Stow-on-the-Wold

The market square at Stow-on-the-Wold sits higher than most English high streets - literally. This honey-coloured Cotswold town sprawls across a hilltop, which means the main square arrives as something of a surprise after winding up through narrow lanes lined with independent shops, pubs, and restaurants.

What you're really here for is the square itself. It's vast - proper medieval proportions - ringed by golden stone buildings that look like they've barely changed in centuries. There's a market cross at the centre, and on certain days you'll find actual traders setting up stalls, though these days it's as much about tourists lingering over coffee as it is about commerce. The pubs dotted around the perimeter are decent enough for lunch, though don't expect bargain pricing.

HistoryBuffs will spend an hour reading plaques and imagining the wool trade that built this place. Families with younger kids might find it underwhelming after half an hour - it's not really a destination where you "do" anything, more a place to soak up atmosphere and browse. If you're staying at Cotswolds Meadow Glamping or Moreton-in-Marsh Experience Freedom just down the road, it's absolutely worth the drive for an afternoon.

The real value is wandering the side streets. St Edward's Church sits just off the square and is genuinely worth five minutes of your time. Parking's in the surrounding streets - never as tricky as you'd think for a place this popular. Allow two hours if you're eating, one hour if you're just walking through.