Stratford-upon-Avon
Why we love Stratford-upon-Avon
Born and buried here in this hopelessly romantic 16th-century town in the heart of England is the great bard himself, William Shakespeare. Understandably there’s a lot centred around the scribe from its three theatres to the half-timbered Tudor homes and cottages of his and his significant others. You can’t come here and avoid it – nor should you. But there’s also plenty to do once you’ve done all that. The question is whether it’s paddle boarding to ghost touring, raising a glass to its pretty fine gin distillery or taking the Shakespeare Distillery’s produced spirit aboard on a cruise and toasting the whole thing– what to see or not to see, that really is the question.
All the world’s a stage…
An intimate tour that takes in elements of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre unseen by the public. A new tour addition includes access to its newly developed Costume Workshop - the largest costume-making department of any theatre in Britain.
Massive marble runs
Head into town and discover MAD, the world’s only kinetic art museum. Think massive marble runs, giant 3D faces and flying mechanical birds. Hugely interactive and accessible too.
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
The 500-year-old Tudor cottage was where the young Anne was born and raised, and in later years the scribe would visit her. You can see original furniture, wander through its stunning gardens and a sculpture trail inspired by the bard’s life.
Things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon
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Featured things to do
Get to know the ghosts
Is that a ghost I see before me? It probably is if you dare take the Stratford Ghost Walk. Led by witches and ghosts you’ll learn about the town’s most hallowed sites.
Learn more about a Stratford-upon-Avon ghost walk
Down a Jester gin
Discover all things gin at the Shakespeare Distillery. Explore its gin school, mixing masterclass or raise a glass to its award-winning gin cruise.
Learn more about Shakespeare Distillery
Step back in time
Take a tour of the hallowed ground of the bard’s birthplace. A Tudor-style cottage, his wife Anne Hathaway's idyllic cottage, now a working museum.
Learn more about Shakespeare’s birthplace
Flutter at a Butterfly Farm
Explore the UK's largest tropical butterfly paradise with colourful fluttering butterflies surrounding you. Uncover the life of these exotic insects in the Discovery Zone, or choose to visit the Minibeast Metropolis to spot snakes and thousands of creepy crawlies!
Visit Stratford Butterfly FarmPlaces to stay in Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
A small area with plenty of demand from visitors means demands on accommodation are always there, check out its boutique hotels to quaint Tudor cottages.
Warwick
Is a lovely day out in itself and is popular for its castle, and is a 25 minute train ride away.
Leamington Spa
The elegant spa town of Leamington Spa is also accessible and has fewer tourists and maybe a better alternative to the two towns in the summer months.
Getting to Stratford-upon-Avon
In the heart of the Warwickshire countryside, and of England itself makes getting to Stratford-upon-Avon easy. The closest airport is Birmingham. Located around 28 miles (around 30 mins by taxi) from the centre of the town, the airport serves more than 150 global destinations. Megabus and National Express take an hour, and trains from Birmingham take around an hour. Direct services also from London to Marylebone.
Getting around
By foot
Stratford-upon-Avon's many attractions can and should be reached by foot – in fact you can walk from one side of the town to the other in fewer than 15 minutes.
By bike
Hire a bike and explore the surrounding countryside, including the Stratford Greenway, a cycle path following a former railway line.
Want to know more?
Check out Visit Stratford-upon-Avon for top insider tips and inspiration.