A Free Day Out in Stratford-upon-Avon
It was a sunny day in Stratford, and I wanted to soak up everything this gorgeous town has to offer without spending a fortune. Turns out, you absolutely can.
We started at the markets along the River Avon on a Sunday. The food stalls were incredible — honestly, some of the nicest food I’ve seen since arriving in England three months ago. There was this fudge that was so insanely good I actually walked up to the stallholder and told him he shouldn’t be allowed to sell it. He nearly lost it laughing. If you want to splurge on something delicious, this is the place.
Then we wandered the streets of Stratford itself. The architecture is just stunning — cobblestones, little independent boutique shops, cafes and pubs that look like they’ve been standing for centuries. You could spend hours just walking around soaking it all in. There’s also a Marks and Spencers if you need the big chains, but honestly, the independent streets are where the magic is.
If you’re a Shakespeare fan — and let’s face it, most people visiting Stratford are — you can do a whole free Shakespeare trail. Walk up to the outside of his birthplace and take photos. There’s a cool statue of Shakespeare nearby too, and you can see the house and gardens without paying entry. Five minutes down the road is New Place, where he bought the largest house in Stratford back in 1597 and lived for most of his adult life. The original house is long gone — demolished in 1702, and the second one demolished again in 1759 — but now there’s a specially designed memorial garden where you can wander and imagine what it all looked like.
Then there’s Holy Trinity Church, built way back in 1210 on the site of a Saxon monastery. Shakespeare was baptised there on the twenty-sixth of April, fifteen sixty-four. It’s free to enter the church, and you can see where his grave is from inside without paying. If you want to actually walk up to see his grave in the chancel, that’s five pounds. Inside the church, you’ll find the graves of his wife Anne Hathaway, his daughter Susanna, his son-in-law Dr John Hall, and Thomas Nash. It’s quite moving, actually, seeing them all there together.
One place you shouldn’t miss is Shrieve’s House and Barn — the oldest lived-in house in Stratford and documented as one of the most haunted buildings in England. You can have your photo taken outside for free, which I definitely did.
After all that history, the best bit is the walk along the River Avon. There’s a beautiful path lined with huge trees, so it’s nice and shady. You’ll see swans, ducks and geese, and dotted along the way are memorial plaques honouring various people. Pack a picnic lunch, find a spot by the water, and just sit there soaking it all in.
Here’s the thing: the entire day cost nothing. Zero entry fees. Just petrol money. That’s a proper free day out in Stratford, and genuinely brilliant.
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