If you have 24 hours in London and bored of shopping and city sights, why not visit the charming Cotswolds. There are many quaint and traditional villages in the beautiful Cotswolds, all with houses built from the warm, golden stone. If you have only 24 hours, I recommend visiting the 2 best towns in Cotswolds; Bourton on the Water and Castle Combe. Since Oxford is on the way to Cotswolds, I would also recommend a stop at the famous Oxford university town.

Cirencester is the capital of the Cotswolds. From London, it’s an hour train ride to reach Oxford and 1 hour 20 minute train journey to reach Cirencester. From the capital, take bus number 35 from Town Bridge to Castle Combe Village.

Castle Combe

We parked our car at the top of the hill in the car park. It is not very far but I do recommend coming here as early as possible to avoid crowds. The first sight you will see is the the medieval market cross monument which is located in the center of the village.

Castle Combe is a charming English village often named as the ‘prettiest village in England.’ Strolling around the village makes you feel like you have time traveled back to medieval time. Architecturally, little has changed in this village as no new houses have been built in this tiny village since the 1600s. If you are a photographer, I assure you this place does not have a bad angle.

Its honey-coloured cottages and ancient layout make you feel like you are stepping back in time. As we wander around the peaceful atmosphere of the village, we kind of understand why Castle Combe has won the “Prettiest Village in England” award so many times.

The church of St Andrew’s dates from medieval times and is home to what is thought to be the oldest working clock in the country, worth a visit for anyone with an interest in history. We were there for less than an hour but that’s all you need to walk around and take it all in. It was like a town in a fairy tale. Definitely worth stopping by even on a rainy day.

Bourton on the Water

Bourton on the Water is a charming English village, known as the Venice of the Cotwolds. It is much bigger than Castle Combe and have a lots of shops, museums and restaurants. Situated on the River Windrush, it’s ideal for a day out or holiday.

Bourton ia picturesque village. River Windrush travels under several low bridges in the village, with walkways next to trees, shops and places to eat. We have travelled around Cotswolds and this village is the prettiest by far.

This place is a photographer heaven. The houses, the river, plants, animals and flowers all blending perfectly to create this magical places.

There are loads of lovely bakery and ice cream shops. During lunch time, most restaurant could be fully occupied. We had to wait 15 mins just to get a table for some coffees and bakery. It was worth the wait as the “Bakery on the Water” has a good selection of bakery and sweet pastries. Our coffee and scones are really good.

Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection. We did not visit this Museum as motoring is not our cup tea. We would rather spend time walking and browsing the different types of shops they have here.

These 2 towns in Cotswolds is definitely worth a visit if you get bored of London. Castle Combe has the historical appeal albeit on the small side. Bourton on the water is charming with beautiful little tea rooms and walkways with with plenty of things to see and do, including shopping, museums, churches, and restaurants. Drop a note if you do happen to be in London and wish to have more info. Happy Travelling.