It’s known as ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’ due to the winding river flowing through its picturesque village centre.
But Bourton-on-the-Water has more in common with the Italian city than just its name as it is also heaving with tourists – much to the dismay of permanent residents.
Its small population of around 3,500 people is unmatched by the hundreds of thousands of tourists who flock to its riverside every year.
The influx of visitors is partly driven by so-called influencers promoting the village as a perfect day trip destination away from big cities such as London on social media.
Footage posted on TikTok shows the grass verges on either side of River Windrush completely flooded with tourists snapping photos or sitting down to enjoy a picnic.
Holidaymakers are also seen pushing their prams along the water, while others have to wait in line for a spot to sit down and enjoy the view.
An annual duck race on July 20 completely packed out the area as people gathered to watch the yellow plastic animals get carried along with the current.
The event, which attracts locals and tourists, also featured a Tombola and ‘Play Your Cards Right’ and was advertised on the North Cotswolds Rotary.
Children and adults were filmed splashing about in the shallow stream in footage posted on TikTok to show off the ‘beautiful English village’.
But in reaction to the video, one person replied: ‘Yes a beautiful English village ruined by marauding tourists.’
Tourists line the grass verges along the River Windrush in Bourton-on-the-Water on July 17 – one of the busiest months for visitors in the village
Footage posted on TikTok shows the grass verges on either side of River Windrush completely flooded with tourists snapping photos or sitting down to enjoy a picnic
Holidaymakers are also seen standing by the riverside to enjoy the view
A group walks along the road in the Cotswolds village earlier this month. Bourton-on-the-Water is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK
A large group of people cross a bridge in Bourton-on-the-Water – otherwise known as ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’ due its low bridges and river
A woman takes a photo of the scenery in Bourton-on-the-Water earlier this month
Under a different clip showing similar scenes of the village, someone penned: ‘Overrun and ruined by tourists. What used to be a quiet, tranquil little village is now ruined by social media.’
A third added: ‘I feel so sorry for the residents.’
July and August are understood to be the busiest months in the village, with weekends and bank holidays particularly crowded.
In January, Bourton-on-the-Water was voted the 17th top staycation destination in the country, just behind Torquay, Harrogate and Newquay.
A poll, of 2,000 adults revealed where people most want to go for a 48-hour getaway in 2025, with York, Edinburgh, Bath, Oxford, Isle of Skye, and Brighton proving popular.
Other destinations ranked highly were Windermere, Whitby, and Bournemouth.
Bourton-on-the-Water is not the only Cotswolds area being blighted by tourists – as people living in Bibury, Gloucestershire, say it has become increasingly inundated with visitors.
A group of women walk near picturesque buildings in Bourton-on-the-Water this month
A bus passes through Bourton-on-the-Water earlier this month
People sit on the bench to look out at the picturesque view
The influx of visitors is partly driven by so-called influencers promoting the village as a perfect day trip destination away from big cities such as London on social media
People enjoy an ice cream during the sunny weather in Bourton-on-the-Water this month
Bibury is one of the many quaint British villages under siege from tourists all year, particularly over Bank Holidays and the summer holidays, where coach loads of visitors arrive and frustrate residents.
After Bibury villagers called for action and formed a working group that included councillors and the police, Gloucestershire County Council in March announced plans to tackle the problem.
Coaches could, in the long term, be banned from stopping and parking in the village although less drastic measures would be adopted initially, the council said.
Long-term recommendations include looking into prohibiting coaches from stopping and parking in Bibury completely and improving signs to direct them away from its narrow lanes.
The group wants to see if there might be areas outside of the village where coaches could park.
It also wants to encourage tourists to use other ways of visiting Bibury, such as walking, cycling, using public transport or minibuses.
People walk across an old bridge in the picturesque village on July 17
A coach waits for pickup in Bourton-on-the-Water this July – a very popular month for visitors
Councillor Stephen Davies, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said previously: ‘We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Bibury residents and visitors.
‘The proposed measures will help manage traffic more effectively and enhance the overall experience for everyone.
‘We appreciate the community’s support and cooperation as we implement these changes.
‘We also understand that these proposals may not be popular with coach operators, however we are determined to work to find a solution for coach tourists to be able to visit Bibury but this will take time.
‘Therefore, we have attempted to find compromise solutions that offer outcomes which continue to welcome visitors in a managed way, whilst also addressing safety and congestion concerns of the village.’
