Suffolk is no stranger to national recognition when it comes to its beautiful towns and villages. 

Here are five places in Suffolk that have been named among the best in the UK this year. 

1. Lavenham

Lavenham is one of the most historic villages in the county. 

In September the village was named in the top 10 villages in the UK by the trusted publication Which?

East Anglian Daily Times: Lavenham high streetLavenham high street (Image: Newsquest)

Holidaymakers were asked to rate their experiences of visiting 94 inland towns and villages in the past year.

Lavenham, known for its gothic architecture and history as a medieval wool town, scored highly across all categories and received five stars for its 'attractiveness' rating.

2. Southwold 

The popular coastal town was recently named one of the best seaside towns in the UK by the Daily Express. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Southwold beachSouthwold beach (Image: Denise Bradley)

The Express praised the town for its "pretty Georgian architecture, independent shops and cafes" away from the bustle of London.

The paper also wrote: "It also boasts a stacked and diverse events calendar, from the Arts Festival and model-yacht regatta to the considerably louder Latitude Festival."

3. Woodbridge

The east Suffolk town was named among the happiest places to live in the UK in 2023

Woodbridge was chosen as the happiest place to live in Suffolk and ranked 17th on the overall list of happiest places to live in the UK.

According to Rightmove the results of this year's study showed that the most important contributors to happiness were feeling a sense of pride, belonging and community. 

4. Long Melford 

One of the prettiest villages in Suffolk is Long Melford which is home to a number of pubs and tearooms.

East Anglian Daily Times: Long MelfordLong Melford (Image: Newsquest)

The village has a lovely long high street full of historic buildings. 

Long Melford is fast becoming a top foodie destination in Suffolk with a number of new businesses opening in the village

5. Framlingham 

Home to the iconic castle on the hill Framlingham is an ancient market town. 

The town has also received high praise from local estate agents who named it one of the most beautiful places to live in the county

Alexander McNab, part of the residential sales team at Savills Suffolk, said: "There are some excellent restaurants – the Italian Watson and Walpole, which is in both the Michelin Guide and Good Food Guide, is one of my favourites and has perhaps the tastiest tiramisu I’ve ever had."