party animal mum’ Real Life The picture that means so much

After you’ve indulged your every Shakespearean whim, pay a visit to Butterfly Farm, the UK’s largest tropical butterfly attraction. Walk among exotic plants and waterfalls, surrounded by hundreds of free-flying butterflies –an ideal rainy-day activity. Or for another family favourite, try Tudor World. This award-winning museum TAKE A DETOUR

Walk among the butterflies

recreates different areas of Tudor life, interwoven with the history of the listed building. And if it’s a nice day, there’s nothing quite so lovely as taking a short boat cruise along the river.

Catch a show No trip would be complete without a visit to the theatre, and there are three to choose from. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre and more intimate Swan Theatre share a site on Waterside, in Grade II listed buildings, while The Other Place houses a new 200-seat theatre. As well as Shakespeare plays –King John is currently playing –the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) also creates contemporary works, such as the new musical based on David Walliams’ The Boy In The Dress .

Anne Hathaway’s cottage; tasty Townhouse food, inset

WHERE TO STAY taying in the heart of town a real treat, and The wnhouse, a 400-yeard building opposite hakespeare’s school, ideal –it’s a fivenute walk from the oly Trinity Church, and o minutes from the C’s theatre. For a hearty ed before heading out, the pre-theatre set menu offers gastronomic delights such as whisky and chicken liver parfait or ale-battered haddock.

The Townhouse is minutes from the RSC theatre

Getting there Stratford-upon-Avon is ell connected to ritain’s motorway and il network –the train ation is just a 10-minute alk from the centre of own. Chiltern Railways ns a direct service om London every two ours, and there’s a West Midlands train om Birmingham very 30 minutes.