East Anglia
Why go?
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
Despite beautiful countryside, Cambridgeshire is best known for its
main city, the historic university town. Museums and art galleries,
majestic colleges, punting on the River Cam, there's masses to do
and see. And, of course, Cambridge is home to Footlights, which
catapulted Stephen Fry, the Monty Python team and David Mitchell
into the spotlight. Take a guided tour around the city's quaint
passages and historic market place to get the most from your
stay.
NORFOLK
Those who are lucky enough to visit are seduced by the stunning,
and mostly deserted, north Norfolk coast. Come for wide sandy
beaches, brick and flint villages, boat trips at Blakeney,
marshlands teeming with bird life, the famous Norfolk Broads - and
vast skies. As for the capital, Norwich is home to a Norman keep
and castle, heaps of churches and a superb cathedral, while its
vibrant pubs have given rise to a famous Beer Festival; ale-lovers
flock in October.
SUFFOLK
Suffolk's sweet hills - not so very far from London - are a
reminder of its sheep-rich history, as are its magnificent 'wool
churches' (500 of them, from Long Melford to Orford). Lovely
medieval towns too, whose main showpiece is Lavenham. Then there's
the cathedral town of Bury St Edmunds, hub of the region, and a
string of unflashy seaside resorts, from the award-winning
Southwold and Lowestoft to the delightful, off-the-beaten-track Pin
Mill.
ESSEX
Forget Essex Girl and Basildon Man: dwell on John Constable
instead. Many of the artist's lush depictions of duck-straddled
streams and leafy lanes were painted in the vale of Dedham. Essex
is also big on skies, and sea rolling through the shingle, and its
capital is Colchester, first town of Roman Britain. Today it is
full of friendly student bustle.