We've picked this charming tourist hotspot to be our top contender for the first ever UK Town of Culture.
There is no other place in the country that oozes just as much beauty as it does culture than this small but mighty town.
Situated in Warwickshire, Stratford-upon-Avon boasts a population of 30,495, according to the latest census.
However, when you think of Stratford-upon-Avon, you don’t think of the residents of today, you think of just one!
The town is synonymous with William Shakespeare (1564-1616), arguably the UK’s most famous and well-respected playwright, and whose works has inspired millions of people through the centuries.
There is no doubt that this town punches well above its weight in terms of its cultural contributions to not only the UK, but also the rest of the world and it is consistently ranked as one of the most visited towns in the West Midlands.
More than 2.5 million people visit this historic town a year, due to its rich literary heritage, and the town is packed with top cultural such as the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Shakespeare’s quirky birthplace.
So, when the government launched its search for its UK town of culture last week, they shared that the purpose of this competition is to find towns that will drive the Government’s Plan for Change. So where else could inspire the rest of the UK, as much as Stratford-upon-Avon does?
There is no doubt that our top suggestion is the West Midlands town of Stratford-upon-Avon, mainly due to the fact that this town is soaked in a rich Tudor and Elizabethan heritage.
It is worth mentioning, aside from the town’s mighty literary tradition, it also offers a fantastic paradise for nature-lovers.
1. Henley Street outside William Shakespeare's birthplace
The town's most famous resident, William Shakespeare, was born in 1564 in a half-timbered house on Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon. At the time, the ground-floor location was a workshop for his father's glove-making business. The town is a key landmark for the town, and is now managed by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. It's one of the town's key landmark as Shakespeare was born and raised at the location. Across the town, timber-framed buildings are a cool feature of the town. | Philip Halling, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2. Holy Trinity Church
The location in which Shakespeare was both baptised and buried. This majestic church is a cornerstone of Stratford-upon-Avon. The church is generally free to enter but there is a charge to enter the chancel part. Famously, on Shakespeare's epitaph there is a epitaph written that visitors can see, it reads: "Good friend for Jesus' sake forbear, / To dig the dust enclosed here: / Blest be the man that spares these stones, / And curst be he that moves my bones". | DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3. The River Avon, Stratford-Upon-Avon.
The river flows past the Holy Trinity Church in which Shakespeare was both baptised and later buried. Nowadays, visitors can enjoy the scenic river. There is plenty to enjoy such as relaxing boat trips, gorgeous walks, and fantastic nature. | Rochelle Barrand Photo: Rochelle Barrand
4. Anne Hathaway's Cottage
The home is best known for being the childhood home of Anne Hathaway, who was married to famous playwright William Shakespeare. Special features of the property include that it was once a farmhouse, originally built in 1463 before Anne Hathaway was born. Historically, Anne’s grandfather John Hathaway, who was a tenant sheep farmer was the first one in the Hathaway family to live in the cottage. Anne Hathaway was born in the cottage in 1556, her father worked as yeoman farmer. Nowadays, the cottage is managed by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and is a popular tourist destination for those who are massive fans of the Shakespeare family. Photo: Submitted