The corner of England that Americans fall hardest for — honey-coloured stone, sheep-money churches, and more tourists every year than the lanes were ever built for.
Seven episodes on where to go, when to go, and how to enjoy it without becoming part of the problem.
Arlington Row, Bibury. Photo by Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Cotswolds were built on wool. The stone is the same limestone all the way through, which is why the villages look like a set — and why the whole area now carries a weight of visitors that its single-track lanes were never designed for.
We keep coming back to it because it is genuinely lovely and because the practical questions are real. Roanna Stromberg-Smith, who guides there professionally, talked us through the enchantment and the logistics. Tom Burdett explained what Downton Abbey and then Clarkson’s Farm have done to Cotswolds tourism — a boom that has been very good for some businesses and very hard on some villages.
We stayed at Thornbury Castle and recorded two episodes about it, one before and one from inside. We came back from a research trip with an episode’s worth of Cotswold travel tips and observations. And because Oxford is the natural gateway, our guide to the city sits in this collection too.
The short version: base yourself somewhere, don’t try to do six villages in a day, and go outside July and August if you possibly can.
A local guide, the television effect, and our own notes from the road.
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, host Jonathan Thomas speaks with Roanna Stromberg-Smith, a luxury Cotswold concierge and tour guide. They explore Roanna's journey into…
Listen to this episode →
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, host Jonathan Thomas speaks with Tom Burdett, Managing Director of StayCotswold, about the enchanting Cotswolds region. They discuss the…
Listen to this episode →
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, Jonathan and Jackie continue sharing their recent UK trip, focusing on their days in the Cotswolds. After the busy…
Listen to this episode →Every Cotswolds episode in broadcast order.
Oct 21, 2022 • 36:02
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, I talk about three great experiences from my trip last July that I haven’t had the chance to talk about yet. After we give some big operational updates about Anglotopia, I talk about my visit to Blenheim...
Nov 22, 2024 • 37:19
This episode of the Anglotopia podcast delves into the rich history of Thornbury Castle, a Tudor castle in Gloucestershire, with resident historian Tony Cherry. The conversation explores the castle’s significance, its connection to historical...
Nov 29, 2024 • 49:13
Following on from last week’s history of Thornbury Castle, this week in Part Two, we take a tour around the castle in person. In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, we take listeners on a captivating tour of Thornbury Castle in Gloucestershire,...
Apr 4, 2025 • 56:02
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, Jonathan and Jackie continue sharing their recent UK trip, focusing on their days in the Cotswolds. After the busy London portion covered in part one, they slow down to enjoy quintessential English countryside experiences. The hosts describe their perfect Sunday with a traditional…
Apr 25, 2025 • 52:09
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, host Jonathan Thomas speaks with Roanna Stromberg-Smith, a luxury Cotswold concierge and tour guide. They explore Roanna’s journey into tour guiding, the charm of the Cotswolds, and the unique experiences she offers to travelers. The conversation delves into the geography and appeal of…
Aug 22, 2025 • 43:54
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, host Jonathan Thomas speaks with Tom Burdett, Managing Director of StayCotswold, about the enchanting Cotswolds region. They discuss the area’s appeal to international travelers, the impact of film and television on tourism, and the advantages of self-catering accommodations. Tom shares insights on the…
May 29, 2026 • 1:11:02
In this solo episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, Jonathan Thomas delivers his definitive guide to Oxford — his favorite city in England outside of London and the subject of his guidebook 101 Oxford Travel Tips and Tricks. From the bleary-eyed chaos of his first visit in 2012 with an angry…
In the order we recorded them, oldest first.
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, I talk about three great experiences from my trip last July that I haven’t had the chance to talk…
Listen to this episode →
This episode of the Anglotopia podcast delves into the rich history of Thornbury Castle, a Tudor castle in Gloucestershire, with resident historian Tony Cherry. The conversation…
Listen to this episode →
Following on from last week’s history of Thornbury Castle, this week in Part Two, we take a tour around the castle in person. In this episode…
Listen to this episode →
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, Jonathan and Jackie continue sharing their recent UK trip, focusing on their days in the Cotswolds. After the busy…
Listen to this episode →
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, host Jonathan Thomas speaks with Roanna Stromberg-Smith, a luxury Cotswold concierge and tour guide. They explore Roanna's journey into…
Listen to this episode →
In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, host Jonathan Thomas speaks with Tom Burdett, Managing Director of StayCotswold, about the enchanting Cotswolds region. They discuss the…
Listen to this episode →
In this solo episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, Jonathan Thomas delivers his definitive guide to Oxford — his favorite city in England outside of London and…
Listen to this episode →We turn our favourite conversations into full feature articles — the same material, written up properly, for people who’d sooner read than listen.
Exploring the fascinating story of England's only Tudor castle-turned-hotel, where Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn once walked Nestled in the rolling countryside of Gloucestershire, just a…
Read the article →Village guides, day trips and trip reports from our sister sites.
Those of you planning a holiday in England should definitely consider staying in the Cotswolds. Located in the west of England, this area…
Read on Anglotopia →
London, the vibrant capital of England, is a city that never fails to captivate visitors with its rich history, iconic landmarks, and diverse cultural…
Read on Londontopia →
The Cotswolds, a range of rolling hills in south-central England, is home to some of the most magnificent parish churches in the country. Often…
Read on Anglotopia →
Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of William Shakespeare, and the town has built its entire identity around this fact. You might expect this to result…
Read on Londontopia →
Everyone loves the Cotswolds. Anyone who visits will immediately fall in love with its green rolling hills and the buildings made of golden Cotswold…
Read on Anglotopia →
If you’ve spent the last several years completely entranced by the lives of the Crawley family and their servants, London is calling you. The…
Read on Londontopia →Six of the best-known Cotswold villages, and what you’re walking into at each.
Arlington Row is the most photographed terrace in England. Go early, or go in winter, or accept the coaches.
Wiltshire, and routinely called the prettiest village in England. Small, steep, and very busy by mid-morning.
A proper working market town with a magnificent wool church and the start of the Cotswold Way.
Wide main street, good galleries, and a hill-top tower with a view over twelve counties on a clear day.
The low bridges over the Windrush are lovely and extremely popular. Best very early or out of season.
High, windy, full of antique shops, and home to the yew-flanked church door everyone photographs.
New episodes every Friday. We end up back in Gloucestershire more often than we plan to.
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