Shakespeare in London
Where the Bard wrote, performed and thrived
By the early 1590s, Shakespeare was living and working in London as an actor and playwright. He stayed for twenty years, writing most of his plays for the Globe and its predecessors on Bankside, then retired to Stratford around 1613. Today London has more Shakespeare on stage than anywhere else in the world: the Globe stands on the same stretch of river where the original was built in 1599, the National Theatre stages major productions every season, and the RSC brings its Stratford work to the Barbican each winter.
For first-time visitors, three venues cover the range: the open-air Globe on Bankside (standing tickets from £5), the National Theatre on the South Bank with its 1,150-seat Olivier auditorium, and the Barbican in the City of London, home to RSC London seasons. A self-guided walking tour links the key Bankside sites in about two and a half hours. The Globe's outdoor stage runs from spring through autumn; the National Theatre and Barbican are year-round.
Where to See Shakespeare
Shakespeare's Globe
London · SE1 9DT
Sam Wanamaker spent 25 years fighting to rebuild it.
Venue guide →National Theatre
London · SE1 9PX
Laurence Olivier opened the National Theatre Company's first season on 22 October 1963 with a production of Hamlet at the Old Vic, directing Peter O'Toole in the title role.
Venue guide →Barbican Centre
London · EC2Y 8DS
For twenty years, from 1982 to 2002, the Barbican was the Royal Shakespeare Company's London home.
Venue guide →Self-Guided Shakespeare Walking Tour
Six Bankside and West End sites connected by a 2.5-mile walk — from the Globe on the South Bank to the Chandos Portrait at the National Portrait Gallery. Free to do, takes two to three hours, with pub stops at each stage.
- 1Shakespeare's Globe — Bankside, SE1 — start here
- 2The Rose Playhouse Ruins — Park Street, SE1 — 5 min walk (open Saturdays)
- 3Southwark Cathedral — Montague Close, SE1 — Shakespeare memorial & Edmund's grave
- 4Blackfriars Playhouse Site — Playhouse Yard, EC4 — blue plaque on Shakespeare's winter theatre
- 5Leicester Square Gardens — West End, WC2 — marble statue with Twelfth Night inscription
- 6National Portrait Gallery — Trafalgar Square, WC2 — the Chandos Portrait (most likely authentic likeness)
What's On in London
Live listings from Ticketmaster — updated daily.
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
Spring and summer for the open-air Globe (May to October). The National Theatre and Barbican are year-round. Avoid August school holidays if you want quieter venues.
Getting Around
London Bridge and Waterloo stations (both on the tube and National Rail) are the closest for Bankside venues. Barbican station (Circle line) is a ten-minute walk from the Barbican Centre. Most Shakespeare venues are in Zone 1 — all accessible by tube.
Ticket Prices
Globe groundling tickets start at £5 for rush access. National Theatre standby tickets sell 60 minutes before curtain. RSC London seasons at the Barbican sell out — aim to book the day they go on sale.
Also on ShakespeareGo
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