Stratford Upon Avon is a very familiar name to people all over the world.
It is of course the name and the legend of William Shakespeare that makes people the world over want to come here.
This is of course perfectly understandable when you know this.
When Shakespeare was alive Stratford was already a flourishing market town.
If Will could come back today some of the town would still be familiar to him.
It's fair to say because of the lovely middle ages architecture, and the history, Stratford would still get its share of visitors today without the Shakespeare connection.
Undoubtedly as a tourist you must visit certain places as a priority.
Firstly a visit to his wife Anne Hathaway's cottage.
Where Shakespeare was born must come next.
Finally to the church where he and his family were buried.
The icing on the cake would be a ticket for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
There the Royal Shakespeare Company put on Shakespeare's classic plays.
You can see a performance in the afternoon so you can get back to London in time to eat.
The Royal Shakespeare is not the only theatre in Stratford.
There is the Swan which is built as it was in the 16th century.
This means it is similar to the original Globe Theatre and is well worth going to.
A visit to the very small theatre called The Other Place is interesting because it puts on largely experimental work.
The third theatre is smaller and more intimate called The Other Place, and the productions there are more experimental in nature.
If you aren't familiar with the geography of England, you should know that Stratford is 90 miles northwest of London.
Therefore you can easily get there and back in a day.
Something else worth knowing is that the plays are produced in from March to November.
A little secret is that to see a play on the 23rd of April is very special indeed.
This is the date of course of the birthday of William Shakespeare.
Many people like to take their time, and stay over.
You can spoil yourself and stay on the River Stour at Ettington Park Hotel.
You will be staying on the very place of a Manor House written up in the Domesday Book in the 11th Century.
Having said that it was built in the nineteenth century as a luxury country house.
If you are in fear of ghosts the house is believed to be haunted.
The ghost is that of the Lady in Grey, who is famous in English folklore.
The ghost seems harmless enough but is attracted to a specific novel by Sir Walter Scott, which ends up on the floor always open at the same page.
You will be very well looked after here at Ettington Park, and it is a good base to visit other interesting parts of Warwickshire.
Stratford Upon Avon must remain your first priority, because how embarrassing would it be to go home, and when asked say you hadn't been to one of the most famous places in England.