Stratford-upon-Avon Travel

Start your morning with a 40-minute drive from Birmingham or take a Chiltern Railways train to Stratford. Walk along Henley Street to find Shakespeare's Birthplace — the Tudor half-timbered house where the great playwright was born in 1564, preserving 16th-century furniture and decorations, with a garden planted with herbs and flowers mentioned in Shakespeare's works. Then head to Bancroft Gardens, where the Gower Memorial features Shakespeare seated in a chair, surrounded by four statues representing History, Comedy, Tragedy and Philosophy. Stroll along the River Avon to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre — book a backstage tour to explore the prop workshop and dressing rooms, or catch a performance at The Swan Theatre. After lunch, pay respects at Shakespeare's grave in Holy Trinity Church, where the tombstone bears the famous curse: "And curst be he that moves my bones." In the afternoon, visit the Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm, where hundreds of exotic butterflies flutter freely in a tropical rainforest environment. End the day with a Real Ale at The Dirty Duck — the actors' and theatregoers' favourite haunt.

If time allows, combine Stratford with surrounding classic destinations for a 2-day 1-night trip. Drive 8 miles in the morning to Warwick Castle — a Norman fortress built in 1068, featuring England's tallest defensive tower, a medieval torture museum and spectacular peacock gardens, with jousting tournaments in summer. In the afternoon, visit Charlecote Park — an Elizabethan Tudor manor where young Shakespeare was famously caught poaching deer; hundreds of fallow deer still roam freely in the deer park. Head to Compton Verney — an 18th-century Grade I listed mansion with Capability Brown-designed landscape gardens, surrounded by 120 acres of woodland and lakes. Alternatively, visit Leamington Spa — an elegant Regency spa town for afternoon tea. Return to Stratford in the evening for modern British cuisine at The Oppo, ending your literary tour.