Oxford & Traditional Cotswold Villages

 

A relaxed day out exploring Oxford and the quintessential villages of the Cotswolds. You head north west out of London, passing through the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The picturesque countryside here is stunning and has inspired many television shows. Your first stop is Oxford, where you have time to visit the beautiful listed buildings. Explore the precincts of the many colleges, climb one of the vantage points to take in the skyline, or see the art and antiquities collections in the Ashmolean Museum. We then spend the afternoon touring the beautiful villages of the Cotswolds, with their tiny ironstone cottages that have remained unchanged for centuries.

We’ll visit Bampton, a village with a long association with traditional Morris Dancing. You can explore the magnificent parish church of St Mary, where many iconic scenes from Downton Abbey were filmed.

Our next stop is in Burford, the ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’. It’s a small market town with enormous character and a huge history. The main street is lined with gorgeously quaint cottages and properties. You have time to take in the local charm and hospitality; and if you’re thirsty you could have a traditional English ‘Afternoon Tea’.

Finally, you make the short journey to Bibury, described by William Morris as the prettiest village in England, and the place that Henry T Ford wished to dismantle and ship back to the USA. Here we have time to stroll past the famous and fairytale-like Arlington Row. After a full day exploring the city of Oxford and the villages of the Cotswolds we’ll embark on the comfortable return journey to London.