Walking in Stratford

Guided walking tours of Stratford

Stratford-upon-Avon was established in the 7th century, when the Saxons founded a settlement by the Roman Road (Straet) near a crossing (Ford) of the River Avon.

By the 12th century it had grown into a market town and received its first Market Charter in 1196. In Medieval times Stratford was a busy place with many craftsmen, including blacksmiths, carpenters, bakers and shoemakers and leather workers. One such leather worker was a glover by the name of John Shakespeare.

In 1557 John married Mary Arden, the daughter of a farmer from Wilmcote and in 1564 on or about 23 April, Mary Arden gave birth to their son William. William Shakespeare became one of the most famous playwrights of all time and today millions of visitors each year come to Stratford-upon-Avon to see where he grew up.

Walking Tour of Stratford-upon-Avon

Come and explore Stratford-upon-Avon with us. Let our knowledgeable guides take you on a fascinating and entertaining walk around Shakespeare’s home town. Visit the quaint streets with their half-timbered houses, take a stroll beside the beautiful River Avon and see the Shakespeare Theatres. Our tour traces Shakespeare’s life from his birthplace to his old ‘grammar’ school, his home with Anne Hathaway and finally his resting place in the impressive Holy Trinity Church.

Price:

1-19 people. Half-day from £196 (foreign language tours from £228)

Full-day from £320 (foreign language tours from £360)

Why not enhance your visit to Stratford by adding one of the following attractions to your walking tour? The charges quoted are in addition to the basic tour rate, and will need to be paid on entry to the venue.

Visit to Shakespeare’s Houses

With the Town Houses Pass you can visit the three houses in Stratford mainly associated with William Shakespeare – his Birthplace, New Place (his home with Anne Hathaway) and Halls Croft where Shakespeare’s daughter Susannah lived with her physician husband, Dr John Hall.

In these houses you can really absorb the atmosphere of the Tudor era and walk in Shakespeare’s footsteps. You will hear tales of Shakespeare’s family life from the fascinating costumed guides and have a chance to visit the delightful walled garden where Dr Hall would have grown medicinal herbs to make his very curious remedies!

For information on ticket prices please visit www.shakespeare.org.uk

N.B. Savings can be made by buying tickets in advance online

Cruising on the River Avon

There is no finer way to view the Shakespeare Theatre and Holy Trinity Church than by doing a 45-minute cruise on the River Avon.

This is a very relaxing way to see some of the beautiful Warwickshire countryside and riverside gardens. For birdwatchers you are very likely to see herons, buzzards, kingfishers and of course Stratford’s swans. The cruisers have a live commentary and hot and cold drinks or cream teas are available from the bar.

Cruises depart from the landing stage at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Stratford.

For information on cruise schedules and prices please visit https://www.avon-boating.co.uk/river-cruises/

Stratford and the Cotswolds

Why not combine your visit to Stratford-upon-Avon with a tour to the glorious Cotswolds, operated by our sister company, Cotswold Exploring. This designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has inspired many writers, poets and artists over the last 200 years.

Enjoy touring some of the idyllic villages with their quaint stone cottages in our comfortable 12-seater minibus with a dedicated guide and driver.

Please see our companion website Cotswold Exploring for examples of our itineraries or Contact us us for further information

Speciality Tours

We are able to offer a wide range of bespoke tours, drawing together the many and varied literary, cultural, commercial and architectural interests which the ancient city of Oxford can inspire. These include:

Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland
CS Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia
J R R Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings
Harry Potter film locations
Women in Oxford
Gardens of Oxford
The English Civil War
Pubs of Oxford
Ghost Tours
Shopping Tours

What Our Guests Say

Highly recommended!

 5/5

"It was such a lovely day out! Thank you Isobel for your wonderful and informative guide, and thank you David for the safe and comfortable ride. The Cotswolds is really difficult to travel with public transport, so joining the tour was the best way to enjoy the quaint villages and hidden gems in the area. Also, it is rather impossible to get a ticket for the immensely popular Highclere Castle on your own; I am so glad to have found a perfect tour that saved my day."

Arisa N.

Best tour and great people

 5/5

"We had an excellent tour with the most knowledgeable and friendly driver and guide. I would seek them out again if we are ever back in the area! Thank you so much for being accommodating. You went beyond expectations! All seven of us commented on how much we enjoyed our day."

229barbaraz

Joyce Zhang

14:07 11 Nov 22

What a lovely day we had in the Cotswolds! We went in early November and were very lucky to be the only ones, so we had an unexpected private tour. The weather was lovely, and the bus was exceptionally comfortable.Our guide, Isobel, had a... considerable amount of information about each town/village, and we appreciated her information during the drive while giving us time in each location to explore freely. We were also able to drive through some lovely villages that were more off the beaten track and probably would not have visited otehrwise. Looking back, I am really glad we chose this tour rather than self-driving.For those considering a trip to the Cotswolds, I cannot recommend this tour more!read more

Chris Prince

18:47 20 Oct 22

It was a long day, but never boring or tedious. Isabelle and David were spectacular hosts. They exhibit tremendous knowledge of their immediate surroundings, and English history/tradition/custom on the whole. In addition to more "regular" stops,... they put great effort - and empathy - into providing off-the-path diversions as well. We made frequent stops at legitimate sights, never having to sit too long. The group size was less than a dozen. Isabelle and David were also personally engaging, taking time to talk with all their guests to insure everyone was having a good time. We heard lots, saw more, had a great lunch, and enjoyed ourselves royally. If an 8 hour day is too much for you, they have other options that fit your interest and schedule. Do not book anyone else's tour, this is the one you want.read more

Derek G

03:57 29 Aug 22

Highest recommendation! This is the tour operator to choose for experiencing the Cotswolds. We did the Cotswold Explorer tour on a lovely August day. The full-day outing was packed with stops and drive by sights, but it was not at all exhausting.... Isobel and David are amazing tour guides and they seem to love their work. Both are kind and pleasant; Isobel's commentary is delightful to listen to, while David is an excellent driver with a reassuring presence. Their van is clean, comfortable, and provides great views of the breathtaking countryside. Thank you, Cotswold Exploring, for an experience we will treasure always.read more

Pamela S

16:29 10 Jun 22

We took the Cotswold Explorer summer tour and it was a lovely day exploring the area.The tour took us through the variety of Cotswold area with lots of stories and information shared. At each stop, restaurant and coffee shop recommendations were... made that didn’t disappoint.Highly recommend booking a tour with Cotswold Exploring. A wonderful experience.read more

Stefane Desmond

07:32 31 May 22

This was a great trip, that picked up from an easy location to get to in Oxford. The guide, was wonderful and knowledgeable. It was 5.5 hours but it didn’t feel too long at all. The drive to and through the Cotswolds was adorable. They picked great... stops for us to walk around and shop at. They brought us to the best places to take pictures, as well for a memorable trip. The driver and guide went above and beyond when my mum asked where she could get a Sunday dinner back in Oxford. They called a bunch of restaurants to check. Would definitely recommend! It is such a charming area!read more

Morgan C

17:22 12 Apr 22

My husband and I did the Cotswold Explorer full day tour, and we had a blast! Isobel and David have lived in the area for years and are incredibly knowledgeable. We probably passed through 10 towns/villages, and stopped in 4 or 5. Isobel shared... history about each and every one of the places. David was an excellent driver and carefully navigated the narrow roads for a comfortable riding experience. This tour is well worth your time and money! We would love to return and do the Downton Abbey tour.read more

Arisa Nakagoe

22:08 11 Sep 21

I am so glad to have found this perfect tour! It was a lovely day out, exploring the beautiful castle and quaint villages. Thank you Isobel for the fun and informative guide and thank you David for the safe and comfortable ride!

Aswin shyam

17:52 14 Jul 21

Isobel was our guide and David was our Tour driver. Isobel was very knowledgeable and helped us get around the beautiful Cotswold villages. The tour was well planned and we had ample time at every village to explore with Isobel highlighting the... history and significance of each place. David and Isobel were both kind and even helped us to choose the best place to have our lunch and shopping. The tour even included stops at the eccentric lavender, poppy and wild flower fields. The tour along with Isobel and David made our day special.read more

Arun Michael Dsouza

14:11 08 Jun 21

The Cotswold Taster Tour was absolutely lovely. Both Isobel and David were extremely nice and knowledgeable, we had a wonderful experience with them. Isobel's commentary was excellent - full of interesting facts and David was very careful throughout... the trip, driving through some of the narrow lanes of the countryside while we were enjoying the scenic views. We got to visit some of the most beautiful little villages in the area and got the chance to wander around and explore. This is the best half-day tour of the Cotswolds in my opinion. I would definitely recommend it!read more

Mary Anne Dooley

10:54 23 Jul 19

Had a wonderful day with Isabel and David. Couldn’t rate the tour and them any higher! The commentary was delightful, very informative and timely. Amazing local knowledge. Isabel and David were able to answer any question and they were both very... flexible for the needs of the passengers. David’s driving was expertly handled, especially on the narrow roads. Because of the small bus, they are able to use the more interesting roads and visit towns and villages off the beaten track and often prettier and much less crowded than the the well known. If you want a day tour to the Cotswolds don’t go past this one.read more

Yulia A.

23:14 23 Jan 19

I've just had an incredible day with Isobel and David. Breathtaking beauty of rural countryside on a winter day combined with excellent commentary made this tour absolutely amazing. Seeing all these rural villages, rows of thatched cottages with... lovely gardens, rolling hills with farms, animals and rare birds gives such a therapeutic effect! And Isobel is so interesting to listen! Highly recommended!read more