Suffolk's Serene Coast

Day 1

A morning departure as we travel South to Cambridge and on into Suffolk and the Salthouse Harbour hotel Ipswich. Dinner in the hotel.

Day 2

Today we enjoy a tour along the picturesque Suffolk coast, starting with a visit to Southwold, complete with its famous painted beach huts and lovely pier, before continuing to the pretty village of Thorpeness, with its pretty mock Tudor houses and the fairy-tale 'House in the Clouds'. We enjoy free time here for lunch before continuing to the pretty coastal town of Aldeburgh. Dinner in the Hotel.

Day 3

After breakfast, we will travel to the world famous Anglo Saxon burial site of Sutton Hoo. This hauntingly beautiful 255 acre estate, with far-reaching views over the river Deben, is home to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. We can discover the incredible story of the ship burial of an Anglo Saxon king and his treasured possessions,explore the award winning exhibition and the full-size reconstruction of the burial chamber and see stunning replica treasures and original finds from one of the mounds. We return to our hotel mid afternoon to enjoy the rest of the day exploring the harbour area and Ipswich waterfront. Dinner in the hotel.

Day 4

This morning, we head to the lovely village of Waldringfield for a relaxing 2-hour cruise with tea/coffee and scones along the River Deben, one of the most beautiful and wildlife-rich havens on the Suffolk coast. After our narrated boat trip, we travel southward to visit the Beth Chatto Gardens. Created from wasteland in the 1960s by plantswoman Beth Chatto OBE, this collection of informal themed gardens illustrates the principle of 'finding the right place for the right plant' and include everything from a Gravel Garden of unirrigated plants to a shady Woodland Garden and serene Water Garden. Final dinner at the hotel.

Day 5

After breakfast today we begin our return journey home.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner