/bus is actually a good thing that allows you to cover more ground!)
Sometimes the exact itinerary for this tour differs on tourist levels in villages or the weather for the day, so rest assured that your guides will make sure you’re seeing the best of what the Cotswolds has to offer that particular day.
7. Oxford and Traditional Cotswolds Villages Tour
⭐️ RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars, 400+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- Small tour size
- Time to explore two Cotswolds Villages and the bustling city of Oxford
- Expert, friendly guide
- Round trip transportation from London
Got any Harry Potter fans with you?
Combine your coach trips to Cotswolds from London with a trip to Oxford on this Oxford and Traditional Cotswolds Village tour!
While it isn’t Harry Potter themed, Oxford is home to lots of Harry Potter filming locations that you can see during your time here on a self-guided exploration when you get dropped off to see the city.
From there, it’s off to the Cotswolds, where you’ll get to explore two places: Burford and Bibury.
Burford, the “Gateway to the Cotswolds” has plenty of boutique shopping and lots of quaint houses, while Bibury is one of the most famously photographed areas of the Cotswolds and will make sure that your vacation photos make everyone at home absolutely drool over the beauty.
The guides on this tour in particular are absolutely fabulous, friendly, and knowledgeable, and the small group atmosphere will make sure that you don’t feel like cattle being herded around, but rather get a more intimate experience.
8. Downton Abbey Village, Cotswolds, and Blenheim Palace Day Trip
⭐️ RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars, 290+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- Audio headset at Blenheim Palace
- Guided tour of Bampton, the Downton Abbey village
- Expert, friendly guide
- Round trip transportation from London
Another tour option for those Downton Abbey fans!
This Cotswolds tour takes you to Blenheim Palace first, famously known as the birthplace of Winston Churchill and an amazing site to see with your guided audio headset so you don’t miss any of the history.
Then, you’ll be whisked away to the Cotswolds for the afternoon while you explore traditional Cotswolds villages and get some time to stop for lunch and some wandering and photography (seriously, don’t forget the camera on this one).
After lunch, you’ll spend the rest of your day trip in Bampton, a village used for filming exteriors in Downton Abbey.
You’ll see where they filmed some major scenes, as well as get to know this friendly little village and its residents for the charming place it was even before Downton Abbey came along.
With round trip transportation from London (this one goes from the Victoria Bus Station, right in Central London), you won’t have to do anything but sit back and enjoy.
9. England in One Day Tour: including the Cotswolds!
⭐️ RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars, 800+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 12 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- Trip to Stonehenge (one of the only Stonehenge and Cotswolds tours from London)
- Guided tour of Bath
- Cotswolds village drive through
- Visit to Bath and Roman Baths
- Expert, friendly guide
- Round trip transportation from London
Got a lot of desire to see England and the Cotswolds, but not a lot of time?
This England in One Day tour is going to be whisking you around to some of the most iconic sites, including Stonehenge, Bath, Stratford-upon-Avon, and the Cotswolds.
Yes, in one day you’ll be on a Bath and Cotswolds tour from London!
The Cotswolds portion is done by van, driving through the quaint village and enjoying commentary from the bus, but if you want to fit in as much as humanly possible into one amazing day trip, this is the one for you.
Past visitors have thoroughly enjoyed seeing everything you can see in one day and getting a glimpse of where you might want to return to in the future!
10. Cotswolds Villages, Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford Small Group Adventure
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars, 145+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 11 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- Cotswolds Villages exploration stop
- Guided tours in Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford
- Small group experience with 16 people or under
- Round trip transportation from London
Led by one of the world’s most friendliest tour guides, this tour packs in three important stops: the Cotswolds, Oxford, and Stratford-upon-Avon in one day.
Unlike the previous tour Cotswolds tours from London, you do get actual time spent exploring the Cotswolds, not just driving through it, so this is one to consider if you want to get down from the van in the Cotswolds as well as see other sites during the day.
In Stratford-upon-Avon, you’ll see Shakespeare’s Birthplace and get a guided tour to learn more about the history of this famous literary figure and why he’s so connected to Stratford.
Then, you’ll finish off the day in Oxford with a guided tour to enjoy the stunning architecture and iconic sites like the Bridge of Sighs and Bodleian Library.
A small group experience makes it more comfortable to get to know people and to make sure you can hear the guide at all times.
11. Cotswolds Villages, Stratford & Oxford Tour (non-small group)
⭐️ RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars, 100+ reviews | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 hours | ✔️ BOOK NOW
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
- Stops in iconic Cotswolds villages
- Time spent exploring Oxford
- Stratford-upon-Avon stops
- Friendly driver-guide
- Round trip transportation from London
Similar to the previous tour listed in the #10 spot, this tour includes many of the same stops and experiences, but with a larger group.
While a larger group may not be enjoyable for some, it means that the price of the tour is often less than a small group experience and may be the perfect way to fit a day trip like this, exploring the Cotswolds, Oxford, and Stratford-upon Avon, into a tight budget.
Hey! Want to use our trusty guides to the best tours in other places across the UK? Check these out!
- 11 Best Scottish Highlands Tours from Edinburgh
- 5 Best Open Top London Bus Tours in 2023
- 9 Best Outlander Tours in Scotland
- 9 Best Spooky Oxford Ghost Tours (ranked!)
- 5 Best Oxford Bus Tours (ranked!)
- 9 Best Bus Tours in Edinburgh
- 5 Best Ghost Tours in Bath, England
- 9 Best Day Tours to Oxford from London
- 7 Best Stonehenge Tours from London
- 7 Best Changing of the Guard Tours in London
- 5 Best Tours of York, England
- 11 Best Oxford Walking Tours
- 21 Best London Walking Tours
- 11 Best London Rock ‘n’ Roll Tours
- 11 Best Beatles Tours in London
- 11 Best London Museum Tours
- 3 Best Morse Tours in Oxford
- 11 Best Walking Tours in Bath
- 13 Best Harry Potter Tours in Oxford
- 11 Best Jack the Ripper Tours in London
- 9 Best London Literary Tours
- 9 Best Street Art Tours in London
- 13 Best Evening & Night Tours of Edinburgh
- 15 Best London Pub Crawl Tours
- 11 Best London Bus Tours for Families
- 17 Best Harry Potter Tours in London
- 17 Best London Foodie Tours
- 13 Best Ghost & Haunted Tours in Edinburgh
- 11 Best Edinburgh Walking Tours
- 11 Best Private Tours in London
- 11 Best Ghost Tours in London
- 11 Fun Tours of Royal London
- 13 Isle of Skye Tours for a Magical Time
- 13 Mysterious Tours of Loch Ness
- 7 Best James Bond Tours in London
- 7 Best Paris Tours from London
- 7 Best Stratford-upon Avon Tours from London
- 7 Best Tours of Bath from London
- 7 Best Black Cab Tours from London
- 11 Best Downton Abbey Tours in the UK
UK Travel Planning Guide: the FAQs
🏥 Should I buy UK travel insurance?
Absolutely yes. Basic coverage is not expensive, and as a visitor you are NOT covered under the NHS. Compare policies and prices with Travel Insurance Master here, a big name in the travel insurance business, and cross that off your list.
🔌 Do I need travel adapters for the UK?
Yes, you do, otherwise you won’t be able to plug in your electronics/phone/lifelines. I recommend this one, which is all-in-one so you can use it in other countries.
🚗 What do I need to drive in the UK?
The first thing you need to check out if you’re planning on renting a car in the UK is this guide to driving in the UK for visitors – the roads, signs, and driving experience will likely not be what you’re used to and it’s essential to prepare yourself to stay safe and aware.
🛌 What’s the best way to book hotels in the UK?
For UK hotels, Booking is the best site as it offers free cancellation on many properties. If you want an apartment, I always recommend VRBO over AirBnb.
📳 Will my phone work in the UK?
Yes – if you set it up right. Check out my guide on making your foreign phone work in the UK to ensure that you get the type of service you need.
🚿 Can I drink the water in the UK?
Yes, UK water is great and perfectly safe. But drink out of taps in any kitchen or use water fountains. Double check before drinking out of the taps in hotel bathrooms, though, as they may be on a different system. London water is safe to drink.
