Destination guides > Europe > England > Heart of England > Warwickshire > Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
In 1616 William Shakespeare was born in this lovely town of old Tudor-style buildings. The Shakespeare connection ensures that this is one of the most visited towns in the Midlands.
Practical information
Stratford-upon-Avon Tourist Information Centre
Bridgefoot, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel 0870 160 7930
Website www.shakespeare-country.co.uk
Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm
Coming & going
BUS & COACH
Buses terminate at the Riverside Bus Station near Bridgeway Road.
National Express (tel 0870 580 8080) coaches connect Stratford with Birmingham, Cheltenham and London.
Stagecoach buses go to destinations in Warwickshire and neighbouring counties. The most useful Stagecoach bus routes are X16 and X17, which go to Coventry, Kenilworth, Leamington Spa and Warwick.
TRAIN
Chiltern Railways operate train services to London (Marylebone), Warwick and Birmingham (Moor Street and Snow Hill); London Midland run trains to Birmingham (Moor Street and Snow Hill) and Warwick and First Great Western operates train services to Oxford and London (Paddington).
The Shakespeare Explorer is a good way to make an excursion to Stratford-upon-Avon from London. The pass gives you a return journey from London Marylebone to Leamington Spa, Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon plus unlimited travel between Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon. You are also allowed to break your journey at stations en route between London and Leamington Spa. It is not valid for return travel to London on trains timed to arrive at London Marylebone before 10am Mon-Fri. It costs £30 for a one-day pass and £45 for a four-day pass.
The West Midlands Day Ranger is a similar pass designed for travellers making a day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon from Birmingham or Coventry. It is good for one day unlimited travel in the West Midlands (Birmingham and Coventry) and parts of neighbouring counties including Crewe, Hereford, Northampton, Leamington Spa, Rugby, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Stratford-upon-Avon and Worcester. It is ideal for making day trips from Birmingham. It is good for off-peak travel after 9am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends. This pass costs £16.20.
Hostel accommodation
Stratford-upon-Avon YHA
Hemmingford House, Alveston, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 7RG
Bus 18, X18, 77
Tel (01789) 205 513
Sightseeing, museums & tourist attractions
Most of Stratford's sights relate to William Shakespeare although the relationship can sometimes be rather distant. If you want to get the full Shakespeare experience then it is best to fork out the £12 for the Shakespeare's Town Houses ticket, which gives you admission to the three properties in the town centre (Hall's Croft, Nash's House and New Place and Shakespeare's Birthplace).
Anne Hathaway's Cottage
Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway, lived in this thatched cottage 1.5km north of the town centre.
Shottery, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel (01789) 292100
Website www.shakespeare.org.uk
Admission £6.50
Open Jan-Mar 10am-4pm daily; Apr-May Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm; Jun-Aug Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9.30am-5pm; Sep-Oct Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm; Nov-Dec 10am-4pm daily
Hall's Croft
This home of Shakespeare's daughter Susanna and her husband John Hall is a Tudor-style house in the old town that is furnished in the style of the early 17th-century.
Old Town, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel (01789) 292107
Website www.shakespeare.org.uk
Admission £12, includes entry to Shakespeare's Birthplace and Nash's House and New Place
Open Jan-Mar 11am-4pm daily; Apr-May 11am-5pm daily; Jun-Aug Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm; Sep-Oct 11am-5pm daily; Nov-Dec 11am-4pm daily
Harvard House
The mother of the founder of Harvard University lived in this house, which is now a museum displaying 1500 years of British pewter history.
High Street, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel (01789) 204016
Website www.shakespeare.org.uk
Admission £3.50
Open 29 May-4 Jul Wed & Sat-Sun noon-5pm; 7 Jul-5 Sep Wed-Sun noon-5pm; 8 Sep-31 Oct Wed & Sat-Sun noon-5pm
Mary Arden's House & the Shakespeare Countryside Museum
Mary Arden, Shakespeare's mother, lived in this house 5km from the town centre. It now houses displays depicting country life in Shakespeare's time and it is also home to Rikki, the Snowy Owl that appeared in the Harry Potter films.
Wilmcote, 5km from Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel (01789) 293 455
Website www.shakespeare.org.uk
Admission £8
Open Jan-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 10.30am-4pm; Apr-May Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10.30am-5pm; Jun-Aug Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm; Sep-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10.30am-5pm; Nov-Dec Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 10.30am-4pm
Nash's House & New Place
Shakespeare's granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall, and her husband, Thomas Nash, lived in this house in the town centre. The garden was the site of a house that William Shakespeare bought in 1597 and later retired and died in.
Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel (01789) 292325
Website www.shakespeare.org.uk
Admission £12, includes entry to Hall's Croft and Shakespeare's Birthplace
Open Jan-Mar 11am-4pm daily; Apr-May 11am-5pm daily; Jun-Aug Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm; Sep-Oct 11am-5pm daily; Nov-Dec 11am-4pm daily
Shakespeare's Birthplace
Shakespeare was born in this house right in the heart of the town centre, which has made this the most popular attraction in town.
Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tel (01789) 201823
Website www.shakespeare.org.uk
Admission £12, includes entry to Hall's Croft and Nash's House and New Place
Open Jan-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 10.30am-4pm; Apr-May Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10.30am-5pm; Jun-Aug Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9.30am-5pm; Sep-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10.30am-5pm; Nov-Dec Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 10.30am-4pm
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