9 of the Prettiest Villages in the Cotswolds

The Cotswolds has more pretty villages than any single trip can cover, and after a few separate outings across the region, these are the ones that have genuinely stuck with me – not just the famous postcard spots, but a few quieter ones too.

1. Bibury

Bibury's Arlington Row cottages are about as photographed as the Cotswolds gets, and it's worth seeing once despite the crowds. Try to time a visit for early morning or late afternoon light – sunset in particular turns the honey-coloured stone almost golden.

2. Stow-on-the-Wold

Stow's market square and the famous yew-tree-framed door at St Edward's Church make it one of the more atmospheric Cotswolds towns, especially on a quiet autumn morning before the shops open.

3. Lower Slaughter

The stream running straight through the middle of the village, lined with low stone bridges and old mill buildings, makes Lower Slaughter one of the most immediately charming spots on this list – and usually calmer than its more famous neighbours.

4. Northleach

Northleach doesn't get anywhere near the attention of Bibury or Stow, which is exactly why it's worth a stop – a genuinely lived-in Cotswolds market town with none of the queues.

5. Burford

Burford's steep, sloping high street is one of the most handsome in the whole region, particularly in autumn when the trees along it turn. It also makes a good base if you want somewhere with a proper choice of pubs and shops.

6. Tetbury

Tetbury's Chipping Steps, a set of old stone steps once used for a livestock market, are a nice detour from the main street and give a good sense of the town's older working history alongside its present-day antique shops.

7. Minchinhampton

Minchinhampton is one of the lesser-known entries here, sitting near its own stretch of common land where cattle still graze freely. It's a good stop if you want a village visit paired with an actual countryside walk.

8. Box

Box is small enough that most visitors skip straight past it, but it's a genuinely pretty, unhurried little village if you're already in the Tetbury and Minchinhampton area and want one more stop before heading back.

9. Witney

Witney sits slightly outside the classic Cotswolds postcard image – more of a working market town – but its high street bridge and riverside setting make it worth combining with a visit to nearby Burford.

If you're planning a trip, most of these villages are close enough together to combine two or three in a single day, especially Bibury with Northleach, or Tetbury with Minchinhampton and Box. None of them are directly reachable by train, so a car (or a good local taxi) is genuinely the easiest way to see more than one in a day.

*All photos were taken by Ina/WithinLondon, unless stated otherwise.