Below are a few thoughts on places surrounding Southwold that might be of interest.

• Minsmere – One of the best bird reserves in the UK.
• Shingle Street – Fantastic shingle beach for bracing walks. Great for those who like big open spaces.
• Visit some of the best churches in the UK on your doorstep – Blythburgh "The Cathedral of the Marshes"; St Edmund’s Southwold; Wenhaston, with its famous medieval Doom wall painting, and many others in pretty villages within 20 miles.
• Halesworth – An interesting working market town with a new arts centre called The New Cut – Great events.
• Woodbridge – Lovely High Street with interesting shops and eating places. Cinema. Windmill outside the town.
• Aldeburgh – Stylish holiday town, good shops, eating out in restaurants and hotels. Cinema. Controversial Maggie Hambling sculpture on the beach, Moot Hall, Aldeburgh Ffestival at Snape Maltings in June, and the Proms concert series throughout August.
• Orford – Famous Butley Oysterage Restaurant, Crown and Castle hotel, the Castle, and the Quay where you can take boat trips.
• Walberswick – the green, the beach, the marshes and two good pubs.
• Dunwich – The lost medieval city. Great fish and chips on the beach and a nice pub, The Ship.
• Take a drive and see some very pretty Suffolk villages.
• Beccles – An attractive nice market town on the River Waveney with access to the southern Norfolk Broads. Good local shops. Hire a day boat to explore the Norfolk Broads.
• Bungay – A historic town, interesting architecture, cinema. Good local shops.
• Framlingham – A very attractive, sought after market town. Castle and Framlingham College, where Sir Alfred Munnings was educated, www.framcollege.co.uk.
• Golf – Several courses nearby as well as Southwold Golf Club!
• Festivals – several towns have festivals, including The Halesworth Arts Festival mid October, Framlingham Arts festival in July and mid October, Ways with Words in Southwold mid November, and of course Latitude at Henham Park near Southwold every summer. To see the list of festivals go to www.suffolktouristguide.com.

Below are a few suggestions for places for a good lunch or evening meal.

• Fressingfield – the famous Fox and Goose restaurant. Excellent food and service. A previous owner was known to throw the food of late arriving diners in the duck pond! www.foxandgoose.net.
• Orford – Crown and Castle Hotel. Excellent food. Run by Ruth Watson of Chanel 4’s ‘Hotel Rescue’ fame. www.crownandcastle.co.uk.
• Orford – Butley Orford Oysterage – Pinney’s of Orford. Idiosyncratic fish restaurant specialising in oysters and smoked fish. www.butleyorfordoysterage.co.uk.
• Sibton – The White Horse Pub – high quality bistro pub food with very good regional reputation. www.sibtonwhitehorseinn.co.uk.
• Bramfield (near Halesworth) – Queen's Head Pub. Specialises in good quality locally sourced food. Very good regional reputation. www.queensheadbramfield.co.uk.
• Beccles – Swan House restuarant. Good quality, relaxed, stylish atmosphere with very good food. Often has music. www.swan-house.com.