Follow in the footsteps of Luella Shakespeare, Frank Hathaway and Sebastian

Duration

2 ½ hours

About

Grab your binoculars and come undercover as you explore the historic market town of Stratford upon Avon on our 2 ½-hour Shakespeare and Hathaway Tour.

In association with SmartGuide - the leading platform for self-guided audio tours - we have an easy-to-use fully guided audio walk of locations in Stratford-Upon Avon from Shakespeare and Hathaway.

The simple-to-use app-based tour will help you follow in the footsteps of Luella Shakespeare, Frank Hathaway and Sebastian as they solve crimes and capture criminals in the great Bard’s hometown. You’ll see some of Stratford upon Avon’s most beautiful and famous landmarks as you hear how Lu and Frank investigate fraud, murder, affairs, death threats, lies, scandals, disappearances and a whole host of other misdemeanors.

Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators has been entertaining audiences since it was first aired in 2018. The lead characters are named after the Elizabethan playwright, William Shakespeare, and his wife, Anne Hathaway. Together they form an unlikely partnership as they comically uncover the secrets of Stratford’s residents. Each episode of this hit daytime drama gives a nod towards William Shakespeare, taking a modern twist on plays such as King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet and others while throwing in a family-friendly ‘Who Dunnit?’ element.

The walking tour starts near The Shakespeare Centre, where you’ll immediately recognise Shakespeare’s Birthplace as just one of Stratford upon Avon’s stunning buildings that can be seen in the show.

As you meander through Stratford upon Avon’s Old Town you’ll pass quaint locations used as the backdrop for Shakespeare and Hathaway’s sleuthing escapades. As the tour progresses, you’ll make your way towards the River Avon, where Gloria scattered her beloved pet’s ashes, and see the spot where Frank and Lu catch their lookie-likies in series 2. You’ll have the chance to stop for a selfie by the statue of ‘Young Will’ as seen when Sebastian’s Ghost Walk punters were hijacked. Behind the statue you can admire one of the highlights of the tour: The Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The theatre, with its impressive 36-meter-high tower, is instantly recognisable and has featured in multiple episodes throughout the series.

There’ll be additional photo opportunities as you cross over the river to see locations from all three series, around Stratford Recreational Grounds, including the moment when Sebastian dropped the ransom money for the kidnapped multimillionaire dog.

During the tour you’ll see locations where the cast are star-struck, plant tracking devices, pick locks, go undercover and catch bad guys. Naturally, the tour includes some of the show’s best chase scenes where Shakespeare and Hathaway pant and puff as they pursue unlikely villains. Some of these chase scenes include the church where Lu runs after an old lady in an electric wheelchair and you’ll visit the spot where the formidable duo commandeered a swan pedal boat while they attempted to make a citizen’s arrest.

As you walk along the river you’ll pass by the theatre where the catastrophic performance of Juliet & Romeo was performed and where Sebastian’s old RADA friend starred in Hamlet in the finale of series three.

The final stop on the tour is the location where Sebastian posed for photos in the churchyard while dressed as the Bard’s ghost. The tour finishes outside the Holy Trinity Church, which is where William Shakespeare was buried in 1616. After the tour you’ll have the chance to explore the church at your leisure or make your way back along the river towards Stratford upon Avon’s Old Town.

Please note the Shakespeare and Hathaway Tour does not visit the locations used as the Mucky Mallard or Shakespeare and Hathaway’s offices as they aren’t in Stratford upon Avon.