The main street of Castle Combe
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The Cotswolds is home to a wonderful variety of charming villages. If you’re wondering which villages to visit, what route to take, where to eat, or where to stay, I hope this post will help you plan your trip. In this two-part series, I share my personal recommendations from a woman traveler’s perspective on the best villages and areas to visit. This is Part 2.
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👉 New here? Start with Part 1: Bourton-on-the-Water, Barnsley & Bibury.
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- Broadway
- Snowshill
- Castle Combe
Broadway
Broadway is one of the most frequently featured Cotswolds villages in guidebooks. Its wide main street easily accommodates large tour buses, and there are plenty of shops, making it an ideal stop for group tours. It may also suit those who want to enjoy some shopping in the Cotswolds. Personally, though, I didn’t feel it was a must-visit destination, and I wouldn’t recommend it as a top priority. If I return to the Cotswolds, I doubt I’d revisit Broadway.
Snowshill
About a ten-minute drive from Broadway up into the hills, Snowshill is a wonderfully quiet and tucked-away little hamlet. From this peaceful spot nestled among rolling hills, you can see sheep grazing on the surrounding slopes — the quintessential Cotswolds landscape I had always seen in photos. It was genuinely moving to see it in person.
Large buses can’t reach it, I imagine, as there were almost no tourists when we visited — only a few local residents going about their day (we spotted a couple of elderly neighbors). The area is small enough to explore in about 20 minutes. For independent travelers, Snowshill is highly recommended.
Castle Combe
Castle Combe is, in my personal opinion, the top highlight of the Cotswolds. Even better, if you can visit The Manor House — the village’s historic country-house hotel — for a meal or afternoon tea, it will make your entire Cotswolds stay feel at least three times more special.
If you visit the village of Castle Combe together with the grounds of The Manor House — even without dining there — you should allow at least one hour. There are cafes in the village where you can stop for tea, which will also take time. Walking the main street alone takes about 30 minutes, but coming all this way and leaving without stepping onto The Manor House grounds would truly be a shame.
More from this England series:
🏡 Cotswolds Villages Part 1: Bourton-on-the-Water, Barnsley & Bibury
🏰 Visiting Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) — Part 1
☕ Highclere Castle — Afternoon Tea & Gift Shop — Part 2
Bring the Cotswolds Home: Afternoon Tea Essentials
Afternoon Tea 3-Tier Cake Stand
Plan Your London and Cotswolds Trip
Book your London hotels and Cotswolds tours early — popular options fill up fast!
Explore Cotswolds tours from London on Viator:
Cotswolds Travel Books
Planning Italy next? This site is mainly about traveling Italy in your 40s and beyond — start here:
☕ Back in London afterwards? The Orangery at Kensington Palace is a lovely spot for afternoon tea, with a full palace visit guide here.
🫖 Comparing options? See my guide to afternoon tea in London, palaces to country houses — with the prices I actually paid.