Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

A stunning reproduction of the original Globe theatre, built 200 yards from the original site on the banks of the Thames. A beautiful job of work has been done here and this is a theatre to make Londoners proud, with wonderful timber construction and a thatched roof, the first to get planning permission since the Great Fire of 1666.

For an authentic Elizabethan experience buy a cheap 'groundling' ticket and stand directly in front of the stage like the poorer theatre fans of a bygone era. However, you might want to choose a seat in the gentry galleries for longer shows or if the weather forecast is for rain. That said, in bad weather the actors on stage get lashed by wind hail and sleet just as hard as the crowd – a joy to behold.

As discussed, the theatre is open to the elements so visit on a warm day. Not only that – they also stage authentic full costume period Shakespeare which is utterly fantastic as long as you choose the right production. Some can be mildly boring and unfunny; it appears that after all those centuries some things never change. On its day though, this is a magnificent theatre.