Michaela on tour – week two continued- Stratford upon Avon
The town of Stratford-upon-Avon is known across much of the World as William Shakespeare’s birthplace, and remains a major destination for tourism, with good reason. Of course, the town milks the Shakespeare theme to the limit, but in its own right it is one of the best preserved old towns in all of England, with many stunning ancient properties and a wonderfully quaint character. It simply oozes charm.
The town dates from a charter granted in 1196, but it was of course Shakespeare who changed the course of history here, culminating now in a town which has less than 30,000 inhabitants yet welcomes 2.5 million visitors per year. It loses little of its charm even when busy.
So continuing my tour of my original homeland I take a trip with my brother to Stratford. Unusually today it is quiet, a definite lack of tourists and Christmas shoppers makes it a relaxed visit. We meander through the quaint streets, sit by the river and enjoy the sites. Today the river is high, we have had an incredible amount of rain recently. The wind suddenly whips its cold breath around us, time to head of to one of those welcoming pubs for lunch. We settle in The Garrick, reputed to be the oldest pub in Stratford. It’s cosy and atmospheric and the home made food delicious, well worth a visit.
