Stratford-upon-Avon is packed with places related to the life and times of William Shakespeare, as well as a wealth of other interesting and historic sights to appeal to any visitor.
Get on the Shakespeare Trail
It all starts at Shakespeare's Birthplace, the house where he was born and grew up. This fascinating piece of history is also where Shakespeare and his wife Anne lived for five years at the start of their marriage.
The house is a shrine for Shakespeare enthusiasts and here you’ll be able to see what other writers such as Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy thought of his work. The costumed guides bring it to life with captivating tales and there are live performances by the resident actors.
A five-minute walk away is Shakespeare’s New Place, where he moved after retiring – it’s also where the famous bard passed away in 1616. The original house was demolished in 1759, but an attractive Jacobean sunken knot garden occupies part of the grounds.
The neighboring Grade-1 listed Elizabethan Nash's House, where Shakespeare's granddaughter Elizabeth Hall lived, has been restored as an exhibition center featuring rare artifacts relating to his life here. Opposite New Place is a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s medieval schoolroom.
Next up on the Shakespeare trail is Hall’s Croft, the beautiful Jacobean home of Shakespeare's eldest daughter Susanna and her husband, the renowned physician Dr John Hall. It’s an impressive building, befitting of a man of such wealth and status.
About a mile west of the town center is the delightful thatched farmhouse where Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway lived before they were married. It’s all laid out as it would have been when she lived here, and the gorgeous gardens are well worth a stroll.
A bit further from town is Mary Arden's Farm, the childhood home of Shakespeare's mother, which offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of a farming family in 16th century England.
Among the other Shakespeare-related sites around town is Holy Trinity Church, the bard’s final resting place, where you can see his grave with its slightly sinister epitaph, which warns ‘cursed be he that moves my bones'.
Find your inner Hamlet or Macbeth
Don’t leave town without experiencing a performance of your favorite Shakespeare play by the world-famous Royal Shakespeare Company at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, or next door on the Swan Theatre’s traditional Elizabethan stage.
Explore historic Warwickshire
Around five miles east of Stratford-upon-Avon is Charlecote Park, a grand 16th-century country house on the River Avon, where a young Shakespeare allegedly poached deer in the extensive grounds.
Highlights include the wonderful Victorian kitchens and an original Tudor gatehouse. Also out of town is Compton Verney, a magnificent 18th century mansion surrounded by 120 glorious acres of parkland landscaped by famous garden designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.
Just a 30-minute drive away lies historic Warwick, famous for its huge and impressive 1,000-year-old castle, built by William the Conqueror. Afterwards, make sure you leave enough time to wander around the town’s charming streets.
Car rental in Stratford-upon-Avon allows you to see the sights of this historic town, as well as venture out to discover more of this beautiful and fascinating part of the UK.
