Just had an amazing weekend in the Cotswolds!

Hey everyone! Last week I asked for recommendations here and received tons of great suggestions—with just a few dissenting voices. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who chimed in! As the title indicates, my wife and I enjoyed a delightful 4-day getaway in the UK, exploring the Cotswolds. In my previous post, I shared our somewhat hectic itinerary, but now I’d like to recap our actual experiences, hoping to help others looking to spend some time in this beautiful region, taking in every moment without feeling rushed.

Day 1 (March 7)

We landed at Birmingham Airport at 1 PM, picked up our rental car, and drove to the Greswolde Arms Hotel in Knowle for lunch.

Next, we headed to Hailes (near Winchcombe) for a lovely walk to take in the views (thanks for the suggestion, u/imo979!). Afterward, we made our way to Bibury, where we enjoyed a pleasant stroll around town and along the brooks. Despite warnings of heavy tourist traffic, we found it surprisingly tranquil with just a few others around.

As the sun began to set, we drove to the Amberley Inn in Amberley, near Stroud, where we had a wonderful stay.

Day 2 (March 8)

We woke up early and took a refreshing morning stroll around the inn. After breakfast, we checked out and made our way to Stroud, where we spent time at the charming Farmer’s Market, indulging in some delicious artisanal baked goods.

Next, we headed to Castle Combe but couldn’t find parking, so we just drove through and moved on to Lacock. There, we grabbed lunch at Lacock Bakery, played with some friendly cats, and explored various Harry Potter filming locations before visiting the Abbey and its beautiful gardens.

Leaving Lacock behind, we traveled to Bourton-on-the-Water and enjoyed a scenic walk along less crowded public footpaths away from the hustle and bustle.

On our way to The Bell Inn in Ducklington, we stopped in Witney to attend Sunday (Vigil) Mass at the Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Hugh, where we were welcomed by a vibrant community.

Day 3 (March 9)

Following tradition, we started our day with a walk around the inn, this time trailing some ducks. Our first stop was the picturesque Slaughters, where we followed u/maveco’s recommendation to explore both villages—especially Lower Slaughter, which was absolutely enchanting.

Next, we made our way to Stow-on-the-Wold. We strolled through the town, visited the churches, and admired the iconic inns we had heard so much about (The Sheep and The Porch House) while attempting “Speak, friend, and enter” at the Doors of Durin.

Afterwards, we continued on to Oxford. We parked at the Peartree Park & Ride and took the bus to the city center, where we had lunch at the covered market. We wandered around and visited both New College and Christ Church. We had hoped to see the Bodleian Library—historically significant, beautiful, and a Harry Potter filming location—but by the time we searched for tickets, they were sold out. Though the colleges were stunning, we left feeling a bit disappointed by Oxford as a whole. It felt overly commercialized, which can be disheartening to see in tourist-heavy areas.

We wrapped up our day by returning to the car and driving to The Crown Hotel in Blockley, enjoying a final stroll around town before dinner.

Day 4 (March 10)

Unlike the previous sunny days, the last day was cloudy and sometimes rainy (though not a major