The prettiest villages in the Cotswolds
The top 3 according to 1,434 votes from people: Bibury · Castle Combe · Bourton-on-the-Water. (Updated Mar 29, 2026.)
Honey-coloured stone cottages, rivers and country pubs: the Cotswold villages that tourism guides and UK travel bloggers love most.
Top 10
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1
Bibury
Home of Arlington Row, 17th-century weavers' cottages beside the River Coln.
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2
Castle Combe
Often called England's prettiest village, with its old market cross and bridge view.
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3
Bourton-on-the-Water
The 'Venice of the Cotswolds', with low stone bridges over the River Windrush.
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4
Chipping Campden
Market town with a 17th-century Market Hall and a golden High Street.
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5
Upper and Lower Slaughter
Twin villages on the River Eye with a working watermill.
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6
Broadway
Wide High Street of honey stone and Broadway Tower on the hill above.
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7
Painswick
The 'Queen of the Cotswolds', with 99 clipped yew trees in its churchyard.
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8
Snowshill
Hilltop hamlet with lavender fields nearby and the National Trust's Snowshill Manor.
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9
Stow-on-the-Wold
Hilltop market town with the yew-framed door of St Edward's Church.
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10
Burford
Steep High Street sloping down to a medieval bridge over the Windrush.
Candidates
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11
Bisley
Quiet village of stone cottages and wells, off the tourist trail.
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12
Lacock
National Trust village with Lacock Abbey, used as a Harry Potter filming location.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (4)
Painswick and its 99 yew trees, underrated.
Castle Combe looks like a film set, because it is one, lots of movies shot there.
Bibury's Arlington Row is gorgeous, but go early, the tour buses arrive at 10.
The Slaughters are the most peaceful villages, walk between them along the river.