Ipswich Marina & Historic Waterfront
National Trust Flatford Bridge Cottage, Constable Country Dedham Vale
Christchurch Mansion Museum & Gallery Ipswich
Thomas Gainsborough Statue & St Peter Church Sudbury
Georgian Buttercross in Market Place, Bungay Southern Broads
Beccles Quay, Gateway to the Southern Broads
National Horseracing Museum Newmarket
Boat Trips on the River Stour between Flatford & Dedham, Dedham Vale Constable Country
Original Abbey Ruins in Abbey Gardens Bury St Edmunds Suffolk
Old Custom House built in 1845 overlooking Wet Dock on Ipswich historic waterfront
St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds
Gainsborough's House Birthplace Museum in SudburySuffolk is one of Britain's ancient counties, largely untouched by the industrial revolution and featuring spectacularly preserved medieval centres such as best preserved medieval village Lavenham. Two of Britain's most famous painters, John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough, herald from Suffolk. Constable was born in the Suffolk village of East Bergholt and Constable Country around Dedham Vale and the Stour Valley on the Suffolk and Essex border is one of Suffolk's most popular areas with visitors. Gainsborough was born in beautiful market town Sudbury where his birthplace home is now a museum.
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The two large Suffolk towns Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich are superb centres for holidays in East Anglia. Both contain a breathtaking array of historic buildings from the Abbey remains, cathedral and Norman tower in Bury St Edmunds to the stunning Tudor Christchurch Mansion, Ancient House and spectacular historic waterfront in Ipswich. Suffolk is also home to world centre for horseracing Newmarket with its two historic racecourses, National Stud and the National Horseracing Museum. On the northern edge of the county are the Suffolk Southern Broads with two stunning main centres Beccles and Bungay.
Just south of Ipswich is the stunning landscape of Dedham Vale and Constable Country on the Suffolk/Essex border. To the west of Ipswich are historic Suffolk wool towns. Also south of Ipswich beyond Dedham Vale and the Stour sits historic Colchester in Essex, once the capital of Roman Britain, featuring spectacular castle remains and many museums. Colchester is within easy driving distance of Polstead, Higham, Dedham Vale and Stoke by Nayland.
Picturesque riverside villages around Dedham Vale and the Stour Valley including Polstead, Higham and Stoke by Nayland are ideally situated for easy access into Constable Country on the Suffolk/Essex border. Beautiful walking trails in the area run through picturesque river valleys and ancient woodland. Visitors based south of Ipswich in Dedham Vale including in Constable's birthplace East Bergholt will find ample choice of fine traditional real ale inns, craft shops and medieval churches.
Ipswich is a unique and dynamic holiday destination in East Anglia. Feeling half chic city break and half historic market town, Ipswich also has a rich maritime history centred around its spectacular historic waterfront which offers a choice of boat trips, fine restaurants, cafes, traditional inns and a beautiful harbour hotel. Ipswich contains around 600 listed buildings and a premier art collection at the Wolsey Gallery in Christchurch Mansion. The largest collection of paintings outside of London by Gainsborough and Constable is at Christchurch Mansion Ipswich. The town makes a superb base from which to explore Constable Country to the south.
Ipswich accommodation includes a selection of stylish hotels around both the centre and waterfront. Ipswich guesthouses are also numerous within easy reach of central attractions which include a superb shopping, dining and nightlife scene. Ipswich is also fast gaining a reputation as a centre for arts and culture in East Anglia. The selection of outstanding Ipswich theatres include the Ipswich Regent Theatre and The New Wolsey Theatre.
Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Stour Valley is John Constable Country situated on the Suffolk and Essex border. A mecca for lovers of the English landscape painter John Constable who was born in East Bergholt in Dedham Vale in 1776, the area features many historic buildings and the recognisable Stour Valley landscape which Constable studied and painted. The National Trust visitor centre at Flatford is a central focus for many visitors to Constable Country. From Flatford a gentle trail leads off to Dedham village running parallel with the River Stour. Alternatively you can opt for a boat trip or row boat hire available at Flatford.
Dedham Vale villages in both Suffolk and Essex flanking the border contain a wide choice of historic traditional inns serving fine ales and locally produced food. Accommodation in Dedham Vale caters for all tastes from camping and caravan parks to luxury country house hotels, holiday cottages and B&Bs.
Beautiful Beccles is a major gateway into the Suffolk Southern Broads and boasts a stunning quayside with Broads Information Centre and boat trips on the River Waveney available. Around Beccles town centre is a wealth of historic architecture including the famous Beccles Bell Tower and a heritage cinema now a cafe restaurant. Beccles also contains a wide choice of traditional pubs, fine restaurants, tearooms, antique shops and historic coaching inn hotels.
Bungay is another great Suffolk gateway into the Southern Broads and is a similar picture of spectacular mostly Georgian historic architecture. Spectacular historic churches, traditional real ale pubs and fine restaurants in Bungay make the town a delightful Suffolk holiday base.
Bury St Edmunds is a jewel in West Suffolk containing a wealth of historic architecture spanning several periods from Norman and medieval to Art Deco and contemporary. The iconic St Edmundsbury Cathedral is the town's centrepiece whilst the original Abbey ruins are located in the beautifully floral Abbey Gardens. Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery housed in a building designed by Robert Adam and the rare surviving Regency playhouse, the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds are two other, among many, architectural gems in the town.
Bury St Edmunds is ideally situated for touring both Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Direct trains from Bury St Edmunds run to both Ely and Cambridge. Around Bury St Edmunds town centre sit numerous stylish cafes and restaurants, two weekly historic markets and fantastic specialist shops and funky shopping quarters. Accommodation in Bury St Edmunds is as stunning as the town's architecture and includes Grade listed Bury St Edmunds B&Bs, beautiful period holiday cottages and historic country inn hotels.
Widely considered to be England's best preserved medieval village, Lavenham contains a wealth of historic timber-framed buildings including beautiful Lavenham Guildhall of Corpus Christi built in 1529. Guided tours are widely available around this spectacular medieval cloth centre which is home to one of Suffolk's most beautiful wool churches. Many of the timber-framed buildings in Lavenham house stunning art galleries and craft shops. Lavenham also boasts a selection of charming traditional pubs, cosy tearooms and fine tearooms.
Newmarket is a world class centre for horseracing and offers visitors a unique insight into the history of horseracing and fascinating behind the scenes tours of the National Stud. Horseracing attractions in Newmarket include the two historic Newmarket Racecourses themselves which have a history dating back to the 17th century and strong links to Charles II who chose the site for the historic Rowley Mile Newmarket racecourse.
At the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket discover the history of horseracing in Newmarket and Britain and take a tour of the National Stud in Newmarket. The famous summer Friday Newmarket Nights are one of the best nights out in the East of England inclusive of evening racing followed by music concerts featuring top bands and artists. Newmarket hotels and accommodation are extensive catering for all budgets and tastes. Many Newmarket hotels and B&Bs offer horse racing packages and travel transfer services direct to Newmarket Racecourses on race days.
The market towns and villages of Mid-Suffolk including historic market towns Stowmarket and Needham Market are premier local produce centres in East Anglia. Both Stowmarket and Needham Market offer weekly local produce markets and monthly outstanding farmers' markets. Fantastic farm shops in the area include Alder Carr Farm shop with on-site craft studios, farm nature trail and Barn Cafe. Discover the history of rural life in East Anglia at fun family attraction the Museum of East Anglian Life which hosts many themed events through the year.
Mid-Suffolk and Stowmarket accommodation includes beautiful period farmhouse B&B accommodation alongside beautiful rural holiday cottage accommodation and traditional inn B&Bs. Visit Stowmarket in early June and enjoy the annual great weekend of acoustic music featuring in free music festival StowFest.
Suffolk market town Sudbury contains a stunning selection of historic buildings spanning several period from medieval to Tudor, Georgian and Victorian. Beautiful historic hotels, traditional inn B&Bs and a superb choice of specialist shops in Sudbury centre further boost the town's appeal as a Suffolk holiday base. Sudbury is most famous as the birthplace of one of Britain's greatest portrait painters Thomas Gainsborough. Gainsborough's House in Sudbury is the birthplace museum and former home of the Gainsborough family containing one of the world's best collection of Gainsborough paintings, drawings and prints.
Take boat trips from Sudbury Quayside on the River Stour. The Grade listed Georgian Granary tearoom can also be found on Sudbury Quay. Sudbury is ideally situated for exploring Constable Country around Dedham Vale and the Stour Valley just to the south east and is within easy reach of medieval Lavenham and the acclaimed antique shops in Long Melford village.
