Stratford-Upon-Avon

Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of the Bard himself, is a place that I've had the pleasure of visiting twice in my life. The first time was as a 17-year-old on a school trip, and the second time was in my mid-twenties with a girlfriend. Both visits were centred around the works of Shakespeare, but there was also plenty of general sightseeing to be done.

On the school trip, we stayed in a hotel a bit further out of town, while my girlfriend and I opted for a charming B&B that served a fantastic breakfast. Both times, we visited Shakespeare's birthplace and Anne Hathaway's cottage, and of course, we took in several plays at the various theatres. The titles of the plays escape me now, but the experience of seeing them performed in the town where Shakespeare was born was unforgettable.

One lasting memory from the school trip was when we went to a pub for some beers and a game of pool. We were all surprised when the barman asked for our IDs - we'd forgotten that the drinking age in England is higher than in the Netherlands!

On the trip with my girlfriend, we did more of the typical tourist activities, visiting various locations around town. Stratford-Upon-Avon definitely has a touristy vibe, but it's hard not to get caught up in it when you're walking the same streets that Shakespeare once did.

One unexpected encounter on the school trip was running into our old English teacher, who was also there to see a play. We assumed he was there to see us, and he was equally surprised to see his old class suddenly appear in front of him!

Stratford-Upon-Avon is a place that's steeped in history and culture, and whether you're a fan of Shakespeare or not, it's a town that's well worth a visit.