Single Girl Seeks Adventure...: Surprising Stratford

Stratford-upon-Avon is a tiny little town in the countryside with a big history. It just so happens that Shakespeare lived there and was buried there, so lit lovers from around the world tend to flock to the countryside in droves. It also happens to be where the Royal Shakespeare Company has its theatres and homebase, which quite honestly was the only real reason why I wanted to go in the first place. I was going to see Richard II and that was that. I certainly wasn't buzzing all year about staying in a town much the same size as the one in which I currently reside.

Oh boy was I surprised! Yes the town is tiny. Yes, there's really not much to do there. But that's not really the point. It's beautiful and quiet and exactly what you expect a town in the English countryside to be. It might well be one of my new favorite places; definitely itching to go back there more than Paris.

For one thing, the Shakespeare connection is everywhere you look: cottages, businesses and even boats are inspired by his works and plays. And you get the feeling, it's not just a ploy. This isn't the world's largest ball of string attraction. All of the properties are filled with tons of information on the man and his life. The Royal Shakespeare Company specifically makes it its mission to spread his works and inspires others to learn, read and relish this classic literature. On top of all this, the town itself is so walkable. You can reach pretty much every property or business on the High Street by foot. While walking you could take in the beauty of the Avon river, check out the kitschy shops on the High Street, admire the church where Shakespeare was buried, or even celebrity spot the players from the RSC who are moving about town (I personally saw Oliver Ford Davies and Jane Lapatoaire - alas, no David Tennant though I did try unbelievably hard...) It's no London of course, but the fact that such a quiet, beautiful, idyllic area is reachable within 2 hours, is quite appealing especially for a Bard lover like me.

What We Did: Shop (quite a bit - their shopping area is quite well stocked!), Canal boat ride on the Avon, Holy Trinity church where Shakespeare's grave resides, Richard II at the RSC (Sublime, Brilliant, Gorgeous and about 30 other good adjectives, I can't say enough good things about this performance), and statue hunting (I found the one inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream: woohoo!)

What We Ate: Aubergine au Gratin and a to die for Brownie Sundae at The Dirty Duck/The Black Swan, Chocolate Banana Pasty and an Egg Tart at Pasty Presto, Ravioli and Prosciutto at Carluccio's and a Banoffle (Banana and Tofee Gelato a top a Belgian waffle covered in hot fudge and banana pieces - I'm still dreaming of that dessert!) at Hooray's.

Surprises Along the Way: For someone who craves the lights and sounds of a big city, I found the quiet of the countryside quite relaxing and enjoyable.
~ The Shakespeare properties are dotted around the town like gas stations and McDonald's are here. You can literally walk down the street and just bump into the Bard's Grammar School.

Verdict: With the Royal Shakespeare Company, all of the literature connections, the small cottages dotted along the waterside, London within a train ride's distance and the green space surrounding the Avon, I found that I could live out my days quite happily in one of those adorable little cottages named after some Shakespeare play.