Suffolk

Discover the best things to do in Suffolk, in East Anglia, from its much-loved coastline to its historic houses and medieval wool towns. Constable Country is also still very much as landscape artist, John Constable, painted it.

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Trees in full autumn colour at Ickworth Estate surrounding the Rotunda and Church

Place

Ickworth Estate

Ickworth with its classical Rotunda forms the centrepiece of this estate, which is Suffolk's very own little Italy.

The replica helmet on display in the High Hall at Sutton Hoo

Place

Sutton Hoo

Home to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time, an awe-inspiring Anglo-Saxon royal ship burial.

A man and a woman with rucksacks walk through the gardens at Melford Hall with the Banqueting House in the background.

Place

Melford Hall

An eclectic home, with stories of naval history and links to Beatrix Potter, set in picturesque gardens.

The half-timbered exterior of Lavenham Guildhall, in Lavenham village, Suffolk

Place

Lavenham Guildhall

At the heart of village life, Lavenham Guildhall is one of the most spectacular timber framed buildings of medieval England.

Autumnal view of Bridge Cottage and the River Stour at Flatford, Suffolk

Place

Flatford

Walk into a masterpiece. This charming hamlet was the inspiration for some of John Constable's most famous paintings.

Bench with sea view at Dunwich Heath and Beach, Suffolk

Place

Dunwich Heath

Tucked away on the Suffolk coast, Dunwich Heath and beach offers you peace and quiet and a true sense of being at one with nature.

View across the salt-marsh at Orford Ness National Nature Reserve, Suffolk

Place

Orford Ness

Uncover some of Britain's top secret military history when you visit this internationally important nature reserve on the Suffolk coast.

View towards the stage and safety curtain at the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Place

Theatre Royal

The Theatre Royal is one of Britain's most significant theatre buildings and the only surviving Regency playhouse in the country.

The South Front of Ickworth House, Suffolk, showing the central rotunda, curved corridors and the gravel path in the garden. It was built by the Earl of Bristol in 1795

House and buildings

Cream-walled, red-tiled Willy Lott's House is reflected in the River Stour at Flatford, Suffolk, surrounded by trees showing autumn colour

Coast and Countryside

Couple walking at Flatford in frosty winter landscape

Walks

Visitors enjoying a family trail in Autumn

Family days out

Close-up view of a brown and white dog, held on a lead, with fallen leaves on the ground, at Clent Hills, Worcestershire

Dog-friendly places

Visitors enjoying a drink on the terrace at Ickworth Estate

Places to eat

A girl and a boy looking at a Christmas tree, covered in lights at Ickworth in Suffolk.

Christmas in Suffolk

A case with clothes and a wrapped Christmas present sit in the corridor at Ickworth

Article

Christmas on the Continent at Ickworth Estate

This winter, Ickworth Estate invites you on a Grand Tour of Europe. Follow in the footsteps of the Earl Bishop and his family as you travel through the Ruins of Rome, a bustling Bavarian cabin and a colourful Venetian Carnival. Experience winter traditions from far and wide as you discover Ickworth in all its wintry charm.

The feasting table decorated with drinking horns and food all positioned under a sculpture of the famous Sutton Hoo helmet

Article

Yule at Sutton Hoo

Discover the origins of Christmas at Sutton Hoo this year with a Yule celebration that's fit for a king.

Father Christmas sat down next to a fire and Christmas tree waving at the camera

Article

Meet Father Christmas at Dunwich Heath

Head to the coast for a festive celebration at Dunwich Heath. Meet Father Christmas in the cosy second-hand bookshop where every child will receive a gift. Follow the reindeer trail or get creative in with crafts in the barn and make your very own reindeer to take home.

Get out into nature this winter with these top walks in Suffolk

Exterior view of Rotunda across the North Lawn at Ickworth Estate, Suffolk

Trail

Ickworth Estate | Albana Walk

A short circular walk through some of the woodlands around Ickworth. If you have the energy when you walk along the Trim Trail try your hand on various fitness objects, ranging from pole climbing to ladder walks and leap frog.

View of the burial mounds in early light at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk

Trail

Sutton Hoo woodland walk

Discover the Anglo-Saxon burial site, where a 7th-century ship was uncovered, as well as the woodland wildlife that surrounds the ancient site on the circular Sutton Hoo woodland walk.

Trail

Dunwich Heath orange trail

Follow the orange trail if you want a bit of everything on your walk, from the swathes of heather making up the heath with the rare Dartford Warbler maybe making an appearance, to the statuesque woodland where you might spot a flash of red and black as a Greater Spotted Woodpecker wings by, and the open expanse of the grassland where Stone Curlews and Hares hide amongst the swaying fronds.

Sundial in the garden at Melford Hall, Suffolk, in autumn

Trail

Melford Hall countryside walk

Enjoy views of open fields, gently rolling hills, beautiful vistas, distant churches and clear running brooks on a walk through Suffolk countryside.

View of the rotunda at Ickworth, Suffolk

Article

Visiting the garden at Ickworth

Ickworth's garden was the first of its kind in the UK. Designed for privacy, space and freedom, it's a distillation of the gardens of classical Italy given an individual English touch.

Two visitors cycle side by side through a winding path leading through parkland on the Ickworth Estate. They're wrapped up in rain coats and the weather appears hazy.

Activity

Cycling at Ickworth Estate

Find out more about cycling at Ickworth, including the cycle hire hub available in the car park. Pack a picnic and start your adventure.

Seal pup with off-white, slightly bloodied fur and deep black eyes on a ground of beige, brown and grey pebbles.

Press release

First grey seal pup of 2024 is born at Orford Ness

The first grey seal pup of this winter has been born at Orford Ness in Suffolk, marking the fourth consecutive year of successful breeding at the coastal site.

A close up of the rare Neon pictus, a tiny brown and yellow jumping spider

Press release

Orford Ness ‘crawling’ with spiders as survey reveals new record of rare spider species for the wild and remote location

As we approach Halloween, recent surveys by spider experts have revealed that the wild and remote Orford Ness, cared for by the National Trust, is ‘crawling’ with spiders. A total of 55 species of spider have been identified, including 12 believed to be nationally rare or scarce, and a first-time record for the Suffolk coast of the nationally rare Neon pictus, a tiny jumping spider.

Purple heather on Dunwich Heath and Beach, Suffolk

Press release

Dunwich heather back in bloom after remarkable recovery

Dunwich Heath, a rare heathland habitat cared for by the National Trust on the Suffolk coast is showing signs of recovery, with its patchwork of pink and purple heather back in bloom after being severely impacted by extreme heat and drought in 2022.

Tony Robinson and Helen Geake stood outside the gate to Garden Field at Sutton Hoo

Article

Time Team at Sutton Hoo

Missing pieces of a 6th century Byzantine bucket have been uncovered at Sutton Hoo, during a month-long archaeological excavation by Time Team at the site. Time Team has been documenting this unique investigation as it's unfolded and we look forward to sharing news about the special documentary, which is due out early next year.

Two Brown long-eared bats, Plecotus auritus, hanging upside down

News

Pillbox used in D-Day preparations is given new lease of life as a home for bats

A Second World War pillbox at Dunwich Heath, which was used in preparations for the D-Day landings, has been transformed into a home for roosting bats.

Colony of grey seals on the shingle at the Orford Ness National Nature Reserve in Suffolk

Press release

Suffolk’s first breeding colony of grey seals recorded at Orford Ness

National Trust rangers at Orford Ness National Nature Reserve in Suffolk are celebrating the birth of over 130 grey seal pups this winter; the third, consecutive year of successful breeding at the coastal site, which is now thought to be home to Suffolk’s first grey seal colony.

The wooden frame of the replica Anglo-Saxon ship in a boatyard in Woodbridge, Suffolk

News

Joinery apprentices help build full-size replica of famous Sutton Hoo ship

Three of our joinery apprentices are honing their heritage craft skills in a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ project. They'll be working on building a full-size replica of the famous Anglo-Saxon ship unearthed at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk.

Carey Mulligan as Edith Pretty and Ralph Fiennes as Basil Brown

Article

Digging the dirt at Sutton Hoo: The true story behind The Dig

The Dig is a film by Netflix, released in 2021, based on the novel of the same title by John Preston. But do you know the true story of the excavation of the Great Ship Burial at Sutton Hoo? Read on to discover more.

A volunteer room guide speaking with visitors at Melford Hall, Suffolk

Volunteering in Suffolk

Making new friends, working in amazing places, and knowing that you're helping a cause you care about – just three great reasons to volunteer with the National Trust in Suffolk.

A ranger and volunteer working on the heathland at Dunwich Heath and Beach, Suffolk

Article

Supporter groups in Suffolk

Find out what you could gain by joining a National Trust supporter group in Suffolk. Volunteer at local properties, attend talks and socialise with likeminded individuals.

Landscapes beautiful enough to inspire a great artist and a coastline worthy of an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ status; our holiday cottages in Suffolk and along the Suffolk coast offer an inspiring place to stay.

The exterior of The Round House, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk

Article

Dog-friendly cottages in Suffolk

Article

Large holiday cottages and group getaways in Suffolk

Family on a bike ride in autumnal woods, looking at a map

Article

Sustainable travel in Suffolk

There are a number of sustainable options for travelling to and from the places in our care in Suffolk, whether you’re looking to travel by train, bus, bike or foot. Here’s a little more information that can help you plan your visit.

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Event

Family-friendly Winter Trail

Ickworth Estate, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

A fun, family-friendly winter trail winds its way through the Albana woodland, with things to spot and activities to do.

Event

Dunwich Heath reindeer trail

Dunwich Heath and Beach, Dunwich, Suffolk

Find the reindeer on the loose at Dunwich Heath!

Event

Children's Crafts - Christmas

Ickworth Estate, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Join us for children's crafts in the West Wing Gallery making papercrafts inspired by our Christmas on the Continent event.

Event

Yule at Sutton Hoo

Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Suffolk

Discover what the festive period meant to the Anglo-Saxons living 1500 years ago and find out where many of our traditions came from as we celebrate Yule at Sutton Hoo.

Event

Yule Craft Activities at Sutton Hoo

Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Suffolk

As we celebrate Yule at Sutton Hoo have a go at our Anglo-Saxon themed craft activities.

Event

Christmas on the Continent - House entry (Christmas Week)

Ickworth Estate, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

The house is decked out to follow the journey of the Earl-Bishop and his family as they toured around Europe. Experience different modes of transport and immersive room decorations as the house is decorated to represent different wintry scenes.