A new guided tour linking Oxford with William Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon will launch in January 2026, creating a direct day-trip connection between two of England’s most significant literary destinations.
Award-winning group tour operator Go Cotswolds, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, has introduced its new Cotswolds & Stratford-upon-Avon Tour, aimed at visitors staying in Oxford.
The full-day guided experience connects the historic university city — associated with literary figures including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lewis Carroll and Philip Pullman — with Stratford-upon-Avon via the northern Cotswolds.
The tour departs from central Oxford and is operated in comfortable 16-seat minibuses. Along the route, guests stop at Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold before arriving in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
Visitors are given more than two hours of free time to explore the town, with opportunities to visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Holy Trinity Church and the riverside, or enjoy local shops, cafés and historic streets.
At the end of the tour, guests can either return to Oxford or remain in Stratford-upon-Avon, where they can connect with other in-depth Cotswolds tours operated from Shakespeare’s hometown.
All tours are led by Go Cotswolds’ local expert guides, who live in Stratford-upon-Avon or the Cotswolds, offering visitors local insight, personal stories and a warm welcome to the region.
Lisa Benjamin, Director of Go Cotswolds, said: “Oxford to Stratford-upon-Avon is one of the UK’s untapped day routes which has a corridor of picturesque Cotswold villages, which until now, has perhaps been under appreciated as there isn’t a direct train route between the two destinations; and our new day tour is helping to solve this in a fun and informative way.
“People can also use the tour to stay in Stratford rather than return to Oxford, where they can then connect to other in-depth tours of the Cotswolds that we run from Shakespeare’s hometown.
“Our small-group day tours continue to grow in popularity among UK and international visitors alike – particularly as they are a great way to travel sustainably and responsibly – so to be adding another experience that encourages locals to explore their doorstep while encouraging tourists to stay in the region for longer is really exciting.”
Darren Tosh, Operations and Marketing Director at Shakespeare’s England, added: “Oxford is a major gateway for international visitors, and this new tour from Go Cotswolds provides a high-quality option for people to travel on to Stratford-upon-Avon.
“It gives visitors the opportunity to spend longer in the town, explore its world-class literary heritage and attractions, and helps strengthen connectivity across the region and we’re excited to see it being rolled out in 2026.”
Alongside the Oxford to Stratford-upon-Avon route, Go Cotswolds is also launching a new Cotswolds Day Tour from Oxford, visiting Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury, Burford and Bampton.
Go Cotswolds is a family-run tour operator offering small-group day tours of the Cotswolds, Stratford-upon-Avon and surrounding areas, led by local guides and recognised for its customer service and visitor experiences.
