Artsy Traveler

Stratford-upon-Avon: A Must-Stop for the Artsy Traveler

Last updated on March 11th, 2023 at 09:08 pm

On my recent trip in 2022, I stayed one night in Stratford-upon-Avon, saw a performance of Richard III (more on this in a minute!) and then the next day took a full-day, small-group tour of the Cotswolds with Go Cotswolds before hopping on the train to Birmingham for two nights. Read about my wonderful day out with Go Cotswolds.

In this post, I share my almost-50-year love affair with Stratford-upon-Avon along with tips about what to see and do based on my trip there in August 2022.

Getting to Stratford-upon-Avon

I rose early and took a taxi from Wilde Aparthotels to Marylebone Station. I had to change trains at Solihul, which turned out to be a small station surrounded by countryside. The minute I stepped off the train to wait on the platform for the train to Stratford-upon-Avon, I was subsumed by a massive dose of nostalgia.

The smell and sound of the English countryside took me back to 1974. I was 18 again, inhaling the earthy odors of a deciduous forest as I walked through on the campus of the University of Reading on my way to lectures, hearing the same bird song, excited and a little nervous—a stranger in a new land.

England, pleasant England.

I felt like all the years in between had disappeared because inside I felt exactly the same now as I was then. All that’d changed was an accumulation of memories and people like my husband who hadn’t existed for me in 1974 and my daughter who hadn’t existed at all.

I decided that my 18-year-old self should feel good about how her life is turning out. Sure, I haven’t won an Oscar for a movie based on one of my novels (a girl can dream!), but I’m totally okay with that. If my 18-year-old self knew what I know now, she would be too.

My First Visit to Stratford-upon-Avon

I boarded the train to Stratford-upon-Avon and more memories flooded in. On each of my last three trips to the UK, I’ve included a night in Stratford-upon-Avon because, well, Shakespeare. Attending a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company is a must.

I first visited Stratford-upon-Avon in 1970 when I was 14 and traveling with my mom. We went to a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre. As an English teacher, Mom was determined to expand my horizons, for which I am eternally grateful.

We saw Two Gentlemen of Verona which is one of Shakespeare’s least memorable plays. The only thing I remembered all these years later was the small swimming pool set into the stage. I’d never see anything like it! Every so often, an actor would slip into the pool and splash about.

Unfortunately, Mom and I visited Stratford-upon-Avon only a few days after landing in the UK and jet lag prevailed. I remember a lot of head bobbing as I tried to stay awake to see the next time someone got wet.

RSC Performances at Stratford-upon-Avon

Since that first performance, I’ve been to Stratford-on-Avon quite a few times. For three years, from 1974 to 1977, I attended the University of Reading where I studied English Literature. Stratford-on-Avon is about a two-hour drive from Reading, so my friends and I frequently drove up to catch a performance. I remember seeing Henry V, King Lear (fabulous storm scene!), and A Winter’s Tale. I’m sure there were others, but they are lost to memory now.

In 1999, Julia (aged 14 at the time) and I went to see Romeo and Juliet starring David Tennant of Doctor Who fame (among many other memorable roles) as Romeo. We didn’t know who he was at the time, but I do remember the production being wonderful. Listening to actors from the RSC doing Shakespeare is like watching cut glass sparkle in the air. Every word, every gesture, every raised eyebrow is precise and perfect.

Hamlet in 2008

Another memorable visit was in 2008 when Julia and I saw Hamlet starring David Tennant, who was by then famous. Julia even got his autograph following the performance.

And so I returned to Stratford-upon-Avon in 2022, this time to see Richard III. I can’t say it’s my favorite play, being rather too full of dead bodies for my taste. But it was the only play being performed on the only date I could be in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Also, I knew it would be well done.

Touring Stratford-upon-Avon with the Bard

But first, I needed to spend an afternoon with the Bard himself. I signed up for a two-hour tour of Stratford-upon-Avon led by Shakespeare (well, a guy dressed like Shakespeare!). At 2 pm, I joined four other people outside Tudor World on Sheep Street and met our guide. Here’s the link to the tour (highly recommended).

He was crude, lewd, and a lot of fun. He also had a wealth of knowledge about his life back in the day, particularly the portion spent in Stratford-upon-Avon. As the son of a tanner who was also the mayor, young Will received an excellent education. His is not a rags to riches story.

“Dad’s House” and Others in Stratford-upon-Avon

Over the next two hours, Shakespeare took us to various sites around town including “Dad’s house” as he called it (his birthplace) and the houses of his two grown daughters, one of whom married a nice guy and the other who didn’t. We also saw his grammar school and the site of the house he built after retiring to Stratford-upon-Avon an exceedingly rich man.

Along the way, Shakespeare kept up a constant commentary full of tidbits of knowledge about Elizabethan life (a smelly time indeed) and about Shakespeare’s life.

Shakespeare’s Final Resting Place

We ended the tour in the churchyard where Shakespeare (minus his head apparently) is buried. The church was closed, but we wandered around the tombstones, several of which are fake. Shakespeare told us that back in the Victorian era, some enterprising busy bodies decided that the churchyard needed more gravestones for the mist to swirl around on spooky winter nights. So they had a bunch made and stuck them in willy nilly (some almost on top of real graves) all over the churchyard. Apparently, they are easy to spot since everyone commemorates either William or Elizabeth. Bit of a giveaway.

Enjoying Stratford-upon-Avon

There’s really not a whole lot to see in Stratford-upon-Avon. You can tour Shakespeare’s birthplace and go to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, but both feel a tad on the touristy side. I prefer taking the Tudor World tour which yes, is also touristy, but you’ll learn a lot and get a good feel for the town.

I suggest spending time just wandering around the town, which is not large. Stop in at Romeo & Gelato for an ice cream and, if the market is on, browse the stalls to buy knickknacks and gourmet food. I bought a large chocolate cookie that took me two days to eat.

Take a walk alongside the River Avon to enjoy the views. The place really is postcard-perfect.

A good stop for photo ops is the collection of statues near locks in the middle of Stratford-upon-Avon. On an early morning walk, I snapped these photos.

Attending an RSC Performance

At just after 7 pm, I arrived at the RSC theater for the 7:30 performance. The first thing I saw upon entering the narrow lobby was a massive poster of David Tennant decked out as Richard II. I texted a photo to Julia who was just starting her workday back in Vancouver and learned that yes, she’d seen the production streamed.

I found my seat, took a picture of the stage, and got to know my neighbor, a lady from Cheltenham who used to be a teacher. After retiring at the age of 50, she lived for 25 years in the Dordogne area of France. As fellow teachers (I trained in England in 1979) and lovers of France, we had lots to talk about.

Richard III

The production of Richard III was predictably amazing. The sumptuous costumes, stark set, skillful blocking and, of course, superb acting all added up to a masterful production.

Of particular note was the actor playing Richard III, surely one of the most difficult roles to make relatable. Arthur Hughes managed it, first by being very funny. It’s hard to completely hate someone who makes us laugh. Hughes found comic moments throughout the play. Even at his most vile (and Richard gets pretty vile), Hughes was utterly compelling. Every time he strode on stage, he commanded attention.

And the second reason why the performance was so memorable was that Arthur Hughes was the first disabled actor the RSC has cast as Richard III. He describes himself as “limb different” as a result of a rare condition known as radial dysplasia. He has no thumb or radius bone in his right arm. Hughes’s lived experience of disability brought an immediacy to his portrayal of Richard that I’d never seen before. He was not pretending like so many actors; he knows. Here’s an interview with Arthur Hughes on the BBC website.

All in all, the production was a tour de force.

And if you are lucky enough to take in an RSC performance, get the ginger ice cream at the interval. It is to die for!

Visiting Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon is a tourist town and as such is well-endowed with restaurants and places to stay. If you can, stay the night. Strolling along the canal after an RSC performance that has just blown your mind is a stellar artsy traveler experience!

Eating in Stratford-upon-Avon

Both meals I enjoyed in Stratford-upon-Avon wee first rate! The first was a lunch consisting of two appetizers–a paté and chicken tenders. Both were superb, particularly when accompanied by a lager and eaten in a lovely old pub overlooking the canal.

Stratford-upon-Avon has several pubs and restaurants; you won’t have trouble finding a good meal. I can also recommend the Dirty Duck where many years ago I ate dinner while visiting Stratford-upon-Avon with my brother. Passing it on an early morning walk brought back many memories of our visit and attending a performance of A Winter’s Tale way in 1975.

I enjoyed dinner at the Pen & Parchment Inn where I also stayed. The fish and chips (but with salad instead of chips!) were fresh and flavorful. The Inn itself retained just enough of a hint of stale cigarette smoke in the air to remind me of my misspent youth.

Staying in Stratford-upon-Avon

I stayed at the Pen & Parchment Inn which is also a pub (and where I ate dinner). It’s very conveniently located on the canal and within sight of the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre. You can walk to the theatre in about five minutes. My room was small but comfortable and the people were very helpful. I’d recommend the place for a one-night stop. It’s quite reasonably priced (for Stratford-upon-Avon).

For other accommodation options in Stratford-upon-Avon, click the map below:

Booking.com

Tours in and around Stratford-upon-Avon

Conclusion

A visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, particularly if you can attend a performance at the RSC, is artsy traveling at its finest! You get to enjoy Shakespeare performed by the best of the best and you get to stroll around one of England’s most attractive towns with plenty of excellent places to eat and stay. It’s a win-win!

Have you visited Stratford-upon-Avon? Share your suggestions and experiences in the Comments below.

Here are some other posts about England:

• Courtauld Gallery in London: A Treasure Trove for the Artsy Traveler
• London in Two and a Bit Days for the Artsy Traveler
• Exploring the Cotswolds with Go Cotswolds Tours