Places to visit in North Norfolk

Begin with a royal visit to Sandringham – the Norfolk Estate which is the private country retreat of the Royal Family. One of the top things to do in Norfolk, the estate is open all-year-round and the house open in spring and summer. The free-to-enter sprawling Royal Parkland has walking trails, a children’s playground and cafes.

Sandringham is surrounded by pretty-as-a-picture West Norfolk villages, including Dersingham, with its nearby nature reserve, Dersingham Bog, plus Snettisham, with its boutique shops and second-hand bookshop. Stop for lunch at its micro-bakery and coffee-shop, The Old Store.

It’s a short drive to the North Norfolk coast, where you’ll find Hunstanton, or “Sunny Hunny”, as it’s affectionately known to locals. Wander its promenade, go for a paddle, take in its traditional funfair and penny arcade, or visit  Sea Life. Walk along the sea front to Old Hunstanton, the quieter, original, settlement.

Pick up part of the 84-mile Norfolk Coast Path, which starts in Hunstanton and runs to Hopton-on-Sea. This Norfolk coastal walk is a popular – and bracing – way of experiencing the Norfolk Coast National Landscape and you can do as much, or as little, of it as you like.

After working up an appetite, book in for one of the best places to eat and stay in Norfolk, The Neptune Restaurant with Rooms by the beach at Old Hunstanton. The Michelin-starred restaurant in the former 18th-century coaching inn, uses seasonal, local ingredients.

Start day two at one of the best places to visit in North Norfolk - the picture-perfect Burnham Market. The 17th century traditional, upmarket, town is packed with independent shops and eateries, from delicatessen Humble Pie to the fabulously-named gallery, Pocock’s The Artmonger.

From Burnham Market, it’s a few minutes’ drive to another popular thing to do in Norfolk - visit  Holkham Hall, an 18th century country house in 25,000 acres of parkland. Explore the house, with its dramatic alabaster Marble Hall, discover its Walled Garden or hire a bike from its cycle centre and explore on two wheels.

Close to Holkham Hall, you’ll find Wells-next-the-Sea, a fishing port-turned upmarket holiday destination and one of the best places to stay in Norfolk. This pretty little town, with its winding streets, is a perfect place to wander about, stopping for fish and chips in the harbour, or lunch in Bang in Wells.

Wells Beach, which turns into Holkham Beach, is one of the best on the Norfolk coast. With its colourful beach huts and sweeping sandy beach, visit on a sunny day and you could be anywhere in the world. About a mile from the town, you can walk, catch the shuttle bus, or drive down to the car park.

Check in to the newly-renovated The Globe Inn, right in the centre of town. This upmarket pub with rooms, is one of the best places to stay in the area, with a popular restaurant serving seasonal menus, such as crab salad in summer and mackerel and chips in the winter.

One of the most popular things to do in Norfolk, is visit Blakeney. This pretty village full of flint cottages and the luxury Blakeney Hotel, is designated a National Landscape and has sweeping vistas of the coast, meaning you can walk and spot wildlife. If time, you can take a boat trip to Blakeney Point to see the seal colonies.

Inland and slightly south from Blakeney, you’ll come to the smart market town of Holt. The Georgian town is another popular holiday destination, full of antique shops and country attire boutiques. A fun thing to do is take the Holt Owl Trail and stop for great coffee and a sandwich at local favourite Black Apollo Coffee House.

One mile south of Holt, you’ll come to Holt Country Park, a Green Flag-winning space, with viewing tower and sculptures.  Take a walk through its tranquil trails and wander its woodland.

Also in Holt, you’ll find the North Norfolk Railway, a heritage railway which runs from Holt to Sheringham on the North Norfolk coast. A popular thing to do is take a round-trip, or catch one of its specials, such as a fish and chip train, gin train, or even a mince pie train.

Finally, treat yourself to another of Norfolk’s best places to stay and eat – the Michelin-starred Meadowsweet in Holt. The restaurant, in a Grade II-listed building, serves stand-out seasonal tasting menus and has rooms upstairs.

Heading back to the Norfolk coast for the final day, start at popular Sheringham. This traditional seaside town has a Blue Flag beach, colourful beach huts and a long promenade. Grab a coffee from Salt Café on the front, check out Sheringham Museum, take the Lifeboat Trail or visit the Fisherman’s Lifeboat Museum.

Energetic types could walk the four miles to Cromer, over the hill named Beeston Bump, or drive to the equally-popular seaside town. Cromer is dubbed “the gem of the Norfolk Coast" and has a Blue Flag beach, active lifeboat station, plus a popular, free, RNLI Henry Blogg Museum telling the stories of brave locals rescuing strangers from the sea.

Cromer Pier is a Grade II-listed Victorian pier with a working end-of-pier theatre. Try your hand at one of Norfolk’s best things to do - crabbing from the pier, grab a fresh doughnut and ice-cream, or stop for a fish and chip lunch at Tides Bistro, overlooking the waves.

Leaving Cromer and heading slightly inland, you’ll find yourself at Felbrigg Hall Gardens and Estate. This grand hall, now a National Trust property, has a pretty walled garden and landscape park, with walking trails, woodland, ice-house and the all-important National Trust café.

Finally, don’t leave without another top thing to do in Norfolk - stopping to see some seals. There are seal colonies all along the coast, but good spots along the Norfolk Coast are Horsey Gap and Winterton, where you can see Grey seals.