Warwickshire tourist information & travel guide
The county of Warwickshire lies in central England, at the north of the Cotswold region. Pick a cottage to rent in Warwikshire here and explore a wealth of historic towns, pretty countryside, medieval castles, and esteemed literary connections.
Stratford Upon Avon is famous as Shakespeare's home town. You can visit Anne Hathaway's Cottage, Shakespeare's birthplace and his grave at the parish church of Holy Trinity. There are also regular performances by the world-renown Royal Shakespeare Company in the two Stratford theatres. The River Avon sweeps gracefully through the eastern part of the town, and the centre consists of a mix of the old and the modern, with a good selection of accommodation, restaurants and shops. There's a weekly market, a Christmas market in winter and craft markets in summer. Five minutes from the town centre is the Straford upon Avon butterfly farm. Here you can watch hundreds of spectacular butterflies as you stroll through a lush tropical landscape. There are lots of excellent self-catering holiday cottages in Stratford upon Avon to rent to explore Shakespeare's county for a holiday.
Wawick is best-known for its castle, which towers over the banks of the River Avon. The site was first fortified by William the Conquerer in 1068, and has been home to generations of Earls of Warwick. A visit to the castle today is a true 'medieval experience', with frequent special events including falconry displays, traditional feasts and historical re-enactments. Warwick has yet more historic gems in the form of the timber-framed 'Lord Leycester Hopital', The Collegiate Church of St Mary's, and the 17th Century Market Hall. Warwick is also a great centre of antiques, has a regular market, pubs, tearooms and restaurants. The Warwick Doll Museum has an extensive collection of dolls, games, toys and teddy-bears.
Kenilworth, just north of Warwick, has its own castle, and a good selection of restaurants and small shops. Also nearby is Royal Leamington Spa, a fashionable town with elegant Georgian and Victorian architecture, tree-lined avenues and pretty gardens. The Royal Pump rooms in Leamington are home to the town's museum, art gallery and tourist information centre. There's a good range of self-catering accommodation in Warwick and delightful English country cottages to rent near Kenilworth - these towns and surrounding countryside offer an ideal place for a relaxing holiday in England.
Coventry is a historic city with a very modern vibe. Famous locals of the past include Lady Godiva, St George and the jet pioneer Frank Whittle. There's a medieval guildhall, almshouses and numerous timber-framed shops and pubs. The City Centre Trail (around 4 miles / 6.5km) takes visitors around sixty of the most important historical buildings and sites in the city centre. In contrast to the historic sites, 'Milleneum Place' is ultra-modern, with neon lights, contemporary sculpture and a glass bridge. It's easy to get around the pedestrianised town centre, which is full of shops, bars and restaurants.
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