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Castle Combe, Wiltshire -

Often cited as the prettiest village in England, Instagram favorite Castle Combe, set on the River Bybrook, does indeed tick all the visually stunning boxes. And here's an interesting fact: no new houses have been built in this tiny Wiltshire village since the 1600s.

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Painswick, Gloucestershire -

The views from the top of Painswick's 14th-century St Mary's Church embrace one of the most quintessential of English rural landscapes.

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Burford, Oxfordshire -

Located 32 km (20 mi) west of Oxford, the peaceful village of Burford is often called the southern "gateway to the Cotswolds." Indeed, the destination serves as a wonderful introduction to the region, which was named an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1966.

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Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire -

Locals call Bourton-on-the-Water the "Venice of the Cotswolds" for the picturesque low stone bridges that straddle the sparkling River Windrush, which cuts a smile through the heart of the village.

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Broadway, Worcestershire -

This delightful village is named for the "broad way," the main street lined with traditional honey-colored houses, many of them several hundred years old.

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Broadway Tower, Worcestershire -

Discovering Broadway should also include a visit to Broadway Tower. It's a superb example of an English folly, a building constructed for no other purpose except for decoration. A climb to the top affords breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.

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Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire -

Notable for its terraced main street, dating from the 14th century to the 17th century, Chipping Campden was an important market town during its wool trade heyday. The landmark Market Hall, built in 1627, is still in use.

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Bibury, Gloucestershire -

The collection of 14th-century weaver's cottages that line Arlington Row in the village of Bibury are some of the most photographed private residences in the land.

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Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire -

Standing at an elevation of 243 m (800 ft), handsome Stow-on-the-Wold is the highest of the Cotswolds villages. It's located on the Fosse Way, an ancient Roman road built during the 1st and 2nd centuries CE.

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Upper and Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire -

Upper and Lower Slaughter share a fascinating name, which derives from the Old English term "slough," which variously means "wet land" or "muddy place"—a nod, perhaps, to the briny River Eye that runs through both villages.

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Naunton, Gloucestershire -

A picture of bucolic bliss, Naunton was once a thriving farming community. It's much quieter these days, but has lost none of its medieval charm.

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Cirencester, Gloucestershire -

Cirencester is the largest town in the Cotswolds and is regarded as the regional capital. The Roman name for the town was Corinium, and the town's Corinium Museum has one of the most extensive Roman collections in the country. Cirencester's Church of St. John the Baptist is another site of interest. Inside, look out for the silver gilt "Boleyn Cup," made in 1535 for Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.

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Lacock, Wiltshire -

Most of the houses in Lacock are 18th century or earlier in construction, though its most famous building, Lacock Abbey, dates back to the 13th century. The estate was home to photography pioneer Henry Fox Talbot (1800–1877). In August 1835, he famously took a photograph of the abbey's latticed window, an image generally regarded as produced from the oldest existing camera negative.

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Snowshill, Gloucestershire -

The center of the Cotswolds' lavender production, Snowshill is scented by the most wonderful bouquet, a fragrance laced with sweet herbal notes that infuses the entire village and surrounding hills.

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Stanton, Gloucestershire -

Built almost completely of Cotswold stone, Stanton is a real step into the past where views have changed little over the last 300 years. The village has no school, post office, or shops. It does, however, have a pub, an old inn that serves some great traditional English ales.

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Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire -

Charming Minster Lovell is as romantic an English village as it comes. Ancient cottages topped with thatched roofs lend this countryside destination genuine medieval character. The nearby River Windrush adds to its allure.

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Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire -

The ancient market town of Tewkesbury stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon. It's the location of the Battle of Tewkesbury, which took place on May 4, 1471 and was one of the decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487).

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Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire -

Impressive Tewkesbury Cathedral stands as one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in Britain. The present building dates back to the early 12th century. The abbey was the scene of a massacre in 1471 after the Battle of Tewkesbury when victorious Yorkists chased some defeated Lancastrians into the sanctuary and finished them off.

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Stroud, Gloucestershire -

The market town of Stroud enjoys a fabulous location surrounded as it is by the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It's easily reached on foot by following the Cotswold Way long-distance footpath. In March 2021, the Sunday Times named Stroud the best place to live in the United Kingdom.

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Cheltenham, Gloucestershire -

Radiating an appealing Regency-era charm, Cheltenham lies on the edge of the Cotswolds and is one of England's best-known spa towns. It's equally celebrated for its horse-riding festival, and the prestigious Cheltenham Literary Festival.

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Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire -

The wool trade made the Cotswolds one of the wealthiest parts of England, a fact exemplified by Bliss Mill (pictured), built in 1872 and now converted to luxury apartment accommodation. The mill's unusual domed-based chimney is one of Chipping Norton's most recognized landmarks.

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Rollright Stones, Oxfordshire -

Set near the market town of Chipping Norton is the Rollright Stones, a ceremonial complex of three Neolithic and Bronze Age megalithic monuments carved from limestone.

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Cleeve Hill, Gloucestershire -

Crossed by the Cotswolds Way footpath and offering majestic views of the city of Cheltenham, Cleeve Hill is the highest point in the Cotswolds, summiting at 330 m (1,083 ft).

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Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire -

Anyone with an interest in British royal history will be well rewarded at Sudeley Castle. King Henry VIII and his then-wife Anne Boleyn visited the castle in 1535 and it later became the home and final resting place of his sixth wife, Catherine Parr. She is buried in the castle's church, making Sudeley the only privately-owned castle in the world to have a Queen of England buried in its grounds.

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Tyndale Monument, Gloucestershire -

The Cotswold Way long-distance footpath passes the foot of Tyndale Monument, built in 1866 in honor of English scholar William Tyndale (1494 – c.1536), an early translator of the New Testament into English.

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Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire -

After strolling around the market town of Chipping Sodbury, head out for Sodbury Iron Age Hill Fort, the remains of an impressive encampment set along the Cotswold Ridge.

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Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire -

The small town of Berkeley is worth exploring, after which a trip to Berkeley Castle is certainly recommended. The castle is traditionally believed to have been the scene of the murder of King Edward II in 1327.

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Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucestershire -

Gloucestershire's county seat has much to offer the visitor, including a beautiful 1,300-year-old cathedral. Inside, among other treasures, you'll find the canopied shrine of Edward II of England, who was murdered at nearby Berkeley Castle.

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Chedworth, Gloucestershire -

The fascinating remains of one of the largest and most elaborate Roman villas so far discovered in Britain can be admired just outside the quaint village of Chedworth.

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Bath, Somerset -

World famous for its Roman-built baths, the stunning Somerset city of Bath is set near the southern edge of the Cotswolds, and is where the 164-km (102 mi) Cotswold Way begins.

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Follow the Cotswolds Way -

Many of the destinations listed here can be reached on foot by following the aforementioned Cotswolds Way, pictured here near the village of Broadway. In fact, hiking the trail really is the best way of appreciating this outstanding corner of Great Britain.

Sources: (Britannica) (Beautiful England Photos) (History Hit) (The Times)

See also: The world's most dangerous hikes

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