The Cotswolds has been a centre of craftsmanship for centuries — from medieval guilds and wool merchants to the designers and makers of the Arts & Crafts movement. Today, that spirit continues through potters, leatherworkers, silversmiths, weavers, plant nurseries, food artisans and independent workshop owners whose creativity shapes the character of the region.
This tour offers a relaxed and inspiring way to explore the Cotswolds through its makers. It’s ideal if you enjoy browsing independent shops, discovering studios, talking to craftspeople or simply seeing beautiful handmade work up close.
Because opening times vary and some workshops are tucked away in quiet villages, we plan the day carefully around your interests, the weather and what’s happening creatively in the area. Along the way, you’ll travel through scenic lanes, stop in beautiful villages and meet the characters who bring these crafts to life.
Your driver-guide curates a thoughtful combination of creative stops, studios and villages based on what you enjoy — whether that’s hand-thrown pottery, antiques, textiles, contemporary interiors or traditional rural crafts.
Below are the locations most often included…
A historic centre of craftsmanship, once home to the C.R. Ashbee Guild of Handicraft. Today it remains a hub for makers, with workshops, galleries and small studios that feel deeply connected to the Arts & Crafts movement. You can browse jewellery, metalwork, ceramics and high-quality handmade pieces.
One of the most elegant villages in the Cotswolds, Broadway is perfect for slow browsing. You’ll find art galleries, homewares, independent clothing boutiques, antiques and lifestyle shops — all set along a wide, tree-lined High Street that feels particularly welcoming.
Stroud’s markets reflect the town’s long history as a centre of trade, shaped by the surrounding cloth mills and working communities of the Stroud valleys. Still lively and independent today, the markets offer a clear link between the area’s industrial past and its modern, creative character.
Elsewhere in the region, the story of Cotswold wool continues at Cotswold Woollen Weavers, one of the last remaining mills still producing cloth using traditional methods. It offers a tangible link between the medieval wool economy and the craft practices that survive today.
This is a day designed around you — your tastes, your pace and your curiosity. Rather than rushing between shops, you’ll enjoy a slow, thoughtful exploration of the region’s creative heart. Your guide introduces you to the makers, helps you find the quieter workshops and ensures you spend time in the places that genuinely interest you.
Driving between rural studios can be challenging, with narrow lanes and hard-to-find addresses, so your guide handles all navigation and parking. You simply enjoy the experience, the conversations and the craftsmanship.
Because the day is flexible, you can spend longer with a maker you connect with, browse an antique shop at leisure, or take a break in a café or pub — the day unfolds naturally, shaped by what you enjoy most.
Light and flexible
No pressure to buy; browsing is welcomed everywhere
We can recommend and pre-book a suitable pub or café
Your day can be blended with scenic stops, gardens, viewpoints or classic Cotswold villages
To book this tour please click the button.
If you have any questions prior to booking the tour please feel free to call us (01285 402 241), fill in our contact form or send us a message on What’s App.
