We’d be surprised if there's a more photogenic destination in England than The Cotswolds. There’s something about the colour of our local limestone that works beautifully with the green and brown tones of the Cotswold hills.  Our cosy villages and hillsides make for great pictures, whether for Instagram or for camera photographers.

Whilst there are plenty of ‘Cotswolds most instagrammable’ listings around, they do tend to stick to the same few places. So, here's our personal choice of places to visit. We've included a few 'old faithfuls' as well as one or two other places that you may not know about.  There are, of course, many more attractions and locations to discover.

1. Stanton Village
A couple of miles south of Broadway, Stanton is exactly the kind of small village that many people imagine when they think of the Cotswolds. Virtually every building is made of honey-coloured Cotswold stone. The long single street dates back through the centuries, with thatched houses, some half-timbered buildings and traditional cottages.

At the top of the village, The Mount is a good walker’s pub.

We especially like Stanton because there's a fair chance that you might be the only person there during a visit.  The cottages are beautiful and the small details delight the eye — from cottage gardens to roses around ancient doorways. 

Our favourite small detail of all?  It's in the Church of St Michael and All Saints. The worn post marks at the end of the pews show where, through the decades and centuries, local shepherds chained their sheepdogs to the posts during church services.

2. Sezincote House and Garden

'18th century India meets Cotswolds charm,' as House and Garden put it.

We love Sezincote for its simple gift of surprise. If you have been spending time in the Cotswolds and enjoyed a succession of perfect villages you may feel in need of a little visual palate cleanser. If so, head to Sezincote! The slightly surreal vision of a 200-year-old Mogul Indian palace in the Cotswolds is joyful enough, but the waterfalls, canals, temples and grottoes heap delight upon delight. Highly recommended, not least for Sezincote's elegant curved Orangery.

3. The Slaughters
Famous for a reason, the twin villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter offer almost all of the most enduring Cotswold images, from tiled cottages and churches, to slow-flowing rivers and sheep on the hill.

Allow an hour to walk the route between the two. It's usually best to start in Upper Slaughter.

4. Bibury
Bibury village, with its row of 17th century weavers' cottages, is surely the most photographed place in the Cotswolds.

It does get busy and so, if you can time a visit to be early or late in the day, so much the better. That said, it always seems to be possible to ‘find’ a picture here.

5. Sherborne Park Estate
Sherborne Park is always a pleasure, with the vitality of a working farm estate. There are fallow and roe deer to spot and, in autumn, the beech tree avenue is spectacular.

Autumn seems to be more and more popular every year in the Cotswolds. The native beech tree is spectacular and huge crowds visit Batsford Arboretum and Westonbirt Arboretum.  Somehow the Sherborne Estate remains a quiet autumn escape from it all.

6.  Broadway
No apologies for mentioning Broadway! In particular there are great opportunities for photographers during our events programme, from classic car rallies to Broadway Arts Festival. Lovers of steam and diesel rail will have a great day out at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway.

Few keen photographers need to be told of the rewards for getting up early to catch the morning light. As Broadway village wakes up, there's often a beautiful, dusty light here that perfectly suits the honey-coloured buildings along the High Street. And, of course, if you're staying with us, there's the prospect of a great breakfast to come back to at the hotel!

Broadway Tower, in every season, is the most photogenic of places, whether it's the view from the tower, or the view of it.

7. The Importance of Getting Lost
A little reminder that losing your way around the Cotswold back lanes is probably the best way to find the picture that you have been looking for!  You're never really too far from one of the main routes through the area, but there are constant reminders of the beauty of the area at every turn down a side-track.

8. Chipping Campden and Harts Silversmiths
Chipping Campden High Street is another beautifully harmonious group of medieval-and-later buildings. The Guild building is an intrinsic part of Campden’s history (see our last blog) and we firmly recommend that any photographer makes a beeline to visit the wonderful Harts Silversmiths. The workshop is highly atmospheric, like stepping back a hundred years,. It's a  place where silver and jewellery is still worked with hammer and flame and if you're looking for a Cotswold souvenir, their spoons are beautiful.

They're a friendly group at Harts - very used to visitors and have even been known to pose for a picture.

9.  The High Wold
The name ‘Cotswolds’ references the gentle hillsides and valleys that define the famous beauty of the area. As you explore the villages and towns, you will often cross stretches of ‘high wold,' those glorious long views of patchwork fields and a distant horizon. Head up the hill from Broadway to the country around Chipping Campden and Stow-on-the-Wold and you'll find yourself captivated by the view.

You may see hares on the field, wild poppies or new lambs, according to the season.

10. Racing at Cheltenham
Colour, excitement and action. Perfect!