An ‘underrated’ part of the UK has been hailed as the world’s best (Image: Getty Images)
It can be easy to overlook what’s on our doorstep, with many opting to board a flight abroad in hopes of discovering some of the world’s finest destinations rather than those a little closer to home. But you might just find yourself missing out, as the UK is home to the ‘most beautiful place’, as a seasoned world traveller has revealed.
Rory King, who hails from Belfast, has spent a decade travelling the world, jet-setting between 70 and 80 countries, with the aim of ticking off every single one. He’s resided in New York, New Zealand, Canada and Fiji, giving him considerable expertise in international travel. So much so that it led him to establish Rory’s Travel Club, a platform offering members exclusive discounts on hotels, holidays and attractions.
There was one UK destination that outshone anywhere else in the world (Image: Getty Images)
While he loved his time living on an island in Fiji with just one shop and recommends that everyone “definitely” visit Albania, with its beaches compared to those in the Maldives, it was a UK destination he praised as the “world’s most beautiful”. However, it wasn’t the common favourites like York, Edinburgh or the Cotswolds, but a quieter part of Britain.
“I think Suffolk is absolutely beautiful”, Rory exclusively revealed. “I was fortunate to spend four years living there, and it’s quite underrated. There are lots of really nice spa hotels, lovely walks and lots of scenery.”
He added: “That’s why a lot of people seem to retire there as well, because it’s such a beautiful county.” Having lived in one of England’s oldest towns, Ipswich, Rory further highlighted: “It was a place I was lucky to call home for four years, and I met some incredible people there. I actually worked in Asda while I was there for university, and I remember during my first week, some of the staff invited me to their house for dinner, which just shows how nice and genuine some of the people there were.”
Rory King, founder of Rory’s Travel Club, has travelled the world for 10 years (Image: Rory King)
Similar to other areas nestled around Suffolk, Ipswich is brimming with medieval timber-framed buildings, boasting grand Tudor details and wonky facades. The port town, sitting along the River Orwell, has more than 600 listed buildings and a former industrial dock that is now a thriving waterfront packed with restaurants, bars, cafés and modern apartments.
Visitors can wander along the bustling marina and explore the sweeping grounds of Christchurch Park & Mansion, with its 500-year-old manor still housing a Tudor kitchen, period rooms, and the Wolsey Art Gallery. Elsewhere, there’s one of the town’s most iconic Tudor buildings, Ancient House, to marvel at, alongside its plethora of independent shops and markets along its medieval streets.
Aside from Ipswich, there’s lots more to discover in Suffolk, including one of its most popular villages, Lavenham. As one of England’s best-preserved medieval villages, it has more than 300 listed timber-framed buildings that have remained remarkably untouched since the 15th century, with crooked facades lining its timeless streets.
Bury St Edmunds is known for its beautiful cathedral and Abbey Gardens (Image: Getty Images)
Elsewhere, Suffolk is also home to Bury St Edmunds, a market town famed for its historic Abbey ruins and gardens, as well as the majestic Edmundsbury Cathedral. It has a collection of cosy cafés and local restaurants, weekly markets, but is also known as one of the most haunted places in England, owing to its more than 1,000 years of history.
Southwold is another favourable spot in Suffolk, thanks to its classic seaside offering, with a grand Edwardian pier and a promenade lined with colourful beach huts. It evokes a sense of nostalgia and is one of the most popular seaside towns in the county, drawing in hundreds for that quintessential day out by the beach. Suffolk really does have it all.
If you’re looking for your next getaway, including around the UK, but you’re not sure where to start, Rory’s company, Rory’s Travel Club, offers regular exclusive discounts on worldwide holidays and hotels for a £10 a year membership, so you might just be able to pick up a bargain. For solo travellers, they also provide organised group trips to a catalogue of European and worldwide destinations, with the entrepreneur highlighting that all members “essentially get the best prices on the market”.
For more information, visit the rorystravelclubengland.com.
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This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
