Cream of the Cotswolds & Shakespeare Country 2026

Duration

5 Days

Departure Dates

27th July 2026, 24th August 2026

Prices from

£839 Per person

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Discover the cream of the Cotswolds on this relaxing tour amidst picturesque landscapes, beautiful villages, and historic towns. Steam through spectacular scenery on the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway, explore the birthplace of Shakespeare in Stratford, cruise the River Avon, and visit the magnificent Sudeley Castle & Gardens plus free time in the quaint villages of the Cotswolds.

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Stow-on-the-Wold 1 ©Shutterstock

5 days from £839

DEPARTS

Monday 27 July 2026

Monday 24 August 2026

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Visit some of the Cotswolds’ prettiest villages and market towns
Discover the fascinating collection of rare vehicles at the Cotswold Motoring Museum
Explore historic Stratford, the birthplace of Shakespeare
Enjoy a leisurely cruise across the River Avon
Journey through spectacular Cotswold scenery on the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway
Visit the magnificent Sudeley Castle & Gardens

Also included in your Tour Fare:

4 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Worcester and, on arrival, we will make our way to the Whitehouse Hotel, our hotel for the next four nights. We enjoy free time to explore our new surroundings before meeting for our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

This morning, we travel by train to Moreton-in-Marsh where our private coach waits to take us on a relaxing journey through the picturesque landscapes, rolling hills, and grasslands adorned with charming medieval villages and grand stately homes. We enjoy free time to explore the historic market town of Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest town of the Cotswolds, before making our way to Bourton-on-the-Water. This 'Venice of the Cotswolds' is one of the prettiest villages in England and we will visit the Cotswolds Motoring Museum, stroll the stone bridges of the River Windrush, and discover the charming shops before returning to the hotel in time for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 3

Today, we journey to historic Stratford, the birthplace of legendary playwright William Shakespeare, and we have time at leisure to explore this 800-year-old market town from quaint side streets with unique shops and delightful eateries to open parklands along the river. Afterwards, we enjoy a relaxing cruise on the River Avon offering beautiful views of the renowned Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Holy Trinity Church, the final resting place of Shakespeare. On our return journey to the hotel, we will take a short photo stop at the cottage of Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway, ahead of our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 4

After breakfast this morning, we board our coach to Cheltenham Racecourse for a nostalgic steam journey through spectacular Cotswold scenery aboard the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway to Broadway. We enjoy a little free time in this picturesque Cotswold village before visiting the nearby Sudeley Castle & Gardens, the only private castle in England with a queen, Katherine Parr, buried on its grounds. Here, we can wander through the award-winning estate and gardens, uncovering intriguing treasures along the way before returning via the medieval town of Tewkesbury to the hotel in time for our final evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 5

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Worcester and make our way to the station for our homeward journeys.

*Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place, we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

HOTEL

Whitehouse Hotel, Worcester

Ideally located in the heart of Worcester’s historic city centre and close to the railway station, the Whitehouse Hotel offers a stylish restaurant serving local and international cuisine, a relaxing bar, and fantastic leisure facilities including an indoor pool and a fitness centre. The comfortable bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom with a power shower, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

FARES

Fare Region	First*	Standard
London: Paddington	£1,015	£955
Greater London	£1,175	£979
South of England	£1,195	£999
East Anglia	£1,059	£979
South West	£1,069	£965
Heart of England	£1,059	£925
Midlands	£929	£895
Yorkshire	£1,109	£969
North East	£1,205	£1,039
North West	£1,175	£1,019
South Wales	N/A	£945
North Wales	£1,079	£985
Scotland	£1,299	£1,089
Join & Leave at Hotel	£849
Single Traveller Supplement	£125
Deposit	£85

*Please Note: Some local and regional train services are Standard Class seating only and First Class ticket holders will travel in standard class accommodation for these sections of their journey.

£10 tour discount for holders of National Railcards

4 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal

Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home Station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class)

Rail & coach travel, with transfers as described

All excursions & admissions as detailed

Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

Important – Please select the number of passengers before proceeding to ‘Book Now’

Number of passengers:

Date	From Price	Book Now	Callback
27th July 2026	£839 Per person	Book Now	Callback
24th August 2026	£839 Per person	Book Now	Callback

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Whitehouse Hotel, Worcester

Visit Stow-on-the-Wold

Visit Bourton-on-the-Water

Cotswold Motoring Museum

Visit Stratford

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway

Sudeley Castle & Gardens

Stow-on-the-Wold 2 ©Shutterstock

Moreton-in-Marsh ©Shutterstock

Bourton-on-the-Water 1 ©AdobeStock

Bourton-on-the-Water 2 ©AdobeStock

Cotswold Motor Museum 1 ©AdobeStock

Holy Trinity Church, Stratford ©Shutterstock

Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway ©Shutterstock

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Cream of the Cotswolds & Shakespeare Country 2026

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What our customers say

Sounds like the holiday for you?

Why Book with Railtrail

Unique Experiences

Financial Protection

Loyalty Rewards

Award Winning Team