The famous birthplace and home of The Bard, William Shakespeare, will forever be inseparable from the man who gave the world Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. As a result, Stratford-upon-Avon is still a world capital of theatre and welcomes well over three million visitors every year - impressive for a town with only 24,000 people.

Visitors come from far and wide to see the Shakespeare House and Museum, as well as four other homes that in some way, relate to the playwright and poet's life. These include Nash's House, New Place, Hall's Croft and Anne Hathaway's Cottage at Shottery, just outside of Stratford. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, home to the Royal Shakespeare Company and magnificently located along the River Avon, will re-open in 2010 after a major facelift. Other than the works of The Bard, Stratford's annual Music Festival and Literary Festival are great reasons to visit the historic market town.

Stratford-upon-Avon has a temperate climate, with mild conditions throughout the year.

• Winter (December to February) 1-7°C
• Spring (March to May) 2-15°C
• Summer (June to September) 8-20°C
• Fall (October to November) 3-13°C

If you are not a fan of Shakespeare, you probably will not want to visit Stratford-upon-Avon as the tourism in this little village is dedicated solely to the famous 16th-century playwright. Of course, it existed well before William Shakespeare was a resident. In medieval times, it was merely a provision stop on the road to London. These days, Stratford-upon-Avon is a major attraction for theatre fans, and it is the headquarters for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

One of your first stops on your visit will be the Henley Street home where Shakespeare was probably born and definitely raised. Next, you will want to see Anne Hathaway's Cottage(Shakespeare’s wife, not the actress from Devil Wears Prada), where she lived before she married the literary giant. The Holy Trinity Church is an important landmark, since it is the final resting place of William Shakespeare. While it is not directly related to the playwright, The Falstaff Experience is a popular venue in Stratford-upon-Avon due to this museum's purported history of being haunted. The nightly ghost tours are quite entertaining. Strolling along the streets lined with pretty Tudor buildings will evoke a time when Stratford-upon-Avon first became more than a simple market village.

Stratford-upon-Avon has four distinct seasons just like elsewhere in Warwickshire, England, but temperatures never get overly warm. The most pleasant times to visit are from May through October, when it is not as cold as the rest of the year. Summers are nice and warm, with temperatures as high as 20°C (68°F), while the fall months have high temperatures from 10-12°C (50-54°F). Winters can be quite cold in Stratford-upon-Avon, with lows dropping to -1°C (30°F). Spring is quite chilly with lows around 0-3°C (32-37°F) and highs around 6-9°C (43-48°F). It rains quite a bit during winter months, with an average accumulation of 6-7 cm (2.4-2.8 in) per month, and the rest of the year sees around 4-6 cm (1.6-2.4 in) of rain per month, with April and June being the driest months.

• Summer highs 18-20°C (64-68°F), and winter lows 0 to -1°C (32-30°F)
• Winter rains 6-7 cm (2.4-2.8 in) on average per month
• Cold or cool year-round

You will likely fly into London in order to get to Stratford-upon-Avon, since it is the closest international airport. If you are driving to the village from London, it is a 164 km (102 mi) trip, usually taking about two hours. You use the M40 motorway and exit at Junction 15. You can also take a train if you are not keen on driving. Stratford-upon-Avon has its own train station in the centre of town, so the rail is a fast and convenient mode of travel. You can go directly to Warwick and Birmingham from this station and to London with one transfer at Leamington Spa. Once you arrive in Stratford-upon-Avon, you can easily walk to all of the attractions or use a rented bike or scooter.

• Drive M40/Junction 15 from London
• Train from London, Warwick, Birmingham
• Walk, bike or scooter in town