THE 10 BEST Things to Do in Cotswolds (2024) - Must-See Attractions
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Things to Do in Cotswolds
Check out must-see sights and activities:
Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, Castle Combe Village, Gardens, Walking Tours. For personalised recommendations, try our AI trip-planning product.
Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, Castle Combe Village, Gardens, Walking Tours. For personalised recommendations, try our AI trip-planning product.
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Book these experiences for a close-up look at Cotswolds.
Day Tripsfromper adult£89- fromper adult£79
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£99per adult£90 - fromper adult£85
- fromper adult£80
Day Tripsfromper adult£134- fromper group (up to 6)£849
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£79per adult£71 - fromper adult£85
- fromper adult£75
Nature & Wildlife Areas
Family-friendly park with diverse animal exhibits, interactive zoo experiences, and scenic train rides. Enjoy well-kept gardens and children's play areas with a petting farm.
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Historic Walking Areas
Historic village showcasing a 13th-century church, medieval market square, and ivy-clad Manor House. Enjoy a tranquil stroll among charming cottages and scenic country paths.
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Architectural Buildings
Historic cathedral with intricate stained glass and vaulted ceilings, home to royal tombs and a whispering gallery. Features Harry Potter connections and interactive exhibits.
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Distilleries
Distillery in the Cotswolds providing tours and tastings, complete with take-home samples, particularly accommodating designated drivers with special to-go bags.
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Gardens
Historic gardens featuring a variety of plants, tranquil "rooms," and a natural vibe, complete with wildlife-friendly spaces and a tea room for light refreshments.
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Gardens
National Trust property with diverse gardens and themed areas, providing inspiration for visitors' own green spaces. Includes a plant shop, cafe, and second-hand bookshop.
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Castles
Historic estate featuring the tranquil tomb of Queen Katherine Parr, majestic gardens, and evocative ruins. Includes engaging historical rooms, chapel, and themed experiences.
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Nature & Wildlife Areas
Avian sanctuary features diverse birds of prey, interactive flying demonstrations, and close-up encounters. Highlights include breeding and conservation programmes.
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Breweries
Informative brewery tour with a focus on lager, providing ample tastings in a convivial setting. Delve into the brewing process and savor a variety of fresh lagers under the sun.
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Tours, activities and experiences bookable on Tripadvisor, ranked using exclusive Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, popularity, user preferences, price, and bookings made through Tripadvisor.
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What travellers are saying
- CazgosNewcastle upon Tyne, UK21 contributionsWhat a wonderful place!
We went on a rather miserable grey day, but had a fantastic time seeing all the animals close up and apparently looking very well kept and healthy, although I'm no expert.
It is very well laid out, spacious and with great facilities. An extra bonus are the well-kept and interesting borders. I'm sure that in summer they would look beautiful. There are lots of beautiful trees too. You could almost enjoy a trip just to see the grounds!
However, the highlight for me was the 'meet the giant tortoise' experience. I got to feed the tortoises in their pen and learnt so much from the knowledgeable keeper, Dave. It was just awesome!Written 20 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Carlys TripsManchester, UK3 contributionsAlways worth a visit. Such a lovely spot and great for a wander around to take in all the quaint cottages. Local pubs are also very good for both food and atmosphere. Only drawback are the crowds during busy periods. Otherwise a great stopover for 1 or 2 hours. Parking at the top of the hill.Written 12 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- jayem76Leeds, UK139 contributionsWhen we (me and my pensioner aged Mum) have a short break in London we have started taking a day trip out of the city on the train, and this time we chose Gloucester. We travelled with GWR from London Paddington and on arriving in Gloucester we headed straight for the cathedral, as me being a huge Harry Potter fan that's what I wanted to see first. I googled all the locations first to make sure I saw all the bits I needed to see, but you don't really need to because at the entry desk there's a really useful map available that tells you where they all are (ask for the cloisters map if this is your primary reason for visiting). It can be a bit confusing getting your bearings once inside the cloister, because it's not labelled which is east/west etc, but a quick pop back to the entry desk and a helpful hint as to where to start from the guide there and I soon got the hang of it. You really do feel like you are in Hogwarts, and if you have an interest in the films the areas of the cloisters used will probably be instantly recognisable. Do not however forget to take time to explore the rest of this magnificent building, which is free to enter with a suggested voluntary donation which I was more than happy to pay ( I donated £7, which was £5 entry and £2 for the map and I feel that was totally justified). There is also a lovely little cafe downstairs (the entrance to which is right beside the stone ledge Harry and Ron stood on in the scene in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince where the corridor is full of students being directed by Professor McGonagall, so if you find that on the map it will help you find the others. We ate in the cafe, and the food was delicious. A toasted sandwich with a good serving of side salad, a portion of hand cooked crisps and a little pot of the creamiest, yummiest home made coleslaw. The cafe was quite busy, but with food that good it's not hard to see why. After getting my "Hogwarts" fix we continued to explore the rest of the cathedral. My Mum had to unfortunately miss out on the Tribune Gallery exhibit because she has a walking aid, but she was more than happy to sit downstairs with a guide sat at a table while I went off to explore it. She did however manage to see the tomb of King Edward II, which was fascinating. Also don't forget to take a look at the breath-taking Great East window, which when it was installed in the 1300s was the largest window in the world and still contains some original medieval stained glass. All in all if you are a fan of Harry Potter or a lover of cathedrals and ancient architecture Gloucester won't disappointWritten 18 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Becky T27 contributionsThe Cocktail making masterclass was amazing and super value for money, Dan was a great host too and so informative. We sampled gorgeous Gin and Whisky all from the Distillery and made fab cocktails, A really fun experience highly recommend it.Written 13 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Smith9891Poole, UK40 contributionsAbsolutely stunning gardens with beautiful views everywhere you look, friendly informative guide. Delicious tea and cake in the restaurant and excellent gift shop. We loved our 90 minute tour autumn tour and hope to return in spring.Written 26 October 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Nick PLondon81 contributionsWe had a Lovely Evening which Exceeded our expectations. The light show was a good balance of professional, but family friendly. Lots of features.Written 14 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Europeadventure2012California212 contributionsBeautiful gardens. It felt like we walked from one secret garden into another. The lime tree bower was particularly enchanting. The lack of grand vistas made the gardens feel intimate. Even in early autumn there was color. It would be lovely to visit through all the seasons. The house was open on the day we visited and we learned about Lawrence Johnston who designed the gardens and his mother, who entertained some famous people in the 1920's and 30's. Well worth a visit.Written 24 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Neil TWolverhampton, UK335 contributionsGreat museum to visit, lots of interesting things to see, very well set out, enjoyed every minute I was there, well worth the admission price, definitely recommend if your in the area.Written 16 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- MrsYGloucestershire, UK2,221 contributionsThere are just not enough superlatives to describe the spectacle of light. It was so beautiful and tastefully done.
Car parking is close together but it’s marked bays and matted material. We arrived about 4.30pm and it was quiet. I had planned extra time for anything that might be pre trail but there wasn’t much (gift shop and 1 cafe - indoors). Fortunately we were allowed on the trail early. The trail has plenty of stewards and actors in role. At the mid way point there are 4 food vendors and a lovely indoor eating area. Expensive but good. Plenty of toilet facilities around. The trail is spectacular, we loved it; so magical.
There is a one way system in and out of the grounds so it wasn’t chaotic at all. I was a bit apprehensive but needn’t have been.
A faultless, unique and memorable night .. thank you and well done.Written 7 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Lola B1 contributionWe've been to Berkeley Castle several times over the years and I always leave feeling grateful to the Berkeley family for sharing their incredibly special family home, which is steeped in such rich and fascinating history. If this place were run by the National Trust, most of it would probably be politely but firmly fenced off behind big barriers. But here you get to walk around a real life living castle packed to the rafters with genuine artefacts and paintings and tapestries and actually get up close to it all. And not just any castle. Kings and Queens, heroes and villains, Berkeley Castle has played host to so many famous characters and key events in English history, its wall have such exciting real-life stories to tell. To me the atmosphere is magical, and there's so much to take in that I always find something new and interesting each time we visit.
As a home educator / single parent of two primary school age children, I also appreciate the lovely woodland play area and beautiful grounds for the kids to run around and let off steam which helps balance the day out nicely, and of course the availability of ice creams, coffee and cake. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful, and somehow always feel more like hosts than employees. I think for what is on offer the entry price is very reasonable, and being able to turn your ticket into an annual pass via gift aid is a definite bonus.
Today we visited during October half term for the hugely popular 'Dragons and Wizards' day. I had been slightly apprehensive as one of our party is not good with big crowds/queues/loud noise, and as home educators we usually visit on quieter days. But my son badly wanted to see the dragons so I called up and explained the situation and asked about the crowds/parking, their advice was very helpful and we decided to risk it and I'm glad we did. Yes it was busy but manageable, we arrived at 2pm by which time it was easier to find a parking space, and we did not have to queue for long for the meet and greets with the giant dragon and the baby dragons which both kids absolutely loved. Great fun, and I'm sure we'll be back soon for one of the themed weekends or summer events, perhaps Knight School or the jousting tournament. Thank you Berkeley family and staff.Written 29 October 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - lindaGloucester, UK13 contributionsCan’t recommend the Cotswold Falconry Centre enough. Their birds of prey flying experience has got to be the best present I’ve ever bought for my partner - he was like a big kid - SOOOOO HAPPY! 🥰🦅🦉😁Written 14 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- carolWarrington, UK1 contributionVisited for the guided tour. James was exceptional, very knowledgable about everything brewing
I would advise to arrive on foot as the tastings are very generous
Really lovely couple of hoursWritten 11 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
The above attraction descriptions were created by AI, using information and phrases commonly found in reviews users submitted to Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor did not create and is not responsible for any of the above hotel descriptions. Please read full traveller reviews for more details and information. If you believe something in one of these AI-generated descriptions is inaccurate, please share your feedback.
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