Elegant spa and market towns and stately homes presiding over rolling, green landscapes. Welcome to Gloucestershire. Trek between the honey-hued clusters that make up the picture-perfect Cotswold villages or cycle off the beaten track through oaks and beeches in the huge Forest of Dean – brake for wild boar and roe deer! An ever popular family day out, Gloucestershire towns will give you glimpses of regency high life and medieval market squares. This west county's lively sporting calendar is packed with high-end horse races, county cricket and even annual Double Gloucester cheese rolling. There’s never a shortage of attractions in Gloucestershire.
Places to visit in Gloucestershire
Explore the resting place of the last of Henry VIII’s six wives
Sudeley Castle’s magnificent gardens are world-renowned, providing variety and colour from spring through to autumn and the grounds are the final resting place of Katherine Parr.
Location: Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
Slow things down in Hidcote Manor Gardens
Forget about the outside world for a few hours in this perfect spot of Gloucestershire.
Location: Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
Don’t be afraid to make a splash at Cotswold Water Park
Cotswold Water Park has more than 150 lakes to choose from – offering all kinds of watersports. Take your pick!
Location: The Cotswolds, Gloucestershire
Go shopping for retro clothes on a Cotswolds vintage tour
Visit the Cotswolds and discover vintage treasures on a carefully designed retro-themed driving tour.
Location: Tewkesbury or Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Get to the heart of the crafty Cotswolds
Allow yourself to be dazzled – and perhaps, learn to dazzle yourself – at a place where art comes to life.
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Seek out wild garlic flowers amongst Gloucestershire’s woodland
Wild garlic flowers are pretty little things to spot on a summer’s ramble in the Cotswolds, and make for a delicious addition to your salad bowl.
Location: The Cotswolds, Gloucestershire
Indulge with the Cotswolds' Pudding Club
Join a foodie revolution where pudding is king in the Cotswolds.
Location: Chipping Camden, Gloucestershire
Explore the rooms and grounds of Snowshill Manor
From suits of Samurai armour to antique bicycles of all shapes and sizes, there are about 22,000 reasons to take a nose round Snowshill Manor.
Location: Snowshill, Gloucestershire
Take part in the Cotswolds & Severn Vale circular cycling tour
Enjoy a circular self guided cycling holiday tour, so you spend a week exploring the Cotswolds & Severn Vale, on your bike with optional day routes.
Location: Gloucestershire, Cotswolds
Retrace the Cotswolds’ Arts and Crafts movement
Explore William Morris's Cotswolds as you relive the area's arts and crafts movement in Chipping Campden and Broadway.
Location: Chipping Campden & Broadway, Gloucestershire
Grab your bike for a cycling tour of the Cotswolds
Get off the beaten track with a Cotswolds Adventures guided cycling tour in the summer sun. Meander through lanes, villages, and stunning countryside.
Location: Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
Walk through history at Berkeley Castle
Walk in the footsteps of Wolf Hall’s real historic characters, and also the actors who went on to play them at Berkeley Castle.
Location: Berkeley, Gloucestershire
Stay and play on Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park
Make the most of family fun time camping at Cotswold Farm Park, and visit nearby Bourton-on-the-Water to explore attractions & picnic by the river.
Location: Near Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire
June events: Revel in music at Westonbirt Arboretum for Forest Live
England’s forests turn into atmospheric music venues for Forest Live, offering an eclectic range of artists & an amazing night out.
Location: Westonbirt near Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Rediscover yourself on a relaxing farm stay in the Cotswolds
Experience a break with a difference & reconnect with the countryside. Stay in a hut by the pond or a unique shepherd’s hut with a cosy log burner.
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Strap your boots on for the Cotswold Way National Trail
Escape this summer and walk the Cotswold Way with friends, stopping over along the route at unique accommodation sites nestled in tranquil locations.
Location: Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
July events: Tewkesbury Medieval Festival
Originally one of the world’s biggest battle re-enactments, this event in the normally quiet village of Tewkesbury has grown into a festival recreating all aspects of medieval life.
Location: Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
Enjoy a romantic break at Cotswold House Hotel and Spa
Chill out and rekindle your romance with a wonderful summer luxury break at the contemporary Cotswold House Hotel and Spa in Chipping Campden.
Location: Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire