Many parts of England are like a journey through history.
Although lots of regions throughout England demand a visit, the number-one destination is London. Here, many of the world’s most famous playwrights and artists blossomed; history’s most bloody and fascinating tales unfolded; and the outcome of World War II was sealed.
Outside the capital there is plenty to explore. Take Suffolk—an east-coast county within commuting distance of London. Part of the ancient kingdom of East Anglia, its 45 miles of shingly shores are washed by the North Sea. Inland is a treasure trove of squat-towered churches and high-hedged lanes trilling with birdsong…thatched-roof cottages painted in summertime colors of rosy-pink and buttercup yellow…medieval towns of crooked streets and half-timbered Tudor houses.
In England’s ‘West Country’, Devon is worth a visit. Devon is a county of thatched cottages, cream teas, and winding lanes hidden behind thick hedgerows. Fringed by splendid seascapes, it has miles of countryside walks for ramblers. In some parts of the county, sea, moor, farmland and town can be seen from the same spot. The historic seaport city of Plymouth is Devon’s main center of population, but the county offers an array of attractive villages and market towns.