AN ENGLISH seaside destination with some of the UK’s best beaches has been named one of the world’s best places to visit this summer.
Condé Nast has crowned Norfolk as a must-visit destination in August.
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The travel magazine listed the county of Norfolk alongside 29 other must-visit destinations for holidaymakers including the French Riviera and Koh Samui in Thailand.
They praised the music festival Houghton, which takes place at Houghton Hall in Norfolk during the summer festival season, as well as its amazing seaside towns.
They also added: “Come for the party but stay for one of the UK’s very best summer getaways […] as you stroll Cromer’s charmingly retro pier; spotting grey-seal pups in sand dunes at Horsey and Winterton-on-Sea; hiring out one of the colourful beach huts along Wells-next-the-Sea’s shoreline; and, of course, boating the Broads.“
It isn’t the first time it has been put on a top list in recent months.
Last year, Lonely Planet named the whole of East Anglia – where Norfolk is found – as one of their Best In Travel destinations for 2025.
Recently also naming it a top place to travel this summer, they praised the “arty towns backed onto coastlines studded with beaches” as well as fast train services to London.
Cromer is one of the warmest beaches in the UK, hitting highs of 17C even in Autumn and is home to Britain’s ‘Great Barrier Reef’.
Also in Norfolk is Holkham beach, often listed as one of the best in the country, along with Gorleston-on-Sea.
If you’re keen for more hustle and bustle, head to Norwich, the capital city of Norfolk and roam around its colourful marketplace which is set to have a £740k revamp this year.
It is also home to Norwich Castle, which unveiled its £10million renovation last year.
Norfolk is even a dream spot for fossil hunters, with the best discoveries being made in Cromer and Happisburgh.
What is now beaches were once vast plains where there were trees and forestation.
Fossilised mammoths and sea urchins are among some of the wonderful discoveries found in the area.
In 1990, the ancestor of the more recognisable woolly mammoth was discovered, dating back 500,000 years.
The Steppe Mammoth, found at West Runton, was the most complete discovery of a fossil of this particular mammoth in the world.
Fossilised sea urchins amongst other sea creatures dating back to the time of dinosaurs, a whopping 230 million years ago, have also been found in West and East Runton, right beside Cromer.
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But it wasn’t just mammoths roaming around in North Norfolk.
In 2013, a set of human footprints left by a group of adults and children were uncovered dating back to an astounding 850,000-950,000 years ago.
These footprints, found in Happisburgh, are the earliest evidence of humans coming to Britain.
They have also out-dated any other discovery in Northern Europe relating to early humans and are the oldest evidence of humans outside Africa.
Now, although dinosaurs have never been discovered in Norfolk, other fossilised creatures and ancient bones tell their own story.
But if you are keen to see some dinosaurs, head to the UK’s largest dinosaur-themed adventure park in Lenwade, super close to Norwich.
Or dig a bit deeper and check out Cromer and West Runton beaches where you’ll find many fossil hunters searching for bones.
What is it like to live in Norfolk?
Ex-Londoner Toni Jones explained why she loves Norfolk.
I ditched London to move to Norwich years ago – and can see why the region was named one of the must see destinations.
Later today I’ll be headed to Fritton Lake for a sauna on the lake and a bracing wild swim before pitching up in front of one of the log fires for a couple of hours’ work.
Then after ditching my Dryrobe (an important part of Norfolk life – Dryrobes and dogs) I’ll head to Norwich to meet some friends, maybe taking in a HHIP class that is so trendy, I don’t think even London has yet).
I’ll probably swing by the quirky Book Hive independent book store to find title to add to my to-be-read pile, and definitely ending up for food at Yarm, a buzzing food hall featuring lots of humans and an exciting mix of food from around the world, including Thai, African, Mexican and Korean.
Because that’s the thing about Norfolk, once you know where to look, you can create your perfect blend of yin and yang, peace and pace, town and country, Dryrobes and dancing shoes.
It’s not just Norfolk flying the flag for the best places to travel in the UK.
Bath is set to be even more popular this year, celebrating the 250th birthday of Jane Austen.
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