Your imagination’s idyllic English country life comes alive in the Cotswolds. The area is filled will endless small villages to explore and you could spend anywhere from a day to a week in the area. Due to time constraints we only got to spend a day, but this was more than enough time to get a real taste of the place. The first village we stopped in was called Bibury and it was easy to see why it is often hailed as the most beautiful village in England. The famous Costwold’s honey-coloured stone is in full display everywhere. For a bite to eat we visited the Post Office and Village Shop where we indulged in homemade sausage rolls and delicious ice cream. We ate this perched outside gazing at the cottages on Arlington Row.

Next up was a short drive to the village of Bourton-on-the-Water. We stopped here to stroll around the village and treat ourselves to tea and cake. There were plenty of stalls and small shops to choose from. Due to the good weather, most people were picnicking on the grass on the banks of the River Windrush. However, save your picnicking for the village of Broadway where we visited Broadway Tower on the hill for some great views of the region. This is THE place to chill out and have a picnic.

A lot of people come to the Cotswolds to get out into the fresh air and do some walking around the countryside. The famous Cotswolds Way goes for 164 kms from Chipping Camden to Bath and while some people attempt this mammoth effort, you can also hop on and off at leisure. The Cotswolds makes for some beautiful hiking through idyllic villages and rolling English farmland.

Just driving through the Costwolds is beautiful and you can see why it has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With forests and rolling hills everywhere you look, it is quintessential England and is definitely worth a visit.

Here is a breakdown of our costs for 2 people over 1 day:
Food/Drink – £24.50 (NZ$47.50)
Petrol – £11.50 (NZ$22.50)
Total spent – £36 (NZ$70)
Bare in mind that this was just a day trip and I have not included car rental cost (£121.50/NZ$237 for 4 days car rental) or any accommodation costs as we did not stay the night in the Cotswolds, instead we headed up into Northern Wales.