The Cotswolds' best hidden gems

There are few places as charming as the Cotswolds, with its picture-perfect rolling countryside, signature honey-hued villages and traditional pubs with open fireplaces. Take a closer look and there you will find a wealth of surprising attractions and hidden gems waiting to be discovered that are sure to make your holiday in the Cotswolds even more memorable.

We have done the hard work for you and found some of the Cotswolds' best hidden gems – and places that we think are too good to miss during your visit. Get even more idea for day trips in our top 10 things to do in the Cotswolds guide or where to find the best Cotswolds walks. There are hundreds of great walks to uncover in the Cotswolds and our handy blog is just the beginning.

To discover the best hidden gems and things to do in the Cotswolds at a leisurely pace, why not book a stay at one of our self-catering holiday properties? Click the button below to start browsing our cottages.

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Enjoy a cocktail at The Cotswolds Distillery

On the theme of lavender, discover another of our favourite hidden gems at The Cotswolds Distillery in Shipston-on-Stour. Here, the lavender farmed from Snowshill is blended into an award-winning Cotswold Dry Gin in the first full-scale craft distillery in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As well as their refreshing gin, they also create a Cotswold Single Malt Whisky made with Cotswold-grown barley, along with a variety of small-batch spirits and liqueurs. The best way to enjoy this unique attraction is by booking onto a distillery tour which offers a rare opportunity to see a range of different spirits being lovingly crafted, and you can see (and smell!) the processes in action before revelling in a tasting in front of a cosy log fire. Take some home with you to recreate the experience with online cocktail recipes from the distillery's in-house mixologist; ours is a Cotswolds Garden! 

Shipston on Stour cottages

Discover the Rollright Stones

The mysterious and ancient site of the Rollright Stones near Bourton-on-the-Water is a Cotswolds treasure, bursting with tales of folklore and legends, as well as its alleged supernatural and healing properties and underground leylines. Resting atop a limestone ridge in Great Rollright, on the boundary between Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, there are three separate groups of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments: The King’s Men stone circle, the King Stone, and the Whispering Knights. On a sunny afternoon, it makes for a wonderful walk with scenic trails running alongside the site, while those interested in stargazing will be pleased to note that this is also a designated Dark Sky Discovery Site. The monuments are a must-visit for history fans, as their story spans from 3,800BC when the oldest stones date from, to the Cold War when an early warning post was sited nearby. 

Bourton-on-the-Water cottages

Wander around Wychwood Wild Garden

If a secret garden is what you're after, head towards Shipton-Under-Wychwood where you will find the enchanting Wychwood Wild Gardens. Hidden behind creaking wrought iron gates, a wonderland of 12.5 acres of community-owned gardens and woodland are waiting to be explored. Drift along an avenue of a hundred limes, some over 250 years old, admire the elliptical Round Pond – home to ducks and moorhens, and discover the magnificent Cedar of Lebanon, possibly over 300 years old. There is a myriad of canals, waterfalls and pathways to navigate, shrouded by willows and fragrant fauna. This is also one of the best places in the Cotswolds for a dog walk - four-legged visitors are more than welcome to explore this landscape as long as they are kept on a lead at all times. 

Shipton-under-Wychwood cottages

Rock out at Wilderness Festival

The Cotswolds is home to many fantastic festivals and events throughout the year, but one of the lesser-known (for now!) is the annual Wilderness Festival in August. Run by Lady Rotherwick, this unique festival in the Cotswolds is a far cry from the muddy backwaters of Glastonbury. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Cornbury Park near Woodstock, this fabulously quirky Cotswolds festival boasts wood-fired hot tubs, theatre performances, food and drink feasts, skinny-dipping in the lake, late-night masked balls, debates, arts and crafts for kids and of course, a brilliant line-up of live music such as Grace Jones, and the Two Door Cinema Club. The festival's eco-friendly credentials extend further than the festival site itself - cycle to the festival and you can get a cheaper ticket, and save the planet too! 

Woodstock cottages

Go fishing at Bibury Trout Farm

Watch children’s faces light up in delight at this hidden gem, Bibury Trout Farm, where the fish dramatically leap out of the water in their quest for food thrown by visitors. A sight to behold, this is one of Britain’s oldest and certainly most attractive Trout Farms located in the chocolate-box village of Bibury - referred to by William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in England’. Open since 1902, The hatchery spawns up to six million trout every year, perfect for budding fishermen who want to try catching their supper in the '‘Catch Your Own’ Fishery’. As well as offering the opportunity to catch your own dinner, the on-site smokery sells delicious fish to take home and enjoy. And during the summer months, visitors can purchase disposable barbecues from the gift shop and dine alfresco amongst the resident wildlife – a great day out in the Cotswolds for the whole family.

Bibury cottages

Visit lovely Blockley

One of our favourite secret spots for a summer’s picnic in the Cotswolds is in the charming village of Blockley. This hidden gem of a village is one of our favourite hidden places in the Cotswolds; it's full of quintessential Cotswolds charm, nestled in a lush valley surrounded by gently rolling hills. Once a key player in the silk industry of the 18th and 19th centuries, where the silk mills were powered by the brook's waters, it is now a picture-perfect village that's ideal for a lazy day out. Lay a blanket on the banks of the mill stream that winds its way through the bottom of the valley, or head onto the traditional village green, overlooking the picturesque Norman Church. Bliss!

Blockley cottages

Take a swim at The Lido

If the sun is shining, there is no better place to cool down than at The Lido in Chipping Norton, a true oasis in the Cotswolds. Known locally as Chippy Lido, it boasts an eco-friendly heated 25m pool and toddler pool, as well as a slide, café and grassy area with picnic tables. Run by local people since 2004, this secret attraction in the Cotswolds is one of the best days out for kids, but really, it's great for everyone; just imagine yourself poolside, ice cream in hand, all your troubles melting away…

Chipping Norton cottages

Climb Broadway Tower

Most visitors to the Cotswolds will wander through the pretty village of Broadway at some point during their stay – it’s one of the most photographed locations in this beautiful region. However, if you take a scenic stroll along a footpath that winds its way up the hill beyond the village you will find one of England’s most outstanding viewpoints: Broadway Tower. Standing at 65ft high, this unique 18^th-century Capability Brown Folly Tower is the second highest point on the Cotswold escarpment and boasts panoramic views over 16 counties from the top. Along with its awe-inspiring views, you will also find an interesting exhibition on William Morris and intriguingly, a nuclear bunker of the Royal Observer Corps which is open to visitors on weekends.

Broadway cottages

Enjoy Cotswold Lavender

If you are visiting the hidden Cotswolds during the summer, be sure to head to Cotswold Lavender where an extraordinary scene awaits. Between June and September, the fields of Snowshill burst into life, blanketed in a photogenic carpet of over 35 breathtaking varieties of lavender. Wander amongst 90 acres of around 500,000 fragrant blooms and pick up lovely lavender goodies from the on-site gift shop. Because this Insta-worthy event only occurs for a few months each year it is easily missed, so don’t forget to pop this secret destination on your Cotswolds itinerary. However, if you have missed the fragrant show, the farm also produces a wide range of toiletries, wellbeing products and even edible treats, so you can experience the scent of the Cotswolds at any time of year. 

Snowshill cottages

Stroll around The Slaughters

For a walk to remember, we think the mile-long amble between the timeless honey-coloured twin villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter is just perfect. Don't let the names put you off - Slaughter comes from the Old English for 'muddy place', although that's far from how we'd describe these two pretty villages. On a lovely summer’s day, you can follow the path lined with rose-clad cottages beside the River Eye, perhaps dipping your toes in its shallow water, and stop for an afternoon tea in The Old Mill – once used to produce flour, but now houses a tea room, ice cream parlour, craft shop and museum. These two untouched villages are the epitome of idyllic Cotswolds charm and have been widely used for filming and productions. Copse Hill Road in Lower Slaughter has even been named as the most romantic street in Britain, now how's that for hidden beauty in the Cotswolds?

Upper Slaughter cottages

Map of the Cotswolds hidden gems

Check out our map to find where each of the attractions above are located.

Stay at a self-catering holiday cottage in the Cotswolds

With all the comforts of a home from home, set in beautiful locations, our holiday cottages in the Cotswolds are the perfect places to rest your weary legs after a day of exploring the region’s best-kept secrets. Why not have a browse of our collection and find the perfect retreat for a staycation to remember?

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