10 Days in England: Castles, Coast, and Cotswolds

If you’ve ever dreamed of English castles, cozy pubs, dramatic cliffs, and honey-colored cottages, this 10-day itinerary through Southern England is exactly what you need. 

Yes, you’ll see the bustling city of London but I also take you a bit off the tourist track with a visit to one of England’s less-visited areas.  Here you’ll get a feel for traditional farm life complete with the friendliest people and coziest pubs.

From royal history to seaside strolls and countryside escapes, this route covers a little bit of everything—and it’s perfect for first-time visitors or return travelers who want to dig deeper into England’s most charming corners.

Come check out this 10 days in England itinerary to start planning your dream trip.  And whether you’re sipping tea in Hereford, exploring castles, or rambling through village footpaths, you’ll leave already planning your return.

When you purchase items through links on my site, I earn a tiny commission at no cost to you.
Thank you for purchasing through me- you’re the best! 🤩

Why 10 days in England is Perfect

There’s no way to get a real feel for allllllll of England in just 10 days.  So instead of running around trying to see the entire country, I decided to focus on the southern part of it and just dig a bit deeper here.  

Don’t worry- London is on the list!  So are the Cotswolds.  But I have included some of the smaller villages- ones that the majority of people might not see.  And to me, that makes it feel more special and less like I’m checking off the boxes of all the places I’m “supposed to” visit.

I hope this England itinerary is helpful in planning your trip to this great country!

Day 0- Travel from Home

If you’re coming from abroad, you’re going to need to add a day for travel.  

Trips from the US to Europe generally get you there in the morning or early afternoon. I know you got zero sleep on the plane so you’re going to need some time to get adjusted.  Do not, I repeat, do NOT take a nap. 

You want to get yourself on local time or you’ll be exhausted for days.  But you can have an early night the first night.  You earned it.  

Day 1- London to Herefordshire

You will arrive in London then immediately head out to your first town.  But don’t worry, you’ll spend time in London at the end of your trip to England before you catch your flight home.  

From the London airport, you’ll pick up your rental car and head immediately to Herefordshire.  It is about 3- 3 ½ hours northwest by car depending on which London airport you’re coming from and which village you’re heading to.   

The easiest way to get around this less touristed part of England is by car.  I know, it’s scary driving in a different country, but you can do it!

🚗 Want to see all those cozy English villages? Take a look at my article about Renting a Car in England and it will take you through everything you need to know- from documents you need, to road conditions, to helpful tips.

There are trains that can get you to the larger villages in Herefordshire (like Hereford) but it does make it harder to see all those gorgeous small villages.  But if you really really don’t want to drive (trust me, I get it), then you can take a combo of trains and buses.

🚃 Traveling by train? Book train tickets for your trip here.

You probably won’t be up to much tonight but that’s OK.  Wander around the village or take a refreshing walk to keep from napping.  Then have an early dinner and head to bed.  

Where to Stay in Herefordshire

• Ledbury– The Feathers Hotel
  Largest hotel in Ledbury, offers a very nice restaurant and bar.  
• Hereford– The Green Dragon ⭐️
  Coaching inn, located in the center of Hereford
• Ross-on-Wye– The King’s Head Hotel
  Located on the prettiest street in Ross
• Country Cottage to Rent– The Kiln
  Between Ledbury and Hereford

Great Restaurants in Herefordshire:

• Ledbury- Sitara Restaurant
• Hereford- 2 Bridges
• Leominster- Chequers
• Ross-on-Wye- Tweet Bar & Kitchen

Day 2- Herefordshire

I absolutely fell in love with this quiet and laid back area of England where the traffic jams consist of too many tractors parked at the bakery in the morning, and restaurant owners tell you their life story as they serve your dinner.

🐑 Check out my post A Weekend in Herefordshire for more info about this lovely area of England.

The slow pace of this area is the perfect start to your time in England.

Spend the day exploring some of the wonderful villages around here.  I especially enjoyed Ledbury (where I stayed) with its small town feel and friendly locals.  Hereford was a bit bigger with the beautiful Hereford Cathedral and gorgeous timbered buildings.

Leominster also has a nice area with a market square and pretty green space.  It’s also the entry point to the Black & White Village Trail. 

The Black & White Village Trail is a route through the most gorgeous villages that will fulfill all your English village dreams- with stone bridges across small streams, open green fields, and all the adorable flower boxes you can handle.

🏛️ I especially loved visiting Berrington Hall which gave major Jane Austen vibes.

Day 3- Herefordshire to Cotswolds

The trip from Herefordshire to the Cotswolds only takes about 1 hour depending on which part you’re going to.  Or you can go the long way like I did through the Wye Valley which is really pretty and has some beautiful abbey ruins to explore.  

You can even cross the bridge and loop back up through some of the lower Cotswolds or take some time to see Bath or even Stonehenge or Avebury.  

Or just head straight to the Cotswolds.  I’m guessing that the whole reason you’re visiting England is to see these lovely villages and they are definitely worth it!

Top Hotels in the Cotswolds:

• Bourton-on-the-Water– The Mousetrap Inn ⭐️
  Easy walk into the center of the village and a great restaurant
• Lower Slaughter– The Slaughters Country Inn
  Riverside location and wonderful restaurant and bar
• Moreton-in-Marsh– The Manor House Hotel
  16^th century building with an award-winning restaurant
• Stow-on-the-Wold– The Porch House
  This is the oldest inn in England
• Burford– The Lamb Inn
  Beautiful gardens and a cozy fireplace
• Kingham– The Kingham Plough
  Lunch and dinner at the hotel restaurant has lots of options
• Woodstock– Marlborough Arms
  Walking distance to Blenheim Palace

👉 Book The Mousetrap Inn here for a great location in my favorite village

🐑 If you want to really live the English village life, you could rent a cottage and pretend you’re a character in All Creatures Great and Small.

Great Restaurants in the Cotswolds:

• Bourton- Bourton Riverside Café
• Stow- Sheep on Sheep Street
• Burford- The Priory

Day 4- Cotswolds

After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll hop in your car and head out to explore the villages of the Cotswolds.

The best way to see the Cotswolds is to simply drive.  Take the back roads, end up in places that you didn’t expect to go.  It doesn’t really matter because they are all different and all wonderful.

Walk along the river in Bourton-on-the-Water.  Find the Hobbit door in Stow-on-the-Wold.  Check out thatch in Great Tew.  Have afternoon tea in Burford.  Or spend a couple hours at Blenheim Palace- both the house and the extensive grounds are wonderful.  

Really, this whole area is just made for exploring at your leisure so don’t tire yourself out trying to see it all, just pick a few places to see and soak them in.  

🚶‍♀️Take a look at my post about Visiting The Cotswolds for the best places to check out.

Day 5- Cotswolds to Rye

Now it’s time to head south.  The trip from the Cotswolds to Rye takes about 3½ hours by car.  If you want, you could sweep down and check out the seaside town of Brighton along the way which adds about an hour.    

The small town of Rye isn’t big but is a great place to get a feel for the tranquil English seaside for a couple days after being inland for the first part of the trip.  

Top Hotels in Rye

The Mermaid Inn
This history of this hotel goes back hundreds of years.  It is located directly on the quirky Mermaid Street and the delightful hotel bar is rumored to have been frequented by smugglers back in the day. 

The George
Located right on High Street and with a great restaurant (I can vouch for the duck), this is a great option if you want to be right in the middle of things.  

The Lookout ⭐️
I stayed in this nice hotel which has a fabulous tub for soaking- this town is just made for relaxing.  They offer different breakfast options and the staff couldn’t be nicer.

👉 Click here to book The Lookout for your stay

Great Restaurants in Rye:

• The Cornish Bakery
• The Fig
• The Mermaid Inn

Day 6- Rye

Rye is known for its great food as well as its historical buildings- especially along Mermaid Street.  The high street is lined with some great shops full of art, clothing, and crafts as well as some delicious food.  Climb the church tower for a great view over the area.    

In addition, it’s only about 15 minutes’ drive from Rye to Camber Sands.  The beach spreads out as far as the eye can see and there are bike rentals and hiking paths in the area.

If you have another day or want to venture further, you can head to Dover to see the famous white cliffs which are about 45 minutes from Rye.  

Day 7- Rye to London

And now it’s time for the bustling city of London.  The drive from Rye to London is about 2 hours unless you stop at Leeds Castle like we did.  

Top Hotels in London:

• Paddington- Grand Hotel Bellevue London 
• Oxford Street- The Beaumont Mayfair
• Trafalgar- Haymarket Hotel
• Tower of London- The Apex
• Kensington- Ember Locke Kensington
• Notting Hill- The Portobello Hotel

Great Restaurants in London:

• Paddington- The Mughal’s
• Oxford Street- Marks and Spencer
• Westminster- Cellarium Café
• Tower of London- Pret a Manger
• Kensington- Orangery Restaurant
• Notting Hill- Cottons

Day 8- London

London is a busy city with a whole lot to see.  But don’t worry, I figured out the best way to see it.  I used to make fun of people who took those hop-on buses but I was wrong wrong wrong- they’re awesome!

Yes, Big Bus Tours is more expensive than taking the Underground, but when I’m on vacation I want things to be easy and this hits the spot.  

Just pick a place to stay anywhere along the route.  Hop on in the morning and you can see everything without having to figure out where to go, how to get there, or deal with masses of people at the stations.  The logistics are done for you.

And if you have mobility issues, Big Bus Tours is the absolute best way to get around.

🚌 Click HERE for your ticket to the Big Bus Tours London 💂

The Red Route gets you around the center of London, the Blue Route goes all the places Red does but extends further west past Hyde Park, and the Green goes further north.  All the lines intersect at certain places though, so feel free to hop from color to color.   

There are also earbuds with a running commentary about all the attractions in London that you can listen to (they supply the earbuds) as well as paper maps and an app that can help you track the buses, find the stops, and filter for your interests.

Maybe make today your history day and spend extra time at the Tower of London and British Museum.  Or check out gorgeous parks like Hyde Park or Regent’s Park.  

Day 9- London

Today, hop on that bus and see some more of London- maybe today’s the day you check out art museums like the Tate Modern or the National Gallery.  

Or perhaps you want to do some shopping along Oxford Street at Selfridges or Marks and Spencer.  It’s your day- do what you want!  

This is also your last full day in England so make the most of it!  Buy some last minute souvenirs, take a million photos, and throw all your dirty clothes in your bag for home.

If you’d rather do a day trip than spend 2 days exploring London, you can find some great options below.  

Day 10- London to Home

And now it’s time to say goodbye to England.  I know, it went by way too fast!  But I hope you got a good feel for the long history, pastoral beauty, and friendly people of this country while you were here.

From the rolling pastures of Herefordshire to the iconic Big Ben in London this place will stick with you long after your plane lifts off.  

The only cure for the post-trip blues?  Start planning another trip of course!  Italy perhaps? 🍝🍷

If you have fewer than 10 days in England

If you have fewer than 10 days in England, I would either cut out Rye (but it’s so cute!) or spend one day in London instead of two.  It’s makes for a very busy day in a very big city, but it’s possible to get an overview of the city in just one day (I know because I did it!). 

If you have more than 10 days in England

If you have more than 10 days in England, you could head up north to Yorkshire, Manchester, or even Scotland.  

Or, if you want something a little different, you could head over to Wales.  The drive from Hereford to Cardiff is especially lovely.  The Wye Valley is gorgeous and there are some places to stop along the way like Tintern Abbey.    

Or just spend more time in either Herefordshire or the Cotswolds hopping from village to village or taking advantage of the plentiful walking paths.  The beauty of both these areas never gets old.  

Or consider joining a tour or activity.  There are plenty to choose from- food, art, multi-day…  

If you’re traveling solo, booking a tour is a great way to meet other travelers. 👋

Or heck, just rent a house and spend a month.   Seriously, you can!  The longer you stay, the more likely the rental owner is willing to go down on price.  It’s my dream to rent a house and stay for a while once the kids have flown the nest completely.  One day…

🏠 Click HERE to check out cottage rentals in England 🇬🇧

Foods to Try in England

England gets a bad rap when it comes to food and I get it.  Everything’s covered in gravy and heavy on the meat and potatoes.  But there is absolutely some wonderful food to be found if you give it a chance.

Some of my favorite meals in England are the meat pies in Herefordshire, fish in the Cotswolds, and duck in Rye.  

If you’re a fan on Indian, the Indian food in England is to die for.  Even small towns have excellent Indian restaurants- my favorite is in Ledbury.  

And you can’t beat a pint with fish & chips at the local pub filled with friendly locals and their dogs.  I think it’s a requirement to own a dog in England- they’re everywhere.  🐕

What to pack for England

There’s one thing you probably already know about when it comes to England- rain.  So yes, definitely bring a rain jacket and you can’t get more English than a Barbour.  But also, don’t forget to bring some shoes that are OK getting wet in the puddles.  

Not sure what else to bring on your trip?
Check out my packing tips to make it super easy! 🧳

If you plan on taking advantage of all the walking paths around the country, you might want to pack some water(and mud)proof boots like Hunter makes  

Layers are also a good idea- even in summer.  The weather in England changes constantly from sun to rain to clouds to wind, and you’ll be happy to have that extra layer when it happens.

My Favorite Travel Websites

Questions about Travel in England

✨ Have questions or want help tweaking this route? Drop a comment or send me a message—I’d love to help!
Happy travels… 🚗💂🇬🇧