City Sightseeing Stratford-upon-Avon Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

Stratford-upon-Avon, England

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Booked 10+ times last week!

1 hour (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover charming, medieval Stratford-Upon-Avon—the historic birthplace of William Shakespeare—from the comfort of an open-top, double-decker bus. On this sightseeing tour, relax for the full-route journey or hop off at any of the stops along the way to see key attractions like the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, and the Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried.

City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off bus tour of Stratford-upon-Avon
Ticket valid for 24 or 48 hours
Hop on or off as many times as you'd like at multiple stops
Great views from the open-air bus of major sights like Shakespeare's birthplace
Scenic drive through the Warwickshire countryside

What's Included

24 or 48 hour hop-on hop-off bus pass
On-board audio commentary
Discounts to local attractions
Vouchers valid for 12 months from travel date selected at check-out

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop off
Food and drinks, unless specified

Meeting and Pickup

Operating hours

Select your preferred tour option to see hours.

Departure Point

You may start this tour at any of the stops listed.

Itinerary

Savor great views and fascinating history on a full-route tour of Stratford-Upon-Avon’s main sites. Enjoy the flexibility of choosing your own itinerary with the structure of strategically placed stops, frequent pickup and lively commentary.

With your 24- or 48-hour pass (valid from first use), hop on and off at any of the route’s locations. See itinerary below for all stops. Take your time journeying through Shakespeare’s England with a trip to his birthplace, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre that still performs Bard’s play, and the Holy Trinity Church where the playwright was baptized and currently resides under a cursed tombstone. Take a short jaunt out of town to lovely Warwickshire to visit the house of Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden.

To end your tour, simply hop off at any of the designated stops on the route.

Red Route

11 Stops

12 Points of Interest

Duration: 1 hour

Operating Schedule: First departure from Stop 1 at 9:30am. Last departure from Stop 1 at 5pm. Buses run every 30 minutes. Stops marked with a * are request stops. Please advise the driver if you require these stops

Pen & Parchment

Swan Theatre

College Street

Chapel Street

Stratford upon Avon

Civic Hall

Evesham Place

Hathaway Court

22 Cottage Ln

Mary Ardens House

Maybird Centre

Points of interest passed by on this route

Shakespeare's New Place

Anne Hathaway's Cottage

Hall's Croft

Holy Trinity Church

Shakespeare's Birthplace

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Mary Arden's Farm

City Sightseeing Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford Butterfly Farm

The MAD Museum

Stratford-upon-Avon Canal

Swan Theatre

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
First tour departs Stop 1 at 9:30am, last tour departs Stop 1 at 5pm

Tour frequency: Every 30 minutes. During busy periods, extra tours may be added
Full tour duration: 60 minutes approximately
Mobile and paper vouchers accepted for this tour. Mobile vouchers must be redeemed at stop 1 Avon Boating/Visitor Centre
Please note, Mary Arden's Farm is currently closed to the general public
English speaking live guides will be on the buses departing on the hour between 10am and 3pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays
Vouchers can be used any day within 12 months of travel date selected at check-out

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.1

based on 255 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great trip highly recommend

Lynn_H, Apr 2026

Friendly drivers great informative journey highly recommend easy to follow map a must for first time visitors

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you so much for your lovely review Lynn. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your City Sightseeing Stratford-upon-Avon hop-on hop-off tour and that you found the journey informative and easy to follow. It’s great to know that our drivers made a positive impression and helped make your experience even more enjoyable. We’re also very happy that you found the map clear and useful, especially for first-time visitors, as Stratford is such a special place to explore. Thank you very much for your recommendation. We would be delighted to welcome you on board again in the future for more sightseeing adventures.

Misfortune reigns

Susan_S, Oct 2025

We only had the ride ticket unfortunately. A vehicle had just crashed into Shakespeare’s daughter’s house rendering it off limits. Then the power had gone off in Anne Hathaway’s cottage, and the till couldn’t open nor could charges be made, so no visit there! The bus driver only sells ride and combined ride tickets, no attraction tickets. We gave up after having to order something in the little restaurant by the cottage so we would be allowed to use the restroom.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Dear Customer, We sincerely appreciate you sharing your opinion with us. We are glad to hear that you were able to experience the fun of discovering a new city aboard our service. We are pleased to hear that you found our service excellent and that you enjoyed your visit to the city. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again very soon in one of our more than 100 destinations. Thank you for choosing City Sightseeing! Best regards, Quality Department

A day with history.

James_S, Sep 2025

This is the best way to get around and learn of the sites, no driving involved. The history of Stratford upon Avon is truly amazing. The town is beautiful,

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Dear Customer, We sincerely appreciate you sharing your opinion with us. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring Stratford-upon-Avon with our service and found it to be the best way to see the sights without the need to drive. It’s wonderful to know that you appreciated the town’s history and beauty. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again very soon in one of our more than 100 destinations around the world. Thank you for choosing City Sightseeing! Best regards, Quality Department

On the buses ...

Ian_J, Jul 2025

Good experience enjoyed it mom and I instreading facts around the tour very good bus driver deserves a rise ..would recommend your company to others in a heart beat...

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Terrible service with Viator

Jane_K, Nov 2024

I bought tickets in advance through Viator. We booked for Sat 2nd Nov. When we turned up there was a sign to say the buses weren't running that day. We went back the next day to find the same sign. We came home that day. I emailed Viatar to get a refund but was told they couldn't offer a refund. I will not be booking any further trips through Viator.

Response from Host, Nov 2024

Dear Jane, We appreciate your feedback and are sorry for any inconvenience you may have experienced with our services on your recent trip with City Sightseeing. At City Sightseeing, we strive to provide a comprehensive sightseeing experience that allows our passengers to fully explore and enjoy each destination. If you have experienced any kind of inconvenience on our lines, please contact us at the following email address: customer@city-sightseeing.com We look forward to assisting you and having the opportunity to welcome you back on board so that you can fully enjoy all that City Sightseeing has to offer on your next trip. Thank you for choosing City Sightseeing and for sharing your impressions with us. Kind regards Quality Department

Overall very memorable

Antony_B, Sep 2024

On the day of our booking there were a few problems with drivers, resulting in delays and a tour cancellation, but when we eventually borded we enjoyed the experience and would recommend the excursion.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Anthony, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. At City Sightseeing, we strive to offer a service that allows our passengers to enjoy a comfortable and enjoyable experience. Otherwise, we are happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour and were able to discover Stratford with us. We look forward to welcoming you again to one of our more than 100 destinations. We are committed to always offering you memorable and convenient experiences at all of our locations. Best regards,

Great way to see the city...

Peter_S, Sep 2024

Great way to see the city with lots of flexibility and helpful staff. Would highly recommend them to any travelers

Great way to see everything

BEVERLEY_N, Sep 2024

Love the open top bus. Prompt and reliable service. Very informative. Great if the weather is warm. Not so good on a rainy day especially if you like to sit upstairs. Great value for money 💰 Use them wherever we go. Definitely recommend. Hop on and off whenever you choose. Go round as many times as you like. Looking forward to my next trip and jumping on another one.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Dear customer, We sincerely appreciate you sharing your thoughts with us. We are happy to hear that you were able to experience how much fun it is to discover a new city from the top of one of our red buses. We are pleased to hear that you found our service excellent and that you enjoyed your visit to the city. We look forward to welcoming you again very soon. Thank you for choosing City Sightseeing. Receive a cordial greeting, Quality Department

Not a Baird excursion

leeboot, Sep 2024

Great insight into William Shakespeare's life. Also, learnt other things whist listening through the headphones. Totally recommended.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Excellent all Round

john_b, Sep 2024

Excellent trip round Stratford and surrounding area, Very informative trip getting all the information on Shakespeare's life and times of the era. If visiting the area it is a Must Do Trip. Would Definitely Recommend it.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

If at first you don't succeed.... Try again it's worth it

Lynfa_P, Aug 2024

Very informative trip around Stratford eventually, unfortunately the first bus we went on didn't have enough working sockets for the headphones leaving half the bus completely clueless as to what was around us. We stayed on returned to base and did it again with sound and it was worth it but would recommend checking before leaving. It was a shame the bus was not taken out of service as I'm sure they will have more negative comments due to this, especially as the offending sockets were taped so it was clearly a known fault. On a positive the driver did his best to keep us informed and went above and beyond

Brilliant

Janet_T, Aug 2024

The information was excellent over the speaker. Timing every half hour and was on time. Hot tiring day so sat on the top of the bus and relaxed and cooled down. Went round several times and used the bus the next day within the 24 hour period. Our hotel was on the route near Anne Hathaway house which made it super convenient.

Very enjoyable

Mark_T, Jul 2024

Very enjoyable- read details and reviews before I booked and all was very much in line with those. A good way of getting to the main sites of Stratford.

Great way to see all the...

Paula_P, Jul 2024

Great way to see all the sights and get the history of Warwick. And hop off when you want to visit place of interest lovely time great value

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Dear customer, We sincerely appreciate your comment. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour and were able to discover Stratford with us. We are also pleased to know that you were able to take advantage of all the advantages of our ticket, including visiting museums and the ease of getting around the city. We look forward to welcoming you again to one of our more than 100 destinations. We are committed to always offering you memorable and convenient experiences at all of our locations. Thank you once again for choosing City Sightseeing. Best regards, Quality Department

Use another company

Natalie_J, Sep 2023

Can’t add any photos of my experience as the bus didn’t turn up to 2 separate collection points and waited over 2hrs!! Awful situation and so was dealing with customer service who still haven’t issued my refund!! Awful service.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Dear Customer, Thank you very much for your comments. We are sorry to hear that there were some inconveniences caused. We recommend downloading the City Sightseeing app where you can find every stop's location (linked to google maps), the situation of the buses in real time and much more... We look forward to welcoming you again soon at any of our destinations. Kind regards, Customer support agent

Stratford-Upon-Avon sightseeing

Irene_D, Sep 2023

Bought tickets to do the Hop on Hop off bus trip with my husband and our friends. First we stayed on the bus and done the whole journey taking in all the information and sights. Which I must add helped us to decide which places we wanted to visit. We then boarded the bus for a second time to visit the places we wanted to see most. Have to say every bus we boarded the staff were very helpful polite and informative.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Dear Customer, We love to hear that you had such a great experience at the tour bus. We are looking forward to seeing you again. Kind regards, Customer support agent

Our day out

Rosemary_S, Sep 2023

We were two elderly ladies not able to do a lot of walking but by using the bus we were able to see many things we wouldn't have seen. We alighted at Ann Hathaway's cottage and had a lovely time looking round. This is something we wouldn't have been able to do if we hadn't used the bus. There was a commentary to listen to on the bus so we could hear some of the history & about places in Stratford on Avon. We also saw some of the lovely countryside even though it was raining. That was another bonus we saw places without getting wet. The drivers were very helpful & pleasant. " My glass shall no persuade me I am old"

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Dear Customer, Thank you very much for writing your opinion and highlighting what you liked most. We are glad to know that you enjoyed the visit and that our colleagues left such a good impression on you, we will let them know your kind words. We hope to see you again very soon in Startford-upon-Avon or in one of our more than hundreds of destinations. Kind regards, Customer support agent

Excellent - Would use again

Geraldine_W, Aug 2023

Very easy to use, friendly and helpful drivers. Trip covered all of the main sights in Stratford upon Avon as well as surrounding area.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Dear Customer, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience with us. It means a lot to us. We will make sure to share your kind comments with our team. We would love to see you again very soon. Kind regards, Customer support agent

Wonderful experience.

Alan_D, Aug 2023

Visit to historical buildings were the highlight of our stay in Stratford. The bus drivers were very friendly and helpful making our trips informative and enjoyable.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Exactly as Advertised

Chad_H, Jul 2023

What’s to say? It was exactly as advertised. However, if you are centrally located in Stratford-upon-Avon, most of the local sights and activities are easily within walking distance (aside from Anne Hathaway’s Cottage). We have done several hop-on, hop-off tours in bigger cities, but I’m not sure it’s necessary in a small town like Stratford.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Dear Customer, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience with us. It means a lot to us. We would love to see you again very soon. Kind regards, Customer support agent

Great Hop On Hop off

Sharon_C, May 2023

This was a very informative hop on hop off tour. The bus driver was kind and helpful. The narrative was so much better than the one we did in London recently.

Response from Host, May 2023

Dear guest, Thank you so much! We are happy to see that you were able to take full advantage from our hop on/off bus service. We are even more happy to know that our colleagues did such a good job. We would love to have you back in the city or at any of our other locations. Kind regards,

Hop on hop off in Stratford

Mandy_S, Sep 2022

Good commentary on bus. No roofed area upstairs. Only came every 60 minutes. Overall very informative.

Disappointing

Nicola_R, Aug 2022

Unfortunately we had pre booked tickets on understanding from advert these buses run every 20 to 30 minutes on arriving we would have had to wait almost an hour to board with services only running one per hour. This is totally unacceptable and I will be requesting a full refund.

Stratford upon Avon tour

Norman_Y, Aug 2022

The commentary Wes excellent, very informative. Covered not only Stratford but surrounding villages as well

Ok

Gabriella_L, Aug 2022

It wasn’t memorable. I think the bus driver could have stopped at the locations so you could take a picture even if you weren’t getting off the bus.

Fun way to spend a hour

Wendy_S, Aug 2022

Loved it,really friendly driver I took girl with learning disabilities and she was laughing and smiling on the whole trip she wants to go again xxx

It was good to have an...

Kate_D, Aug 2022

It was good to have an umbrella on hand for the heavy rain shower, whilst outside. But the rain added to the fun.

Disappointing.

99s2jfgy4k, Aug 2022

Timetable stated the bus ran every 20 minutes. Wasted an hour waiting. When we eventually found the bus at stop 1, at 1pm was told to come back in an hour as they the driver was going off for lunch. More wasted time. The bus was very littered with packets ect. Food items. Surely the driver can clean in between if only running once an hour. We have done these all over the world and this was the worst experience we have had. No communication on any of the stop points.