Burford Travel Guide

Drive 40 minutes from Oxford or take the Pulhams X52 bus to reach Burford in the morning. Approach along the A361 road from the hilltop to take in the panoramic view of the high street — honey-coloured limestone buildings cascading down the slope to the three-arched medieval stone bridge over the River Windrush. Walk downhill along the high street, first visiting St John the Baptist Church — a Grade I listed building founded in 1175, one of the Cotswolds' largest "wool churches", featuring a fan-vaulted porch, 15th-century wool merchant memorials, medieval stained glass and the 1569 Harman tomb (containing the earliest carved depiction of Native Americans in England). Then visit the Tolsey Museum — a 16th-century timber-framed market hall turned museum, displaying Burford's history from wool trade to horseracing. Spend the afternoon browsing the antique shops lining the high street (Gateway Antiques, Burford Antiques & Interiors), England's oldest pharmacy Reavley Chemist (established 1734) and Huffkins tearoom. Stroll along the River Windrush footpath through water meadows with views of the church spire, finishing your Burford day with modern British cuisine at The Angel restaurant.

If time allows, combine Burford with surrounding classic Cotswolds attractions for a 2-day 1-night trip. In the morning, visit Cotswold Wildlife Park — set in the 160-acre Bradwell Grove estate, offering close encounters with lions, giraffes, rhinos, penguins and ring-tailed lemurs, plus a children's farm and adventure playground; allow 3-4 hours. Then explore Minster Lovell Hall — the romantic ruins of the largest 15th-century Oxfordshire manor, with ivy-covered stone walls and a well-preserved riverside dovecote, free entry. In the afternoon drive to Bourton-on-the-Water — the "Venice of the Cotswolds" with five stone bridges crossing the River Windrush. Arrive at Stow-on-the-Wold in the afternoon — the highest market town in the Cotswolds, its crossroads surrounded by honey-stone houses and antique shops. Alternatively, take the 6.2-mile circular Windrush Valley walk to Swinbrook village — home of the Mitford sisters, passing medieval churches, lost village sites and country pubs. End your Cotswolds trip with a farm-to-table dinner at The Baytree Hotel restaurant.