{"id":23281,"date":"2017-02-20T16:24:39","date_gmt":"2017-02-20T16:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelodgeblog.wpengine.com\/?p=23281"},"modified":"2023-05-17T10:56:42","modified_gmt":"2023-05-17T09:56:42","slug":"stratford-upon-avon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/things-to-do\/stratford-upon-avon\/","title":{"rendered":"Things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Come for Shakespeare but stay for the pretty walks and idyllic riverside that make Stratford-upon-Avon the perfect place for a weekend break<\/a>.<\/h3>\n

This pretty Medieval town in the West Midlands region is well known as the birthplace and home of William Shakespeare, and Bard-pilgrims arrive throughout the year to see the many surviving places well known to the playwright and his family in the 16th-century. While much of the town is focused on bringing Shakespeare\u2019s upbringing here to life, there is more to Stratford-upon-Avon<\/span><\/a> than just the Bard \u2013 the sheer beauty of the place is enough to tempt anyone to sit down and write rhapsodies in rhyming couplet. A weekend break in Stratford-upon-Avon should combine the fascinating story of Shakespeare with some of the town\u2019s more varied attractions and natural beauty.<\/h4>\n
Go punting on the Avon<\/h5>\n

Avon Boating has been sending visitors down this beautiful stretch of river since 1898 \u2013 it\u2019s one of the most pleasant things to do in Stratford. You can hire one of its fleet of rowing boats, punts and self-drive motor boats from a boathouse on the banks. Just pack a picnic and float past the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, now only just recognisable as the round built by the Victorians, thanks to a series of renovations and expansions only recently completed. If you\u2019d rather watch the scenery than pull an oar or two, then jump aboard one of a fleet of classic Edwardian passenger vessels. These leave regularly from Bancroft Gardens and are also available for private hire.<\/h4>\n

Visit the Teddy Bear Museum<\/h5>\n

Little ones who have tired of Shakespeare\u2019s life and times might be revived by a trip to this sweet collection of bears from around the world. You can meet the first television Paddington, Sooty, Pudsey Bear and the original Fozzie Bear \u2013 donated by the late Jim Henson. Naturally, you\u2019ll find a gift shop fully populated with furry friends to take away with you.<\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Discover Shakespeare\u2019s favourite spots<\/h5>\n

A lovely way to discover Stratford and its fascinating relationship with William Shakespeare is to join the award-winning, daily Town Walk<\/span><\/a>. See the sights, hear the stories and for the darker side of Stratford\u2019s history, try the Saturday evening Ghost Walk. If you\u2019d rather walk by day, then take the mile trip to Anne Hathaway\u2019s Cottage, using the route up Scholars Lane. The village of Shottery is extremely pretty, and the cottage itself is a marvel \u2013 visitors can make like 18-year-old William Shakespeare and call on the thatched timber-framed, 15th century, farmhouse. It\u2019s easy to imagine the young playwright standing by the stream that meanders nearby and dreaming up scenes from his plays \u2013 as well as words to woo Hathaway, eight years his senior.<\/h4>\n
See a world-class production in his home town<\/h5>\n

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre may not have existed during Shakespeare\u2019s life, but it brings his literary legacy to life in a spectacular way. The building itself, built in the 1930s, from the outside lacks the beauty of the Globe in London. But inside, it is very impressive, with a huge stage that has recently been expanded to bring the Bard\u2019s plays to life as they might have been in the early 17th century. The old proscenium arch has been replaced with a \u2018thrust\u2019 stage and galleried seating that sets the audience up as Shakespeare might have recognised \u2013 the back row is only 50ft from the stage, meaning everyone has a good view. The in-house restaurant has a fabulous dining room with a panoramic view of the river and pretty scenery \u2013 leave yourself time for an early supper here. Next door, at the Swan Theatre, you can see lesser-known Shakespeare plays in a more intimate venue.<\/h4>\n

Pay your respects at Shakespeare\u2019s birthplace\u2026 and resting place<\/h5>\n

Of all of the Shakespeare-connected attractions in town, the house on Henley Street is the one you must not miss and a fascinating thing to do in Stratford-upon-Avon. It\u2019s now home to an exhibition of his life and times, which you shouldn\u2019t skip before entering the main home. But once you\u2019re inside, you\u2019ll find a glimpse into the young William\u2019s home life, recreated as authentically as possible \u2013 there is even a glove-making workshop depicting his father John\u2019s occupation as a glove-maker. Look out for the guides, decked out in period costume and always ready to quote the Bard. A very popular attraction, the house gets extremely busy. Plan your visit carefully and try phoning ahead to get advice on the day\u2019s bookings.<\/h4>\n

From mewling infant to oblivion, the playwright\u2019s exit was at the Holy Trinity Church \u2013 where he was baptised and buried. The Shakespeare family were all buried in the Chancel here, and it\u2019s a contemplative place to come and pay your respects to the world\u2019s most admired writer.<\/h4>\n

So if you fancy seeing a production in Shakespeare\u2019s home town or a trip along the river Avon, then why not take a look at our hotels in Stratford Upon Avon<\/span><\/a> and start planning your weekend getaway today.<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Come for Shakespeare but stay for the pretty walks and idyllic riverside that make Stratford-upon-Avon the perfect place for a weekend break.","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":23601,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1361],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23281"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23281\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}