Ok, so Stratford-upon-Avon is not actually a city, but as a town which punches well above its weight historically and culturally, we’re giving it an honorary place in the City Breaks collection. This is the introductory episode, with a little geographical and historical context and an idea for a first get-your-bearings walk around Stratford. It will introduce you to Stratford's Tudor gabled houses, riverside setting, swans and boats and, of course, give a flavour of Stratford as Shakespeare's home town, where he was both born and buried and where he bought the town's second biggest house as a retirement pad. So, with no more ado and as the great man himself might have said, shall we wend?

Reading Suggestions Stratford-upon-Avon Quick Trips by Cynthia Atkins A-Z of Stratford-upon-Avon by Will Atkins Secret Stratford by Nicholas Fogg Shakespeare The Biography by Peter Ackroyd

Links for this Episode Visit Stratford-upon-Avon Guided walks around Stratford

City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website to find more episodes from our Stratford-Upon-Avon series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk

We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated!

Both Vincennes and St Germain-en-Laye make excellent days out from Paris, or even half days as both can be reached by public transport in less than half an hour. Each has a magnificent castle to visit, plus a range of other cultural, relaxation and shopping possibilities. So this episode tells you how to get to each place, following up with what there is to see and do there, plus – bien sûr! – a few of the interesting historical snippets which will inform your visit.

Links for this post

Château de Vincennes

Vincennes Tourist Office

Château de St Germain-en-Laye

St Germain-en-Laye Tourist Office

Espace Vera

Debussy’s Birthplace

City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website to find more episodes from our Paris series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk

We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be a big help!

This Paris episode covers two of the most beautiful châteaux in the Paris region. Both are easy to reach on public transport and both have fascinating stories to tell. We cover how to get there, what you can expect to see and make sure we cover the most interesting tales – François I’s show-off gallery, Napoleon’s refurbishment to impress the Pope and the party-to-end-all-parties which went ended in disaster and ruination.

Reading Suggestion Francis I, The Maker of Modern France by Leonie Frieda

Useful Links Château de Fontainebleau Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website to find more episodes from our Paris series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk

We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be a big help!