If you are a tourist, Stratford-upon-Avon is a coach stop as you gallivant about England in your tour group soaking up some history. Indeed, the town has much history to gawp at, with its Tudor buildings and endless tributes to local son William Shakespeare.
However, if you’re not a tourist, you’ll know that Stratford-upon-Avon can often seem more like a traffic jam that just happens to have a town attached to it. On any day when the sun decides to come out, queues pile up along the various roads in and out of town, making it a fantastic place to go if you wake up one day and decide you need to make yourself feel mildly irritated.
However, if you have accidentally fallen into the traffic black hole that is Stratford, you may see a sign for a car park just before the bridge that crosses the River Avon. It’s a good idea to make that turn because inside, you will find an island of peace and serenity.
READ MORE: Royal visit for 108 year old Stratford-upon-Avon woman
The Stratford Canal Basin is the hub of the town’s riverside life. While walkways and park line the banks further down, the canal basin is the central focus where events, restaurants, cafes, and keen water sports enthusiasts can congregate.
If you are one of those tourists who’s leapt off a coach, it’s not hard to access this area yourself either. A chance to savour some bucolic English greenery before heading back to a major city.
Located between the world famous Royal Shakespeare Theatre and main shopping areas, there’s some interesting boat based businesses permanently moored up. It’s also where you can organise a sightseeing boat tour or even dining on board a restaurant cruiser.
Visitors have praised the area as well, with reviewers on Trip Advisor saying it was “clean and well maintained” as well as “family and dog friendly.” The area is also close to Stratford-upon-Avon’s ferris wheel, where visitors can get a top down view of the ancient town and the beautiful surrounding Warwickshire countryside for just £8.
So if the hordes of tourists, the noise, the traffic, and the general rush of a tourist hotspot have you feeling overwhelmed, retreat to the canal. It’s a little peaceful sanctuary amidst the mad rush
This post was originally published on here
