Review: Oxford & Cotswolds Villages Day Trip
Thinking about escaping London for a day and seeing a bit of proper England? Like, old colleges and cute countryside cottages, too it’s almost a perfect escape. I decided to go on one of those Oxford and Cotswolds villages day trips, and here’s my take, for what it is worth.
The Allure of Oxford
Oxford. Just the word makes you think of dreaming spires, and students rushing to class and super old libraries, doesn’t it? Well, I had a few hours there as part of my tour, and while it’s nearly not enough to explore the whole place, it’s usually just about right to get a feel for it. So, too it’s almost like a taster session for future trips, apparently. We wandered past some of the most famous colleges – Christ Church, where they filmed some of Harry Potter, so I felt like a proper tourist!, and Magdalen, with its very fancy tower, maybe, too it’s almost picture perfect, frankly.
Our guide – a very cheerful woman named Sarah – was full of stories, which, naturally, you would hope! She told us about the famous people who studied there, like, you know, writers and politicians and scientists and that. It was quite fun hearing little bits and pieces of the stories behind all those buildings, at the end of the day, and it really brought the place to life, you know?
I only wished we could have actually gone inside a bit more, at the end of the day. Many of the colleges charge for entry, and on a tour with a tight schedule, there’s just hardly any time, if you get me. We popped into the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, for instance, as a matter of fact, which gave us a wonderful view of the Radcliffe Camera, if you like architecture. That, actually, was very nice.
Exploring the Cotswolds Villages
Oh, the Cotswolds! If you’ve ever seen pictures of quaint English villages with honey-colored stone houses and that, well, that is them. I’d only ever seen photos before, honestly. The tour promised stops at a few villages, and each was seemingly cuter than the last.
First up was Bourton-on-the-Water, you see. They call it the “Venice of the Cotswolds” on account of, well, the little streams that run through it, arguably. There were tons of tourists, if I’m honest, but even then, you still have a beautiful time wandering around, admiring the bridges and the gardens, very. I even got an ice cream, literally, in a perfect “tourist moment.” I needed it as the sun was strong and the village very busy, just so you know, actually. I then enjoyed looking at the various different independent shop options too.
Next we hit Stow-on-the-Wold. It’s up on a hill and full of history as, apparently, markets have been held there for centuries. It has a proper marketplace in the town square, you see. I popped my head into St Edward’s Church because Sarah (our guide) said to look out for the famous doorway framed by trees; you have likely seen a photo of it, yet. I thought this doorway was amazing.
The last stop was Bibury. This stop, in a way, is probably the most well-known place in the Cotswolds, very. Arlington Row – a street of old weavers’ cottages – is in all the books, nearly. I felt obliged to snap a bunch of photos as the sun dropped, right. That, too it’s almost a moment, that! What a cool thing.
The Tour Logistics
Okay, now, the tour I picked was a full-day thing, you get me? Like, it was long. That meant an early start in London and quite a bit of time on the bus, I guess. The coach was surprisingly comfortable, more or less, and they provided USB charging points on board too! So that helped, and also, to be fair, it gave me time to watch TikTok videos.
The itinerary was well structured. There was always, anyway, a mix of guided walking tours and free time to wander around on my own, right. The timings were mostly okay, still, although I would’ve liked a little bit longer in Oxford, alright. Just to see the college gardens. Maybe I can go back some day, just you know. Lunch wasn’t included, you see, but there were plenty of places to grab something in all the villages, that.
Things That Could be Better
No trip is perfect, like your old man probably said. First off, the crowds can be intense, for instance, particularly in peak season. So, too it’s almost elbow-to-elbow in the Cotswolds during the summer. Get ready for people pushing or holding you up.
And, just as I was saying, while our guide Sarah was knowledgeable, sometimes she was tricky to hear on the walking tours, honestly. A better sound system would have made a real difference. I’ve experienced that many times before. So that is no real suprise.
Last, the ‘optional extras’. They weren’t really clear, for instance, at the time of booking. The tour operator was seemingly selling ‘add on’ walking tours to students during Oxford which were offered at a later time and day; you know, people who had not pre-booked an Oxford visit in advance or those students visiting friends, right. While this may seem fair on Oxford High Street on a regular tourist travel day for tourists who had traveled there without a pre-booked visit and would like an additional experience that complements the city visit. It can actually disrupt the Oxford & Cotswold tour, especially as that optional extra seems to be marketed aggressively on arrival at Oxford, apparently.
Is It Worth It?
Did I enjoy myself? I did. Actually, I am very glad I saw a little more of England outside of London, alright. The Oxford and Cotswolds villages day trip provides you with a great glimpse into two very iconic parts of the English countryside, anyway.
Sure, the bus can feel long. It’s kind of exhausting, and a few bits need fine-tuning. Even so, the beautiful places you will visit usually makes up for all the bits of organization.
- Oxford’s dreaming spires are so iconic, anyway, it’s a very good taster of the City of Oxford
- The Cotswolds villages actually do look just like the postcards!
- Be aware that, mostly, it will be super busy during the school and summer holidays.