Downton Abbey and the Cotswolds

This full-day tour is a must for fans of 'Downton Abbey’ combining a visit to sophisticated Highclere Castle, the main set for Downton Abbey and some of the delightful villages in the Cotswolds used for the filming of this popular television series, including the old market town of Bampton, charming Burford and the pretty village of Swinbrook.

Take a trip back in time to the set of Downton Abbey on our full-day tour to Highclere Castle and the Cotswolds.  Our tour departs from Oxford and takes you first to Highclere Castle, the splendid home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. You have a chance to visit the castle and see where the filming took place and also to visit the beautiful castle grounds. We then take you to the delightful village of Bampton which was the backdrop for the village of Downton. Enjoy lunch in one of the many pubs or cafes in Burford, followed by an enchanting drive through some of the idyllic villages of the Windrush Valley before returning to Oxford.

Itinerary

Your tour begins with a drive through the medieval city of Oxford en route to Highclere Castle. Highclere Castle is the ancestral home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and is now famous for being the location of the popular television series ‘Downton Abbey’. Enjoy visiting the castle and the gardens and seeing where scenes from ‘Downton Abbey’ were filmed. The castle also has beautiful grounds which you will have time to explore. We leave Highclere Castle and return to Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds, starting with a visit to the charming village of Bampton, with its quaint stone houses and cottages. Bampton was the location for the village of Downton in ‘Downton Abbey’. You will have time to visit St. Mary’s Church and the Bampton Library and Archive, both of which were used in the filming of this much-loved television series and the subsequent movies.

Our stop for lunch is in the delightful market town of Burford with its old coaching inns and antiques shops. Don’t forget to have a look at the ‘wool-bale’ tombs at the Church of St John the Baptist. After lunch we take a scenic drive through some of the old quarrying villages of the Windrush Valley and then head to the village of Swinbrook with its riverside pub which was used as an inn in Downton Abbey.

Our return journey to Oxford takes us through the pretty villages of Asthall (home to the
Mitford sisters) and Minster Lovell with its thatched cottages and ruined hall.

Once a month on specific dates – see schedule (TBA for 2022)
Cost: £100 per person

Pick-up Point

Just outside the Taylorian Institute in Oxford City Centre

Please Note

  • Public transportation nearby
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Not suitable for pets
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • Infant seats unavailable

Cancellation Policy

We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled 1 day or less before the event

We will charge a cancellation fee of 0% if booking is cancelled 1000 days or less before the event

What Our Guests Say

Highly recommended!
5/5
"It was such a lovely day out! Thank you Isobel for your wonderful and informative guide, and thank you David for the safe and comfortable ride. The Cotswolds is really difficult to travel with public transport, so joining the tour was the best way to enjoy the quaint villages and hidden gems in the area. Also, it is rather impossible to get a ticket for the immensely popular Highclere Castle on your own; I am so glad to have found a perfect tour that saved my day."
Arisa N.
Best tour and great people
5/5
"We had an excellent tour with the most knowledgeable and friendly driver and guide. I would seek them out again if we are ever back in the area! Thank you so much for being accommodating. You went beyond expectations! All seven of us commented on how much we enjoyed our day."
229barbaraz

Small group tours with
maximum 12 guests:

£85 Per person

Private tailor-made tours
for up to 12 guests:

From £600

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Experience type:

Day tour / activity

Booking in advance:

Cut off: 4 hours

Duration:

8 hours

Difficulty:

Easy

Supported accessibilty:

Stroller or pram

Know before you go:

Minimum age of passengers is: 12

Categories:

Cultural and theme tours, Day trips and excursions, Luxury and special occasions, Culinary, Bus / minivan tour

Live tour guide:

English

Need help booking?

 

Call us on any of the numbers below and we will be happy to help you with booking a tour with us.

Landline: +44 (0)1869 340090

Mobile: +44 (0) 7976 246967

Mobile: +44 (0) 7860 222408

To make a booking, visit our Tours page

Explore the beautiful Cotswolds

Discover idyllic English villages, nestling in quiet valleys with picture-perfect thatched cottages, majestic castles and manors, fields and hedgerows.

Call:  +44 (0)1869 340090

email: info@cotswoldexploring.co.uk

Cotswold Exploring are supporting the environment through our partnership with One Tree. £1.00 from each tour you book will help to plant more trees worldwide.

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