Stratford-upon-Avon Travel Guide

Shakespeare, Shakespeare and more Shakespeare. That’s what’s on offer in Stratford-Upon-Avon, a delightful town, that despite the number of visitors each year is able to maintain its ‘ye olde’ English style and charm.

Shakespeare could not have chosen a nicer place to have lived and died in.

Stratford itself is a small town that can be toured in a day and evening (incorporating a trip to the theatre of course). Those with more time should consider a day, a night and the morning after, leaving once a matinee performance at one of the town’s three theatres has finished.

Endowed with stores usually associated with larger places there is a lot of money here. All the big chains have stores and cater the inevitable onslaught of North American tourists in high season.

High season will have you sharing these Tudors houses with up to two hundred or more visitors. Off season, deep in the recesses of winter these places are almost devoid of people.

Wander through the houses of Shakespeare and those of his various family members. Guides have time to talk and have time for you. The warmth inside of these places makes for a welcome change from chilly conditions outside.

Another house of note is that of John Harvard’s mother. Owned by the university in the United States, it is currently a museum about British pewter.

Remember to take time and sit in any of the number of gardens attached to these houses. Rest, relax and reflect.

Holy Trinity Church, a short distance from the centre, is the last resting place of Shakespeare. It is a worthy pilgrimage in a charming English setting.

An ideal way to explore Stratford and the fascinating relationship with William Shakespeare is to join the guided Stratford Town Walk - every day of the year even Christmas Day!  The walk starts on Waterside opposite Sheep Street and lasts for about 2hrs.  You see the Shakespeare town houses, theatres, grammar school, Church and hidden garden.  The guide tells amusing stories of fires flooding, the plague, medieval cures and old fashioned sayings and history.  Great value, with additional discounts at shops, restaurants and attractions. For those wishing to discover the darker side of Stratford, there is a magical evening ghost walk and occasional ghost cruises.

The plays of Shakespeare run throughout the year at any of the three theatres. From April 2007 onwards the main Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre (the rather large brick monstrosity next to the river) is undergoing large refurbishment. Therefore all plays will be transferred to the new Courtyard Theatre, a few hundred metres down the road. It’s a rather good replacement for now.

Take some time to wander or cycle in the nearby fields and parks. It’s picture postcard England all there in front of your eyes. The Stratford Greenway is a 5 mile cycle track starting on the edge of town. It leads out of town to the nearby villages of Welford and Long Marston. Bikes can be hired locally and delivered to the start of the track.

Served by national rail, national express coach and local bus services it is not difficult to get to the town.

Stratford then is a Shakespeare lovers delight. And even for those most against the bard, should find it hard not to fall under his spell - if only for a moment.