There’s a reason people fall for the Cotswolds. It’s not just the cottages (though they help). It’s the pace. The footpaths. The way a visit feels like slipping into a storybook or a fairy tale.

View upon entering the village of Naunton on foot.

If this is your first time, visiting the Cotswolds, the best thing you can do is start with clarity, not an itinerary.

This is a quick orientation to help you plan a trip that feels unhurried and truly inspiring — before you start booking places, pinning villages, or trying to “do it all.”

First off, let’s talk about what the Cotswolds actually is (and why that matters for planning).

The Cotswolds isn’t a single destination. It’s England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) spanning almost 800 square miles and covering portions of 6 different counties (primarily Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire). This region just 2 hours from London in south-central England is made up of:

small villages that invite you to slow down and explore
market towns that offer shopping and restaurants
rolling countryside and farmland connected by lanes and footpaths
gardens, historic sites, viewpoints, and pubs tucked into the landscape

Planning gets easier when you stop thinking, “Which village is best?” and start considering, “What kind of experience do I want to have? or “How do I want to feel at the end of my time in the Cotswolds?”

An ewe and her lambs above the village of Snowshill.

Exploring the Cotswolds is less about sight-hopping and more about building a rhythm that lets the place impact and inspire you for years to come.

Step One: Choose a base that supports your pace.

Where you stay shapes everything — your mornings, your driving, your evenings, and how rested you feel.

Instead of chasing “the most popular village,” choose your primary location based on how you want to live while you’re there:

If you want maximum ease…

Consider a market town base (more dining options, parking tends to be simpler, and you can still reach villages easily) like Broadway or Stow-on-the-Wold.

Shopfront on the square in Stow-on-the-Wold.

If you want maximum charm…

A village base can be magical — especially if you love quiet evenings and walking right from the door. Lower Slaughter or Stanton are lovely options.

The village of Lower Slaughter. Busy by day, but early mornings and evenings are tranquil and especially picturesque.

If you want the best of both…

Consider 2-3 nights in each place.

Soaker tub in one of the Superior Rooms at Slaughters Country Inn.

Step Two: Shape your days with one anchor (not five).

One of the best planning shifts for a first trip is this:

Build each day around one anchor

That anchor might be:

one village you explore slowly
one longer walk
a garden or historic site
a market town morning
a leisurely pub lunch

Then let the rest of the day be supportive — not stuffed.

This is how you end up with the best kind of moments: the ones you didn’t plan in detail, but had space to notice.

Step 3: Decide how long you’ll visit.

You can enjoy the Cotswolds in any length of time — but different lengths create different experiences.

1 Day - if you’re staying in Oxford or Bath and want to ‘see the Cotswolds’, choose a Cotswolds location that doesn’t require long drive times. Pick a village or town to explore and a character-filled pub to enjoy. This is just a sneak peek, so make sure to find someplace that’s not filled to the brim with other day-trippers.
2 Days - Opt for one base and keep your radius small. This will maximize your time and leave you the least frazzled. Make plans for one day and leave the other open to spontaneous exploring or just soaking in the beauty and charm.
4 Days - A satisfying first trip — enough time for villages, a walking day, and one more specific outing like a country manor or historic site. I’d still recommend sticking with one base for a 4-day visit.
7 Days - When the Cotswolds becomes truly restorative — you stop feeling like a visitor and start feeling like you belong there for a while. Choose two bases to explore from and opt for at least one or two rest days so you feel like you can truly stop and smell the roses.

What to book first (before you fill your itinerary).

If you only do a few things early, let them be these:

Your base (or bases).
Choose this first. Everything else gets easier.
A few key meals or experiences
Not your whole trip — just the pieces that matter most to you. Consider one anchor experience per day.
A walking plan (even a gentle one)
If you want to truly experience the English countryside and the classic Cotswolds countryside, prioritize time on foot with a village-to-village walk.

Walkers from one of my retreats coming through the village of Snowshill.

Want a simple companion to this post?

If you’d like the quick, practical companion — the printable checklist you can keep beside you while you plan — I’m getting ready to publish a free mini guide:

👉 What Not To Do in the Cotswolds (free checklist)
Sign up for my monthly newsletter so you’re the first to get this valuable insight.

It’s designed to help you avoid the little planning snags that can steal peace from your days — and keep your trip feeling calm from the start.

First Time in the Cotswolds? Read This Before You Book Anything