Warwickshire

Grabbing the headlines of course there's Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon, Magnificent medieval Warwick Castle, Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, plus the elegant Georgian, Regency and Victorian streetscapes of Royal Leamington Spa.

Warwickshire is a place where much-loved tales come to life, and new stories are waiting to be written. This is Shakespeare's England - a quintessentially English county, home to beautiful

countryside dotted with historic towns and villages. A destination boasting thousands of years of history and heritage, intriguing art and culture, delicious food and drink, endless family fun, and of course, world-famous theatre and the birthplace of renowned playwright William Shakespeare.

As the birthplace and former hometown of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon bears reminders of his legacy around every corner. Visit the Shakespeare family homes to discover the people and places that shaped his life.

In Shakespeare's Birthplace on Henley Street, stand in the room where he was born and learn about his childhood in a busy family home which also served as his father John Shakespeare's glovemaking workshop. Household guides will lead you on a journey through life in the family home and give you an insight into how the young William grew into the town's most successful son and continues to shape our lives and language today.

Alongside Warwickshire's claims to fame as Shakespeare Country and George Eliot country, did you know that Rugby is a hotbed of literary links ranging from Tom Brown's Schooldays to Lewis Carroll, Rupert Brooke and Salman Rushdie? The town is also the birthplace of the game of rugby, celebrated by the school and in Rugby Art Gallery & Museum.

Or let the less-explored 'town and country' of North Warwickshire surprise you: setting off in the steps of local girl Mary Anne Evans, aka renowned Victorian novelist George Eliot, to scenes that inspired her writing; also uncovering links to a once-celebrated Tudor poetry circle featuring Ben Jonson at Polesworth Abbey.

Whether you're after a quick 'time out' fix, a half -day ramble or longer you'll find spacious parks, woodlands and canal towpaths in generous supply.

Combine legend with a leisurely stroll at Charlecote Park where a young William Shakespeare allegedly went poaching and where deer roam freely. Or admire the cleverly designed vistas of 'Capability' Brown landscapes and the ornamental lake at Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park home to the largest collection of British folk art in the UK.