Must-see attractions in Suffolk

  • Sutton Hoo

    Suffolk

    Somehow missed by plundering robbers and left undisturbed for 1300 years, the hull of an enormous Anglo-Saxon ship was discovered here in 1939, buried…

  • Abbey Gardens

    Suffolk

    Now a picturesque ruin in parkland behind the cathedral, Bury's once-mighty abbey still impresses despite the townspeople having made off with much of the…

  • St Edmundsbury Cathedral

    Suffolk

    The 45m-high tower of this cathedral was only completed in 2005 and is a vision in Lincolnshire limestone – its traditional Gothic-style construction…

  • Gainsborough's House

    Suffolk

    Thomas Gainsborough's atmospheric birthplace is now home to the world's largest collection of his work. The 16th-century house and gardens feature a…

  • Kentwell Hall

    Suffolk

    Gorgeous, turreted Kentwell Hall may date from the 1500s and be full of Tudor grandeur, but it's still used as a private home, lending it a wonderfully…

  • Orford Ness

    Suffolk

    Wind-whipped, remote Orford Ness is the largest vegetated shingle spit in Europe and was once used as a secret military testing ground; now it's a nature…

  • Minsmere

    Suffolk

    The coast near Dunwich draws ranks of birdwatchers, thanks to RSPB Minsmere. The reserve is home to one of England's rarest birds, the bittern, with…

  • Theatre Royal

    Suffolk

    A rare treat – Britain's only working Regency playhouse features ornate gilding, sweeps of boxes and a trompe l'oeil ceiling, all revealed on self-led …

  • Moyse's Hall

    Suffolk

    Set in an impressive 12th-century undercroft, Moyse's Hall's rarities include a locket containing some of Mary Tudor's hair, finds from the town's ruined…

  • Lavenham Guildhall

    Suffolk

    Lavenham's most enchanting buildings are clustered along High St, Water St and around the unusually triangular Market Pl. They're dominated by this early…

  • Greene King Brewery & Beer Cafe

    Suffolk

    They’ve been crafting beer in this brewery since 1799, now you'll find heritage displays and a 'Beer Cafe' stocking the on-site brews. Tours (11am and 2pm…

  • St Peter & St Paul

    Suffolk

    This late-Perpendicular structure seems to lift into the sky, with its beautifully proportioned windows, soaring flint tower and gargoyle waterspouts…

  • Orford Castle

    Suffolk

    The three square turrets and 18-sided drum design of this slender 12th-century structure not only make it highly unusual, but also very beautiful. It's…

  • Melford Hall

    Suffolk

    From outside, the romantic Elizabethan mansion of Melford Hall seems little changed since it entertained Queen Elizabeth I in 1578. Inside, there's a…

  • Little Hall

    Suffolk

    Caramel-coloured, 14th-century Little Hall museum was once home to a successful wool merchant. Inside, you'll see how the rooms of this medieval mini…

  • Adnams

    Suffolk

    Spend an hour touring the high-tech kit inside this Victorian brewery, indulge in a 30-minute tutored tasting, then select a free bottle of beer to take…

  • Seafront & Pier

    Suffolk

    Southwold's shore-front is its main attraction. Amble along the promenade, admire the squat 19th-century lighthouse, then drop by the 190m-long pier,…

  • Scallop

    Suffolk

    Maggi Hambling's sculpture commemorates Aldeburgh’s links with the 20th-century composer Benjamin Britten, who spent much of his life in the town. It…

  • St Mary's Church

    Suffolk

    St Mary's is one of the largest parish churches in England, and it contains the tomb of Mary Tudor – Henry VIII's sister and a one-time queen of France…

  • Holy Trinity

    Suffolk

    Magnificent Holy Trinity is more cathedral- than church-sized, a spectacular example of a 15th-century wool church. The stained-glass windows and flint…

  • St Edmund's

    Suffolk

    Worth a peek for its fabulous medieval screen and 15th-century, bloodshot-eyed 'Southwold Jack' effigy (believed to be part of a clock), grumpily…

  • Moot Hall

    Suffolk

    Displays on fishing, shipbuilding, coastal defences and Regency-era tourism in an intricately carved, timber-framed, 16th-century house.

More destinations you need to see