Villages

One of the area’s prettiest high streets can be found in the north Cotswolds village of Broadway, home to two of our retreats:  The Cottage and The Apartment.  With a smattering of art galleries and beautiful interiors shop, it's easy to spend an afternoon browsing here.  Wisteria-draped stores have baskets of fresh produce outside – we particularly like The Broadway Deli who supply our hampers.  There are several great pubs all serving hearty dishes using locally sourced, organic produce. For the best views, head up to Broadway Tower. Broadway really is the jewel in the crown.

Classic Cotswold-stone cottages and shops line the main street of Chipping Campden, one of the most popular villages in the area. There’s an open-walled 17th-century Market Hall that’s part of theNational Truston the high street, and the Old Silk Mill is now an artists' co-operative and exhibition space.

It’s only a five-minute drive from buzzy Bourton-on-the-Water, yet the Cotswold crowds tend to pass through this sleepy village. There aren’t many shops or pubs but caramel-coloured stone houses are set along the low-lying stream, which horses regularly trot through. Near the village’s water mill there’s a museum/café, which sells hand-churned ice cream – on sunny days, grab a cone and sit on one of the stone bridges.

Bibury is a charming, typical Cotswold village just a short drive from Cirencester. It’s easy to see why William Morris called Bibury ‘The most beautiful village in England’ – wonderful stone buildings strung out along the banks of the River Coln. Arlington Row, owned by the National Trust, is one of England’s most iconic and photographed sites – it even appears on the inside cover of UK passports! Originally built in the 14th century as a monastic wool store, it was converted in the 17th century into a row of weavers’ cottages.

In the summer, locals take to the stream that runs through the heart of Bourton-on-the-Water for a game of traditional river football. It dates back over a century and draws hundreds of spectators. But it's not the only attraction in this village, where the traditional cottages that sit on the riverfront have nearly all been turned into antiques shops, cafés and pubs. Seek out Bakery on the Water for a sticky cinnamon bun and eat it on the sun-trap balcony overlooking the river.

With its sleepy, winding streets, this untouched Wiltshire village has been used in a handful of period films and TV series, including Downton Abbey and Steven Spielberg’s War Horse. Stroll along the village to the bridge and you’ll not only enjoy the views but may be able to purchase homemade cakes, sweets or bunches of flowers from outside the locals’ houses. Stop at the bottom of the village by the bridge and enjoy a great photographic moment too!

Set on top of a hill south of Cheltenham, Painswick’s sloping streets lead the eye to the surrounding unspoiled countryside, where walkers can stomp across the Painswick Valley. There’s a biennial arts festival celebrating local artists and cool hideout The Painswick, which has a Michelin-recommended restaurant.

The most cosmopolitan of the Cotswold villages, Kingham is where in-the-know Londoners decamp to when they need a break from the city. Nearby is Daylesford, the game-changing organic farm shop and spa, as well as the very smart Wild Rabbit (pictured), also owned by the Bamford family and one of the best restaurants in the Cotswolds. Sleep over in one of the flagstone rooms for a full country getaway or opt take over the Old Bakehouse, one of our picks of the best Airbnbs in the Cotswolds.

Technically a town rather than a village, tiny Burford is known for its thatched-roof cottages and 12th-century church. There are smart restaurants (we like The Lamb Inn for Sunday lunch) and even a cool gardening centre, Burford Garden Company, which draws green-fingered local fans such as Kate Moss and Liz Hurley.