A couple hours west of London, you find a designated "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" called the Cotswolds.
To many, the Cotswolds are quintessential England, as they are filled to the brim with rolling hills of farmland, country pubs and cottages made of the region's signature honeycomb-hued stone.
The Cotswolds can also be filled with people; The secret is definitely out about this place.
Every day, visitors from around the world descend on places with delightful names like Bourton-on-the-Water, Chipping Camden and Stow-on-the-Wold. While all those locales are certainly worth a visit, Burford might just have them all beat as one of Britain's best-kept secrets.
Actually, it should be in the running as one of Europe's hidden gems.
Heavenly High Street
Dubbed the 'Gateway to the Cotswolds' due to its location on the border of the region, Burford's sloping 'Main Street' (or High Street as they call it in England) offers the grandest of entrances.
Leafy trees and a line of resplendent residences gently guide you into town, and since the street is one of the steepest in the area, you are also treated to knockout views of bucolic fields in the distance.
The Highway Inn
Dating back to 1480, the Highway Inn is a friendly and warm pub with bedrooms located at the heart of Burford. The walls of the inn are lined with nostalgic nods to the Cotswolds country life, and the bedrooms hammer the heritage theme home with rustic exposed beams, quirky sloping floors, Union Jack pillows and vintage photographs.
A hearty English Breakfast featuring locally-sourced produce and meats is included with the room. Perhaps the best part of the bedrooms though? They come with a crystalline bottle of sherry, which you are free to tuck into as a nightcap.
The pub downstairs serves up gastro-style fare (try the nut roast, you won't regret it) at friendly prices alongside a nice selection of local beer on tap and quality wine. And if you happen to be visiting during a Cotswold cold snap, don't worry, they've got a roaring fireplace in the pub to keep you and your pint warm.
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A Host of Historic Buildings
Burford was granted a charter in the year 1087, and the town absolutely thrived during the Middle Ages. This has led to an embarrassment of riches when it comes to historic-and very photo-friendly-buildings around town.
Some of the highlights are 124 High Street (dating back to 1401, it has housed a pharmacy since 1734), 111 High Street (a 15th Century timber-framed former shop), and the Tolsey at the corner of High Street and Sheep Street (the hub of the medieval market and currently home to a museum).
The Grand Church
No building in Burford is more beautiful than St. John the Baptist Church, with its stone and spire being one of the most breathtaking sights to behold in the Cotswolds. Such was the wealth of the merchants in Burford at the time of construction that the inside of this small-town church feels more like grand city cathedral.
St. John the Baptist is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except for Christmas Day), with free information on its fascinating history available for all visitors.
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Windrush Walks
At the bottom of Burford's main street, just behind its grand church, lies another highlight of the town: the Windrush River. This pleasant stream meanders its way through the eponymous Windrush Valley, and several scenic walks from Burford follow along its banks or cross its waters.
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