Cotswolds Tour from London: Stratford & Chipping Campden Highlights

Five Cotswold villages, a Shakespeare stop, and a driver who knows where to eat

A full-day guided tour of the Cotswolds leaves London Paddington in the morning and returns by 6pm, traveling by 16-seat air-conditioned coach through Stratford-upon-Avon, Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water with a local driver and live commentary. You get roughly an hour in each major stop to explore on foot, eat lunch at a local pub or café, and browse independent shops; the driver offers insider tips on where to go. Children from age 3 are welcome, and the coach picks you up and drops you at Paddington Station.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon

• Depart from London Paddington Station
• Stop at Stratford-upon-Avon, visit Shakespeare's Birthplace
• Scenic drive with guided tour
• Visit Chipping Campden, lunch and explore
• Scenic drive to Broadway Tower
• Stop at Broadway Tower viewpoint
• Roadside stop at Cotswold Lavender Fields
• Visit Snowshill village
• Scenic drive to Stow-on-the-Wold
• Stop at Stow-on-the-Wold, lunch and explore
• Visit Bourton-on-the-Water village
• Scenic drive through the Cotswolds
• Visit Bibury village and Arlington Row
• Return to London Paddington Station

The Experience

You start at London Paddington Station in the morning and spend the first stop—about an hour—in Stratford-upon-Avon at Shakespeare's Birthplace Coach Terminal. The town sits on the Avon River and draws visitors for its literary history; most people use the time to walk Shakespeare's Birthplace itself, a 15th-century timber-framed house, or simply wander the town's narrow streets at their own pace. From there the coach heads into the Cotswolds proper, a region of honey-colored stone villages and rolling countryside that sits roughly an hour northwest of London.

The route takes in Chipping Campden, a market town with independent shops and cafés where you'll have about 70 minutes to eat and explore; a brief roadside stop at Broadway Tower, a folly on a hillside; and a look at the Cotswold Lavender Fields before arriving in Snowshill, a hilltop village known for stone cottages and quiet atmosphere. Stow-on-the-Wold follows, another 70-minute stop in a market town where most travelers eat lunch at one of the local pubs. The coach then moves through Bourton-on-the-Water, called the "Venice of the Cotswolds" for its gentle river and stone bridges, before the final village stop at Bibury. Bibury is famous for Arlington Row, a line of 14th-century stone cottages that sit beside the river and appear in countless photographs of the Cotswolds; you'll have time to walk the row and sit by the water before heading back to London.

The driver provides live commentary throughout the day and shares recommendations for where to eat and what to see in each village. You bring your own food or use those local tips to find lunch; the coach is air-conditioned and seats a maximum of 16 people. The return to Paddington Station is timed for 6pm, giving you a full day in the villages without an overnight stay.

What’s included

• London Paddington Station pickup and drop-off at 6pm.
• air-conditioned 16-seat coach transport.
• local driver with live commentary and restaurant recommendations.
• stops in Stratford-upon-Avon, Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water with roughly an hour or more in each main village to explore, eat and shop.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Shakespeare Coaches

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in London without a car and want to see multiple Cotswolds villages in a single day—the coach handles the driving and the timing, so you spend your energy on the villages themselves rather than navigation. The fixed 6pm return to Paddington works for anyone catching an evening train or heading back to central London.

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Top questions

How much time do I actually spend in each Cotswolds village?

Stratford-upon-Avon gets about an hour; Chipping Campden and Stow-on-the-Wold each get roughly 70 minutes; Snowshill, Bourton-on-the-Water and Bibury are shorter stops where you can walk and sit by the river or explore the main street, but not linger for a long meal. The rest of the day is spent driving between villages with the driver offering commentary.

What is there to do in Bibury, the last village before heading back to London?

Bibury is known for Arlington Row, a famous row of 14th-century stone cottages that line the river. You can walk along the cottages, sit by the water, and browse a few small shops, but the stop is shorter than the lunch stops earlier in the day.

Do I need to bring my own lunch, or can I eat in the villages?

Food is not included in the tour price. You can bring a picnic, or the driver will recommend local pubs and cafés in each village where you can buy lunch during your free time. Chipping Campden and Stow-on-the-Wold both have multiple options and enough time to sit down and eat.

Where does the coach pick me up and drop me off?

The coach picks you up at London Paddington Station in the morning and returns you there at 6pm. If you prefer, you can arrange to start or end in Moreton-in-Marsh or Stratford-upon-Avon instead; contact the operator to confirm those options.

Is this tour suitable for children?

Children from age 3 are welcome on the tour. Infants under 3 must sit on an adult's lap. The coach is air-conditioned and the day includes multiple stops where children can get out and walk around the villages.

What is Broadway Tower, the brief stop on the route?

Broadway Tower is a folly—a decorative stone structure built on a hillside—that offers sweeping views of the Cotswold countryside. The coach stops briefly so you can step out and take in the view and take photographs, but it is not a long exploration stop.