Museums that transport you back to the Domesday Book, yellow-stone Cotswold villages straight from a chocolate box and manors perched on rolling, emerald hills. If you like the great outdoors, you'll love The Cotswolds, a region that spans central England and the south west. If you’re looking for things to do in the Cotswolds – well, there’s plenty. Potter around Broadway or Bilbury, spot buzzards sweeping across the hilltops, raid farmers markets for local culinary delights like single Gloucester cheese or treat the kids to a day out at Cotswold farm park. After trekking escarpments, you can even swap hiking boots for top hat and tails at race days in elegant regency Cheltenham. Top that off with a stay at a choice of cosy Cotswolds cottages and hotels, and you’ve got a staycation to remember.
Places to visit in The Cotswolds
Eat like a local at Kirkgate Market
This traditional covered market is one of the biggest in Europe with fresh food stalls that will get your taste buds tingling.
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Shop in style in the beautiful Victoria Quarter
Marvel at this collection of beautifully restored Victorian shopping arcades in Leeds and browse the luxury shops within them.
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Wander around one of England’s oldest medieval houses
Dating back to 1420, timber-framed Shibden Hall lets you peek into the fascinating life of Anne Lister, as made famous by the BBC ONE / HBO drama ‘Gentleman Jack’.
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire
Relive the Industrial Revolution
Mills, canals, tunnels and follies in steep-sided valleys and rolling hills tell the tale of Calderdale’s key role in the Industrial Revolution.
Location: Calderdale, West Yorkshire
Follow the trail of the Brontë sisters in Birstall
Visit Red House and Oakwell Hall in Birstall, both frequented by the Brontë sisters and which featured in Charlotte Brontë’s famous novel Shirley.
Location: Birstall, West Yorkshire
Discover a different Yorkshire on the river
Discover a new world with Shire Cruisers - steering a beautifully fitted narrow boat with everything you need, past ever-changing Pennine scenery.
Location: Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire
April events: Shake your tail feather at Hebden Bridge Burlesque Festival
See some of the best performers from the world of burlesque and alternative cabaret at this event in May.
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire