Lady’s Guide to a Day Tour to Oxford and the Cotswolds

Today I want to share my review of Rabbie’s day tour to Oxford and the Cotswolds. I love a good day trip, but sometimes my lack of a car makes it difficult to get to the best places near London. This is particularly true of the Cotswolds, which I love visiting but can’t do easily without driving. Rabbie’s tour solves this problem, and today I want to share about my experience in this advertising feature.

Rabbie’s

Rabbie’s offers small group tours of Britain and Ireland, including day tours from London. Their 16-seat mini-coaches allow them to take people to places that are difficult to reach via public transport.

With large windows and a driver-guide offering commentary along the way, they also lend themselves to taking in the scenery and learning a lot en route.

Oxford and Cotswolds Day Tour

Today I’m off on the Oxford & Traditional Cotswold Villages tour, which is one of the 1-day tours Rabbie’s offers from London. I meet my group at the Greenline Coach Terminal in Victoria and we depart on time at 9:15am.

As we drive out of London, Jennifer, our driver-guide, tells us about the various London neighborhoods we’re passing through.

Unfortunately, the speakers on the bus aren’t working so it’s a bit hard to hear her. She does a good job talking as loud as she can so we can still learn from her, though.

Bibury, Cotswolds

Around an hour and 45 minutes later, we arrive at the first stop on our Oxford and Cotswolds day tour: Bibury. This is one of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds, not least because of the historic weavers’ cottages on Arlington Row.

We have 25 minutes to see the houses and walk around the village. I photograph the cottages and wander through some of the streets before getting back on the coach for the next leg of the journey.

Burford, Cotswolds

15 minutes of Cotswolds scenery later, we arrive in Burford. This town is often referred to as the Gateway to the Cotswolds. It has everything from a historic church to a high street lined with picture-pretty shops and houses.

We have an hour to explore Burford, so I start by walking around to admire the heritage buildings. Later I stop for lunch at Lynwood and Co on the high street, savoring a sandwich and fueling up for the next leg of the trip.

Bampton

In another 15 minutes, our Oxford and Cotswolds day tour brings us to Bampton. This village in Oxfordshire is known for its association with traditional Morris Dancing.

When we arrive, the streets are filled with men in white costumes adorned with bells and flowers.

Bampton is also known for the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, where many scenes from Downton Abbey were filmed. I recognize it from the TV show as soon as we arrive.

We have 30 minutes to explore Bampton. I walk from the church through the village streets, taking in the music and bells of the Morris Dancing and admiring the thatched-roof cottages and traditional houses.

Oxford

The final stop on our Oxford and Cotswolds day tour is Oxford itself. Just over a half hour’s drive from Bampton, this famous university city welcomes us with its stunning architecture and church spires.

We have two hours to see Oxford. I start by walking around the college buildings, absorbing the beautiful facades and peeking into the courtyards.

From Jesus College to All Souls College and Corpus Christi College, the rose-clad walls are beautiful.

I can’t resist visiting the iconic Radcliffe Camera and Christ Church Meadow, but I also want to see a different side of Oxford than the one I’ve visited in the past.

I’ve heard good things about Jericho, so I meander over to explore. The high street is full of independent shops and cafes, and the side streets are packed with colorful houses.

It’s everything I love about a neighborhood, and I’m glad I’ve been able to discover it.

Oxford and Cotswolds Day Tour

At 4:45pm I meet the coach to travel back to London to complete the Oxford and Cotswolds day tour. We arrive in Victoria just before 7pm, and I head home feeling like I’ve accomplished a lot in one day.

And that’s another thing I like about Rabbie’s: their tours allow people to see a tremendous amount in a short time. And given how much I’m traveling these days, time is exactly what I’m short on. That and a car.

This is an advertising feature with Rabbie’s. If you want to book one of their tours, you can do so here.

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