5 Beautiful Villages of Cotswolds, England

When I came to England, the first place that I visited was London and no doubt it is one of the most visited and popular cities in the UK. As I have explored more over time, I really started to admire those pretty quaint villages that are part of the English countryside. Now, I really do think that England is a unique country and it is much more than just cities like London.

Let’s see what is Cotswolds and why it never fails to impress its visitors. Cotswolds is an area in south-central and south-west England that comprise many quaint, traditional and charming villages. It covers a huge area of 800 square miles and five counties – Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire (famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare), Wiltshire, Worcestershire. It is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is the second-largest protected landscape in England after Lake District.

Here is my list of 5 beautiful villages of Cotswolds, England that should not be missed while visiting this area:

1. Castle Combe

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Street view of Castle Combe, Cotswolds

This is one of the best places to visit in the Cotswolds. It’s also considered the prettiest town in England.

During our Cotswolds trip, when we arrived in the village Castle Combe, it literally felt like we have stepped out of the woods and into a fairyland. I actually thought that these might just be facades like the ones done for the movie sets. While strolling around the village we couldn’t take our eyes off of those tiny houses built with honey-coloured stones and adorned with colourful flower plants. When we reached the bridge over the By Brook river at the end of the village we couldn’t help ourselves but sit and enjoy the view.

2. Broadway

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Broadway, Cotswolds

This village is a large village and civil parish within the Cotswolds, located in the county of Worcestershire, England. Traditional honey-coloured houses line the streets of beautiful Broadway. If you’re on a hunt for antiques, you’ll find them aplenty in this town.

3. Lower and Upper slaughter

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The 19th-century old mill in Lower Slaughter

These villages are joined by the River Eye, a tributary of the River Windrush. Upper Slaughter is known as a “sainted village” meaning it didn’t lose any residents during World War I.

I can say that these two are a little different from castle Combe or other villages of Cotswolds. These villages took us back to the old times as soon as we saw the 19th-century watermill with an undershot water wheel and a chimney for additional steam power. While walking around the village, we saw postcard-perfect streets and cottages made with limestones in the traditional Cotswolds style. The main attraction of this village is the old mill museum. I literally felt that I was at the set of some old English movie after visiting Lower Slaughter. I also felt that time has just stopped for the people living here. This is the place where I would wish to retire someday.

4. Bibury

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Bibury, Cotswolds

It is a quiet village serenely set along the banks of the River Coln. Because of its impeccably preserved cottages, well-manicured gardens, and ancient Arlington Mill, this lovely spot is known as “the most beautiful village in England.” It is been said that you really can’t take a bad photograph in this pretty Costwold town.

5. Painswick

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Painswick, Cotswolds

Once a wool town, Painswick is located just over seven miles south of Gloucester and is also known as the ‘Queen of the Cotswolds’.

When we visited Painswick, it was nothing like Castle Combe. Streets were narrow and the houses were made of golden stones like Castle Combe. But this village has its own unique identity. The parish church of St. Mary that we visited was something to appreciate and look around. While strolling around the town we saw beautiful buildings line the narrow streets along with some craft and antique shops, adding a distinct flavour to the charm of this town.

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