Bordered by Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex and the East Coast, Suffolk is a mainly rural county. There are numerous small towns scattered across the region. By far the biggest towns are Ipswich (the county town), Bury St Edmunds (the historic centre and the county’s Cathedral), Newmarket (the centre of horse racing) and Felixstowe (a massive container port).

Outdoors

The low lying Suffolk coast and heathland is an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with long expanses of sandy beaches, sand dunes and mudflats. Dunwich Heath is one of the biggest walking areas, while the nearby RSPB reserve at Minsmere is home to breeding colonies of avocets and other wading birds.

History

The Anglo Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo was the location of one of the most important English archeological discoveries, with treasures such as a spectacular helmet, sword and shield.

Festivals

The annual Latitude Festival is held at Henman Park near Southwold attracting top names in pop music, comedy, poetry and literary events. Further south at Snape Maltings, the annual Aldeburgh Festival has become one of the premier classical music festivals.