Tours/London/Small Group Cotswolds Villages, Stratford and Oxford Day Tour from London
Viator · group up to 15 pax

Small Group Cotswolds Villages, Stratford and Oxford Day Tour from London

4.9(352)London1 hour
VIATOR4.9(153)TRIPADVISOR4.9(199)

Description

Explore Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, and the Cotswolds, and discover the best of England in one day on this small group tour, maximum 16 people, from London. Visit historic Stratford-upon-Avon with a guide and learn of the life of William Shakespeare — widely considered to be England’s most famous poet. Spin through the pretty countryside to characterful Cotswold villages, where life ticks by at a relaxing pace. Then, explore the medieval city of Oxford — home to one of the world’s oldest universities and join your tour guide for a walking tour to learn and see more. Tour includes guide and round-trip luxury mini-coach travel from central London.

Tour Options

Victoria departure point
  • Join us at our second pick up point for this tour, from outside the front of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Victoria. See departure point information for more details. Departure time: 9.10am Starting point: DoubleTree by Hilton London - Victoria, 2 Bridge Pl, Pimlico, London SW1V 1QA, UK
London Eye departure point
  • Join us at our first pick up point for this tour, from the corner of Belvedere Road and Chicheley Street, near the London Eye. See departure point information for more details. Departure time: 8.45am

Itinerary

120 min

Visit the world famous beautiful historic town - birthplace of The Bard - William Shakespeare. Explore the charming streets, shops and cafes. Stroll along the River Avon. Visit Shakespeare's birthplace if you wish, and see the impressive Royal Shakespeare Company theatre. Your guide will take you on a guided drive through the town pointing out it's most historic features.

30 min

Explore the buzzing Henley Street - home to William Shakespeare and family in the 16th century.

Admission not included45 min

You'll have the chance to enter the house where William Shakespeare was born back in 1564 - resorted to it's 16 century character.

15 min

Visit the 800 year old church where Shakespeare is buried alongside family members and the opportunity to see Shakespeare's grave. Please note this is a working church and can close at no notice on occasion.

120 min

Our drive through the Cotswolds lets you experience the most beautiful and picturesque countryside anywhere in England. Rolling lush green hills, dotted with charming stone cottages. Fields, hedgerows, wildlife & flowers, this part of the country is stunning. We enter the Cotswolds around 20 minutes after leaving Stratford and don't leave the area until around 20 minutes before reaching Oxford later in the afternoon.

25 min

Explore this historical Cotswolds market square in the famous and beautiful Cotswolds town of Stow on the Wold. Perhaps enjoy a cup of tea and a slice of cake from a local bakery, or have a browse in one of the many antique shops around the square.

30 min

Visit "England's most beautiful village" - as described by historic style champion William Morris. The is the ultimate in Cotswolds beauty. A perfect charming village with small stone cottages and a babbling trout filled brook running right through the heart of the village. View the "Arlington Row" a famous row of stone cottages built in the 14th century, over 600 years ago. Take photos you will treasure forever.

15 min

Admire the Cotswolds most famous and most beautiful row of stone cottages, set in the exquisite backdrop of England's most beautiful village - Bibury.

120 min

Walk amongst Oxford University's most famous, historic and beautiful buildings. Join your guide on a 45 minute walking tour to see some of Oxford's highlights and hear stories of the English speaking world's oldest university and some of the characters it has produced over the last 900+ years.

Admission not included15 min

Oxford's most famous and breath-taking view, the domed historic university building of Radcliffe Camera set in the stunning Radcliffe Square. Oxford's most famous and admired view.

Admission not included10 min

See one of Europe's oldest libraries, the spectacular and grand Bodleian Library. One of Oxford's true highlights.

Highlights

Round-trip travel by air-conditioned luxury Mercedes minicoach from central London
Bottled water
Experienced knowledgeable and welcoming tour driver/guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Walking tours of Oxford and panoramic driving tour of Stratford
Fully commentated small group guided tour

What's included

Included
Round-trip travel by air-conditioned luxury Mercedes minicoach from central London
Bottled water
Experienced knowledgeable and welcoming tour driver/guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Walking tours of Oxford and panoramic driving tour of Stratford
Fully commentated small group guided tour
Not included
Optional entry to Shakespeare's birthplace. Child - £9.75 Adult £19.50 Concession £16 Family £48.75
Food and drink
Gratuities

Traveller Ratings

4.9
352 reviews
5
331
4
17
3
3
2
1
1
0

Important Information

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Minimum age is three years
  • Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
  • A moderate amount of walking is involved, and across some uneven surfaces
  • Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark
  • No large items of luggage are permitted, luggage compartment is limited
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Please do not travel if unwell and/or experiencing symptoms of Covid-19

Reviews(352)

J
Juanita_M
July 13, 2026
Excellent excursion into rural England

Stratford, Oxford, and the Cotswolds -- a lovely experience. The scenery is lovely, the history of each area is interesting, and the towns are beautiful.

L
lenoreg710
July 10, 2026
An Exceptional 12 hour Tour!

This was an absolutely wonderful Tour! Our Guide Alex picked us up at a designated spot and drove us on a lovely sight-seeing tour regaling us with history and stories of the listed places. My husband and I would highly recommend it!

1 people found this helpful
Operator response

We're absolutely delighted to read this — thank you so much for taking the time to write! Alex is wonderful and we're so pleased he made the day such a memorable one for you and your husband — his knowledge and storytelling really do make all the difference. We're very lucky to have him as part of our small team here at The English Bus. Thanks again for choosing to travel with us. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure with The English Bus one day — check our website for live availability and best prices. All the best for now, Jen

J
Jeffery D
July 5, 2026
Best tour in London!

What a wonderful tour! We learned so much at every stop! Nolh was FANTASTIC!! He made our trip fun and the day flew by! I highly recommend this tour and if you can get Nolh as your guide… that’s a BIG bonus!!

1 people found this helpful
Operator response

Hi Jeffery, What a fantastic review — thank you so much for taking the time to write! Nolh is absolutely brilliant and we're so thrilled he made the day fly by — his energy and enthusiasm are completely infectious. We're very lucky to have him as part of our small team here at The English Bus, and we'll make sure he sees this! Thanks again for choosing to travel with us. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure with The English Bus one day — check our website for live availability and best prices. All the best for now, Jen

L
Lynton_M
July 4, 2026
A great all round trip

What a fantastic trip to the Cotswolds! Lucy was absolutely amazing in her efforts to make sure we were comfortable and ensured the trip catered for us considering our needs and interests. She went above and beyond and is such an asset to your organisation. In addition to Lucy’s great customer service, incredible knowledge of English history and the region, the towns we visited were simply impressive. Thank you!

D
Deborah_W
June 29, 2026
Best bus tour ever!

Loved the smaller bus. It was a much more intimate experience. Lucy was a fabulous tour guide. She is warm and engaging with so much information.

J
Justin B
June 16, 2026
Family tour of Cotswolds, Oxford, Stratford on Avon with Nohl

Our tour with Nolh was amazing! He was incredibly knowledgeable, fun, and hilarious! Our whole family loved him!

1 people found this helpful
Operator response

Hi Justin, Thank you very much for your review. Great to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Nolh so much! We very much appreciate the feedback and Nolh will be delighted to hear you had such a good time with him at the helm. Thanks for choosing us and we hope to welcome you back on one of our other tour routes one day soon. All the best, Chris The English Bus

S
SusanE901
June 14, 2026
Excellent small group tours from London!

On our first ever visit to London, we took one day to do a small group tour to the Cotswolds and were so glad we did! A full day, easy connections, a wonderful guide and iconic places made this an outstanding value and highlight of our trip. Jon was an excellent driver and guide, and shared so many fun stories about the area, historic events, and daily life. We loved that it was a small group and he was able to drive some country lanes that would have been unaccessible to the large coaches. We also had time on our own in each stop, to walk, eat or shop as we chose. The bus was new and very comfortable, with roomy seats and leg space. We highly recommend The English Bus tours!

Operator response

This made our day — thank you so much for taking the time to write, especially on your very first visit to London! Jon is brilliant and we're so pleased he made the Cotswolds feel so special — his knowledge of the area, the stories, and those country lanes that the big coaches simply can't reach are exactly what makes a day with The English Bus so different. We're very lucky to have him as part of our small team. We're also really pleased the bus felt comfortable and that the free time at each stop gave you the freedom to explore at your own pace — that balance is something we work hard to get right. Thanks again for choosing to travel with us, and for such a lovely recommendation. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure with The English Bus one day — check our website for live availability and best prices. All the best for now, Jen

K
Kristin_L
June 12, 2026
Best part of our trip!

This tour was our favorite activity while we were in London! Nolh was the best guide! He was charming, knowledgeable, and hilarious- he really made the site come alive and fostered such a sense of family within our group. The coach was comfortable and each stop exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend if you want a smaller group experience to see the English countryside. Thanks Nolh!

N
Norma_L
June 11, 2026
Highly Recommend

This was one of the best tours we embarked upon. The guide was excellent and very friendly. The ride accommodations were very comfortable

A
Amanda_T
June 8, 2026
Three Excellenct Experiences All In One Day!

Fantastic guide, beautiful scenery, and breathtaking stops. You get to see Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare lived, two stops in the Cotswolds, and Oxford. Of course, you could spend a whole day in any ONE of these amazing places, but getting to see all in one day gave us a chance to efficiently use time and not worry about the driving. Highly recommend.

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