We have a 15 day stay planned for July 2017 in the Cotswolds, thinking of perhaps 2 or 3 different B and B's for 5-7 days each.
Looking for charm and good location in towns since we will have no car. What are your favorite places? Do you know of any centrally located studio/flat/apts that would work? Our price point is around $100-150 U.S. per night for two people. (We have the 2016 Rick Steves' England guide, but would like your input as well)
Thanks,
Steve
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We are planning to spend three nights in Bath and later 6 nights in Chipping Campden next October in our drive tour of England and Wales.
We booked the Brooks Guesthouse for Bath. http://www.brocksguesthouse.co.uk
For Chipping Campden we booked The Volunteer Inn
Hotel Address Lower High Street
Chipping Campden GL55 4DY United Kingdom
Hotel Phone Number +44 01386 840688
Here are some tips from Frommer's and other sources. Also, check out Rick Steves' guide.
Biggest of the Wool Churches
The largest and greatest of the Cotswold Gothic churches (sometimes known as 'Woolgothic') is the church of St. John the Baptist at Cirencester.
Largest Norman Tower in the World
Tewkesbury Abbey in the town of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire has the largest Norman Tower in the world. The abbey also boasts in having the largest exterior arch in Britain.
Most visited Church in the Cotswolds
The Church of the Holy Trinity at Stratford-upon-Avon is the most visited church in England due to it being William Shakespeare's burial place.
Most visited Cotswolds Village
The north Cotswold village of Bourton-on-the-Water is the most visited by tourists in all of the Cotswolds.
Romanesque Sculptures
The Malmesbury Apostles sculpture at Malmesbury Abbey south entrance have been descibed as the most outstanding Romanesque sculptures in Britain. For more information - about Malmesbury.
Top Ten most visited Tourist Attractions in the UK
Warwick Castle is in the top ten of the most visited Tourist Attarctions in the United Kingdom.
Roman Baths at City of Bath Spa.
World Heritage City of Bath
The Georgian Bath Spa city is Britain's only designated World Heritage City.
Day 6: Oxford & its University
Return to London and then transfer on to another fast train leaving from Paddington Station, reaching Oxford in 1 1/2 hours. Five trains run to Oxford every hour.
For atmosphere and affordable food, have lunch at the Turf Tavern, following in the footsteps of everybody from Elizabeth Taylor to Bill Clinton. We'd then recommend a 2-hour walking tour that departs at 2pm daily from the Oxford Tourist Information Centre. This is the best orientation for the highlights of this university city. To crown the afternoon, climb Carfax Tower for a panoramic view of the "city of dreaming spires." If there's still time in the afternoon, engage in that popular local pastime: "Punting the River Cherwell".
Day 7: Blenheim Palace & Hampton Court Palace
If you move fast enough, you can see two of England's greatest palaces -- each one different -- before the day's end. From Oxford, trains depart every 12 minutes to Woodstock, home of Blenheim Palace, called England's answer to Versailles. The ancestral seat of the dukes of Marlborough, it was also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. After a tour of the palace, lasting 1 1/2 hours, return to Oxford and take a fast train back to London, where you can check into a hotel.
Day 10: Wells, Glastonbury Abbey & Exeter
A busy day indeed. Leave Bath in the morning and drive 34km (21 miles) southwest to the city of Wells, where you can visit its famous cathedral, dating from the 12th century. The structure is noted for its vast and intricate inverted arches added in 1338. After a visit lasting less than an hour, continue 9.5km (6 miles) to the southwest to visit historic Glastonbury Abbey, the famous abbey ruins and legendary retreat of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. Allow 45 minutes for a visit.
Day 14: Driving Through the Cotswolds
From Cheltenham, and by doing some crisscrossing here and there, you can take in the best of the Cotswolds. Scenic highlights of your day will include Upper and Lower Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury, Burford, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Moreton-in-Marsh. Finally, in the north Cotswolds, you arrive in the most scenic town of Broadway.