Cirencester doesn’t attract quite as much attention as its surrounding Cotswold villages. But it should: once the second-largest town in ancient Britain, it is home to a rich Roman history that visitors can explore in its Corinium Musuem, Cirencester amphitheatre and fortified wall remains.
Its handsome high street features inviting independent shops, former wool merchant buildings and the largest – and possibly, most striking – parish church in Gloucestershire, on the site of a former abbey. This affectionately known “Capital of the Cotswolds” also has an impressive rotation of indoor and outdoor markets.
Its bountiful green spaces includes The Bathurst Estate, whose Cirencester Park hosts prestigious polo events, the annual Cotswolds Show (today-6 July) and the Cirencester History Festival (23 October–1 November). Time Out named Cirencester as one of the best places in the world to visit in 2026.
A street market in Cirencester (Photo: Brian Scantlebury/Getty)
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