UNITED KINGDOM

Beautifully situated on the River Avon, Stratford-upon-Avon is the home of England's greatest playwright William Shakespeare. Rich in heritage and culture, with impressive architecture and a unique collection of shops and restaurants, the city welcomes visitors from all over the world.

• Choose from five beautifully preserved houses that offer you an insight into the life and works of William Shakespeare, including his birthplace in Stratford town centre and Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the childhood home of his bride, in the nearby village of Shottery.

  Experience a Royal Shakespeare Company production at one of two riverside theatres. The Royal Shakespeare Company also organises a number of behind-the-scenes tours to see the props, sets, costumes and special effects that come together behind the scenes. Shorter, post-performance tours are also usually available from the Stage Door. Generous discounts are available to students.

  Visit Shakespeare's grave inside Holy Trinity Church, a traditional Gothic church on the banks of the river.

  Hire a boat or take a pleasure cruise along the River Avon or relax on the banks of the river and watch the world go by.

  Visit the spectacular medieval fortress, Warwick Castle, for an unforgettable day out. It is just 15 minutes away from Stratford and not to be missed.

  See the town from a double-decker bus - guided bus tours are available all year. Tickets are valid all day allowing customers to hop on and off at places of interest en route and include discounts at major attractions.

Did You Know?

• William Shakespeare was voted Man of the Millennium by listeners to BBC Radio 4.

  Although Warwick is not known for its tropical climate, there is a pineapple pit in the beautiful Master's Garden at the Lord Leycester Hospital.

  The house in the village of Wilmcote previously known as Glebe Farm has been discovered to be the actual house of Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden.

  Sir Walter Raleigh is thought to have planted some of the first potatoes he brought back from the New World by the cottages of "Little Virginia" in Kenilworth.

  Young William Shakespeare is said to have been caught poaching Sir Thomas Lucy's deer at Charlecote Park and took his revenge years later by portraying him as the fussy Justice Shallow in The Merry Wives of Windsor.

What's New

The Gardens of Shakespeare Country
A new brochure featuring a full range of Shakespeare Country Gardens is now available. The wide variety of gardens in South Warwickshire makes the area a must for gardening enthusiasts, as there is something from every era, including formal Elizabethan gardens, "Capability" Brown landscaping, traditional English country gardens. The brochure is available by calling Stratford-upon-Avon Tourist Information Centre on +44 (0)1789 293127.

New Mill and Engine House at Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle will be bringing its thousand years of history even more vibrantly to life with the opening of a fascinating new attraction on 23 April. The Castle's Mill and Engine House will open to visitors for the first time, revealing a little-known chapter of the Castle's history. The mill, which dates back to 1398, was used for grinding flour in the Middle Ages but in the 17th century an engine house was added and in 1894, the innovative Earl of Warwick used it to generate electricity for the Castle.

It is the Mill House of the Victorian era which visitors can explore in 2002. The water wheel will be turning, the engine house will be in full working order and, as you meet the Mill Manager and see the machinery in action, you can imagine the excitement it caused 100 years ago when it provided the power to light up the Castle!

Travel Tips

Getting to Shakespeare Country couldn't be easier. The area is served by excellent road, rail and air networks.

By Car
Approximate journey times if you're travelling by car from:
Bath 1½ hours
Birmingham 30 minutes
Cotswolds 30 minutes
London 1½ hours
Oxford 1 hour

By Train
The area has excellent rail links and the stations in Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick are all just ten minutes walk from the town centre. For all fare and booking enquiries call (UK only) 08457 48 49 50 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk

The Shakespeare Country Explorer ticket gives you return train travel from London Paddington to Stratford, Warwick or Leamington Spa and unlimited train travel between these 3 towns. Tickets can be bought on departure at London Paddington or Marylebone station or can be booked in advance by telephone
From the UK: 08705 165 165
From overseas: +44 8705 165 165

By Bus & Coach
Stratford-upon-Avon is part of the comprehensive and efficient National Express coach network which also covers all major airports. London to Shakespeare Country takes less than three hours by coach. There are coach links to Gatwick, Heathrow and Birmingham airports.
Telephone: 08705 80 80 80 for information and booking
Telephone: 08705 01 01 04 for your local National Express agent.

And once you are here, Stagecoach Midland Red runs comfortable buses and minibuses to many of the attractions, towns and villages. For example, you can get a bus from Stratford-upon-Avon to Warwick, Leamington Spa or Kenilworth every hour.
Telephone: 01788 535555 (8am-6pm, Mon-Sat)