10 Best Things to Do in Bury St Edmunds

The Abbey Gardens are renowned throughout the UK for their impressive and colourful floral designs that serve as the perfect backdrop for a lovely stroll. Access to the gardens is completely free, so you can enjoy their splendour all you like.

Within the park, you'll find 20,000 plants blooming in intricate designs, leaving little doubt as to how these gardens won so many awards in the past. You'll find these gardens just east of the town centre before reaching the River Lark.

St Edmundsbury Cathedral is a historic church dating back to the 11th century that you can tour to see an impressive example of Gothic architecture. Most of the modern structure was built in the 16th century, and the most recent additions happened in 2007.

Impressively, its recent modifications don't distract from the historic grandeur of this cathedral, especially when it comes to the relatively recently completed tower that sports a magnificent Gothic revival styling. You'll find this cathedral just a short walk east of the town centre.

West Stow Country Park and Anglo-Saxon Village function as an open-air museum that depicts what life was like in Suffolk during the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The reconstructed village, which you're free to explore, features the iconic sunken-featured buildings that were common for the era.

Inside, you'll find accurately reconstructed interiors of not only homes but weaving houses, workshops and halls. Additional information can be found in the information centre. You'll find this open-air museum about 7 miles to the west of town.

The Apex is a popular and modern entertainment venue that puts on thrilling performances and hosts its very own art gallery that you can explore. The shows can vary quite a bit, with some being classics that everyone knows and others being more original. Musical performances are also common with the venue and tend to focus on classical, jazz, folk and rock.

The art gallery draws in visitors to see its frequently changing exhibitions, so you may want to check back at the Apex every time you visit Bury St Edmunds. You'll find it in the town centre within Charter Square.

Nowton Park is a lovely park in town comprising 81 hectares of well-maintained land perfect for taking a stroll or visiting the arboretum to see exotic trees. The green space here is well-kept and has numerous walking paths to partake in.

The arboretum is one of the more popular aspects of the park, as you'll find Australian eucalyptus, Chinese paperbark maple and North American Kentucky coffee trees. Don't forget to check out the maze if you're visiting from May to October. You'll find this park on the south side of town, about a mile out from the town centre.

The Abbey is the central location that the entire town of Bury St Edmunds grew around, though the modern Abbey is little more than ruins these days. Even so, you can explore the rubble cores of the ruins as well as the surprisingly intact medieval gatehouses.

Construction on the Abby began about 1,000 years ago, and you can feel the history simply by exploring what's left behind. The Abbey Gate is still in pristine condition, as it was rebuilt in the 14th century and has been well-maintained to this very day. You'll find the Abbey just a short walk east of the modern town centre.

Bury St Edmunds Market is a street market that's set up twice a week and offers a wide variety of food in addition to crafts and other items. You'll find more than 80 stalls set up every Saturday, with the Wednesday markets hosting around 60, so the sheer number of options guarantees potentially hours of shopping.

Locally sourced food is most common, but you'll also find fully cooked meals, vibrant flowers and clothing items for sale. You'll find it all on Butter Market in the town centre.

Greene King Brewery is a massive beer producer based in Bury St Edmunds that's open for tours and tastings. On a tour, you can discover exactly how their popular beers are made, with narration provided by a knowledgeable guide who's open to any questions you might have.

Of course, you'll get to try the varying flavours yourself at the end with a tasting. The tour even comes with a bottle of beer you can take home. You'll find the brewery near the city centre, just south of the Abbey Gardens.

Abbeygate Cinema is a high-end cinema where you can relax and watch a variety of films, all while surrounded by the luxurious and comfortable ambience. The films on offer aren't just the normal blockbusters that normally show up in cinemas, as you'll find an extensive selection of arthouse and indie films as well.

Additionally, you can visit the onsite restaurant if you're looking for dinner and a show with specialised Canadian West Coast cuisine. The cinema is located within the historic sector of town.

Theatre Royal is a regency theatre where you can see a live performance of a drama, concert or even stand-up comedy in historical surroundings. The history of this building can be felt the second you look at its exterior. In fact, it's the only actual working theatre in the UK that's protected as a Grade I building.

Additionally, the theatre is one of 8 in the Black Theatre Live partnership consortium, which promotes positive change for ethnic minorities through a programme of national touring, audience development and structural support. You'll find this theatre just south of the cathedral near the town centre.