Stratford-Upon-Avon - Shakespeare's Pretty Town
March 27th 2008 03:46
Shakespeare's House, Stratford-Upon-Avon. Thanks to WikiMedia Commons user Pessimist for putting this image into the public domain.
One of my first trips away from London was to Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford-Upon-Avon.
The "Upon-Avon" part is sort of important, as there is more than one place in England called Stratford. The River Avon flows through the Shakespearean town and gives the picturesque swans a place to glide.
And it is a very picturesque town. Half-timbered buildings, looking comfortably shambling, the odd bit of thatched roof, it's lovely and makes for great picture-taking too.
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre Company performs here, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Schedules can be found online, and tickets purchased via the Internet.
Since Stratford-Upon-Avon is a well-known tourist destination, you should also be able to find a bus (coach) tour from major centres.
On that first visit, I had my two young children along. We walked by the river, found Shakespeare's burial place (Holy Trinity Church), his house, and statues (the Gower Memorial) of Shakespeare and some characters and quotations from some of his best-known plays.
"Good night, sweet prince,
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest"
from Hamlet is the one that lingers most with me, years later. Perhaps because I had my own sweet 3-year-old prince with me at the time. I'm happy to report he is hale and hearty, unlike the poor tortured Prince of Denmark.
Go up to Stratford-Upon-Avon by car, bus / coach, or train on a day when you will enjoy a bit of outdoor time. If you fancy an evening theatre performance rather than a matinee, book a room at a B&B. Take your camera and relax. Despite the immense popularity of this place with tourists, in the non-peak season I have found it rather slow and uncrowded, easy to enjoy.
In the rainy season, watch the weather reports - I was there one year during a flood and that was rather sloppy. (November-ish, it was).
Not too far away: Kenilworth Castle - The Romance of Queen Elizabeth I
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Yes you can buy souvenirs and the usual bric a brac, but it's not overwhelmed with twee shops. A pleasant place to visit and I would like to get back there. Hope you can too