Ipswich is one of England´s oldest towns, thought to be the first of the "new towns" settled by the Angles at the end of the Roman occupation.
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Ipswich is Suffolk's thriving county town with plenty to see and experience in addition to being ideally situated to explore wider Suffolk and East Anglia.
Giles, Britain´s best-loved cartoonist, lived and worked in Ipswich and is commemorated with a statue of his famous "Grandma". Icons of sport Sir Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson both had long associations with the town. England´s greatest landscape artist, John Constable, lived nearby and frequently visited Ipswich to sketch working scenes on the quay.
Buildings representing over 800 years of history remain for people to enjoy. Notable are the 15th C. Ancient House, Wolsey´s Gate dating from 1528, twelve fine medieval churches, The Unitarian Meeting House of 1599 and Pykenham´s Gatehouse, built in 1471.
One of the town´s jewels, and a must for visitors, is Christchurch Mansion. This beautiful Tudor house, dating from 1548, houses a superb art collection, including the best collection of works by Constable and Gainsborough held outside London.
Other attractions include Ipswich Museum and Ipswich Transport Museum and the history of the town is brought to life with regular walking tours with the Blue Badge Guides.
Since the start of the millenium Ipswich's Waterfront has evolved from an industrial port to a vibrant and cultural location and is now a real must to visit. There is a thriving and rapidly developing arts scene, with the Jerwood DanceHouse as well as many outside events and fetes providing a mix of entertainment in the area.
The waterfront is home to two marinas, Haven and Neptuine as well as Viking Mariners and Orwell Cruise offering fantastic range of cruises and sailing trips.
There is a variety of dining on offer along the waterfront from bistros to pizzarias with many people choosing the Waterfront as the place to eat in Ipswich.
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