The Cotswolds & Blenheim Palace - Private Tour from London

Every day from £821 per Group

Classic England

“View of The Swan Inn in Bibury covered in ivy and surrounded by beautiful greenery in the Cotswolds.”

“Stunning view of sheep grazing in the Cotswolds countryside with a medieval church in the background.”

“Ancient stone bridge leading into a medieval village in the Cotswolds countryside, England.”

“Picturesque view of Bourton-on-the-Water showing a stone bridge over the river with a magnificent weeping willow tree on the riverbank.”

“Charming riverside view in Bourton-on-the-Water featuring stone bridges and quaint riverside cottages.”

Our Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace tour from London takes you into the heart of the English countryside. Enjoy lunch in a traditional English pub. The tour visits the magnificent Blenheim Palace, situated within 2,700 acres of parkland and featuring stunning gardens. Blenheim is one of the most spectacular palaces in England, boasting a fabulous collection of art and furnishings, as well as strong connections to the United States. Blenheim Palace is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Cotswolds are an area of outstanding natural beauty. A timeless scenery of medieval villages, gently rolling hills and pastures, winding country roads following ancient paths, and across narrow streams.

The tour stops for lunch in a 14th-century inn.

The Cotswolds

The Cotswolds is an area of outstanding natural beauty deep in the heart of the English countryside. It still retains an old-world charm of gently rolling hills, woodlands and sheep pastures. Our executive vehicle is able to follow some of the ancient winding roads not accessible to larger coaches as we pass through this exceptional scenery. Spend the morning visiting some of the medieval Cotswolds villages, including Stow-on-the-Wold, Bibury & Bourton-on-the-Water. We will then head to the village of Burford to enjoy lunch in a traditional English pub. Your guide will explain the region’s history as he shows you around these villages. King Charles has owned a private house in the Cotswolds for many years where he can escape to the idyllic peace and beauty of the area.

Blenheim Palace

A State Room at Blenheim Palace

The afternoon begins with a relaxing drive along the narrow and winding country lanes to arrive at Blenheim Palace. Here, we’ll enjoy a guided tour of the magnificent state rooms, with free time to explore the gardens.

In 1704, the British army, led by General John Churchill, defeated King Louis XIV’s French army in the Battle of Blenheim in present-day Germany. So significant a victory that Queen Anne awarded him the title Duke of Marlborough, gave him extensive lands and paid for the building of a grand palace called Blenheim Palace. Designed by the greatest architect of the day and with magnificent landscaped gardens, it continues to be one of the pre-eminent stately homes in England. The 9th Duke of Marlborough, due to a significant shortage of funds, went searching for a wealthy wife, and as was commonplace at the time, a marriage of convenience was forged with an American heiress, Consuelo Vanderbilt, who, following a marriage in New York in 1895, became the Duchess of Marlborough. Using her vast funds and a significant dowry valued at 88 million dollars in today’s currency, the house was restored to the standard you can see today, with magnificent entertaining rooms filled with fine art and priceless furniture and decorations. The younger son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough, Lord Randolph Churchill, also married an American heiress, Jenny Jerome. Their son, Winston, was born at Blenheim in 1874 and, after a spectacular military career, entered politics, becoming Britain’s heroic wartime Prime Minister. He is generally considered to be the greatest Englishman of all time.

Today there is a permanent exhibition at Blenheim honouring Sir Winston Churchill.

In 2018 President Trump was hosted to dinner in the state dining room by the British Prime Minister Theresa May.

As well as the magnificent Palace, visitors can enjoy the splendour of the landscaped grounds and stunning gardens, including what is popularly considered ‘the finest view in England’.

A visit to Blenheim is a must for all those interested in British heritage.

Typical Itinerary:

07:45: Depart from London.
10:00: Our tour of the Cotswolds villages begins. Drive into the English countryside, along winding country lanes and through picture postcard villages like Witney, Minster Lovell, Asthall & Swinbrook
Visit Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest town in the Cotswolds at nearly 800 ft. Enjoy a guided tour through the market square and along narrow cobbled streets.
The Cotswolds Countryside
Take a spectacular journey through the Coln Valley, admiring the extraordinary landscape along the way. We’ll stop at the 13th Century stone church at Coln St Dennis before heading to Bourton-on-the-Water, nicknamed by locals “Little Venice.” Bourton is considered one of the prettiest villages in England, surrounded by fields and the River Windrush that runs through it.
Just a few minutes drive away is Bibury, a gorgeous little village where we’ll discover the ancient shops and houses, the three medieval bridges and impressive church
12:30: Arrive at Burford where your guide will lead a tour of the market town. Here we’ll enjoy an English pub lunch in a traditional inn, and there’ll also be time to explore its 900-year-old church
Bibury
14:30-16:30: Following lunch, we spend the afternoon at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Explore the incredible interiors and landscaped gardens on a visit to the palace, with free time to explore one of the finest country houses in the UK. This includes seeing the Churchill Museum and enjoying the palace gardens. Your visit to Blenheim Palace includes an excellent audioguide.
Return to London arriving at approximately 18:30.

more info:

Tour includes:

Executive vehicle with an option of a driver, a driver/guide or a driver and separate tour guide
Fully refundable and amendable up until 14 days before travel, with a flexible booking guarantee! You can view the booking conditions during the booking process, prior to confirmation of any booking

Tour excludes:

Gratuities (optional)
Lunch: There are many tradional pubs in the area

A traditional row of stone cottage houses on Arlington Row in Bibury inThe Cotswolds.

Tour Pricing

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Adult

£164

Child (3-15)

£144

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about the tour:

The Drive:

The Cotswolds is one of the prettiest places to visit in England. We use specially designed small minibuses that are able to go into the heart of the countryside and drive through winding, twisty narrow country lanes that are typical of the area. This will give you a true feel for the ‘authentic’ England. The minibuses that we use on this Cotswolds tour are custom made with extra large windows on all sides of the vehicle, which means that you won’t miss a thing! We’ll drive along narrow roads, passing lush green fields, farmers herding sheep, and cows grazing in meadows, giving you a real taste of the area!

The Towns/Villages:

We’ll visit some of the prettiest towns and villages in the region. Places like Burford, Bibury & Bourton-on-the-Water. These places all contain the typical features of a true Cotswolds village, including thatched-roofed cottages and local limestone buildings. Our expert tour guide will lead you around these villages and will explain the rich history and heritage of the area.

Blenheim Palace:

Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Britain’s most important country homes. It is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture and is known for its stunning State Rooms and magnificent landscaped gardens. Blenheim Palace is also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, and his memory is honoured in the Churchill Exhibition and the Formal Gardens. Discover the history with an excellent audio guide. Visit Blenheim Palace on this small-group tour from London.

terms and conditions

Booking is subject to terms and conditions of the tour operator. All passengers are advised to arrange travel insurance..