Gardens & Greenery: A Charming Cotswolds Experience Guide

Gardens:

• Kiftsgate Garden - My favorite garden in England. This 3rd-generation, female-run, hillside garden is such a special place full of striking beauty, water features, colorful flowers, hidden paths and reflecting pools. They have a cafe on site to enjoy a light bite or beverage. I recommend two hours here.

• Hidcote Garden — A close neighbor to Kiftsgate with intricately designed outdoor spaces, a variety of garden types and plenty of trails for a longer stroll. I recommend two hours here.

• Sezincote Estate & Gardens — This unique, 200-year-old Indian palace offers hilly walking paths through temples, grottoes, waterfalls and canals reminiscent of the Taj Mahal. I love their hillside garden paths, fountains and the exceptional Orangerie to enjoy afternoon tea or lunch. I recommend a three-hour visit with a bite to eat.

• Batsford Arboretum - 60 beautiful acres of rare trees, shrubs and bamboos from around the world. They have beautiful trails, a plant center and a cafe to enjoy breakfast, lunch or coffee. I recommend a two-hour visit.

• Bourton House Garden — An intimate, 3-acre terraced garden, known for their striking herbaceous borders, with a variety of herbs, colorful flowers, shaped shrubs, water features and trees. They also have a 7-acre open field full of beautiful trees you can stroll through and a cafe that serves pastries. I recommend a one-hour visit.

• The Garden at Miserden — A peaceful English garden with roses, clematis, shrubs, stone walls, fountains, and overlook views of the Cotswolds hills. The greater property is 850 acres of woodlands and farmland. Their new Little Ginger Cafe offers drinks and light snacks. I recommend two hours here.

• Stowe Gardens - Famous gardens with picture-perfect views straight out of Pride and Prejudice. This large estate offers lovely lakeside walking paths, beautiful bridges, striking long views and timelessly sophisticated large-scale landscape beauty. Buy tickets ahead and plan to enjoy long walks and spend at least two hours here.

• Rousham Hous & Gardens — This delightfully formal residence has stunning gardens with a variety of walled areas and walking paths. It’s a fantastic first stop from Heathrow and I recommend spending two hours here.

• Blenheim Palace — This lavish manor is the famous birthplace of Winston Churchill and a very popular stop for tourists. I recommend going for the indoor experience more so than the gardens. They offer free headsets that add a perfect level of depth to each of the rooms you’ll explore in the palace. This is an easy first stop for those arriving into Heathrow on their way to the Cotswolds, and you must buy tickets ahead of time. Spend at least two hours here if you’re willing to endure the crowds.

Spas:

• Bamford Wellness Spa — A luxe day-spa on the Daylesford Organic Farm property that offers private treatments and classes.

• Dormy House Spa — A fantastic spa at the Dormy House Hotel (one of my faves!) that offers treatments and therapies along with an indoor pool, outdoor terrace, hot tub, cafe and Scandinavian thermal suite. I highly recommend sticking around for lunch or dinner.

• Spa Village Bath — This spa at The Gainsborough 5-star hotel in Bath offers exclusive access to the city's natural thermal waters. It features thermal pools, saunas, a steam room and a range of treatments, making it a luxe destination for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Villages and Shopping:

• Daylesford Organic - A chic garden shop with fresh food marketplace, cafe, home decor store, garden shop, spa and patio restaurant with seasonal organic plates and salads. Highly recommended planning a 2hr visit.

• Diddly Squat Farm Shop - IYKYK. This cute roadside farm shop is from the popular British documentary, Clarkson's Farm.

• Burford - A charming Cotswolds village with cute shops, bakeries and restaurants.

• Chipping Campden — A delightful market town near Broadway, known for its terraced High Street, cute shops and friendly locals.

• Cheltenham - A larger city bordering the Cotswolds to the West with great boutiques, bustling streets and fun places to grab a bite. A great place to visit for higher energy.

• Cirencester - A bustling central Cotswolds town with fun shopping, pubs and inns for those that want to be able to walk to fun from their hotel.

• Bantam Tea Rooms - The PERFECT place for a delightful afternoon cream tea. This cozy, family-run spot in Chipping Campden is known for its traditional English tea service and is a beloved spot for both locals and visitors. They serve a variety of teas, freshly baked scones, cakes and light meals. I cannot recommend the cream tea experience enough!

• Bakery on the Hill - A tiny bakery in Burford with incredibly fresh pastries and lunch in a charming back courtyard.

• Daylesford Organic — Yes, this place is on my list for spa, shopping and eats! They have a lovely outdoor bistro that serves lunch and early dinner with farm-fresh, seasonal, organic ingredients.

• The Fleece — A charming hotel pub and restaurant in Cirencester with cute decor and elevated British and Indian food. They serve brunch, lunch and dinner, and you will certainly not leave hungry.

• The Swan - A darling country hotel-bar in Bibury with an elevated twist on European food. They offer brunch, lunch, afternoon tea and puddings and I’m certain you’ll love their charming decor and friendly staff.

• Brotherton’s Brasserie - A cozy, intimate Italian bistro in the charming town of Woodstock. Excellent for a bite to eat after Blenheim.

• Smith’s - A delicious, fresh-spin on traditional English pub food in the cute town of Bourton-on-the-Water. They have bistro patio seating or a delightfully charming indoor experience. After a big day of walking, I indulged with their burger and a beer.

• The Wild Rabbit — This vibey 5-star country inn has exceptional indoor and outdoor dining with the best service in the Cotwsolds. Enjoy their fresh, locally-sourced creations for the finest dining experience of your trip here.

• Hook - Need to mix it up from British food? I highly recommend visiting The Fish Hotel’s restaurant to enjoy top-notch seafood, an exceptional wine list and laid-back but luxe vibes.

• Hands Georgian Tearoom — A lovely tea house in Bath with the traditional high tea and Somerset clotted cream tea experiences.