There is no exaggeration to the claim that each and every Cotswold town and village is a classic in its own right. The centuries-old yellowstone buildings look magnificent in all weathers and at any time of the year.
Having gained their wealth mainly from the wool industry, Cotswold towns have now recognised that tourism is the better money-spinner, so each one offers a wonderful assortment of shops that visitors can browse in all weathers.

1 BIBURY
William Morris, the great Victorian artist and designer, described Bibury as “the most beautiful village in England”. And there is certainly justification for his claim. Arlington Row, the line of 17th century weavers' cottages that overlooks the River Coln, is one of the defining images of the Cotswolds. Originally used as a wool store, the row has now been restored by the National Trust. Nearby Arlington Mill is now a crafts centre and rural museum, and has a delightful café and restaurant.

2 BROADWAY AND SNOWSHILL
One of the most famous of all the Cotswold beauty spots, this village of fine stone houses is a popular all-season destination for visitors. Its wide main street is lined with tearooms, antique dealerships and upmarket souvenir shops.
Immediately to the south lies the unspoiled village of Snowshill with its many splendid cottages. At its heart lies 17th century Snowshill Manor, restored by antiquarian Charles Paget Wade, who filled it with treasures acquired on his worldwide travels before giving it over to the care of the National Trust.

3 BURFORD
Upmarket Burford's picture-postcard main street features some excellent 17th- and 18th-century yellowstone buildings, many of which are now antique shops. The town's Tolsey Museum is located inside a 16th-century building that was once a meeting place for merchants at a time when Burford was host to one of the largest wool markets in Britain.

4 CHIPPING CAMPDEN
The centrepiece of Chipping Campden's High Street is the Market Hall, which dates from 1627. The town is one of the best preserved in the Cotswolds and grew up in the late 12th century, although the oldest of the many fine buildings to be seen are the 14th-century Woolstaplers Hall and Grevel's House. Despite having been built on what was once a major trading route, the town is now somewhat off the beaten track. This has helped to preserve a character that largely reflects life in a traditional Cotswold market town before the advent of the car.

5 CIRENCESTER
Cirencester was established by the Romans as Corinium Dobunnorum, and is known as the Capital of the Cotswolds. Sitting on the junction of the A429 Fosse Way and several other Roman roads, it is a perfect base from which to explore the Cotswolds, as well as nearby Cheltenham, Bath and Swindon.
Today it is a major centre of crafts and tourism, and houses an arts centre and workshops inside a converted brewery, where regular craft fairs take place.
Its biggest attraction is the Corinium Museum, which reopened in 2004 following a £5 million facelift and tells the story of the town's Roman and Anglo-Saxon history. A former Roman amphitheatre, the Abbey Grounds, and the 18th-century landscaped Cirencester Park are among the town's many attractive green spaces.

6 LECHLADE
The perfect place to spend a day lazing about by the river, or messing about on it in a boat. This historic market town lies at the point where the Cotswolds ends and Wiltshire begins, and is also the highest point of navigation on the River Thames. The point is marked by a statue of Old Father Thames, which stands next to St John's Lock. East of Lechlade, the river is busy with pleasureboat traffic, while upstream the watercourse remains delightfully undisturbed and makes for some fine walking.

7 PAINSWICK
This quintessential Cotswold weaving village has narrow streets crammed with delightful old cottages dating back to the 14th century. Its focal point is the churchyard with its magnificent collection of 99 yew trees trimmed into various shapes, and the oddly-designed set of iron stocks by the wall that resemble a pair of spectacles. Close by is the restored 18th-century Painswick Rococo Garden.

8 STOW-ON-THE-WOLD
Just off the Roman Fosse Way lies the highest town in the Cotswolds, standing at 800ft above sea level. At its heart lies Market Square, surrounded by fine houses, shops and inns, which was once home to some of the biggest sheep fairs in the region. The medieval Market Cross dates back to those prosperous times. Stow has become a centre for antiques in recent years and also boasts several excellent traditional tearooms. And caravanners will no doubt welcome the presence of a large 24-hour Tesco supermarket on its outskirts.

9 UPPER & LOWER SLAUGHTER
These two well-preserved villages lie alongside the River Eye. Lower Slaughter has bridges spanning the watercourse that runs through its heart and that also powers its much-photographed watermill. Parking is in demand on hot summer days, yet Lower Slaughter never seems to be too packed. Upper Slaughter is a less orderly collection of yellowstone cottages and farmhouses, and is also well worth a look. Slaughter, incidentally, means ‘miry place'.