5-Day Itinerary Exploring Warwick & The Cotswolds

Steeped in history and culture, rolling landscapes and delicious food - Warwick & The Cotswolds are a must-visit! This 5-day itinerary includes visiting Shakespeare’s birthplace - Stratford-upon-Avon, a trip to medieval Warwick, and Royal Leamington Spa.

For the past few years, I have loved hosting and tour managing group tours across not only Scotland, but the whole of the UK. I was super excited when I was asked to host my first group tour to Warwick & The Cotswolds. The Cotswolds have been on my travel list for a while, and I could not wait to visit! Here is what you can see on your visit too.

5-Day Itinerary Exploring Warwick & The Cotswolds

Day 1 - Traveling from Edinburgh to Bosworth Hall Hotel & Spa

We travelled onboard a luxury coach, which was super comfortable. The journey only took a couple of hours with rest stops on the journey from Edinburgh. Soon we (a group of 13) had arrived at the 3* Bosworth Hall Hotel & Spa, located in the heart of Warwickshire countryside. Set in eleven acres of beautiful landscaped gardens, the historic 17th-century-grade II listed mansion is an ideal base to explore Warwick and The Cotswolds.

The Bosworth Hall Hotel & Spa is only a 19-minute walk from Market Bosworth and 9.9 miles from the M1. As well as exploring the landscaped gardens, you might like to enjoy a game of tennis or sit back and have a soak in the hot tub.

The classic and historical mansion is also an idyllic spot to host your wedding! This wedding venue has it all, including its ghostly guests. Will you spot " The Grey Lady"? Rumoured to be the ghost of Anna Dixie, one of the daughters of the fourth Baronet of Bosworth, whose father accidentally murdered her while attempting to catch her lover.

Day 2 - Stratford-Upon-Avon

Get a taste of Olde England while discovering the history and heritage of Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of Shakespeare. Spend the day admiring the traditional timber-framed Tudor architecture, relax in the many parks and gardens, or take a stroll along the banks of the River Avon.

We started our visit with a trip onboard the hop-on-hop-off city sightseeing tour bus around the charming area of Stratford-Upon-Avon. The tour bus includes stops at Shakespeare's birthplace, Shakespeare's New Place, Guild Chapel, and Anne Hathaway's Cottage.

Did you know you can also buy a combination ticket including a cruise on the River Avon or Anne Hathaway's Cottage?

After enjoying seeing the many attractions and hearing about the history of the area, we jumped off to enjoy some lunch. Right next to the hop-on-hop-off bus stop is the Boston Tea Party, with a wide range of delicious food, hot and cold drink's you will not be disappointed! I can highly recommend the smoked salmon hash. Yum!

With lots to see and do, shopping, and the opportunity to take a boat trip on the River Avon, I would recommend spending a couple of days in Stratford-Upon-Avon. On this occasion, it was a full day exploring, enjoying the sights, great food, and shopping.

Day 3 - Warwick & Royal Leamington Spa

Warwick offers the opportunity of exploring not only the architectural gems of our medieval history but also those of our more recent past and the modern vibrant life of this town. Within a relatively small area, there are many buildings of historic interest, of which the castle is the most important. We also visit Leamington Spa with its wide boulevards, Georgian and Edwardian architecture, and expansive, award-winning parks providing a sophisticated backdrop to this Regency shopping paradise.

Day 4 - Medieval Cotswold Villages

The Cotswolds are scattered with pretty towns and villages, providing pleasant places to whittle away the time. This full day to the heart of the beautiful Cotswolds county, travelled via the villages of Broadway, Moreton-in-the-Marsh, and Stow-on-the-Wold.

Each with they're own unique character, small shops, beautiful walks, a local craft market, and more. I can't wait to return and explore more!

Did you know that The Cotswolds covers a huge area – almost 800 square miles – and runs through five counties (Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, and Worcestershire). One of the delights of visiting the Cotswolds is exploring the different areas, each with its own identity, yet all with those defining Cotswold features: golden stone and rolling hills, the ‘wolds’.

Day 5 - Returning Home To Edinburgh

The week went incredibly fast as always! It was lovely meeting so many wonderful people in the group, exploring the beautiful Cotswolds, and of course sampling some of the delicious local produce including; Cotswold Lavender Ice Cream and Cotswold Cream Liqueur. What will be you're highlight when visiting The Cotswolds?

I hope you have enjoyed reading and feeling inspired to visit Warwick & The Cotswolds.

Until next time...

Happy Travels,

Michelle x