Shakespeare’s Globe

Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the open-air Elizabethan playhouse for which Shakespeare wrote many of his plays, built close to the original site on Bankside. Alongside it, the indoor Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is lit by candles and hosts performances through the colder months.

Seeing a play here is the best way to understand the theatre, with standing audiences in the yard close to the actors. Outside performance times, guided tours explain how the building was made and how it works; they run in all weathers, so dress accordingly. In the open-air theatre you can hire cushions and blankets, and rain ponchos are sold. The whole site is cashless. Bring only small bags, as luggage is not stored. Tate Modern is next door.