Stratford-upon-Avon
A market town in Warwickshire on the River Avon and the birthplace of William Shakespeare. Most of its main sights are a short walk apart, so one day covers the core.
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Stratford-upon-Avon sits in Warwickshire, in England's West Midlands, about 91 miles north-west of London. People come for William Shakespeare, who was born and buried here. The Shakespeare Birthplace on Henley Street is a half-timbered house where he is thought to have been born in 1564, and Holy Trinity Church in the Old Town is where he was baptized and buried.
Most sights sit close together. The Historic Spine runs from Henley Street through High Street and Church Street to the Old Town, passing medieval and Elizabethan buildings. Down by the river, Bancroft Gardens and the Waterside lead to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, which opened in 1932. July is the warmest month, with an average high of 22.8°C, and January is the coldest, at 7.7°C on average. Anne Hathaway's Cottage is in Shottery and Mary Arden's House is in Wilmcote, both outside the center.
Stratford-upon-Avon in five
- Buy the Birthplace ticket, then add what you wantThe Shakespeare Birthplace Trust lists a Birthplace ticket that includes New Place and its gardens. Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Shakespeare's Schoolroom are add-ons.
- Book a day and time onlineThe Trust recommends booking to secure your slot and skip queues, and tickets can be exchanged free up to 24 hours before the visit. That matters on summer weekends and school holidays.
- Plan around the shorter New Place hoursThe Trust lists the Birthplace and Anne Hathaway's as open daily, with New Place on shorter hours and earlier last entry. Put New Place in the middle of the day.
- Pair it with Oxford or the Cotswolds by carRail links to the Cotswold villages need changes, so a car or a tour gives more stops. Oxford is about an hour away by road.Oxford
- Flying in via London for Stratford?Check whether your passport needs a UK ETA before you book, and apply only through the official route. The check is separate from your tickets for the Shakespeare houses.UK ETA explained
Things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon
See all attractions in Stratford-upon-Avon
Need to know
- Airport
- Birmingham (BHX) is nearest; Heathrow for most long-haul flights
- Getting there
- By train via Birmingham or London, or by car; check National Rail
- Getting around
- On foot in the center; a short ride or walk to Anne Hathaway's Cottage
- Best base
- Town center near the river and the main street
- Time needed
- 1 day for the houses; 2 with Warwick, Oxford or the Cotswolds
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh7°Low2°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 59 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryCloudy11 rainy daysHigh9°Low3°Cold, quietFebruaryCloudy
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchRain14 rainy daysHigh10°Low3°Cool, springMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 68 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, spring
- AprilCloudy11 rainy daysHigh13°Low4°Mild, quieterAprilCloudy
Good
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 44 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quieter
- MayCloudy11 rainy daysHigh16°Low7°Mild, greenMayCloudy
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 68 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, green
- JunePartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh20°Low11°Long daysJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 66 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JulyPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Warm, busyJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 66 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- AugustPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Warm, busyAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh19°Low11°Mild, calmerSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, calmer
- OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh14°Low8°Autumn colorOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 86 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn color
- NovemberRain12 rainy daysHigh10°Low5°Wet, quietNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 73 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, quiet
- DecemberRain14 rainy daysHigh8°Low4°Cold, lightsDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, lights
Average daily high and low in Stratford, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Stratford-upon-Avon
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
7
- Feels like
- 4°
- Humidity
- 90%
- Wind
- 10 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Stratford-upon-Avon
10:44 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today12°6°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 12°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue11°6°0%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 11°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed11°6°0%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 11°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°6°0%Thursday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri9°6°12%Friday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 12%.
- Sat10°7°12%Saturday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 12%.
- Sun10°5°9%Sunday: Fog. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 9%.
Updated 10:13 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.7469 GBP
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
What's on in Stratford-upon-Avon
Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city
Events calendarEvery year
- MarCheltenham FestivalThe Cotswolds, a day trip
- Jun–JulGarsington OperaOxford, a day trip
- JunDownload FestivalNottingham, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Oxfordabout 1 hour by carA city of colleges, libraries and free museums.Read the guide
- The Cotswoldsshort drive southStone villages and walking routes at the edge of the hills.Read the guide
- Ironbridge Gorgeabout 1.5 hours by carA World Heritage valley of industrial museums, with pre-booking at some sites.Read the guide
Before you go to Stratford-upon-Avon
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Rules for Stratford-upon-Avon, checked
- Birthplace and Anne Hathaway's: open daily 10am to 5pm, last admission 4:30pm. New Place: 11am to 3pm, last entry 2:30pm. Free exchange to 24 hours before.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Plan around Stratford-upon-Avon
Colleges and free museums about an hour away
Read the guideThe CotswoldsStone villages on the south-west edge of town
Read the guideOxford & the CotswoldsOne base for the city and the villages
Read the guideMidlands & the MarchesIronbridge, Shrewsbury and the border country
Read the guideBirminghamThe nearest big city, with rail links
Read the guideTrains, buses and carsAdvance fares and rural connections
Read the guideAll of EnglandCities, rail, entry rules and money
Read the guideStratford-upon-Avon FAQ
Is Stratford-upon-Avon worth visiting?
Yes if Shakespeare or timbered English market towns interest you. The houses, the river and the theater district fill a day. Skip it if you want big sights, because the town is small.
How many Shakespeare houses should you visit?
Start with the Birthplace, which includes New Place and its gardens. Add Anne Hathaway's Cottage if you want a rural house and garden, and the Schoolroom only if the classroom history appeals.
Do you need to book the Shakespeare Birthplace?
Booking is recommended. Online tickets secure a day and time, skip queues and can be exchanged free up to 24 hours before your visit, which helps if the weather turns.
Can you visit Stratford-upon-Avon as a day trip from London?
Yes, by train with a change or by car, but check timetables because the journey is longer than to Oxford. A night lets you see the town after day visitors leave.
What is the best time to visit Stratford-upon-Avon?
April to June and September to October balance mild weather with open houses and gardens. July and August are the busiest, and winter days are short with gardens less inviting.