The county-town of Suffolk and one of the oldest English towns, Ipswich, is home to over 1,500 years of heritage, a cutting-edge theatre and arts scene, cool waterfront bars, cosy Suffolk pubs and a vibrant community of independent stores
Whether you’re into drama, musicals, dance, comedy, art or music; there’s always a something cultural to experience in Ipswich. DanceEast has an incredible program of contemporary dance and performance, and regularly hosts some of the UKs’ best dance companies and the world’s top choreographers. New Wolsey Theatre houses exciting drama and comedy from their in-house theatre company, niche touring shows and local drama groups; whilst the Regent Theatre is the venue of big-name comedians, singers and touring shows. Modern art and design exhibitions at Ipswich Art Gallery bring popular and contemporary exhibitions to town.
With over 1,000 years of maritime and agricultural history, Ipswich is full of historic sites to see and a plethora of myths, tales and stories to tell. Visit the grand Tudor house of Christchurch Mansion and the Wolsey Art Gallery and discover the UK’s most significant collection of Constable and Gainsborough paintings and drawings outside of London. Ipswich Museum is filled with local Anglo-Saxon artefacts along with relics from Ancient Egypt and spectacular natural history exhibits. Here are our top ten things to do in Ipswich.
Surrounded by rural landscape and dramatic coastline, the restaurants and bars in Ipswich create delicious, international menus made fresh from the county’s produce. Have lunch in a cosy Suffolk pub or quirky bar, grab a coffee from a waterfront café or wind down in the evening for dinner at one of the town’s many award-winning restaurants or bistros before retiring in one of the town’s boutique hotels, quirky guesthouses or self-catering waterfront apartments.
Just a one hour train from London, Ipswich is the perfect place to stay and explore the rest of our beautiful county – wander the shores of the Suffolk coast, explore the Shotley Peninsula or take a day trip to Bury St Edmunds or one of the charming Wool Towns.
