England's 5 Most Charming Villages With Cottagecore Vibes, According To Travelers

Luring more than 20 million international travelers each year with top attractions like Big Ben and the Tower of London, it's no surprise that London, one of England's most iconic travel destinations, has been crowned the "world's best city" 11 years in a row. However, there's far more to England than its illustrious capital.

Beyond The Big Smoke, England is brimming with tiny villages that are fit for a fairytale, a city composed of quaint cottages, picturesque countryside, and charm-filled town squares. From idyllic enclaves dotted with medieval castles in the Cotswolds to Victorian villages with historic cemeteries and old-world pubs just a stone's throw away from London, we've found the most charming destinations across the pond that travelers can't get enough of. Whether you're dreaming of a long and cozy weekend in the country or a quick day trip with cottagecore vibes to avoid the chaos of London, we've carefully reviewed traveler recommendations (and drawn on some of our own travel experiences) to bring you five villages that offer especially enchanting English retreats.

If you're staying in London and don't have the time or the desire to stray too far for a quaint village adventure, Highgate makes an ideal village-style escape. A favorite among TikTok travelers, the leafy hilltop suburb is accessible via a 30-minute ride on the London Underground (the Tube), yet it feels like a world away from the bustling city.

Strolling its quiet, tree-lined streets, you'll encounter plenty of local shops to browse, like Highgate Bookshop, and an abundance of cozy Old World pubs. One of the most popular sipping spots in Highgate is The Flask, a historic pub whose oldest section dates back to 1663. Notable past patrons are said to include Lord Byron, W.B. Yeats, and Mary Shelley, and according to local lore, the pub is haunted by a Spanish barmaid and a phantom Cavalier.

After sipping with the spirits, experience the macabre side of Europe with a long walk through Highgate Cemetery. Arguably the most beautiful and famous cemetery in the U.K., it dates back to the early 1800s and comprises over 53,000 graves. An enchanted forest of death, its quiet avenues are lined with lush trees, Victorian mausoleums, and ivy-covered headstones bearing the names of figures like George Michael and Karl Marx. This last Halloween, I spent a rainy afternoon wandering through Highgate Cemetery and can attest that it's worth every penny of the ￡10 (around $14) admission fee. Nearby, you can also glimpse Holly Village, a private Gothic Revival estate comprising a courtyard of romantic Victorian cottages. Just note (based on personal experience), you may not be able to see inside the village, but the exterior facade is breathtaking on its own.

If romantic comedies are your cup of tea, Shere is sheer perfection. Situated just beyond London, the sweet, historic English village has been featured in films like "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "The Wedding Date," and "Bridget Jones' Diary," but is best known as the setting of the 2006 Christmas classic, "The Holiday." In the movie, lovelorn Ivy (Kate Winslet) and her impossibly charming brother Graham (Jude Law) live in an English village that's supposedly located in the Cotswolds. In reality, Shere is nestled about 90 miles south of there, and the cozy cottage that Ivy calls home was actually built on a soundstage in California.

The cottage may be fictional, but there are still plenty of real-life film locations from "The Holiday" to visit in Shere. Each Christmas season, heart-eyed tourists flock to the tiny town in hopes of meeting a dashing Jude Law type at the White Horse Pub. Built as a farmhouse in 1425, the warm, wood-beamed pub was featured in a swoon-worthy scene between Graham and Amanda (Cameron Diaz). Instagram travelers love to strike poses under the framed movie poster proudly displayed on the wall and enjoy cozy cocktails by the crackling fire (while pining for Jude Law, no doubt). One Instagram user offers this helpful tip: "If you walk to the church and behind the cemetery there's a small path that takes you to the field where Kate Winslet's cottage was built for the movie." Other favorite spots from the movie include the iconic footbridge that Amanda races across in her high heels and the prominently featured St. James Church in the center of town.

Even beyond its famous film locations, Shere is a fairytale come to life. Surrounded by the sweeping Surrey Hills (which are designated an Area of Outstanding Beauty) and lined with cobblestone streets that meander past rustic homes, quaint cafes, and serene streams dotted with ducks, Shere offers a cinematic setting for a charming, cottagecore retreat. 

It doesn't get much more enchanting than the Cotswolds. Situated about two hours northwest of London, the picturesque region spans nearly 800 miles and five counties, encompassing some of England's most idyllic destinations. There are dozens of towns and villages to visit in the Cotswolds, but a favorite amongst wanderlust travelers seeking peak cottagecore vibes is Castle Combe. As one travel blogger writes, "In Castle Combe, every day's like living in a period film."

Nestled in Wiltshire County, about 15 miles from Bath, Castle Combe is one of the Cotswolds' prettiest villages. Flourishing in a frozen-in-time atmosphere, its whimsical roads (which are typically devoid of cars) are lined with honey-hued homes that date back to the 17th century, inspiring cinematic TikToks and "Downton Abbey" film shoots. Contrary to its name, you won't find any castles in Castle Combe, and yet every corner of the village feels as though it were plucked straight from a fairytale, complete with ivy-covered buildings, cobblestone streets, and bridges arching over trickling streams.

According to many TikTok travelers, the most cottagecore place to stay in Castle Combe is The Manor House. Built in the 14th century, the 600-year-old home is enhanced by lush gardens, a gorgeous golf course, and an abundance of Old World charm. Settle into one of its elegant suites or cozy cottage-style rooms for an enchanting countryside retreat where you'll find fireside pubs and Michelin star dining just beyond your door. A three-minute walk from The Manor House will take you to Market Cross, a gazebo-like medieval structure marking the village's status as a historic market town. From there, The White Hart Pub, a stone's throw away, is the perfect spot to enjoy a pint of British ale after a day of storybook-like wandering.

Another gem that's popular in the Cotswolds is Bourton-on-the-Water. Often recommended by travelers on Reddit (though some warn it can be very tourist-heavy), the picturesque English village is revered as the Venice of the Cotswolds, and it's easy to see why. Idyllic stone footbridges arch over the River Windrush as it gently pulses through the heart of the village. But don't expect to see any gondolas drifting by like in the actual Venice; the low bridges hang just a few feet above the water, giving you the feeling of wandering through a miniature village. Pay a visit to The Model Village, and you'll really feel like a giant in a storybook. Located behind The Old New Inn, the tiny replica of Bourton-on-the-Water is one-ninth the size of town, featuring dollhouse-size versions of its historic buildings and sandstone cottages.

After admiring the pint-sized village, spend an afternoon exploring the full-sized real thing at your leisure. Tucked into the golden-colored buildings that line the river, you'll find an array of shops, restaurants, and tea rooms. Pop into Bakery on the Water for a fresh-baked pastry and a caffeinated treat before browsing local shops for trinkets. For a nostalgic side quest full of vintage cars and rare collectible toys, take a break from shopping and visit the Cotswolds Motoring Museum. Afterwards, get lost in the Dragonfly Maze, a lush labyrinth of perfectly manicured hedges with whimsical "Alice in Wonderland" vibes.

If you want a break from the bustle of the village, one TikTok traveler recommends venturing to the Upper and Lower Slaughters (it's about a 5-minute journey to the Lower Slaughter by car), where you'll find peaceful paths decorated with cute cottages and scenic countryside. While you're in the area, visit the Slaughters Manor House for a traditional afternoon tea.

If you're dreaming of a sleepy seaside village that feels like a best-kept secret, Robin Hood's Bay is an ideal destination. Though it pops up regularly on travel blogs, TikTok isn't flooded with a ton of Robin Hood's Bay content, making it a bit of a hidden gem compared to the bustling villages of the Cotswolds.

Nestled along the Heritage Coast of North Yorkshire, the quaint fishing village offers a peaceful retreat mixed with a moody coastal atmosphere. Idyllic cobblestone streets twist through the town, lined with British pubs, local shops, fisheries, and beachside cottages topped with orange terracotta roofs. Robin Hood's Bay is undeniably photogenic with plenty of picture-perfect areas to discover, like Peacock Lane. As travel blogger Flying Scots Girl writes, "Peacock Lane may be absolute favorite corner to photograph in Robin Hood's Bay. The cobbled passages of the village are winding and steep and here, a stone walled cottage juts out." For a panoramic view of the village and its dramatic coastline, the same blog recommends making your way to the top of Bay Bank, where you should be sure to pop into the Fish Box for an order of classic fish and chips.

Make it a dreamy overnight stay by checking into The Bay Hotel. Offering three cozy guest rooms, the historic inn is ideally perched on a cliff at the edge of the bay, granting sweeping seaside views for miles. If you want to go full cottagecore, you can book a retreat with Robin Hoods Bay Holiday Cottages and choose from a collection of cute coastal homes, like this romantic dockside cottage for two. If you have a flair for the macabre, make the 15-minute trek to Whitby, the hauntingly eerie coastal town that inspired Bram Stoker's "Dracula."

It's no secret that England is positively teeming with charming villages that fit the cottagecore aesthetic, so we certainly had a lot to choose from. For this list, we whittled down the abundance of options by focusing on villages that are most beloved by travelers, relying on their experiences and starry-eyed perspectives to guide us to the most enchanting English destinations.

While we consulted a number of Reddit threads and travel blogs, the primary inspirational source for our choices was TikTok, whose visual storytelling was particularly useful in finding the most idyllic villages. In our search, we found that the Cotswolds came up often, so we made sure to highlight a couple of villages in the region. However, we expanded our search to other areas of the UK – and also drew on our own experiences of Highgate Village – to give a more well-rounded list. We hope that this list inspires you to live your best cottagecore life, and find your dream vacation destination in charm-filled England.