We were out bright and early this morning, heading straight from the hotel to the train station while the streets were busy per usual. Even though it was early, I was fully awake by the time we got moving, and the hour long train ride to Stratford‑upon‑Avon actually felt relaxing. When we stepped off the train, it was so cool to me that we were standing in the hometown of Shakespeare.
Tim, our tour guide from earlier in the trip, was waiting for us again, and honestly, having him back instantly made the day feel more exciting. He has this way of explaining history that makes it feel like a story you actually want to hear, not something you skimmed in a high school textbook. Before we even started walking, he threw out a mini Shakespeare quiz, quoting lines from different plays and having us guess the titles. I surprised myself with how much I remembered. Senior year Hamlet came back fast, especially the scenes we acted out in class. Then there were the classics everyone knows, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth, and even though my Shakespeare knowledge is pretty limited, it felt good recognizing more than I expected.
We started our walking tour through Stratford, and the town looked exactly like the kind of place you’d imagine a playwright growing up in with the timber‑framed houses, narrow streets, and shops that matched the Shakespeare theme with full commitment. It was very charming in a way that felt almost unreal. One of the first major stops was Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare and several members of his family are buried. The church was quiet, dim, and beautiful in that old English way, and we had to be very quiet. Standing in front of Shakespeare’s grave felt surreal. It’s strange how someone you’ve only ever known through stories, plays, and school assignments suddenly becomes a real person when you’re standing a few feet from where they’re buried.
From there, we wandered through more of the town past the building where he supposedly went to school, past the site of his retirement home, and past what felt like an endless number of Shakespeare-themed shops. Even the rainy weather couldn’t hide how much pride the town has in its history! Still, the rain definitely made things harder. My shoes were soaked, my hair was frizzy, and I kept wishing I could enjoy the scenery without water dripping down my sleeves. It didn’t ruin the day, but it did make everything feel a little heavier and colder than I wanted.
After lunch, we headed to the highlight of the day: Shakespeare’s birthplace. Tim joined us again, and we also heard from multiple tour guides that were in each major room of the house. Walking through the house felt like stepping back in time. The floors creaked, the rooms were small (not as small as I expected), and everything had that preserved, but still authentic feeling. We even saw the exact room where Shakespeare’s mother gave birth to him. It’s wild to think that one of the most influential writers in history started life in such a simple space.
Inside, we learned more about his childhood, his family, and the world he grew up in. I didn’t expect to learn so much, especially since Shakespeare has never been something I’ve been very passionate about, but hearing it explained in such a human way made it all feel more real. Even with the rain, even with the cold, even with my mood dipping a little, I walked away with a deeper understanding of who he was beyond the plays. Before we wrapped up, Tim gave us one last round of trivia. It was a fun way to end the day, and it made the goodbye feel more emotional than anyone in our group expected. Everyone in our group had grown to love his energy because he’s the kind of guide who makes you care about things you didn’t think you cared about like when we went to the palace and Oxford. We said we wished we could fit him and Chinenye in our suitcases lol, we adore their passionate energy. Saying goodbye made it real that our trip is ending pretty soon.
We made our way back to the train station, and the ride back to the hotel went by pretty fast. For me, it wasn’t the most glamorous or comfortable day of the trip, but it was a very meaningful and educational day where I felt like I got a lot of entertainment with learning things I never thought I’d actually enjoy. I learned more than I expected, connected pieces of my high‑school memories to real places, and got to experience a town that shaped one of the most iconic writers in history. Off to London tomorrow!