Cotswolds by Design: Homes & Gardens, June 18-24, 2025

This trip is sold out, but we still have spots available on the September trip.

Spend a week exploring the dreamy homes and gardens of the English countryside with us! We’ll also visit with local creatives, take incredible workshops, shop for antiques, be spoiled with delicious meals, and come away feeling inspired and refreshed.

Highlights include:

• Enjoy tea and cake in an alluring garden that includes a croquet lawn, wildflower meadow, orchard, and more.

• Go on a bespoke tour of an exquisite Arts & Crafts style manor that’s been in the same family for 5 generations.

• Get an exclusive look into the enchanting, maximalist studio of a renowned painter, complete with a botanical drawing workshop (for all levels) and a home-cooked supper with cocktails in the garden.

• Eat wonderful food in thoughtfully chosen restaurants, charming pubs, and private homes and gardens.

• Hunt for treasure in a quaint town known for its antique shops.

• Take a seasonal British cooking class at a gorgeous organic farm .

• Step inside the stunning home of William Morris, the iconic designer / father of the Arts & Crafts movement.

• Take a floral arranging workshop in a lovely, overflowing garden.

• Stay in a chic design boutique hotel with friendly staff located in a great little town with plenty of fun spots to explore on foot during free time.

• Be transported from village to village by an attentive driver in a well-appointed van.

• Travel with an unusually small group, which makes the experience that much more intimate and special.

• Feel the warmth and connection created when traveling with a group of diverse people who come together over their love of travel, art & design, kindness, and curiosity about the world.

• Take advantage of the bespoke services of your trip leader, B Brooks, an English garden designer, who thrills in sharing her love of beautiful gardens, flowers, and landscapes, finding fantastic hidden gems, and connecting around the supper table with friends old and new. B has been on two previous by Design trips with our founder, Eva Jorgensen, and completely understands the perspective of the traveler and what will captivate and delight. 

• As a bonus, Eva will be coming along to assist B on this very first Cotswolds by Design trip. (And because it’s going to be so incredible, she has to experience it for herself, ha!)

  June 18 - 24, 2025 (6 nights). (This trip is sold out, but we still have spots available on the September trip.)In addition to extensive trip planning, leading, and priceless local knowledge and connections, all exclusive tours, activities, local creative host visits, hotel lodging, and meals are included (except where mentioned in the below itinerary). Group size is limited to 12 participants. See more details below and feel free to email hello@evajorgensen.com with questions.

A MESSAGE FROM EVA:

When it comes to enchanting homes and gardens that make you feel like you’re in a storybook land, there’s really no place in the world like the Cotswolds. And June is the best time of year to visit! It’s hard to convey just how excited I am to explore this bucolic region with you, even moreso because we’ll be hosted by the local designer, B Brooks, who is not only incredibly good at what she does, but an absolute delight to be around.

Bountiful country gardens and organic farms, workshops with local chefs and artists, private home tours, cozy meals and afternoon tea with friends old and new——these are just some of the ways we’ll spend our time during this expertly crafted week. 

Like Mary and Colin in The Secret Garden, we’ll come away from our time in the English countryside feeling transformed——cheeks flushed with fresh air, feet planted firmly in the earth, our inner stores of inspiration full and overflowing. 

Now, doesn’t that sound like magic? B and I are thrilled for you to join us!

x Eva 

Quick Links

“This trip with Eva Jorgensen Travel was just what I needed. Inspiring, relaxing, and really fun. The best part is that the whole thing was flawlessly planned and I didn’t have to do a thing. Between work and my kids, the idea of planning a trip just for myself sounds so daunting. I really couldn’t have done it alone. I can’t wait until I can go on another one!”

ANNE S.

Itinerary

Day 1

After a transfer arranged by us from the Oxford train station, you’ll arrive at our chic design boutique hotel on the high street of a great little town in the Cotswolds.

Next, we’ll get to know each other and go over logistics for the week while chatting and sipping drinks. B and Eva will have a thoughtfully curated gift bag in hand for each of you.

Afterwards, B will take us on a stroll to familiarize us with “our” little town, including visits to a 12th century church and a peacefully meandering river.

After a little free time to rest and freshen up, we’ll eat a simple supper of flatbreads, salads, and wine on the terrace downstairs.

Day 2

This morning, as with every morning of the trip, a delicious English breakfast (along with other options!) will be waiting for you downstairs. 

Then we’ll get a private tour of an Arts & Crafts English manor that’s been cared for by the same family for 5 generations. It’s one of the last country houses to be built and furnished in the old traditional style when everything was done by hand with local stone, local timber and local craftsmen.

Next, we’ll experience the charm of a hearty lunch and a pint in a local pub.

In the afternoon, we’ll tour a 7 acre garden that’s been elegantly designed to combine formal elements like a box parterre and croquet lawn with a wildly romantic wildflower meadow and orchard. To top it all off? Tea and cake in the garden. We’re living the dream!

For supper tonight, we’ll change it up with the flavorful cuisine at a lovely local Indian restaurant. 

Day 3

Today we’ll have the immense privilege of spending the day with a renowned local artist, who also happens to be a very charming host.

First up, he’ll take us to the home of William Morris, the legendary Arts & Crafts era artist and designer. We’ll tour the home, learn about this fascinating artist, and soak in all the beauty.

Next, we’ll head to our local artist’s home for a light lunch in the garden. 

After lunch, we’ll take a botanical drawing workshop that will get our creative juices flowing (all drawing levels welcome, of course!)

Then we’ll have a chance to peruse all of our local host’s beautiful designs, books, and original art——the perfect place to look for unique gifts and souvenirs to take home.

Before supper, we’ll tour our host’s garden (this is the Cotswolds after all! ;) and have a chance to relax in the beguiling world he’s created there.

To end this very special day, we’ll sit down to cocktails and supper in the garden. What a treat!

Day 4

Today, we’ll begin with a floral arranging workshop with a local gardener. The blossoms will all come from her very own cutting garden, which we’ll have a chance to see firsthand.

Next, we’ll eat a farm fresh lunch on a stunning property in the countryside.

This afternoon we’ll head to a nearby village that’s known for its antiques shops. Never a by Design trip without a bit of treasure hunting! Whether you’re on the lookout for a certain kind of English pottery, a brass lamp fit for Downton Abbey, or an engraving of the local countryside, chances are you’ll find it here.

After a bit of free time at the hotel to rest and freshen up, it’s off to an art exhibition by a talented English sculptor who just so happens to be B’s sister! What a delightful chance to get to meet and hear her story, while taking in her lyrical creations. The gallery will be open just for us and this special event, which will include tasty canapés and drinks.

Day 5

Oh, today is a fun one! We’ll get our hands dirty at a local organic farm as we learn how to cook a fresh, British style summer meal, using produce from the garden on site. As part of the workshop, we’ll have a private tour of the garden, get a folder of recipes to take home, and of course sit down to enjoy the fruits of our labors. 

After our workshop, we’ll have time to visit the farm’s fantastic shop that’s a weekend destination for posh Londoners. 

After heading back to our own lovely village, we’ll have free time for the rest of the day to explore all it has to offer.

Day 6

This morning, we’ll have free time to get pack and/or explore the town one more time. 

From there, we’ll continue on to a summer lunch in the garden room of a beautiful country estate. 

Next, we’ll have a chance to go on a private tour of the hidden garden, which has been created over the course of 40 years. Weeping mulberry trees, fountains, magnolias, a pond, and even a canal have been carefully added and nurtured over the years to glorious effect.

For our final visit of the trip, we'll explore a world famous Arts and Crafts-inspired garden made by the same designer who created Serre de la Madone in Menton, France. It’s known for lovely, intimate “garden rooms” created around the centuries-old house.

Tonight we’ll enjoy dinner and drinks around a communal table, watching as locally sourced meats and vegetables are cooked on the open grill. As we say our goodbyes, you might be surprised at how much we’ve all bonded over the course of the week——there really is a special alchemy that happens on these trips, and it’s always a little bittersweet to go our separate ways.

Day 7

As with every other morning of our trip, a beautiful breakfast spread will be waiting downstairs. We’ll come away feeling inspired and replenished for whatever comes next!

—

Eva Jorgensen reserves the right to change the itinerary because of local schedules, weather, or if something new and delightful becomes available.

If you have any food allergies, please let us know as soon as you apply so we can make arrangements to accommodate you as best we can. Reach out to hello@evajorgensen.com with any questions.

Still wondering if this trip is for you? Ask yourself these questions. Are you?

• Interested in art and design?

• Open minded and curious about other people and cultures?

• Excited about the itinerary and the idea of exclusive meetings with local creatives?

• Prepared to be on your feet, probably walking on uneven garden paths, climbing stairs, and navigating narrow sidewalks for much of the day?

• Kind, respectful, and conscientious to others around you, in spite of any differences that may exist?

• A lover of homes and gardens——or open to the idea of becoming one? 😉 

• Willing to go with the flow——even if something unexpected comes up——which is often the case while traveling, of course? 

• Someone who appreciates traveling with an expert trip leader & curator—the time and worry this kind of experience saves you, the expertise it brings to your fingertips, and the doors it opens?

• Looking forward to connecting with a small group of fellow design-loving, kind-hearted, adventurous travelers——during long, leisurely dinners, while walking or driving from place to place, during workshops together, etc?

• Able to get around on your own and/or with a fellow traveler during free time. (Don’t worry, we’re always happy to help with recommendations of places to visit, and will help orient you before setting you loose. There are always other travelers in the group to buddy up with, too.)

• Willing to conform to England’s requirements for entering the country, visiting restaurants, museums, etc? As the publication of this page, there are no special Covid regulations in place. Please be aware that these rules may change at any time.

If you found yourself nodding yes to each of these questions, then I’m guessing this trip is for you! But feel free to reach out to me personally if you have any additional questions: hello@evajorgensen.com.

“We were all pretty blown away that you were able to offer all that you did for the price. Well done! This trip was such an incredible, unique experience. Really unique treats and special moments throughout!”

Katie T. 

FAQ

WHAT SHOULD I DO DURING FREE TIME?

• We’re happy to help give you personalized recommendations so that you can make the most of your free time in each spot! If you email us leading up to the trip, we can provide written recommendations based on your interests and preferences, or feel free to chat with B during a meal, ride to the next town, etc. during the course of the trip.

• There will also be some curated suggestions of what to do, see, eat, etc. in the detailed itinerary you’ll receive leading up to the trip. Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of delightful options!

WILL I GEL WITH THE GROUP?

• Short answer, yes! If you’ve read through this entire trip info page and it feels like a great fit for you, then you’ll be a great fit for the group, too. Looking forward to meeting you. ♥️

• For these trips, we welcome a diverse group of travelers——age, race, background, occupation, sexual orientation, location, etc. (More on this below.) This makes our experience more rich as we each bring different skills, experience, knowledge, and more to the table. That said, because we’re all drawn to this kind of trip, we all share a love of travel, beautiful things, artists, creativity, under-the-radar gems, as well as an openness, kindness, and curiosity about the world. So in that sense, we end up finding out that we have much more in common than not. It’s a beautiful thing to see unfold and honestly, you’ll probably be surprised at how quickly the group gels and how much our bonds with our fellow travelers enrich our overall experience. In fact, this seems to always end up being one of our travelers favorite aspects of the trip.

• One of our past travelers described our trips as “group travel for people who don’t like group travel”, and we think that’s pretty accurate, ha! There isn’t a typical guide with a microphone and a red umbrella, no tour bus, no pat explanations or memorized speeches you have to sit through. We focus on lesser known (yet utterly delightful) places, connect with locals, and keep the group size small. There are also people who come on our trips who love the more typical group travel experience, too.

• From a practical standpoint, we’ll arrange to have a Zoom call and start a group text thread in the weeks leading up to the trip. This helps to break the ice before our travels even start, so that we’ll be greeted by friendly faces when we arrive.

What is included in the trip pricing?

• Everything mentioned in the above itinerary.

• A trip planner (B Brooks) who is passionate about doing extremely thorough research and scouting to put together a transformative experience for everyone involved.

• And a second trip planner (Eva Jorgensen) who brings her decades of experience with art and design and her intricate knowledge of creating an itinerary with rhythm, balance and variety.

• A trip leader (also B 😘) who is an esteemed English garden designer, has diplomas in garden design and landscape history, and has priceless local knowledge, connections, and experience.

• A VERY small group size. Most guided trips have at least 20——if not 50!——people in the group. We keep our Cotswolds trip group size to 12 participants at most, in order to move around in a more nimble fashion and have a more intimate experience.

• All classes, exclusive visits, and tours as listed in the itinerary. These are incredibly unique and valuable experiences with local creatives that most travelers wouldn’t be able to have on their own.

• A group of vetted, fellow travelers who are generous in spirit, up for adventure, appreciative of design, and looking forward to traveling and bonding with each other

• Your very own private bedroom and bathroom in a stylish boutique hotel on the high street of a great little town in the Cotswolds. (If you are traveling with someone, you may be able to share a room for a reduced rate, based on availability.)

• All meals, snacks, and drinks mentioned in the itinerary.

• All transportation within the Cotswolds.

• Transfer from Heathrow Airport at the beginning and at the end of the trip.

• 6 nights / 5 full days / 2 partial days

What is the trip pricing?

• £4800 for single occupancy and £4100 for double occupancy (for people traveling together, based upon availability).

• We price trips according to the currency of our destination, so in British Pounds for this trip. Conversion rates may vary, depending on when you pay.

• Once your application is accepted, you will be asked to pay a 50% deposit. The remainder will be due approximately 90 days before departure. Payment plans available upon request.

What is NOT included in the trip pricing?

• Airfare to/from London and train fare (or cab fare) to Heathrow from London (if you spend time in London before our trip begins). 

• Any meals, transportation, or activities you do during free time. 

• Any personal souvenirs and other shopping purchases.

• Alcohol and mixed drinks except where offered / mentioned in the above itinerary.

• Travel insurance and trip medical coverage (both HIGHLY recommended)

What is your cancellation policy?

• Because of all the up-front costs and labor incurred from planning a highly curated group trip like this, we cannot give refunds for any reason, including health issues and any other personal/family/work emergencies. 

• However, if we have someone on our waitlist who would like to take your spot, and/or if you are able to find someone to fill your spot, you may transfer your spot to them, pending our approval and the standard application procedure. (In this case, any money would be exchanged between you and the person you are transfering your spot to, not with EJT.)

• Trip cancellation insurance with a Cancel for Any Reason rider, as well as medical and evacuation coverage is highly recommended for everyone.

What will happen if there are renewed Covid-19 restrictions or a travel ban?

• In the event of renewed Covid-19 travel-related restrictions or travel bans imposed by the relevant authorities in the US or in England that make it impossible to travel or to do the majority of the planned activities, we will postpone the trip to a later date, making our best efforts to choose new dates that work for everyone, so that you do not lose your deposit and we all still get to go on the trip.

• If you are unable to make the new dates work, and if we do not have someone on the waiting list to take your spot, you may find someone to fill your spot, pending our approval.

WHAT ARE YOUR VALUES?

• We believe in the transformative nature of travel, especially through connections made with people, whether they’re locals or fellow travelers.

• We are committed to cultivating a culture of kindness and connectedness on this trip for all, and ask that all participants do the same

• Supporting, celebrating, and gathering inspiration from independent artists, makers, designers, artisans, chefs, etc. is a critical part of everything we do, including these trips & retreats, the Paris by Design book, Letters from Eva, etc.

• We are able to grow and learn better together with a diverse group of travelers. In recruiting for this trip, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, gender expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation, size, and beliefs.

• We know that giving back is important to many of you, and it’s an essential part of our ethos, too. A percentage of proceeds from each guided trip is donated to vetted non-profits doing crucial work. Non-profits we’ve donated to include our local food pantry, The Fresh Air Fund, World Central Kitchen, First Peoples’ Fund, Give Kids the World Village, Active Minds, the United Way, The Trevor Project, International Rescue Committee, and more.

“Really just want to thank you for such an amazing experience. I genuinely can imagine how much work goes into the logistics of pulling off a trip like this for a group and it’s mind blowing how great everything was. It was so special. And I would never be able to keep up the energy and composure you have!! It’s remarkable.”

Danielle W.