Stratford-upon-Avon is a charming little town in south Warwickshire, some 49km (30 miles) north of Oxford. It was here that William Shakespeare, the greatest playwright in the English language, was born. One can visit Shakespeare's birthplace (tel: (01789) 204 016; website: www.shakespeare.org.uk) as well as Hall's Croft (the one-time home of his daughter, Susannah) and New Place, which stands on the site of an earlier house the playwright owned. Holy Trinity Church is also worth a visit, as Shakespeare was both baptised and buried here. The town is also home to the Royal Shakespeare Company (tel: (01789) 403 444; website: www.rsc.org.uk), which performs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and it is a great experience to see a play there.Just 13km (8 miles) from Stratford-upon-Avon is one of the finest medieval castles in Britain,

Warwick Castle (tel: 0870 442 2000; website: www.warwick-castle.co.uk). The first fortifications on the site were erected in 914, and it was in the 13th and 14th centuries that most of the castle buildings were built. The buildings and the gardens offer an interesting insight into times past, and there are plenty of medieval activities going on during the tourist season.