Nestled in the heart of Warwickshire, UK, is Stratford-upon-Avon, a town made famous for its association with Shakespeare; to be honest, that was the only reason I wanted to visit. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined falling head-over-heels in love with this magical place. It was refreshing to see the laid-back carefree attitude of the people in general, enjoying the beautiful sunny day with their loved ones, walking their dogs or getting some icecream from the truck; it just seemed to portray a general sense of well-being.

If you want to escape the fast-paced city life and need a few days of R&R, Stratford is the place to be. There are plenty of activities in and around Stratford that you could indulge in; I’m mentioning some of my favorites here:

• Visit the Stratford Butterfly Farm; consistently voted one of the best attractions in the UK, this is one place I could’ve spent an entire day in
• Visit Shakespeare’s house and Anne Hathaway’s cottage
• Take a stroll along River Avon or just sit at one of the benches, take in the sights and breathe in the mildly fragrant air
• Get in on one of the ferries or row a boat on the river
• Attend a play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and get the full 360-degree Shakespearean experience
• Wander the streets of Stratford soaking in all the history the town has to offer

Here are a few highlights of my day there; so without further Ado, let’s get on with it: