Stratford Walking Tour: Shakespeare's homes and churches

Stand outside the houses where Shakespeare lived, then walk to where he's buried

A guided walking tour of Stratford-upon-Avon that passes the main Shakespeare sites—his birthplace on Henley Street, New Place where he died, Hall's Croft, Holy Trinity Church where he was baptised and buried, and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The guide delivers the history as you move through town, and the fee includes discounts at cafes, restaurants, pubs, shops and some attractions. The tour runs 365 days a year, even Christmas Day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided walking tour of Stratford

• Meet at Swan Fountain in Bancroft Gardens
• Visit Shakespeare's Birthplace on Henley Street
• See New Place gates and learn history
• Explore Hall's Croft and hear medical stories
• Approach Holy Trinity Church by Lime trees
• Visit the Guild Chapel and view wall paintings
• Discover William Shakespeare’s Schoolroom
• View the Royal Shakespeare Theatre exterior
• See the Swan Theatre facade
• Learn about The Other Place theatre
• View the Town Hall and Shakespeare statue
• See the Cage and learn about Shakespeare's family
• Pass the Almshouses (Guild Cottages)
• View Harvard House facade
• Pass Marie Corelli's former home
• See the Gower Memorial statue
• Pass Birmingham to Stratford Canal basin
• Pass Rother Market site

The Experience

You meet the guide at the Swan Fountain in the Bancroft Gardens, where they wear a flash of yellow and stand by a lamppost with the company sign. From there the route moves through the town's Shakespeare landmarks—a walk of roughly two hours that covers the half-timbered building on Henley Street where Shakespeare was born in 1564 and where his father ran a glove-making business, then New Place, the largest house in town that Shakespeare bought at 33 and where he lived until he died at 52 (though it was demolished in 1759, so you stand outside the gates and imagine it). Hall's Croft comes next, the Jacobean home of the physician who married Shakespeare's daughter Susanna.

Holy Trinity Church sits on the banks of the River Avon and dates back to 1210. Shakespeare was baptised there, worshipped there, and is buried in the Chancel—you approach along an avenue of lime trees and see one of England's most visited parish churches. The walk also passes the Guild Chapel, which dates to 1269 and holds one of the rarest series of medieval wall paintings in Europe, and Shakespeare's Schoolroom, a half-timbered building from the 1400s where he was educated at the King's New School. Below it sits the Guildhall, which from 1553 was the headquarters of Stratford Borough Council and the heart of civic life for over 400 years.

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, built in 1932 by architect Elisabeth Scott, is where the world-class Royal Shakespeare Company performs. You also pass the Swan Theatre, which opened in 1986 within the original red-brick gothic facade of the 1879 Shakespeare Memorial Theatre (most of which burned in 1926), and the Town Hall from 1767, which has a statue of Shakespeare presented by actor David Garrick at its opening. Harvard House, built in 1596, has the richest carved facade in town—it was the home of the family whose son John Harvard emigrated to America and founded the library around which Harvard University was built.

Your fee includes exclusive discounts to use before or after the tour at cafes, restaurants, pubs, shops and attractions including the Shakespeare Houses, Schoolroom, Guildhall, Butterfly Farm and many more. The guide is a local professional who delivers the tour in English, and the route may vary—ask the guide if you need to know where the walk ends.

What’s included

A local professional guide who delivers the tour in English; exclusive discounts at cafes, restaurants, pubs, shops and attractions including the Shakespeare Houses, Schoolroom, Guildhall and Butterfly Farm.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Stratford Town Walk (established 2002)

Is this one for you?Walk past Shakespeare's actual Stratford—the guide navigates you through the real sites and tells their stories, so you absorb the history as it unfolds around you rather than reading plaques alone.

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Top questions

What is Shakespeare's Birthplace like on the walking tour?

Shakespeare's Birthplace is a beautiful 16th-century half-timbered building on Henley Street where William was born in 1564 and where his father John Shakespeare ran a glove-making business. The guide tells stories of his childhood years and family life in Tudor times as you stand outside; if you want to go inside, the tour includes a discount for Stratford Town Walk customers.

Where is Shakespeare buried, and do I visit it on the tour?

Holy Trinity Church on the banks of the River Avon is where Shakespeare was baptised, worshipped and buried in the Chancel. You visit the church as part of the walking tour and approach along an avenue of lime trees; the building dates back to 1210 and is one of England's most visited parish churches.

How long does the Stratford walking tour take?

The tour takes roughly two hours and covers the main Shakespeare sites and historic buildings throughout the town, from his birthplace to Holy Trinity Church and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Does the tour include entry to the Shakespeare Houses and other attractions?

The tour passes the main sites and you hear the stories from the guide as you walk past them. Entry to the Shakespeare Houses, Schoolroom, Holy Trinity Church and other attractions is not included in the walking tour itself, but your fee gives you exclusive discounts to use at those places before or after the walk.

When does the Stratford Town Walking Tour operate?

The tour runs 365 days a year, including Christmas Day, so you can book it whenever you visit Stratford-upon-Avon.

Is the walking tour accessible for people with mobility needs?

The tour is wheelchair accessible and suitable for all physical fitness levels. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed. Public transportation options and disabled parking bays are nearby, and mobility scooters and wheelchairs can be hired locally from Shopmobility.