Visit Suffolk to unwind amid charming countryside, glorious coastline and time-honored villages. Suffolk is a county located in England’s East Anglia region. Tour areas that inspired works by some of the nation’s most-loved painters and writers. Experience the traditions of a wool town and visit the birthplace of British horse racing.
Straddling the River Orwell is Ipswich, a Saxon-era port town that dates back to the 600s. Delve into the town’s history at the Ipswich Museum and Old Customs House. See masterpieces by John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough at the Wolsey Art Gallery. Stylish Ipswich Waterfront has a quayside promenade lined with bars and bistros.
Suffolk’s 50-mile (80-kilometer) coastline stretches along the North Sea between Felixstowe and Lowestoft. Watch as huge cargo ships arrive at the Port of Felixstowe, relax in Felixstowe Sea Front Gardens and play video games at Felixstowe Pier. Lowestoft, England’s easternmost settlement, is a gateway to birding, boating and walking in the Suffolk Broads.
Atmospheric seaside resorts, rural countryside, waterways and woodland typify the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Spend time at the shingle beaches of Aldeburgh and Southwold. Spot wading birds on a boat tour around the cuspate foreland of Orford Ness National Nature Reserve.
Travel inland to Bury St. Edmunds and admire sights such as Bury St. Edmunds Abbey Gardens and St. Edmundsbury Cathedral. The ancient wool towns of Lavenham and Long Melford are great places to see half-timbered Tudor houses. Attend a horse racing event at Newmarket’s 350-year-old Newmarket Racecourse.
Art and nature enthusiasts delight in the genteel charm and scenery of Constable Country. East Bergholt is the birthplace of Constable and nearby Flatford Mill is the setting for his acclaimed painting The Hay Wain. Row a boat on the River Stour, which meanders through Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Located less than 2 hours from London, Suffolk is easy to reach by intercity trains. Fly to London Stanstead Airport and then rent a car or travel by trains and buses from there.
