Cosy pubs in enchanting Cotswold villages with roaring log fires and hot toddies; carol services in ancient village churches; Christmas Markets and spectacles of light in historic castles, houses and gardens, all make for a wonderful sparkling Festive season in the Cotswolds.

Christmas Markets

These open air markets, once common place in Medieval England, have again become an festive tradition. In the crisp cold Cotswold air, the smells of mulled wine, warm spices and sweet roast chesnuts mingle with Christmas music and stalls with twinkling lights selling locally made gifts, tree decorations and wonderful localy produced food and drink.

There are several food and craft markets in Stroud,and an Advent Market in Cirencester, as well asone-off festive markets in Moreton-in-Marsh (26 November), Tetbury (2 December), Chipping Campden (3 December), Winchcombe (6 December) and Chipping Norton (11 December).

Late Night Shopping

The Cotswolds offer plenty of late night shopping opportunities across the area, especially in some of the most atractive towns.The added bonus is the chance to buy from local independent retailers.  Broadway is hosting theirs on 25 November and 2 December 2022, with beautifully decorated streets and mulled wine and mince pies while you browse. And nights are also being held in Malmesbury (2 December) and Winchcombe (6 December) .

Christmas Spectacles of Light

Over recent years, the Christmas Spectacles of Light have grown in number across the Cotswolds, with something for all tastes. Walk with the angels and step in to the magical lands of illuminated light trail this Christmas. With sparkling light displays set to music, these trails through the Cotswolds’ gardens and outdoor spaces are increasingly popular.

Join Father Christmas and walk through illuminated trees while you help his elves decorate Westonbirt Arboretum for their Enchanted Christmas (25 November–21 December 2022). Or walk in the foots steps of Kings and Queens of the Realm at Blenheim Palace for the Illuminated Light Trail (18 November 2022–2 January 2023) and Sudeley Castle for the Spectacle of Light (25 November–30 December 2022).

There’s the family-focused and extremely family friendly Enchanted Light Trail at Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park (25 November–31 December 2022).

Raise your voices with the Angels - Christmas Carols

The Cotswolds has a plethora of beautiful churches, many built on the back of the wool trade in the 13th Century. In addition to attending the Carol Services of the local churches, there are various outdoor Carol concerts.

Carol concerts take place in the Market Place in Northleach (19 December) and at weekends in the Dyrham Park estate church. And there are Carol concerts on 22 and 23 December at Gloucester Cathedral and ‘Carols on the hour’ on 17 December.

Celebrate Christmas with a night away in the Cotswolds

Book in for a night or two to one of the Cotswolds’ wonderful and historic hotels!  Many of them are beautifully dressed for Christmas with richly decorated trees and roaring log fires. If you want to get away for Christmas Day itself, there are some exotic Christmas packages available with all the trimmings, and for the more price conscious, some excellent deals for the New Year period.

At the heart of the Cotswolds, Lords of the Manor* in Upper Slaughter has a casino night with black tie dinner and dancing. Celebrate Christmas in gourmet style at the Manor House Hotel* in Castle Combe, or relax with spa treatments and breakfast in bed at Barnsley House.*

Walk off the Christmas Excesses

If you’re looking to work off the Christmas feast with a winter walk, here are a few favourites. Leckhampton Hill just south of Cheltenham has spectacular views from the top, with a 3-mile loop across its rare limestone grassland. Or you can follow a 5.4-mile circular route from Bourton-on-the-Water along the Rivers Windrush and Eye to Upper and Lower Slaughter.

From Broadway there’s a 4-mile circular walk which climbs up to the fairytale Broadway Tower and through the deer park before descending back down to the village. You can also follow the start of the Cotswold Way from Chipping Campden for the 4.1-mile circular walk to the viewpoint at Dover’s Hill, where you can see as far as the Black Mountains in Wales on a clear day.