Top East of England Tours: Sightseeing & Cruises Reviewed
The East of England, is that it isn’t just fields; you know it holds charming villages, historic cities, plus quite a bit of coastline waiting to be explored. Finding the best way to experience all this, might be to join one of the region’s many tours, sightseeing trips or cruises. That’s why we’ve put together a list of five standout options that showcase the area’s beauty and appeal.
1. The Norfolk Broads: A Boating Adventure
First off, is the Norfolk Broads, sometimes called Britain’s Magical Waterland, you know it’s a network of navigable rivers and lakes offering some peaceful boat trips. Rather than just walking beside it, you get proper in the thick of it with a cruise. Consider how it works, you are usually looking at guided tours onboard traditional Broads cruisers. Typically, what will occur is that someone will steer you gently past reedbeds and open waters, while someone chatters on about the wildlife and the story behind it all.
Look for cruises that take you through places such as Wroxham, often considered the capital of the Broads, or maybe quieter spots such as Ranworth Broad. Usually you’ll be able to see a whole load of birds, such as marsh harriers and kingfishers, and perhaps, that is if you’re very lucky, you’ll even glimpse an otter. Very often, these tours include some kind of commentary, often it’s a mix of history and nature stuff. This lets you get more out of the views. Something that also sounds awesome is sunset cruises, imagine how you feel drifting as the light fades.
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2. Cambridge: Punting on the River Cam
Next on the list is Cambridge, and what could be more ‘Cambridge’ than punting along the River Cam? More or less, that is a classic way to see the city’s famous ‘Backs’ – that’s what they call the backs of the colleges that face onto the river. So, as you glide along, that is if you’re not doing the punting yourself and crashing into the bank every five seconds, expect to see sights such as King’s College Chapel and the Bridge of Sighs.
When it comes to how the tours work, is that you get the choice between a chauffeured tour – where someone else does all the hard graft while you sit back and relax – or you could have a go yourself with a self-hire punt. Actually, a guided tour adds value because you get to hear some facts and stories about the colleges and their past. So that you’re in the loop, some tours start near Magdalene Bridge, pretty near the city center, so you should have no problems getting to them. You will find yourself understanding why so many people love it. You will be floating right through the middle of historic awesomeness, while on the water too, its almost as cool as it sounds.
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3. The Suffolk Coast: Seaside Sightseeing
Thirdly, have a look at the Suffolk coast, arguably its beautiful beaches and charming seaside towns can provide a really good day out. When it comes to enjoying the coast, there’s a bunch of tours from Southwold, with its famous pier and brewery, to Aldeburgh, popular for its seafood and connections to composer Benjamin Britten.
Many of the tours along the Suffolk coast involve coach trips which is fairly good, as it makes getting to various destinations very easy, or walking tours, more or less you can ramble through those sweet, windy paths. In fact, what some of them will do is give you a local guide so they show you the spots. Places like Dunwich, a village that is almost a little sad for what it used to be, where there is lots of information, some walking and views that are beautiful. Also that, you can discover a spot like RSPB Minsmere, one that many know for its nature reserve and many different sorts of birds. So the wind is in your hair, there’s sand under foot, and everything looks nice and salty, so I think we are done here.
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4. Historical Colchester: Roman History Tours
Now let’s talk a bit about history. So, then, Colchester claims to be Britain’s oldest recorded town and has layer upon layer of history going way back. In short, you want Roman history, they got that and they still showcase bits of the original wall to prove it. What happens on a tour is often focused on Colchester’s Roman past, what remains, all while your feet trudge along streets where Romans once walked; also that you can investigate its Norman castle.
So that you know how to organize your journey. Typically you will be lead by knowledgeable guides that will fill you in. It’s probably nice hearing the stories of Boudicca’s revolt. Very often the local guides point to architectural details you will usually not have seen yourself. So that it’s the most suitable for those folks interested. When you go to places like the Colchester Castle Museum. When the guides point out interesting objects found locally, they might link back. That way people find some way of finding out more of Roman Britain and they like the idea.
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5. The Fens: Exploring the Waterways
Then again, when you are seeking flat landscape as can be seen by the naked eye, its almost the Fens of Cambridgeshire it is. You will get tours or cruises via these internal channels that can display the weird character. Arguably you don’t have to look, as those old pumping stations that the people are turning their nose to, dot the fields; moreover what may occur, is seeing lots of birds.
There, what you could typically do would mean getting from one spot to the next by cruising along a river on a tour. Guides can show up to talk. When I visited there was information about the draining. Very often you’ll pass quite pretty villages for what is the centre of nowhere really. Then that shows you there may not be that thing everyone wants so so much for it all to be done right, which often helps if you wish for nothing. But it isn’t. This bit is not bad at all.
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Alright so, hopefully that gives you a better understanding, what that is, so next, I hope the reader gets some use out of this. Whether it’s boating, a scenic cruise or looking in depth, you will usually look into some history too.