Broadway

Most visitors arrive expecting ye olde Cotswold chocolate box perfection, and Broadway delivers exactly that - sometimes to its own detriment. The honey-coloured limestone buildings along the wide High Street earn it the 'Jewel of the Cotswolds' moniker, though on summer weekends it feels more like the car park of the Cotswolds.

Beyond the tourist coach chaos lies proper walking country. Broadway Tower sits atop Fish Hill offering cracking views across three counties when the weather behaves. Built as a folly in 1798, it's become the area's most recognisable landmark - visible from the A44 long before you reach the village proper. The surrounding Broadway Tower Country Park makes for a decent afternoon if you fancy stretching your legs without venturing too far from civilization.

Snowshill Lavender Farm comes alive between June and August when the purple rows create Instagram gold. Less crowded but equally lovely is Cotswold Lavender, which feels more working farm than tourist attraction. St. Eadburgha's Church provides a quiet moment away from the High Street bustle - Norman origins but heavily restored Victorian, typical for these parts.

Getting here couldn't be simpler. Broadway sits right on the A44 between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh, with the train station offering direct links to London and Worcester. The village itself is walkable end-to-end in ten minutes, though finding parking midweek requires patience.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense for exploring both the northern Cotswolds and the Vale of Evesham. You're within easy reach of Chipping Campden's medieval wool church and Winchcombe's abbey ruins, while the Malvern Hills beckon from the west. Broadway works best as a base rather than a destination - pretty enough for photos, practical for everything else.