Explore Enchanting Norfolk: An English County Travel Guide for Oliver’s Travels

It all started with Ibiza. Back in October 2015, we penned a travel guide on the popular Balearic Island for Oliver’s Travels, a British company that specialises in unique, luxurious holiday villas across Europe. They were so happy with our work that they commissioned a dozen more, from the Algarve in Portugal to the entirety of Scotland. You may have seen this previous blog on Aquitaine in Southern France; another destination we wrote about for them.

Oliver’s Travels have been so content with our content, they’ve recently commissioned us to write another batch of destinations for them. You’ll see them appear on Oliver’s Travels shortly. But in the meantime, we thought we’d share another of our favourite travel guides with you: Norfolk. This pretty corner of England was just a joy to write about, and you can read the whole guide here. Or scroll down to read a small extract about this charming county.

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OLIVER’S TRAVELS GUIDE TO NORFOLK

Why visit?
Norfolk possesses a different kind of beauty than that of Britain’s more mountainous regions. Its peaceful Broads, windswept marshlands and blissfully empty beaches have the power to make travellers feel that they are well and truly away from it all – a rare feat in what is actually one of the most crowded countries in Europe. Whether you’re wildlife watching on the tranquil riverbanks or exploring the quaint flint villages, you won’t be competing for space with other tourists. If the isolation gets too much, you can always head into Norwich, where a buzzing cultural scene, a handful of big-name sights and some excellent food and drink will ease you back into civilisation.

When to visit
England’s west coast bears the brunt of the country’s rain, which means that lucky Norfolk – which is on the east coast – is a drier county than most. Summer days are warm and you can usually plan time outdoors without ending up waterlogged. The beaches are popular during English school holidays in late July and August, but there are miles upon miles of them so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding your own spot of sand. September is often still warm enough for beach days.

In winter the towns are given over to Christmas markets, ice-skating rinks and open fires to ward off the cold. Spring is a happy medium between the two, offering increasingly warm weather, bright colours in the countryside and fewer people in the beaches and towns. Visit in May for one of the country’s oldest arts events, the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, where you can see live music, theatre and orchestral concerts in venues across the region.

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Getting around

  • On foot: One of Norfolk’s major draws is its peaceful, expansive countryside, which is best explored on foot. The Norfolk County Council website lists the majority of walking trails you can join in the county, from long-distance routes to shorter circular walks.
  • By car: The most flexible way of exploring Norfolk is by car, as you can travel door to door at your own pace. Most major car rental firms – among them Hertz, Avis, Budget and Europcar – operate out of Norwich Airport.
  • By bus: Buses run throughout the major towns and villages of Norfolk – visit Traveline to plan your journey. The North Norfolk coast is served by the regular and reliable Coast Hopper bus service, which runs between King’s Lyn and Cromer. Norwich also operates a Park and Ride system, so you can explore the town centre without having to navigate it by car.
  • By train: The major towns in Norfolk, such as Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Cromer, can be reach by train – check the National Rail website to book your travel.
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    This is just an excerpt. The full guide – which can be read in full here – also offers lots of handy information on lesser-known sights, fun-filled family and group activities, as well as unforgettable food and wine experiences.

    2 thoughts on “Explore Enchanting Norfolk: An English County Travel Guide for Oliver’s Travels

    1. Love Norfolk – especially the Norfolk Broads. I had a look at the full guide, and although the Broads was mentioned it wasn’t as prominent as I thought it would be. Most brits (I’m one originally) would visit Norfolk primarily for a boating holiday (perhaps we’re missing out). Any reason for that? Chris

      • Hi Chris,

        Thanks for your comment.

        We absolutely love the Norfolk Broads, and we’ve spent many a relaxing canal boating holiday there. But Oliver’s Travels have properties all across the county, so they wanted a guide that covers a little of everything Norfolk has to offer, rather than focusing purely on the Broads. That’s why it may not be covered in quite the detail you’d expect.

        Hopefully we’ll have a chance to write more about the Broads in future – it’s one of our favourite corners of England.

        Cheers,
        Joe

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