Stratford-upon-Avon Hotels - Smooth Hound Hotel Directory

Stratford-upon-Avon is located in Warwickshire. This historic town is perhaps best known for being home to William Shakespeare. Today, Stratford-upon-Avon is one of the most popular theater destinations in the country. Due to its ties to Shakespeare, the city has taken great strides to preserve buildings that date back to the days of Shakespeare. Consequently, much of Stratford-upon-Avon remains quite quaint and is a pleasure to visit for the many thousands of tourists that flock there each year. Among the sites to see are Shakespeare's birthplace, the cottage where his wife lived as a child, the church where Shakespeare is buried and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Stratford-upon-Avon is a town in Warwickshire that, as its name suggests, lies on the banks of the river Avon. The town is famous for being the birthplace of the playwright William Shakespeare and every year well over three million visitors from all over the globe visit the town.

The town is home to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre which is dedicated to the famous playwright. There are currently plans to renovate the theatre into a "thrust stage" design which more accurately recreates the atmosphere in the days of Shakespeare, when actors and audience would share the same space, with the stage reaching out into the audience.

Another famous attraction in the town is Anne Hathaway's Cottage which is the childhood home of Shakespeare's wife. The cottage is located about a mile outside the town itself. Visitors can tour round the twelve rooms of this thatched roofed farmhouse as well as exploring the surrounding gardens with their range of flowers and shrubs as well as a traditional vegetable garden.

In the town itself, Henley Street is one of the oldest streets and is home to the half-timbered house that Shakespeare was born in. It is now home to a small museum and the outside of the building is regularly photographed not just for its place in history but also for the traditional wattle and daub design. Next door is a modern building with the main visitor centre.

During October each year, close to Michaelmas Day, the town is home to one of the largest Mop Fairs in England. The event dates back around seven hundred years and was originally where farmers would hire their workers and craftsmen. Nowadays, the streets are closed to traffic and it the fair is based around fairground attractions with rides and other fun and games. Stratford-upon-Avon's Mop Fair is amongst the largest in the country.