Aldeburgh

Aldeburgh is a charming, genteel fishing village with one foot in the sea and one on shore. Handsome pastel-coloured houses line the beachfront, while the High Street is adorned with art galleries, cute eateries, clothing stores, ice cream parlours, and one of the best fish and chip shops in the country, The Aldeburgh Fish & Chip Shop (226 High Street, Tel: 01728 452250). In the summer and autumn months a thriving cultural scene bursts into life, with The Aldeburgh Festival, a music festival founded by none other than composer Benjamin Britten, happening in June; a fabulous food and drink festival in September/October (www.aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk) and a Documentary Film Festival (www.aldeburghcinema.co.uk) in November.

Southwold

Dubbed as ‘Kensington-on-Sea’, Southwold is another prosperous town, and home to a lovely sandy beach. Southwold is another cultural hotspot, with artists like JMW Turner and Damien Hirst having visited here to paint throughout their years. The newly renovated pier is a wonderful and rather weird attraction, with some unusual and unique shops, as is the lighthouse and the High Street, which has plenty of bakeries, restaurants and boutique shops to peruse.

RSPB Minsmere

One of the UK’s premier birdwatching sites, RSPB Minsmere is home to many rare species of birds. There’s also otters that potter about, dragonflies which take to the summer skies and wild flowers which adorn the crisscrossing paths. On top of that there’s plenty of woodlands to explore and a Discovery Centre and Wild Zone to enjoy.

Bury St Edmunds

A well-heeled and relaxed town that comes with a rather turbulent past. This was the final resting place of St Edmund, last Saxon King of East Anglia. In 869 he was allegedly beaten, shot at with arrows and then decapitated by the Danes. A few devout followers found his body in 903 and re-buried him where Bury St Edmunds is now. There’s lots of ruins in the town that are fun to find, plus there are nice rows of pretty streets lined with independent shops to explore. There’s also a beautiful shopping centre called Arc that’s has all the best chain stores. Be sure to check out the cathedral, the decrepid abbey and beautiful park behind. Ale lovers should check out the Greene King Brewery (Westgate Brewery, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1QT, 01284 763222).