usa > Suggested Itineraries > Cheltenham and the Cotswolds

Cheltenham and the Cotswolds

Stay either at luxury historical Greenway just south of Cheltenham, at the 4* Paramount Cheltenham Park just north of the town, or in the centrally located Hotel on the Park.

Book through a South West Specialist travel agent.

Each day itinerary has been colour coded on the map.

Day 1
Visit Cheltenham today.

Day 2 - blue route
Drive out on one of the Romantic Roads through the Cotswolds today. You can hire a classic Morgan car to do this, or simply use your hire car.

Head for the pretty village of Winchcombe where you can visit nearby and Winchcombe Pottery. Continue on to Snowshill. You can visit Stanway House on route or Snowshill Manor just beyond the village. Continue on to Broadway where you could have lunch at Russells, or at Hicks Restaurant at the Cotswold House Hotel. Hidcote Manor Gardens are just beyond Chipping Campden.

Day 3 - pink route
Head down to Gloucester today and visit the cathedral, film location for the first Harry Potter movie. Continue on to drive through the Forest of Dean into another country, Wales! Stop in Monmouth and visit the castle. Follow the Wye Valley north to Ross on Wye, and return to Cheltenham.

Day 4 - green route
Travel south west to visit Berkeley Castle this morning, and continue on to Thornbury Castle, former home of King Henry VIII, for lunch . Return via Painswick village and the Rococo Gardens.

Day 5 - red route
Another Cotswolds day - Head south to Tetbury with it's antique shops and royal connections (Prince Charles's home Highgrove is only just up the road!). The Trouble House pub near to Tetbury would be great for lunch. Continue to Bibury with the much photographed Arlington Row cottages. If time, carry on to Northleach and Bourton-on-the-Water.

Another alternative day would be to head straight out to the Cotswolds Heritage centre at Northleach from Cheltenham, and then to visit Bourton-on-the-Water followed by a visit to Daylesford Organic farm shop (Harrods in the Cotswolds!) for lunch, calling in at the pretty villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter (there's an attractive 15 minute walk between the 2 villages) Finish the day with a visit to Stow on the Wold for antique and tea shops!