DAY ONE:
3pm – Arrive in Aldeburgh, park by the beach, check into the White Lion Hotel and drop you bags in your room. It’s time to find your bearings.
3:30pm – Cut down one of the lanes to the road running behind the hotel and you’ll find the Tourist Information Centre just 2 minutes’ walk away, opposite Aldeburgh Cinema.
4pm – Find out what’s on, then back to the seafront to Aldeburgh’s museum, The Moot Hall for local history which includes Romans, witches and boatbuilders to name a few.
5pm - Walk south along the sea front’s Crag Path, taking in the fresh fish shacks, the boating pond and Snooks, Crag House, Jubilee Hall, the Lifeboat Station and the old fishing boats. Continue on past the Brudenell Hotel, through Fort Green car park and past the Yacht Club on to the Martello Tower. At this point you’ve got the North Sea on one side and the River Alde and the marshes on the other with great, open views of Suffolk skies.
6.30pm - Walk back through the High Street, with some excellent window shopping along the way, to the White Lion to indulge in something from our restaurant or try Sea Spice a vibrant restaurant offering exotic Indian cuisine.
9.30pm – Stroll back into town and stretch your legs, stopping off for an after dinner drink at one of the pubs and then it’s time to enjoy a gorgeous deep sleep brought on by fresh sea air.
DAY TWO:
8am – Enjoy a hearty Suffolk breakfast at the White Lion and set yourself up for a day by the sea.
9am – This time turn left when you step out and head north towards the village of Thorpeness until you reach Maggi Hambling’s famous Scallop sculpture. Climb it, sit on it, take pictures. It’s a beautiful magnet, pulling in everyone who passes by.
10am – Aldeburgh High Street is starting to wake up, with its many independent shops, full of beautiful, quirky things to buy or eat and drink, especially the Adnams shop, the place to buy local gins and beers. The tourist information centre also sells souvenirs, stamps and postcards. If you’ve got the energy it’s worth it to climb up the town steps to take in the views of Aldeburgh from above.
11am –Nip back to the White Lion to check out at 11, then return to the High Street for coffee in one of the several pavement cafés before buying those last few things you can’t live without.
1pm – Fish and chips is special in Aldeburgh, so choose from either Aldeburgh Fish and Chipsor The Golden Galleon, and take your deep-fried golden treasure off to eat on the beach. You could also sit on the glorious sea-facing terrace at the Brudenell’s Seafood & Grill and indulge in incredibly fresh seafood.
2pm – Finally, take a leisurely drive along the beach towards Thorpeness, a village which was developed in the 1920s as a destination holiday resort for people to enjoy fresh-air fun such as boating on the Meare and playing tennis and golf. It’s still much the same today. Stop off there for awhile, wander to the House in the Clouds, maybe have a nice afternoon tea in one of the cafés by the Meare, walk up the road to the Thorpeness Hotel & Golf Club for a late bite to eat or pop into Braid's Bar for a nice refreshing drink before you start the journey home.
If you still have time, visit the Red House on your way home for an hour or two to discover the story about Benjamin Britten.
24 hours is more than up and it’s time to head back inland and leave Aldeburgh and the Suffolk Coast behind… until the next time.
Useful info for your visit
Click here for The Suffolk Coast Holiday Guide - packed full of ideas for things to do, events and attractions.
Aldeburgh Tourist Information Centre
48 High Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk IP15 5AB
Telephone: 01728 453637
Email: atic@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk
Opening times: Monday to Saturday: 10am - 3pm | Sunday: Closed