Stratford-upon-Avon in England

With the birthplace and gravesite of Shakespeare, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and historic Tudor buildings, Stratford-upon-Avon is a wonderful town in England to visit. It gets its name because it is located on the River Avon and is sometimes simply referred to as Stratford. Located in the county of Warwickshire, there is also the Warwick Castle nearby, which is definitely worth visiting as well. Although it is definitely a tourist destination, we went during the off-season and enjoyed sharing the streets with more locals than tourists.

Shakespeare’s Birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon
Swan Theatre
Gathering Around City Hall

Obviously, seeing the birthplace of Shakespeare is a highlight of any visit to Stratford-upon-Avon. The house where Shakespeare was born in 1564 is located on Henley Street, which is part of the historic section of the town. The timbered house has been restored and looks very much today as it might have in the 16th century when Shakespeare was a child. There is also the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre where performances still occur throughout the year, but especially over the summer months featuring many famous actors. With over two million visitors per year, Stratford-upon-Avon can be quite busy.

Storefronts in Town
Christmas Market in Stratford-upon-Avon
Downtown Stratford-upon-Avon

We were in Stratford-upon-Avon during the holiday season, so there was a Christmas market and the town was decorated for the holidays. We also were there to watch the mayor kick off the holiday season as people gathered around the town hall. There were also many stores that featured holiday gifts as well as other typical shops selling items for tourists. Perhaps even better were the various pubs that were offering mulled wine to keep us warm on a cold autumn evening.

Punch and Judy Show
Tower at Warwick Castle
English Countryside in Warwickshire

We spent a couple of days in Stratford-upon-Avon visiting the historic town and seeing the impressive Warwick Castle before catching a train to continue on to Manchester. Seeing the English countryside and the historic buildings was certainly one of our favorite parts of our trip to England several years ago.

Shakespeare and Santa Claus

We were fortunate enough that when we went to Stratford-upon-Avon, we joined the locals in celebrating the arrival of Santa Claus. It was truly a magical experience and the town of Stratford-upon-Avon was everything that we expected for a small English village.  There is something special about walking the streets of a town so rich in history, thinking about all who have walked those same footsteps.  The shops, pubs, and people were all extremely welcoming as the holiday spirit certainly filled the air.

Stratford-upon-Avon
The Gathering Crowd
Punch and Judy Show

The town of Stratford-upon-Avon is a tourist destination due to the fact that it is the birthplace of William Shakespeare, but we were surrounded more by locals than tourists while we were there.  The Royal Shakespeare Theatre is located in Stratford where the plays of Shakespeare are still performed.  The original charter for the town was granted in 1196, making it over 800 years old.  Located in Warwickshire, England, nestled along the River Avon, it is truly a destination well worth visiting.  Seeing the home where Shakespeare was born is a memory that will stay with you forever.

Swan Theatre
Shakespeare’s Birthplace

The most memorable part of the visit, however, was when everyone gathered in the center of town outside of the Town Hall on Sheep Street to wait for the arrival of Santa Claus.  After it turned dark, the town officials came out onto the balcony to address the crowd.  Then, to the excitement of the children and adults alike, Santa Claus appeared on the roof, waving to the crowd below.  After seeing the arrival of Santa Claus, we went to one of the pubs where there were large punch dispensers with mulled wine to warm the belly as much as our hearts had been warmed.

Gathering Outside of the Town Hall
Arrival of Santa Claus

The following day, we joined other holiday shoppers in the market that had been set up to sell a wide variety of crafts and products.  We also visited the various shops that were all festively decorated for the holiday season.  We purchased holiday decorations for family and friends as well as some for ourselves.  We ended up buying another suitcase, just so we could bring home everything that we found while we were there.  There were also plenty of restaurants with local fare to eat, such as the traditional fish and chips, bangers and mash, steak and ale pie, and bubble and squeak.  Needless to say, besides the mulled wine, there were plenty of pints of ale to be found and we enjoyed several of them.

The Shops in Stratford-upon-Avon
The Market Place

This was truly one of the highlights of our visit to England.  We had been in London prior to heading to Stratford-upon-Avon and it was almost as if we’d travelled back in time.  I’m sure that it is beautiful during the summer, but if you get the chance to visit during the holiday season, we’d highly recommend it.  Stratford-upon-Avon will stay in our hearts for many years to come.

Preparing for the Celebration