Secret Suffolk & Sunrise Coast

Monday

We travel towards Suffolk with a stop en-route in the market town of Bury St. Edmunds. Visit the ancient abbey dating back to the Magna Carta, or pop into the Angel Hotel of Dickens and Mrs Pickwick fame, before continuing in the afternoon to Aldeburgh and our 4-night stay at the Wentworth Hotel.

Tuesday

Enjoy a scenic morning drive via the pretty village of Thorpeness with its pretty mock Tudor houses and the fairytale ‘House in the Clouds’ to the beautiful seaside town of Southwold on the Suffolk Heritage Coast. This elegant town, with its award-winning pier and famous painted beach huts reveals an English seaside resort as it used to be. We return to our hotel in the afternoon where we will be treated to a delightful Cream Tea.

Wednesday

Today, we visit Sutton Hoo - home to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. Walk around the ancient burial mounds and discover the incredible story of the ship burial of an Anglo-Saxon king and his treasured possessions. Come face to face with your ancestors and explore award-winning exhibitions, the full-size reconstruction of the burial chamber and the stunning replica treasures and original finds from one of the mounds, including a prince’s sword. From here we continue to Christchurch Mansion, one of Suffolk’s most treasured buildings, this beautiful Tudor mansion is the jewel in the crown of Ipswich’s historic past, boasting over 500 years of history. Explore the period rooms from the Tudor kitchen to the sumptuous Georgian saloon and the beautifully detailed Victorian wing. Gaze at the fine collection of art from Suffolk artists including the biggest collection of Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable paintings outside of London.

Thursday

We drive to Oulton Broad where we enjoy a delightful 90-minute Waveney Marshland River Cruise along the Suffolk/Norfolk border travelling through the grazing marshlands on the Angles Way, taking in the waterside village of Burgh St. Peter. From here, we continue to the coastal resort of Lowestoft, the most easterly point in England before returning to our hotel.

Friday

Departing our hotel we return to Lavenham, one of the UK’s best preserved timber framed villages dating back to Saxon times - the main street was used in scenes of Harry Potter’s Deathly Hallows. In the afternoon we continue our journey back to the Midlands.