I love Theatre. There is something magical about being able to escape to a totally different world for 2-3 hours created by actors performing live on a stage. The art of storytelling combined with powerful acting and intricate set designs is something I can appreciate anytime. Theatre is, in fact, one of my favorite performing arts. It wasn’t until I was here in the United States, I pursued theatre as a hobby seriously. I made it a point to try to hit every Broadway show that visits my city and other off Broadway shows that gather my interest.  Growing up, I loved reading a lot of plays and did act in couple of them while in school. Thanks to the Indian education system, there is no escaping the works of literary giant, Mr. William Shakespeare. I had read and watched enough of his plays that I knew a trip to Stratford upon Avon and a performance at the Globe Theatre in London was on my to-do list when I went to London for a month for work.

I am not gonna lie that my London co-workers did warn me against going to Stratford Upon Avon for a day trip. They said it wasn’t worth it and there is nothing to see there. After having made the trip myself, I would say I partially agree with them. Unless you are either into Shakespeare or a theatre goer, there is nothing much for you to see or do in this small town. In fact, the town is only known for being the home town of the great English playwright and poet, Shakespeare, and the home of the Royal Shakespeare company. Given everything, I have to give credit to the city for doing a great job preserving the buildings from Shakespeare’s times and making the town look quaint and full of history and culture.

How long to stay

Half a day is more than enough time to see what this small town has to offer. If you want to take it easy and throw in a play, then maybe a full day trip from London should be good enough.

Getting here and getting around

Not gonna lie, the best and the most efficient way to get to Stratford Upon Avon from London is by car. But since I had already vested in a 8-day BritRail pass, I was gonna get my money’s worth and try to use trains to get here. Unless you plan on spending the full day in Stratford Upon Avon, it is very important to look at the train times beforehand to see if you can take the non-stop service from London Marylebone (which takes 2.5 hours). I, unfortunately, went there only for a couple of hours so I took a train from London which involved changing trains at Leamington Spa station. There are regular services to Warwick and Birmingham from Stratford Upon Avon and you can connect to London from there too. The train station in Stratford Upon Avon is located half a mile away from the town center and can easily be reached on foot.

Although it is possible to cover all the attractions on foot in this town, but be ready for a long walk from Shakespeare to Anne Hathaway’s cottage. I checked for Uber on the phone and didn’t find any service. I didn’t even see anything for public transportation in the Google Maps. For those unable to walk a lot, I would recommend getting a cycle, scooter or a car to get around the city.

Where to stay

To be honest with you, I didn’t pass by any hotels during my time in the city except for the Mercure. But I am sure there has to be other options available for out of town visitors. I would personally recommend staying in London, Birmingham and Warwick and making a day or half a day trip to Stratford Upon Avon.

What to buy

You’re in Shakespeare’s hometown so Shakespeare’s memorabilia are the best things to buy from here.

What to see or do

I was going in with a strict Shakespeare agenda in mind so I restricted my sightseeing to just those areas in the town. Based on my research before traveling and what I saw there, there are bunch of attractions and tours that focus on ghosts, witches, magic, murder, mayhem and paranormal activities and occurrences. With so much history and preserved historical buildings, I was not surprised at all.

Here are some of the things I recommend you see or do when in Stratford Upon Avon:

Shakespeare’s birthplace cottage

This is the place where Shakespeare was born and lived during his early years. It has been restored with proper 16^thcentury décor and houses many authentic items. If you are visiting this and Anne Hathaway’s cottage, I would recommend getting the Full Story ticket.

Anne Hathaway’s cottage

Okay, this is a mile away from the town center but is definitely worth the long walk. It’s a pretty romantic cottage. Hathaway lived here a young girl until she got married to Shakespeare. It is here where their courtship began. There are many family heirlooms on display and the place is set to reflect how things were back then.

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

You are in Shakespeare’s home town so you can’t miss catching a performance at this prestigious theatre. Tickets are usually high in demand so make sure to book yours well in advance.

Holy Trinity Church

Not a very impressive church by any standards but it is the resting place for Shakespeare’s tomb. It is free to visit since this is a working church and not an attraction per se.

What to eat

Nothing really specific to the city that you must eat while here. If you want to know what British food consists of, check out my London post covering those details.

 

Have you been to Stratford Upon Avon? What did you think? Did you do any of the spooky tours or visit any of the attractions I didn’t cover?