Stratford-upon-Avon RSC ShakespeareTourist Information<< >> At Stratford-upon-Avon the RSC Stratford Shakespeare are interwoven and have become one. Mention one and you think of the others. Wherever in the world you live I think the image of this town will always be ‘Olde’ England. It will conjure up images of medieval houses and cottages with black beams and all the things that are quintessentially English. You wouldn’t be disappointed because there are rows of these cottages and quite a lot that seems to have survived from the 16th century when its most famous son was around. I mean William Shakespeare of course who lived in Stratford-upon-Avon as a young man around the 1560’s to 1580’s. It is the reason most people want to visit Stratford Warwickshire and travel from all over the world to do so.
One of them was a short river cruise and there are lots to choose from or you can hire your own small boat for a longer period and stop off for picnics etc. The only thing that was slightly off putting was that there wasn’t much control of the small boats and the man who was in charge of our cruise boat said there were many near misses. If you want something to pass a pleasant evening there are dinner cruises that are lovely on a warm summer evening.
There is no shortage of places to visit in Stratford-upon-Avon with a connection to Shakespeare. There is the house on Henley Street where he was said to have been born: the school he attended; the Church where he was married and is now buried; and the cottage where is wife Anne Hathaway lived with their children.
Anne Hathaways' cottage is a huge attraction and there are lots of visitors especially on a fine day. I was impressed with the way they had organised and managed the visitors. They only allow a certain number in at one time and there are guides around the cottage to tell you about the history. The gardens are beautiful too and just across the road you can tuck in to a cream tea. The walk from Stratford-upon-Avon to the cottage is very pleasant and worth doing unless you are not able to walk far.
We were lucky because although we wanted to go to the theatre it was not the main purpose of our visit and wouldn’t have mattered too much if we didn’t go. Our landlady advised us to go to the Box Office for 10am to see if there were any tickets not taken up and we got good seats for a fraction of what you would pay for advance purchase. I know that most people do not have the luxury of taking a chance but if you can I would say try to get tickets there on the day and don’t be put off if you look on the internet and it says ‘fully booked’. We saw ‘A Winter’s Tale’ and I had never seen it before, it was superb.
As you would expect there is a wide range of shops and restaurants. You can spend as much or as little on meals as you want to. We mixed and matched and always enjoyed the food. There is a good selection of shops and no shortage of souvenirs. There was even a Christmas shop (it was June) so there were things to buy that would remind you of your visit even at Christmas.
There are many places to visit round about. There are lovely Cotswold villages and countryside within easy reach. We went to Broadway and Bourton on the Water and I can’t remember exactly where it was but we had a drink in The Fleece at Bretforton, a 15th century pub now owned by the National Trust.
Don’t expect perfection, Stratford-upon-Avon has its share of litter and not so pretty parts but on the whole it is a good place to spend a weekend. Don’t forget to call in at the Stratford Tourist Information Office, which will offer you plenty of ideas for your visit. << |
