'''Bury St Edmunds''' [http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk] is a historic market town in the county of Suffolk, in England. The town was established by the Saxons in the 10th century, and its growth was focused around the Abbey of St Edmund that was founded there. The town's Medieval heritage is still visible today; the ruins of the Abbey form part of the Abbey Gardens, and much of the street plan of the town centre has not changed in 1000 years. Bury is famous for its floral displays, and in recent years has one many awards for these, including the prestigious 'Nations in Bloom', contested by towns and cities worldwide. The Tourist Information Centre is on Angel Hill and all the staff are incredibly kind and helpful.

Thought not a very large town, bury would make an excellent destination for either a day trip or a relaxing weekend/short break. It would also make a good base for the exploration of more of East Anglia as part of a longer holiday; it is withing easy driving range of many interesting towns and places such as Cambridge, Norwich, the Suffolk and Norfolk coastlines, Lavenham, Long Melford, and many others besides.

Get in

By rail

Regular train services from London Liverpool Street (2hr), Ipswich (30min), Cambridge (45min) and Peterborough (1hr). The station is on Station Hill. To get to the center walk down Northgate Street. Taxis are available sometimes.

By coach

  • '''National Express''' [http://www.nationalexpress.com] NX497 to/from London (Stratford) and London (Victoria) (2hr 30min).
  • '''National Express''' NX350 to/from Cambridge, Peterborough, Liverpool (journey time approximately 10 hours) and some other cities and towns.
  • By car

    The A14 is the main road serving Bury St Edmunds. It runs from Birmingham to Felixstowe and connects the town to London (via M11 and A11).

    Get around

    On foot

  • Almost all of Bury St Edmunds itself is accessible on foot. The town is small and even from the furthest points, it is not more than a 45 minute walk to the centre. Accommodation is likely to be located in the town centre and from there it is possible to reach many restaurants, bars and attractions. Much of the town centre is pedestrianized on market days (Wednesdays and Saturdays).
  • By bus

  • '''First''' [http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/easterncounties/easterncounties/home/index.php]
  • By bicycle

  • Much of the town is equipped with cycle lanes; cycling around Bury St Edmunds is normally safe and easy.
  • See

  • Abbey Gardens. ngel Hill. aily dawn-dusk. ree. Boasts wonderful flower displays and excellent lawns providing a beautiful relaxed environment to spend a sunny afternoon in summer. The gardens also contain a children's playground and a bridge from which the many ducks and geese may be fed. Don't miss the sensory garden designed for people with visual impairments and focusing on sound and scent rather than colorful flower arrangements as the rest of the gardens.

  • Greene King Brewery Visitor Centre. 44 (0)1284 714297. ttp://www.greeneking.co.uk/visitor_centre.htm. rewerymuseum@greeneking.co.uk. Provides tours. You can sample local Greene King ales in almost any local pub.

  • St Edmundsbury Cathedral. ngel Hill. 44 (0)1284 748720. isitor.officer@stedscathedral.co.uk. ttp://www.stedscathedral.co.uk/. aily 8AM-6PM. ree. Visitors are welcome to look around the Cathedral on their own. It's a lovely building and has just had a new tower added.

  • Moyse's Hall Museum. ttp://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/sebc/visit/moyses-hall.cfm" price". Moyse's Hall is located inside one of the oldest standing buildings in Bury St Edmunds. A small museum, but with interesting exhibits, mostly focused on local history.

  • Ickworth House and Parks. orringer, Bury St Edmunds. ttp://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-ickworthhouseparkandgarden" price". Located in Horringer, a small village 5 minutes drive away from Bury St Edmunds, Ickworth House and Parks is the a National Trust property and former residence of the Marquis of Bristol. The splendid house is set in acres of grounds, including elegantly sculpted gardens, lakes, walks, a children's play area and a deer enclosure.

    Do

    With the leisure centre, Cinema and bowling alley just on the edge of town there's entertainment for all the family. If you are without children, walk aroyund the historic town, visit the abbey gardens for a walk and picnic or go a little further out of town and find many well kept parks with wildlife and gorgeous long walks.

  • Cineworld Multiplex Cinema. arkway. ttp://www.cineworld.co.uk/.

  • Theatre Royal. estgate Street. 44 (0)1284 769505. ooking@theatreroyal.org. ttp://www.theatreroyal.org/.
  • Bury St Edmunds Registered Tour Guides. ourist Information Centre, 6 Angel Hill. 44 (0) 1284764667. ic@stedsbc.gov.uk. ttp://www.burystedmundstourguides.org. Explore Bury St Edmunds and its history with several walking tours on offer with Registered Guides
  • Bury Festival. ww.buryfestival.co.uk. Held annually in May/June, the Bury Festival is growing quickly. With outdoor events held in the Abbey Gardens and others at various venues around the town, the festival hosts a combination of film, theatre, music (pop and classical), arts, comedy and other things to appeal to any traveller.

    Buy

    Bury has most of the larger chains of shops such as Next, Dorothy Perkins, Burton etc. A controversial new shopping development has recently opened on the former site of the cattle market which houses more chain stores, with a Debenhams the focal point. A few local places include:

  • Market. and Sa. The town fills with stalls selling coffee, fruit & veg, pictures, flowers, hardware etc. Worth a visit, but sometimes the fruit & veg can be a little over ripe. Some good bargains.

  • Barwells. 9 Abbeygate Street. 44 (0)1284 754084. nfo@barwellsfood.com. ttp://www.barwellsfood.com/. o-Sa. An award winning food and wine shop. They sell a wide range of game, venison, meats, delicious sweet and savoury pies, wines and gourmet food products. Their Christmas pudding is second to none and popular all year round. On a Saturday there is a hot-dog stand outside the shop selling hot-dogs and steak burgers. Delicious! On Saturdays Barwell's often give out free tasters of their food and their shop keeper will pick out a dessert wine just for you to try. Apparently, he only has to look at someone to know what wine to choose.

  • Bury Chocolate Shop. 7a St John's Street. A small local business which sells, unsurprisingly, chocolates and other confectionery. Whether a bar of gourmet chocolate, a traditional sugar mouse or some of their fine range of selected chocolates, the Bury chocolate shop will sell you the best.

  • Javelin. 7 Abbeygate Street. 44 (0)1284 754559. ury@javelinonline.co.uk. ttp://www.javelinonline.co.uk/. -Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM Su 11AM-5PM. Clothes.

  • Lilyo. 7b St John's Street. 01284) 766 330. ales@lilyo.com. ww.lilyo.com. on-Sat 10AM-5PM. Another local business selling handmade modern pearl jewelery. You can buy a beautiful piece from the extensive collection in the shop or ask the owner to make a unique one to your particular taste. Prices vary depending on the complexity of the piece but overall it is very reasonable. They also sell gloves, scarves, bags, photo albums and cards.

    Eat

    Bury St Edmunds is home to many different restaurants. A quick walk around the town centre will reveal places suited to every taste and wallet.

  • Maison Bleue. hurchgate St. ttp://www.maisonbleue.co.uk/. Probably the best restaurants in Bury, Maison Bleue menu focuses on fish. Modern decor, and a convenient situation in the town centre add to the attractions of this restaurant which has sister restaurants in Lavenham and Ipswich.

  • Baileys 2. hiting Street. A local coffee shop serving tasty homemade meals such as soup, pasta, a wide range of sandwiches, toasties, salads and delicious homemade cakes. Excellent coffees. The perfect spot to lunch. Generous portions and a good price.

  • VC. hurchgate St. VC is a modern Indian restaurant in the heart of Bury St Edmunds. Good service and great food combine with a contemporary interior to provide a very enjoyable experience.

  • Old Cannon Brewery. ttp://www.oldcannonbrewery.co.uk/. A pub/restaurant that brews three of its own beers in an otherwise Greene King dominated town. Reasonably priced good food and drink.

  • Zen Noodle Bar. ngel Lane. ttp://www.zen-noodlebar.co.uk/. Tasty and reasonable Chinese food (with a bias towards noodle-based dishes). Lots of options for vegetarians.

  • The Grid. 4 Abbeygate Street. A friendly local restaurant serving delicious contemporary takes on traditional cuisine using local and seasonal produce. Staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful and the food is carefully prepared and delicious. There is also an extensive wine list featuring local wines as well as international favorites. The Grid is very reasonably priced, especially the lunch time and early evening fixed price menus.

  • The Linden Tree. tation Hill. Famed for massive portions of standard pub fare, the Linden Tree is definitely worth the short walk from the town centre for the hungry traveller. Conveniently located close to the train station.

  • Harriet's Tearoom. 7 Cornhill. A great traditional afternoon tea - wide range of teas, coffees, scones, cakes, sandwiches and other food. Can be very busy, especially around lunchtime on a Saturday and occasionally service is slow, but it is worth waiting for, especially if you want to really feel like you're back in the 1940s. Occasionally they have a live pianist.

    Drink

    There are lots of bars, clubs and pubs in Bury; it certainly punches above its weight given its size. Many premises have late licences with some bars, clubs and pubs serving until 1am on weekdays and until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. Bar 3, Benson Blakes, Hide Bar, Karooze, Bar Ambition and So Bar provide a fairly relaxed night out and are a welcome alternative to the two main nightclubs (Brazilias and Deja Vu) which are over-priced and tacky by comparison. Ruin, a night club and cocktail bar has recently opened. The cheapest pub in and around the town centre is certainly The Grapes, which is open until 2AM on Fridays and Saturdays.

    Pubs

  • The Nutshell. 7 The Traverse. One of the smallest pubs in Britain, and worth a visit if you can fit in. More than five people, and it's impossible to sit down. They also sell tshirts with a woodcarving style picture of the pub on them. A friendly and welcoming pub - step inside and feel like a regular. Apparently haunted. There is a dead cat on the roof.

  • Queen's Head. hurchgate St. Probably the best pub in Bury St Edmunds to watch football. Several large screens and can show more than one match at the once. Not particularly remarkable otherwise.

  • The Dog and Partridge. Has recently shaken off its reputation for underage drinking, provides a warm, comfortable environment and serves good food.

  • The Grapes. One of the best pubs in Bury with rank people and bands providing a lively, if sometimes eccentric, atmosphere. The vibe is fantastic though. There is also a brothel above the pub.

  • The King's Arms. A dive which has Strongbow at __3.00 and happy hour from 5PM-7PM, so is perhaps only worth the one visit. Occasional fights can be viewed for your entertainment in the evenings although these are normally limited to the weekends. Joining in with the entertainment is not recommended as serious injury may occur; view from a safe distance.

    Bars

  • So Bar. angton Place. ttp://www.so-bar.net/. A trendy bar in the town centre.

  • Hide Bar. hiting St, Bury St Edmunds. ttp://www.hide-bar.co.uk/. A bar set in the town's Medieval grid, serving a very large range of drinks with a great range of cocktails, Hide Bar is a relaxed and friendly place to spend time in Bury. Regular Pride nights and occasional food nights are held. Free WiFi is available. Not part of the national chain of bars of the same name.

    Nightclubs

  • Club Ruin. t Andrews Street. Slightly smaller than Bury St Edmund's other nightclubs,Can be found in the town centre very close to the huge Deja Vu. Very young underage crowds!

  • Club Brazilia. tation Hill. ttp://www.clubbrazilia.co.uk/. One of Bury's premier nightspots, Brazilias is like Marmite; you either love it or hate it. Despite being small, cramped, sweaty and cheesy, Brazilias is still great fun.

  • Deja Vu. t Andrews Street. ttp://www.dejavubarandclub.moonfruit.com/. Deja Vu is a fairly small club, with a definite 'chart and cheese' theme. Spread over two floors, it is conveniently located in the town centre ner many other pubs and bars.

    Stay Safe

    Bury is one of the safest towns in the country and you are unlikely to be a victim of crime; however as with anywhere don't allow yourself to become too complacent.

    Sleep

    If its quality you are after then try one of the many highly rated hotels, if a more local feel is wanted then try some of the local B&B's.

  • Angel Hotel ****. Angel Hill. 44 (0)1284 714000. ttp://www.theangel.co.uk/. taying@theangel.co.uk. Perched at the top of Angel Hill, just outside the Abbey Gardens, the Angel is Bury St Edmunds' most famous hotel. Once home to Charles Dickens and (more recently) Angelina Jolie, the hotel is one of Bury's landmarks. The imposing ivy-clad exterior hides well appointed rooms and an excellent restaurant and bar. Recently reviewed by the Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/mar/29/angel-hotel-bury-st-edmunds here].
  • Chantry Hotel ****. parhawk Street. ttp://www.chantryhotel.com/Pages2/home.htm. Despite its location very close to the town centre and only about one minutes walk from the Abbey Gardens, the Chantry Hotel is quiet and secluded, away from the busier and noisier parts of Bury St Edmunds.

    Get out

  • '''Cambridge''' - a university city.
  • '''Lavenham''' - one of the finest examples of a medieval wool town.
  • But why would you ever want to leave?