Tucked into the Warwickshire countryside, Stratford-upon-Avon is a town that feels preserved in time. With its honeyed half-timbered houses and willowed riverbanks, it's hard to imagine a more poetic birthplace. Begin on Henley Street, at the modest timber-framed house where Shakespeare was born to a humble family of glove-makers in 1564. A short walk away is New Place, the grand home he bought in 1597 after achieving renown in London. Though the house no longer stands, the site is now a beautiful, landscaped heritage site. Follow the River Avon to Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare was both baptised and buried. His grave is famously marked by an epitaph that gently warns against disturbance: “Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forebeare, To digg the dust enclosed heare; Bleste be the man that spares thes stones, And curst be he that moves my bones.”

Next, follow Shakespeare’s quill to London, where the poet and playwright built his fame, fortune and formidable body of work. Begin at the Globe Theatre, a meticulous reconstruction of the 1599 original, where you can still catch plays staged in true Elizabethan style from the open-air pit to the wooden galleries (luxury tip: opt for the cushioned seats). Nearby, Southwark Cathedral pays homage with a statue and stained-glass window dedicated to the bard and in Westminster Abbey, you’ll find Shakespeare’s memorial in Poets’ Corner, surrounded by the literary greats who followed in his footsteps. Not far away, Blackfriars Theatre, where his later, indoor plays were staged, offers a quieter nod to his London life.

For modern theatregoers, Shakespeare remains as magnetic as ever, with continuous reimaginings of famous works taking place in the city every year. Richard II is currently playing at the Bridge Theatre, with Jonathan Bailey in the title role. And from 31 May – 23 August, the Bridge Theatre stages the perennially popular A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring the magnificent Gwendoline Christie as Queen Titania.

Explore Shakespearean England and stay at Ellenborough Park, a romantic fifteenth-century country estate in the Cotswolds, a short drive from Stratford-upon-Avon, or choose modern comforts in one of the many luxurious hotels in London that are part of ASMALLWORLD Collection.