Welcome to the Cotswolder! Travel destination guide for the Cotswolds, England.

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Large version - Cotswolds Map

In the heart of England is a rural idyll of peaceful rolling hills where life is unhurried and traditions abound. Historic villages contain stone cottages so perfect they're called "chocolate boxes". Footpaths cross scenic fields and valleys leading to rivers, canals, woods, and civilized pubs. This is the Cotswolds, an area of limestone hills in the English countryside west of London, between Bath and Stratford-on-Avon.

The area has been known as the Cotswolds since at least Shakespeare's time (he mentioned it in Richard II). Its designating name is well-recognized though it is not an official county. Its boundaries are clearly demarked and spill over six counties, though the majority of the Cotswolds lie in Gloucestershire.

This website is your personal travel guide to the Cotswolds.

New on Cotswolder

August 2009, we spent 6 weeks in the Cotswolds and are updating the site with new information!

Driving Tours: Hire a car and driver for a custom tour of the Cotswolds.

Lords of the Manor in Upper Slaughter: A weekend at this historic hotel.

About the Cotswolds

An introduction to this beautiful part of the English countryside. History, geography, weather, maps of the Cotswolds, practical tips. Read more

Towns and Villages

The market towns of the Cotswolds - what to see, food and drink, shops, nearby villages and sites. Read more

Plan Your Trip

Get started planning your trip to the Cotswolds: car rental, car services, driving tours, London airports, weather, our favorite books and maps, web resources. Read more

Accommodations

Find vacation rentals in the Cotswolds, price comparisons, reviews, hotels and B&Bs, staying near the airports. Read more

Cotswolds Photo Gallery

Photos of the Cotswolds: towns & villages, gardens, food & drink, trip photo essays, Bath, Wiltshire. Look at photos

About Cotswolder

We are Pauline Kenny and Steve Cohen and we are "Cotswolders"! We hope you will come to love this countryside area of England as much as we do. About Cotswolder

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Cotswolds [kots-wohldz, -wuhldz] – noun. A range of hills in SW England. Also called Cotswold Hills.

Cotswolder [kots-wohlder, -wuhlder] – noun. A traveler who is devoted to the Cotswolds. They are recognized by their sturdy walking shoes and Ordnance Survey maps.

Travel in Britain

  • AutoEurope, car rentals in England
  • TrekTools - Maps, Atlases, Guidebooks
  • Booking.com, hotels in the Cotswolds, England
  • Call in Europe, cell phones and SIM cards for England
  • Zaptel, long distance phone cards
  • Amazon.com - Cotswolder Book Store
  • Slow Europe - guide to vacation rentals
  • EuropeBy.com - hotels and vacation rentals in Europe
  • LondonBy.com - hotels and vacation rentals in London, England
  • ScotlandBy.com - hotels and vacation rentals in Scotland