Loving The Cotswolds guide
Cotswolds Attractions and Places to Visit
Discover the best Cotswolds attractions and places to visit, from family farm parks, wildlife parks and castles to Roman sites, gardens, museums, viewpoints, theatres and rainy-day ideas.
What to see and do in the Cotswolds
The Cotswolds is not only about pretty towns and villages. Around the region you will find big-name visitor attractions, historic houses, animal parks, Roman remains, family activities, gardens, museums, theatres and outdoor places that can turn a simple village trip into a full day out.
This page focuses on named Cotswolds attractions and places to visit in the Cotswolds. For broader trip ideas, routes and activity inspiration, use the wider things to do in the Cotswolds guide as well.
Best Cotswolds attractions for different trips
There is no single best attraction for every visitor. A first-time trip might need the famous views and headline sites, while a family weekend may be better built around animals, mazes, water and weather-proof fallbacks.
Best for first-time visitors
Start with the big-name attractions that combine strong scenery, easy visitor facilities and a clear sense of the Cotswolds.
Blenheim Palace, Broadway Tower and Country Park, Sudeley Castle & Gardens, Chedworth Roman Villa
Best family days out
Animal attractions, farm parks, mazes and outdoor spaces work especially well when you are planning with children.
Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park, Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Burford, Birdland Park & Gardens, Bourton-on-the-Water, Crocodiles of the World, near Burford, Fairytale Farm, Chipping Norton
Best for history
Choose castles, Roman sites, historic houses and museums when you want more than a pretty village stop.
Blenheim Palace, Berkeley Castle, Chedworth Roman Villa, Chastleton House, near Moreton-in-Marsh, Woodchester Mansion
Best rainy-day ideas
Museums, galleries, theatres and cinemas are useful fallbacks when the Cotswold weather has other ideas.
Corinium Museum, Cirencester, Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection, Bourton-on-the-Water, Museum in the Park, Stroud, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, Cineworld Cheltenham
Best outdoor and active days
For bigger-energy days, look at water, climbing, high ropes, country parks and activity centres.
Cotswold Country Park & Beach, Far Peak Indoor Climbing & Outdoor Adventure Centre, Northleach, Head4Heights aerial adventure centre, Cotswold Water Park, South Cerney Outdoor Centre, Lakeside Ski & Wake, Cotswold Water Park
Best around Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton is one of the easiest places to combine several smaller attractions in one village day.
Birdland Park & Gardens, Bourton-on-the-Water, Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection, Bourton-on-the-Water, The Model Village, Bourton-on-the-Water, Dragonfly Maze, Bourton-on-the-Water
Featured Cotswolds attractions and places to visit
Start with these well-known attractions if you want a balanced mix of family days out, history, gardens, museums, views and outdoor places.
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Featured attraction
Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park
A classic family day out near Guiting Power, with rare breeds, farm animals and hands-on countryside activities.
Read the Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park guide
Featured attraction
Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Burford
One of the biggest family attractions in the Cotswolds, combining animal enclosures, gardens and lots of space to wander.
Read the Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Burford guide
Featured attraction
Blenheim Palace
A major palace and estate near Woodstock, ideal for a full day of history, parkland, gardens and grand architecture.
Read the Blenheim Palace guide
Featured attraction
Broadway Tower and Country Park
A landmark viewpoint above Broadway, with far-reaching Cotswold views and country park walks.
Read the Broadway Tower and Country Park guide
Featured attraction
Chedworth Roman Villa
One of the Cotswolds’ best Roman sites, with mosaics, bathhouse remains and a peaceful valley setting.
Read the Chedworth Roman Villa guide
Featured attraction
Sudeley Castle & Gardens
A historic castle and garden estate near Winchcombe, with royal connections and a strong sense of place.
Read the Sudeley Castle & Gardens guide
Featured attraction
Cotswold Country Park & Beach
A useful base for water, beach and outdoor activities in the wider Cotswold Water Park area.
Read the Cotswold Country Park & Beach guide
Featured attraction
Birdland Park & Gardens, Bourton-on-the-Water
A popular Bourton-on-the-Water attraction with birds, gardens, penguins and family-friendly trails.
Read the Birdland Park & Gardens, Bourton-on-the-Water guide
Featured attraction
Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection, Bourton-on-the-Water
A Bourton-on-the-Water museum packed with motoring nostalgia, toys and 20th-century collections.
Read the Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection, Bourton-on-the-Water guide
Featured attraction
Corinium Museum, Cirencester
The key museum for understanding Roman Cirencester and the wider history of the Cotswolds.
Read the Corinium Museum, Cirencester guide
Featured attraction
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
A heritage steam railway experience running through attractive Cotswold countryside.
Read the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway guide
Featured attraction
Chastleton House, near Moreton-in-Marsh
A Jacobean house near Moreton-in-Marsh with a strong historic atmosphere and a quieter feel than the biggest attractions.
Read the Chastleton House, near Moreton-in-Marsh guideBrowse Cotswolds attractions by type
Use these categories to narrow the page down quickly, especially if you are planning around children, weather, history, gardens or active days.
Family days out and animal attractions
Farm parks, wildlife, birds, mazes and animal encounters are some of the easiest wins for family trips.
Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park, Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Burford, Birdland Park & Gardens, Bourton-on-the-Water, Crocodiles of the World, near Burford
Historic houses, castles and Roman places
The Cotswolds has Roman villas, castles, manor houses and grand estates for slower, more heritage-led days.
Blenheim Palace, Sudeley Castle & Gardens, Chedworth Roman Villa, Berkeley Castle, Chastleton House, near Moreton-in-Marsh
Museums, galleries and culture
Useful for rainy days and for adding depth to a trip beyond villages and viewpoints.
Corinium Museum, Cirencester, Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection, Bourton-on-the-Water, Museum in the Park, Stroud, Gordon Russell Design Museum, Broadway
Gardens, viewpoints and scenic places
Choose gardens, towers, lavender fields and gentle outdoor places when you want the Cotswolds at a slower pace.
Broadway Tower and Country Park, Cotswold Lavender, Snowshill, Snowshill Manor, Stanway House & Fountain, Slimbridge Wetland Centre
Water, active and outdoor days
The Cotswold Water Park area and activity centres are useful when you want something more active than sightseeing.
Cotswold Country Park & Beach, South Cerney Outdoor Centre, Head4Heights aerial adventure centre, Cotswold Water Park, Far Peak Indoor Climbing & Outdoor Adventure Centre, Northleach
Theatre, cinema and rainy-day ideas
Keep these in your back pocket when the forecast changes or you want an evening plan.
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, The Barn Theatre, Cirencester, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, Cineworld Cheltenham, Cineworld Witney
Cotswolds attractions directory
This compact directory brings the useful entries from the old paginated attractions pages into one cleaner place. It avoids the old duplicate grid/list layout and uses one main link per attraction.
Family and animal attractions
Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park
A classic family day out near Guiting Power, with rare breeds, farm animals and hands-on countryside activities.
Birdland Park & Gardens, Bourton-on-the-Water
A popular Bourton-on-the-Water attraction with birds, gardens, penguins and family-friendly trails.
The Butts Farm Rare Breeds, South Cerney
Situated just a few miles from Cirencester, visitors can join in all the activities and have hands-on experiences at this rare breeds farm which…
A great day out for all the family with many animals to see, two huge indoor play barns and an outdoor play area suitable for all ages.
The Cotswold Falconry Centre is home to over 60 different species of birds of prey. Visitors can enjoy seeing wonderful birds, such as falcons,
Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Burford
One of the biggest family attractions in the Cotswolds, combining animal enclosures, gardens and lots of space to wander.
Crocodiles of the World, near Burford
An unusual animal attraction near Burford and a strong choice for families wanting something different.
Fairytale Farm, Chipping Norton
Fairytale Farm mixes classic fairy tales, animals and adventure play to create a sensory and learning wonderland for all the family.
Historic houses, castles and Roman sites
Berkeley Castle is one of the most remarkable buildings in Britain and has been home to the same family – the Berkeleys – for 850 years.
Chastleton House, near Moreton-in-Marsh
A Jacobean house near Moreton-in-Marsh with a strong historic atmosphere and a quieter feel than the biggest attractions.
Situated a mile-and-a-half northwest of Tetbury, Chavenage has many Civil War associations,
One of the Cotswolds’ best Roman sites, with mosaics, bathhouse remains and a peaceful valley setting.
A one-time working farm, Cogges is now a heritage centre operated by a charitable trust and open to the public.
Steeped in history, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the town of Berkeley, on the southern edge of the Cotswolds, has changed the world.
Electric Picture House, Wotton-under-Edge
The Wotton-under-Edge Electric Picture House in Market Street is one of the oldest cinemas in the country, having first opened in 1913.
Kelmscott Manor, near Lechlade
This Grade I listed farmhouse on the edge of the village of Kelmscott, near Lechlade, was built around 1600 next to the River Thames.
Nestled in the Cotswold countryside on the picturesque Sherborne Estate, Lodge Park is England’s only surviving and probably most opulent 17th…
The Model Village, Bourton-on-the-Water
The Model Village is a one-ninth scale replica of the heart of Bourton-on-the-Water, containing all the buildings from the Old Water Mill (now…
The remains of a large, well built Roman courtyard villa are situated just north of the hamlet of East End in North Leigh parish in Oxfordshire.
The Old Prison, formerly a House of Correction, is a fascinating 18th Century building in the Cotswold market town of Northleach and a historic…
Snowshill Manor, near Broadway, is a Cotswold manor house packed with thousands of items collected by just one man.
Stanway House is an outstandingly beautiful example of a Jacobean manor house which has changed hands just once since 715AD.
Stanway Estate, established in the 8th Century, is known to have had four watermills in 1291.
A historic castle and garden estate near Winchcombe, with royal connections and a strong sense of place.
Museums, galleries and local heritage
The world famous Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has worked with various partners to transform a historic house in the beautiful village of Broadway…
Athelstan Museum tells the history of Malmesbury, an attractive hill-top town which lies on the edge of the Cotswolds,
This archive has over 3,000 photographs, documents and video recordings, giving a unique history of Bampton,
This small exhibition located at the home of the famous Prescott Hill Climb events illustrates the work of Ettore Bugatti,
One of the finest small museums in Oxfordshire, this independent museum is run entirely by volunteers.
Many people don’t realise that Chipping Norton has its own museum housing a large collection of artefacts related to the town and its…
Churchill & Sarsden Heritage Centre
A contender for the accolade of smallest museum in Oxfordshire, the heritage centre opened in 2001 in the restored chancel of Churchill’s…
The key museum for understanding Roman Cirencester and the wider history of the Cotswolds.
Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection, Bourton-on-the-Water
A Bourton-on-the-Water museum packed with motoring nostalgia, toys and 20th-century collections.
Dursley Heritage Centre has been open since the beginning of 2005 and has proved very popular with visitors from far and wide.
Gordon Russell Design Museum, Broadway
Sir Gordon Russell was a renowned 20th Century furniture designer, craftsman, entrepreneur, educator and champion of accessible,
Holst Birthplace Museum, Cheltenham
The birthplace of Gustav Holst (1874-1934) is now a museum which tells the story of the man,
Hook Norton is one of only 32 family-owned breweries and is the finest example of a Victorian Tower Brewery in the country.
Set in the beautiful grounds of Stratford Park in Stroud, the Museum in the Park is situated in a Grade II listed 17th Century wool merchant’s…
Oxford Bus Museum & Morris Motors Museum, Long Hanborough
The Oxford Bus Museum, situated at Hanborough Railway Station, a few miles from Woodstock,
The Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock
The Oxfordshire Museum (also known as Oxfordshire County Museum) is located in Fletcher’s House,
The Salt Gallery is part of the Wren Gallery in Burford and specialises in the sale of British studio pottery and glass from some of the…
Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock
Opened June 2014, the SOFO Museum tells the stories of how conflict has affected the county of Oxfordshire.
Studio Works Gallery, Nailsworth
Paul Bradley produces pottery in a contemporary style, with clean lines and simple shapes, for practical everyday use.
Housed in a 17th Century cottage in the centre of the beautiful village of Filkins, the Swinford Museum is one of Oxfordshire’s oldest small…
Tetbury Police Museum is located, along with the town council offices, at the town’s former Victorian police station and courthouse in Long…
Gardens, parks and scenic places
A major palace and estate near Woodstock, ideal for a full day of history, parkland, gardens and grand architecture.
Broadway Tower and Country Park
A landmark viewpoint above Broadway, with far-reaching Cotswold views and country park walks.
A Grade II* Listed Building, Combe Mill is the original steam- and water-powered sawmill and workshop of the old Blenheim Palace Estate near…
Cotswold Canals Trust Visitor Centre, Stroud
The Cotswold Canals Trust Visitor Centre displays information on the restoration of the canal between Stonehouse and Brimscombe Port.
Hill Barn Farm at Snowshill, overlooking Broadway and the Vale of Evesham, is home to some 70 miles of rows and 250,000 lavender plants.
Gloucestershire author Laurie Lee grew up in the Gloucestershire village of Slad, near Stroud. His most famous novel, Cider with Rosie,
Slimbridge is a wetland reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) near the Gloucestershire village of Slimbridge on the estuary…
An atmospheric unfinished Gothic mansion hidden in a valley near Stroud.
Active, water and outdoor days
The Activity Zone in Malmesbury offers a full range of leisure and fitness activities, including a 25m swimming pool.
Bourton Vale Equestrian Centre
Bourton Vale Equestrian Centre is a friendly riding establishment offering expert tuition and scenic rides around Bourton-on-the-Water and…
Chipping Norton Leisure Centre
Chipping Norton Leisure Centre is a modern dual-use site shared with Chipping Norton School.
In 1963 a fundraising campaign begain in Chipping Norton to build a swimming pool. More than £20,000 was raised in just seven years and in 1970…
Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool
Built in 1869, Cirencester is home to Britain’s oldest open air swimming pool and is unique in that it offers the chance to swim in natural…
Combat Splat outdoor activities, Cotswold Water Park
Combat Splat, situated in the Cotswold Water Park, offers affordable paintball seven days a week for ages 10 and over.
A useful base for water, beach and outdoor activities in the wider Cotswold Water Park area.
Cotswold Leisure, Bourton-on-the-Water
The leisure centre in Bourton-on-the-Water offers a gym, swimming pool, relaxation suite, group exercise studio and Easyline small studio.
The leisure centre features two swimming pools, a relaxation suite, gym, sports hall, squash courts,
Dragonfly Maze, Bourton-on-the-Water
A compact Bourton-on-the-Water maze that works well as part of a family village day.
Far Peak Indoor Climbing & Outdoor Adventure Centre, Northleach
Far Peak Climbing Centre is a superb indoor climbing facility, offering indoor climbing and bouldering for all ages and abilities and outdoor…
Gloucestershire Rally School, near Cirencester
Located between Cirencester and Swindon, Gloucestershire Rally School offers drivers aged 10 and over an opportunity to experience the exciting…
Head4Heights aerial adventure centre, Cotswold Water Park
Located in the Cotswold Water Park, Head4Heights is a high ropes activity centre for families, individuals and groups,
Lakeside Ski & Wake, Cotswold Water Park
Exciting inflatable rides, water skiing and wake boarding are all on the menu at Lakeside Ski & Wake,
A huge range of leisure facilities are available at Leisure @ Cheltenham’s base in Tommy Taylor’s Lane for serious sports people or those just…
Old Downs Pursuits, Cotswold Water Park
Old Downs Pursuits is a clay target shooting and air rifle ground situated within the Cotswold Water Park area, near Cirencester.
Sandford Parks Lido, Cheltenham
This famous Cheltenham landmark is a children’s paradise with a heated Olympic-sized 50m main pool, slides, children’s pool and a paddling pool.
Based in a 52-acres site in the Cotswold Water Park, South Cerney Outdoor Centre offers a range of fun,
Sports and Leisure Centre, Fire Service College, Moreton-in-Marsh
The Sports and Leisure Centre at the Fire Service College provides outdoor and indoor facilities, including tennis courts,
Stratford Park Leisure Centre, Stroud
Set in a picturesque park location, Stratford Park Leisure Centre in Stroud offers a fantastic range of indoor and outdoor facilities.
Stroud’s spring water-filled outdoor pool, which first opened in 1936, is open during the summer months as a refreshing alternative to the…
Theatres, cinema and rainy-day entertainment
The 566-seat Bacon Theatre plays host to the best in professional touring theatre, live music, dance,
The Barn Theatre prides itself on being a “Theatre For All.” A place for everyone to share top-class regional theatre and performing arts…
This historical venue in Cirencester is a thriving centre for both private and public functions and has hosted many major events.
As well as being a major conference and event venue, in recent years The Centaur has established a growing reputation as a venue for concerts,
The Playhouse is a community theatre which houses productions from professional and amateur companies. Built in 1806,
Rich in heritage, opulence and vibrancy, Cheltenham’s much-loved jewel sets a stunning backdrop for an impressive all-year-round events…
This 11-screen cinema is located within The Brewery complex and is surrounded by an array of restaurants, bars and a multi-storey car park.
The Cotswold Playhouse is a 156-seat theatre set in the heart of Stroud. The home of the Cotswold Players,
The Everyman Theatre has been serving the people of Gloucestershire and beyond since 1891.
Lansdown Hall & Gallery, Stroud
Lansdown Hall & Gallery is a fully licensed community venue in Lansdown, close to Stroud town centre.
Few villages can claim to have an opera house in their midst, but each summer thousands of opera lovers flock to the north Cotswold village of…
Minster Lovell Hall & Dovecote
The ruins of a large 15th Century manor in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds are set around a courtyard in an attractive setting on the banks of the…
Parabola Arts Centre, Cheltenham
Parabola Arts Centre (PAC) is owned by the Cheltenham Ladies’ College and used by the school for performances, exhibitions and events.
Prema is a family-friendly arts centre promoting performance, live music and art exhibitions as well as workshops,
This stylish Art Deco cinema has become hugely popular since being lovingly restored and reopened a few years ago.
With a 370-seat auditorium, The Roses is a busy and popular arts centre in Tewkesbury with an eclectic programme of live events,
The Subscription Rooms, Stroud
The Subscription Rooms is a handsome late Regency building in the heart of Stroud and hosts year-round arts and entertainment, exhibitions,
Sundial Theatre at Cirencester College
The Sundial Theatre at Cirencester College was opened in January 1998 as a professional and community venue with an exciting and varied…
Crafts, food and local makers
Cotswold Perfumery, Bourton-on-the-Water
Cotswold Perfumery, based in a 300-year-old Grade II listed building in the centre of Bourton-on-the-Water,
Daylesford – the iconic farmshop near Kingham in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds – was founded in 2002 by Carole Bamford,
Hart Gold & Silversmiths, Chipping Campden
Visitors are welcome to see this team of craftsmen specialising in the best traditions of handmade silver at work and inspect the range of…
We offer a wide range of exciting hands-on pottery activities suitable for all ages and abilities.
New Brewery Arts in Cirencester, based in a former Victorian brewery building, has been a centre for the arts and artistic crafts for more than…
More Cotswolds attractions
Situated about seven miles from Cirencester, Bibury was described by the 19th Century artist and craftsman William Morris as “the most beautiful…
Bourton-on-the-Water Model Railway Exhibition and Toy Shop
Over 40 British and Continental trains run over some of the finest operating indoor model railway layouts in the country,
Cineworld Witney is a five-screen cinema situated in the Marriotts Walk leisure and retail development, showing all the latest releases.
Cotswold Forest School, Ashton Keynes
Based on a Scandinavian idea, forest school involves children and young people aged three to 18 working with a qualified forest school leader…
Dunkirk Mill Centre, near Nailsworth
The Dunkirk Mill Centre offers a wonderful opportunity to see a see a massive working water wheel directly powering a rare piece of historic…
Dursley Sculpture and Play Trail
This sculpture and play trail in Twinberrow Woods, Dursley, was created by the community for the community.
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
A heritage steam railway experience running through attractive Cotswold countryside.
Gloucestershire’s largest indoor soft play centre, including slides, zip slides, ball rivers and a cannon area that shoots foam balls at various…
Newark Park stands proud on top of the Cotswold escarpment, looking down into the Ozleworth valley to the Mendips beyond.
Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham
Pittville Pump Room is the jewel of Cheltenham’s Regency architecture and is the grandest survival of the town’s many spa buildings.
Planning a day of Cotswolds attractions
Combine one attraction with one town
A good Cotswolds day usually works best when you pair one main attraction with a nearby town or village, rather than trying to tick off too many places. For example, combine Bourton-on-the-Water attractions with time in the village, or visit Broadway Tower before exploring Broadway.
Check opening times before travelling
Many attractions change opening days by season, and smaller museums, houses and gardens may not open daily. Check the attraction’s own site before making a special journey.
Keep a wet-weather backup
Theatres, cinemas, museums, galleries and indoor attractions are worth saving for poor-weather days. Cirencester, Cheltenham, Stroud, Witney and Bourton-on-the-Water all have useful options.
Think about parking and travel time
Cotswold distances can look short on a map, but lanes, parking and weekend traffic can slow the day down. Leave space in the plan, especially in school holidays and sunny weekends.
Cotswolds attractions FAQs
What are the best attractions in the Cotswolds?
Popular choices include Cotswold Farm Park, Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Blenheim Palace, Broadway Tower, Chedworth Roman Villa, Sudeley Castle & Gardens, Birdland, Corinium Museum and the Cotswold Motoring Museum.
What are the best family days out in the Cotswolds?
Family-friendly options include Cotswold Farm Park, Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Birdland, Crocodiles of the World, Fairytale Farm, Cattle Country, the Dragonfly Maze and the attractions around Bourton-on-the-Water.
What can you do in the Cotswolds when it rains?
Good rainy-day ideas include museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas and indoor heritage attractions. Look at Corinium Museum, Cotswold Motoring Museum, Museum in the Park, Everyman Theatre, The Barn Theatre and local cinemas in Cheltenham or Witney.
Are there free places to visit in the Cotswolds?
Some viewpoints, villages, woods, trails, churches and outdoor heritage sites can be visited without paying an admission fee, although parking may still cost money. Museums, gardens, castles and family attractions usually charge for entry.
Do you need a car to visit Cotswold attractions?
A car makes many attractions easier to reach, especially rural houses, gardens and activity centres. Some places near larger towns, railway stations or bus routes are possible by public transport, but check routes carefully before travelling.