Nonliterary types might find England's Stratford-upon-Avon to be much ado about nothing, but Shakespeare's hometown is blanketed with opportunities for Bardolatry. It's an easy side-trip from London, but an overnight stay is best to take in a performance.
Shakespeare was born and raised here. He then spent most of his career in London, where he taught his play-going public about human nature with plots that entertained both the highest and the lowest minds at the same time. His tool was an unrivaled mastery of the English language. He retired – rich and famous – back in Stratford.
Within Stratford's compact old town, you can walk easily to most Shakespeare sights. The River Avon, which flows right through town, has an idyllic yet playful feel, with rowboats, swans, and an old, one-man, crank-powered ferry just beyond the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
The best Shakespeare-related thing you can do here is see a play. Even if you slept through English Lit, you'll find the experience memorable. The Royal Shakespeare Company is undoubtedly the best Shakespeare troupe on earth and performs shows year-round here and in London. Between excellent acting and remarkable staging, they can even make Henry VIII feel accessible.
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The RSC operates two theaters in town: the flagship Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the intimate Swan Theatre. Both are designed to feel traditional, down to the standing-room-only spaces. Even if you're not seeing a play, the lobbies of both theaters are normally open to the public. You'll learn interesting tidbits of theater history, try on costumes, and see one of Shakespeare's First Folios.
If you're dead set on seeing a show, it's smart to book tickets ahead. But for last-minute decision makers, day-of tickets are often available. On a past visit, on a sunny Friday in June, I stepped into the RSC on a lark to see if they had any tickets … an hour later, I was watching King Lear lose his marbles.
Beyond live performances, the prime sight in town is Shakespeare's Birthplace, a half-timbered Elizabethan building where William grew up. This is also the house where Shakespeare and his bride, Anne Hathaway, began their married life together. I find the birthplace itself a bit underwhelming – everyone is shepherded along the same path through the house, and it's as if millions of visitors have rubbed the rooms clean of anything authentic. Still, the sight makes for a good introduction to the Bard, largely thanks to its thought-provoking modern exhibit (which you see at the start of your visit) and the well-versed (and often costumed) docents who frequently reenact famous Shakespeare scenes in the backyard.
To get a sense for the playwright's early education, visit the Shakespeare's Schoolroom and Guildhall sight. You can test a quill pen, play Tudor games in his classroom from the 1570s, and explore a guild headquarters and chapel to learn about social infrastructure in Shakespeare's day.
Nothing remains of the house the Bard inhabited when he made it big (it was demolished in the 18th century). But the atmospheric mansion grounds, now adorned with modern sculptures and traditional gardens, form another tourist sight: Shakespeare's New Place. Contemplating him writing “The Tempest” in the place he called home for nearly 20 years is an enjoyable experience.
The only sight that's outside of Stratford's walkable town center is Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the 12-room farmhouse where the bard's wife grew up. It's a mile out of town, in Shottery – a 30-minute walk from central Stratford, a stop on the hop-on, hop-off tour bus, or a quick taxi ride from town.
William courted Anne here – she was 26, he was only 18 – and his tactics proved successful. (Maybe a little too much, as she was several months pregnant at their wedding.) The Hathaway family lived here for 400 years, until 1911, and much of the family's 92-acre farm remains part of the site. The picturesque, thatched cottage looks cute as a fairytale, with tranquil gardens and charming sculptures. It's fun to imagine the writer of some of the world's greatest romances wooing his favorite girl right here during his formative years.
Shakespeare's grave is back in town in the riverside Holy Trinity Church, where he had been serving as a lay rector in his last years. While the church is surrounded by an evocative graveyard, the Bard is instead entombed in a place of honor, inside the church and right in front of the altar.
Shakespeare’s hometown is seventh heaven for English majors and actors, but Stratford-upon-Avon's half-timbered charm, with colorful canal boats and punts plying the river, makes it a fun stop for anyone. You might even come home with a new appreciation for the enduring impact made by history's most remarkable playwright.
(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This column revisits some of Rick's favorite places over the past two decades. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)
©2026 Rick Steves. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
