Stratford-upon-Avon

Introduction

Being the birthplace of one of the most famous playwrights of all time, Stratford-upon-Avon has become an extremely popular destination for tourists. I've visited the town many times, and whenever I've been there, it's always been very busy. I've seen a lot of tour groups traveling about, especially Chinese and American groups. The last time I was there, I saw some students taking pictures of the Shakespeare statues near the river Avon. The market town is famous for historic buildings, nice shopping areas, and scenic views that could take your fancy.

I've found the town pretty accessible with plenty of trains and buses that stop there. It's quicker driving (car parks can be pricey), as I have to change trains and the bus route from Banbury to Stratford is slow and stops pretty much at every village, especially on the school run. It's still an easy place to get to with plenty of ways to go. I think the best time to go is around midday on weekdays as it's not so busy and it's easier to move around.

Things to Do

There's quite a lot of stuff to do in town. The boat trips are popular, especially in the warmer weather. I remember as a kid my nan and I feeding the ducks with bread, but I don't see it being done so much now. They now say don't give them bread as it's not good for their health and it pollutes the water. Oats, corn, and peas are fine though.

There's a good mixture of shops and plenty of restaurants about. There's a couple of theatres that also look pretty decent like Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre.

It's a nice place to walk about, as well. Some pretty views, they always seem to have something going on at the weekend. They've got that playground area in one of the big car parks, and they have the Butterfly Farm.

Places to Eat

There's plenty of places to eat. There is Barnaby's fish and chip shop near the river by the shops, that's been there in a while. I remember having fish and chips in another really nice little place further out of town, but I forgot its name. There's a Thai restaurant by the river. Some of the boats do food like the Baguette Barge. Borrento is a nice Italian restaurant as well.

The last I went for something to eat in Stratford was at The Fourteas on Sheep Street. It's a tearoom with the interior based in the 1940s and all the staff were dressed as if they were from the 1940s. It was an interesting experience and the teas and food were really nice. Ironically, half the stuff on the menu probably wouldn't be available in the 1940s, but there's a lot of choices on there. I'd go there again.

Places to Stay

I've never actually stayed a night in Stratford-upon-Avon because it's close to where I live, so I never really quite felt the need to use any hotels or inns. Every time I've gone, it's always been in the day. If I was going to a concert or seeing something in the theatre and I had no way to back home at night, it would be something I would do. Though if I was considering booking a hotel or inn, I'd probably go for the Falcon Hotel as it's one of the cheaper ones. I'd also think about staying in the Shakespeare hotel just for the experience, but there seems to be a lot of places to stay, but they all look dear. It's cheaper to stay at home then come back.

Recommendations

It's been years since I went to the Butterfly Farm. I'm pretty sure it's changed since I've last been in, but I remember it being a lovely place and enjoyed seeing all the butterflies and learning about them. I think most of the butterflies I've seen in my lifetime were residents of the butterfly farm. It's a nice place for the kids.

On Ely Street, there's a really nice antique centre that has a lot of quirky stuff for sale there. I enjoy browsing there because I never know what to expect. My favourite pop-up shop there is the oriental antiques. I've bought some pretty chopsticks and lucky cat figures there. Some time in the future, I can see all the old pound coins being there for sale.

Henley Street is home to several souvenir shops, including the Christmas Shop and the Peter Rabbit store. Hidden in one of the alleyways is a teddy bear shop. It's charming shop. It's got a mixture of old and new teddy bears. It also sells Steiff bears that are extremely collectable, expensive, and valuable.

Conclusion

Stratford-Upon-Avon is a pleasant time. It's best enjoyed with good weather. It's a nice place to go shopping for all bits and bobs, there's plenty of stuff to do, and it is very photogenic with all the Tudor-style buildings. At some point, I'd really like to stay at Stratford for the night and try out one of their hotels or go to one of their theatres.

With its closeness to the river Avon, it means that it's at a high risk of having floods, but this wouldn't put me off from going as I haven't heard of any floods happening in the town for a long time.

It's worth a visit.