Stratford-upon-Avon, and the England Shakespeare Knew

Stratford is two hours from London and small enough to walk in an afternoon, which is precisely why the properties scattered around it make the case for a car. The Birthplace on Henley Street and the town centre are on foot. Anne Hathaway's Cottage at Shottery and Mary Arden's Farm at Wilmcote are a mile and three miles out respectively, and reaching them without your own transport eats the day.

The town itself is genuinely handsome. Timber-framed frontages, a broad river with swans and rowing boats, and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre sitting low on the bank. Holy Trinity Church, ten minutes downstream along a lime avenue, is where Shakespeare was baptised and buried, and the grave is set into the chancel floor beneath its own inscription. It is a quieter and more affecting stop than the birthplace, and less crowded.

If you can, build the day around an evening performance. The RSC's main house and the Swan are a few steps from the water, and being collected afterwards by your own car — rather than walking to a car park in the dark or waiting for a train — turns a long day into an easy one. Your chauffeur can hold coats and bags through the interval and be at the door as you come out.

As with all our touring days, we provide the car and the chauffeur. Your chauffeur is a professional driver, not a licensed guide, and offers no commentary. Property admission and theatre tickets are arranged by you, and we will happily advise on how the properties space out across a day. A qualified guide can travel with you if you would like the works and the places properly connected.