Holiday rentals in Suffolk

Achingly pretty and full of ancient sites, gorgeous villages, forested landscapes, and quirky coastal gems, Suffolk is a primped package of English perfection. Yet somehow it remains off-radar for many visitors. The interconnected rivers and lakes of the Suffolk Broads are not as famous as their Norfolk counterparts, but just as stunning, and those who holiday in the seaside enclaves of Southwold, with its beach huts and breweries; arty Aldeburgh; or beautiful Covehithe might feel they’re in on a special secret. They are. And there is much more worth discovering in this unspoilt region of gentle charms besides.

The Wool Towns of Lavenham, Kersey, Clare, and Cavendish are utterly enchanting with their timbered buildings, pink cottages, and grand churches, demonstrating their former wealth as medieval wool producers. The major towns of Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich are packed with history and culture. Then there are the historic sites, from the treasure-loaded Anglo-Saxon ship burial site of Sutton Hoo to the home of Charles Dickens. Better get cracking.

The beaches and seaside communities up and down the 50-mile Suffolk coast come to life in summer. Hiring a boat to putter between them, or a canoe to explore the Suffolk Broads, is mighty tempting this time of year, as is swimming at lovely spots along the River Waveney, Little Ouse, and River Stour. Even so, such flat landscapes can benefit from the drama of a storm or blustery grey day, and it’s atmospheric to boat along the waterways in winter mists, or visit the Saints, a huddle of remote villages and medieval churches. Autumn brings foodie affairs such as the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival in Snape Maltings in September; the Great Framlingham Sausage Festival in October; and a Bavarian-style Oktoberfest in Ipswich in October.

Orford Ness

The longest shingle spit in Europe, Orford Ness is a strange and remote environment. The once-secretive military base is associated with myths and UFO sightings. Walking along the eerie ribbon of land, attached to the mainland near Aldeburgh, is a somewhat spooky experience. Now its delicate marshland, mud flats, and brackish lagoon habitats are part of a National Trust nature reserve, home to brown hares and Chinese water deer.

Southwold Under the Pier Show

Traditional seaside arcade games are given a nutty and hilarious twist at Southwold’s Under the Pier Show, with almost 20 handmade machines. From a Zimmer frame simulator, where you grip a real Zimmer frame to cross a virtual road displayed on a screen, to a cathartic Whack a Banker machine, it’s an absolutely fun way to swallow up a couple of hours.

West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village

At West Stow, an Anglo-Saxon village has been recreated on its original site, which was occupied between 4200 and 650 AD. Wooden buildings showcase ancient skills such as weaving, and pens house rare-breed pigs. Open-air theatre, longbow lessons, and archery sessions are among the regular events.