8 Reasons You Must Visit Broadway

With elegant Georgian homes set along quiet tree-lined streets, Broadway is a dreamlike Cotswolds village. If you are planning a holiday in this beautiful corner of England then you’ll find abundant things to see and do. From cute cafés and cosy pubs to boutiques, trains and scenic walks, our Cotswold village is a great destination all year round. Here are eight reasons why you must visit Broadway on your next Cotswolds vacation.

A Grandiose English Manor House
Snowshill Manor and Gardens is a fascinating National Trust property that overlooks the Cotswolds escarpment. If unique and eccentric collections of art and antiques are your thing then this 16th-century house is sure to astound. Rooms are decorated with the private collection of treasures amassed by the English architect Charles Paget Wade. Almost 400 years prior to Wade, the very same rooms were lived in by Henry VIII’s sole-surviving consort Catherine Parr. Step out into the landscaped gardens for unbeatable views of the world-famous Cotswold countryside. With an onsite café and souvenir shop, there’s plenty to keep you busy here.

View from a Hilltop Tower
Perched above the village and at one of the highest points of the Cotswolds is Broadway Tower. On clear days it’s claimed that you can see 16 English counties from this emblematic Worcestershire landmark. How many of the counties can you name? On the way up you’ll find exhibitions about the tower’s 200-year-old history and regular visitors such as artist William Morris. It’s not just the views that make this one of Broadway’s most popular attractions, either. The encompassing 50-acre park is home to a café, nuclear bunker and free-roaming deer. Check for events, such as Christmas decoration making workshops, at the visitor centre. Feeling energetic? Walk here from the village via a mile-long rural trail.

Independent Shops and Galleries
The honey-coloured stone houses on Broadway’s High Street paint the archetypal Cotswolds village scene. The area around the village green is nirvana for shopping enthusiasts. Here, cottages double up as antique stores, art galleries, fashion outlets, gift shops and jewellers. Sweet-toothed visitors will be in confectionary nirvana at Hamilton’s of Broadway. You’ll find it in the Cotswold Court arcade. Picture-perfect throughout the year, for the festive season the storeowners adorn their shop fronts with fairy lights and tinsel.

Eclectic Museums
Perhaps surprisingly for the size of the village, Broadway boasts some excellent museums. Broadway Museum and Art Gallery put on exhibitions curated by Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. Come to admire fine and decorative art that includes works by John Every Millais and Thomas Gainsborough. Also worth a few hours of your time is the Gordon Russell Design Museum. Russell was a member of the Arts and Crafts Movement and lived for many years in the village. His influence as an artist comes to life at the museum.

The Broadway Arts Festival
It isn’t just Gordon Russell that has been inspired by this lovely Cotswold village. During the late-1800s everyone from John Singer Sargent to J. M. Barrie spent time here. Actress Mary Anderson, who performed in Shakespeare’s As You Like It in Stratford-upon-Avon, even lived on the High Street. This long-standing art heritage paved the way for the Broadway Arts Festival. Artists from all corners of the globe come to exhibit and sell their work. There are live music performances and workshops to attend, too.

Scenic Train Rides
Looking to combine the breathtaking Cotswolds scenery with child-friendly activities? Broadway is one of the stops on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway. Relax as the heritage train chugs and puffs through storybook hamlets and passes lush green pastures with a backdrop of rolling hills. Train lovers get another fix on the nearby Evesham Valley Light Railway. This toy train trundles around the beautiful Evesham Country Park. Bring the children for a present-spotting ride and the chance to meet Santa at Christmas. And while here, enjoy some retail therapy at the outlets of The Valley Evesham.

Walking the Cotswold Way
Strap on your favourite walking shoes and experience the charm of the Cotswolds by foot. The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile-long route that connects Chipping Campden with Bath. The trail up to Broadway Tower is part of the route and the beginning of a 6-mile section that ends in Chipping Campden. You’ll cross Dover’s Hill, the location of the annual Cotswold Olimpick Games. South from the village, the trail travels over the escarpment before dropping down into the attractive village of Stanway. Don’t miss the Iron Age fort at Shenberrow Camp, which sits on the edge of Stanway.

Traditional Cotswolds Pubs
Traditional Cotswold pubs present the perfect setting for taking breaks from sightseeing and rounding out activity-filled days. The village of Broadway is spoiled for choice when it comes to partaking in this quintessentially British pastime. Sample locally brewed ales and feast on hearty pub grub and gourmet dishes. Summertime at the pub is all about sunny evenings spent sat in the beer garden. On a crisp winter’s evening, it’s time to sit around an open log fire. At The Broadway Hotel, our Jockey Bar recreates the authentic pub atmosphere.