Last updated: 22 September, 2024
Ardent fans of the world’s most famous playwright – or anyone even mildly interested in history – should head to picturesque Stratford-upon-Avon to explore the life and works of the great William Shakespeare.
The town is dotted with historic houses linked to the Shakespeare family, from his mother’s farm, to the homes where he lived and died. All are now cared for by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
There are five Shakespeare-related ‘houses’ to visit: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage & Gardens, Hall’s Croft, Mary Arden’s Farm, Nash’s House & New Place, Shakespeare’s Birthplace, and also Shakespeare’s grave. Together, the properties give a unique insight into Shakespeare’s life, and the times he lived in.
To complete the Shakespeare experience, book in to see a play at the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
If you’ve peaked on the Bard, Stratford does have non-Shakespearian attractions; the Butterfly Farm is the largest in the UK, with hundreds of free-flying butterflies, while the MAD (mechanical art and design) museum is the only permanent collection of kinetic art – from marble runs to 3D faces and mechanical birds – in the country.
