Charming Cotswolds- Cirencester & Bibury

1 Days from just £27.00

Spend the day exploring two sides of the beautiful Cotswolds as we visit Cirencester and the picturesque village of Bibury.  

Known as 'The Capital of the Cotswolds', the market town of Cirencester can trace its history back to the Roman occupation as prosperous 'Corinium' grow to be the second largest town in Roman Britain. Destroyed by the Saxons, its fortunes slowly revived behind the medieval wool trade and developed the foundations of the ancient honey stone coloured buildings that line today's charming narrow streets. 

Mondays are market day in Cirencester, but there's lots to see and do away from the stalls. The Corinium Museum allows you to explore the town's Roman past and is home to one of the largest collections of Romano-British antiquities as well as several stunning mosaics. The 2nd century Roman Ampitheatre, now grassed over, is one of the best preserved in Britain. The market square is dominated by the Parish Church of St John Bapist and is one of the finest Cotswold wool churches, demonstrating the areas medieval wealth. The more inquisitive visitor may be able to spot the silver-gilt cup which once belonged to the ill-fated Queen of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn. 

For those who like to stretch their legs and explore outdoors, Cirencester Park - Earl Bathurst's 3000 acre estate designed by the poet Alexander Pope - is open daily to the public. The ruins of St. Mary's Abbey - consecrated in the presence of King Henry II in 1176 and a victim of Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries - are a delightful spot on a nice day along with the surrounding Cotswold countryside. 

In the afternoon, we'll make our way to Bibury, 'the most beautiful village in England'. Known from its starring film roles in Bridget Jones' Diary and Stardust, Bibury was voted as the 'most beautiful village in the world' by Forbes magazine (Sept 2025). Built in 1380 as a monastic wool share, the converted C17th weavers' cottages of Arlington Row are some of the most photographed cottages in the UK. The North Chancel wall of the village church is home to a 1927 stained glass window which featured on the 1992 Royal Mail Christmas stamps.