Celebrate the birthday of Britain's greatest playwright with a canal cruise to Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Take a leisurely two-week Shakespeare break along the Warwickshire Ring waterway with canal boat specialist Black Prince (www.black-prince.com) and you can moor along the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, close to the beautifully restored 16th-century half-timbered house that was the birthplace of the Bard.

Time your travels to tie in with Shakespeare's birthday on April 26 (he'll be 451) and you can mark the occasion with a visit to his old home, where the life of the author is brought to life with period scenery, exhibitions and performances from the museum's own troupe of actors.

With no limit to the time you can moor along the canal, there is also chance to visit the Tudor farm of Shakespeare's mother, the homes of his future wife and daughter, and the playwright's final resting place.

Black Prince's fleet of award-winning canal boats is equipped with central heating, hot showers and proper duvets to ensure a warm trip whatever the weather, and there is TV and wifi to keep in touch with the outside world.

The 14-night Shakespeare cruise starts from £1568 – just £392 per person based on four people sharing a two bedroom narrow boat departing on 25 April from Black Prince's Clifton-Upon-Dunsmore base in Worcestershire.

This price includes a 50% discount on the second week of the holiday, saving £516. Find out more and book at www.black-prince.com or call 01527 575 115.

A Birthplace Plus Pass to Shakespeare's Birthplace, Anne Hathaway's Cottage & Gardens, Hall's Croft, Harvard House and Shakespeare's Grave costs £19.90 per adult.

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Notes to editors
About Black Prince Holidays
Black Prince Holidays is one of the UK's leading narrowboat specialists. The Bromsgrove-based company has a fleet of award winning narrow boats at 10 bases across England, Scotland and Wales, and is has British Marine Federation accredited personnel for hire boat instruction and handover procedures.