How to spend an afternoon in Bibury

Bibury is one of the most famous and most beautiful villages in the Cotswolds. Gorgeous honey coloured cottages and a peaceful river walk make Bibury a lovely place to explore for an afternoon. Check out my guide for how to spend an afternoon in Bibury.

If you’re looking for some other ideas of Cotswold villages to explore, make sure you check out my guide to exploring the Cotswolds in two days.

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How do I get to Bibury?

Bibury is a small, pretty village in the Cotswolds. It’s located only about 15 minutes from from Cirencester. My top tip for how to spend an afternoon in Bibury is to drive here rather than relying on public transport, as the buses in this area can be infrequent and don’t give you much flexibility for your day. If you’re using a Sat Nav, the best postcode is GL7 5NW, or you can just put in the centre of Bibury – it’s a small village so you don’t need to worry about specifying a street.

Where should I park in Bibury?

Parking in Bibury is definitely a challenge, particularly in the peak summer months. The main areas of parking are along by the river and also a small car park opposite the trout farm. However, both places get very busy in the summer. Expect to possibly need to wait for a parking space, although a lot of people don’t spend too long here so there’s a fairly quick turnaround of cars. You could also consider visiting in the winter, when it’s a lot less busy than the peak summer months.

What is there to do in Bibury?

My top tip for how to spend an afternoon in Bibury is to focus your time on the river. The river is beautiful to walk along, and if you look carefully you should be able to see some fish in the clear water. There are also plenty of ducks and swans along this stretch of river – and if you’re lucky you might see the swans nesting.

Once you’ve walked along the river, you can head up Arlington Row. This famous row of pretty Cotswold cottages has become one of the most famous rows of houses in the UK and people travel from all over the world to see it. It really does feel like you’re stepping back in time as you walk along here.

You can do a circular loop through the village. Starting at the river and walking through Arlington Row, you can then follow the quiet lane around until you come back towards the Trout Farm. It’s worth pausing here too to have a look a the Trout Farm. And the cafes around here are perfect for an afternoon drink or ice cream.

Once you’re back along the main stretch of the river, you can extend you walk further to explore another part of the village. Instead of turning right up Arlington Row, you can instead walk straight on. This will lead you past the village hall and to the Church. Even on a busy day, it’s a lot quieter here than the path by the river so you can enjoy some peace and tranquility. Then it’s time to head back to the river for a final look at the fish before finding your car.

How long should I spend in Bibury?

Bibury isn’t huge, so you’ll probably only want an hour or two here. It’s a beautiful place to visit and definitely worth the trip, but don’t expect it to be a really long day out. You can always extend your day by doing a longer walk in the area or visiting another nearby Cotswold village. Check out some of the great walks in the Cotswolds in this great walking guide (affiliate).

Remember if you’re looking for some other ideas of Cotswold villages to explore, make sure you check out my guide to exploring the Cotswolds in two days. And check out the travel vlog from Jet Lagged and Loving It on Bibury. For a great guide to walks in the Cotswolds, check out this Ordnance Survey Cotswolds walking guide (affiliate).

Or if you’ve got a bit more time and would like to explore more of the local area, check out my guide to Oxford, and also walks in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Warwickshire.