Whether you’re looking to escape to the rolling hills of the Norfolk Broads or wander along the sands of the county’s coast, you won’t be short of places to visit.
Norfolk might not always be the top choice for a weekend getaway, but it does hide some wonderful gems.
Here are seven of the most magical villages and towns you can find in Norfolk, especially if you’re looking for fairytale escape.
READ MORE:7 magical villages and towns in the Peak District so beautiful they belong in a fairytale
Horning
Dubbed the ‘Jewel of the Norfolk Broads’ (can’t get more sparkly than that, can you?), Horning is a hub for boating holidays.
The waterside village also boasts a wealth of history, as it’s home to the only abbey that wasn’t dissolved under Henry VIII and The Swan Inn that dates back to 1696.
If you’re looking to amble around the Broads and learn about the area’s heritage, Horning is perfect for a little countryside break.
Heacham
(Image: Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images))
If you’re looking for a UK alternative to the French region of Provence because you couldn’t cross the pond this year, you won’t have to go far.
The village of Heacham on the Norfolk coast also happens to be home to one of the country’s infamous lavender fields, appropriately named Norfolk Lavender.
With a great mix of eye-catching lavender and an unbelievable stretch of coastline, you might even mistake the area for the French Riviera.
Downham Market
The likes of Cornwall and Devon have attracted Londoners to their counties for years, with many snapping up second homes.
But the town of Downham Market has become a hotspot for Londoners buying properties in the country.
Its chocolate box properties, market and quaint villages on the outskirts of the town are all thought to be driving an influx of Londoners into its midst.
Happisburgh
(Image: Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The idea of an entire village completely disappearing in 20 years seems unimaginable, but for Happisburgh it’s a very real possibility.
The coastal village is home to the UK’s only independently-run lighthouse, a church that has the remnants of a German bomb lodged into its building, and is the site of footprints thought to be around 800,000 years old and the first to be the oldest in the world outside of Africa.
Happisburgh offers a wonderful viewpoint out onto the North Sea, but could be a part of it very soon.
Wroxham
(Image: Roman Grac/Pixabay)
Wroxham is officially twinned with Hoverton, divided by the meandering River Bure, with both communities coming together to form the heart of the Norfolk Broads.
Many of the houses in the village have their own parking bays for boats and are just as common as driveways (for real).
The interest in boating starting back in the Victorian era, the Norfolk Broads offer “125 miles of lock-free waterways with pretty towns” and incredibly is home to “over a quarter of the rarest plants and animals in the UK”.
Cromer
The seaside town is home to one of the UK’s best beaches and one of the UK’s last traditional seaside variety shows.
It has a large Victorian pier – massive 500 feet long – which is the town’s landmark feature,
If you’re looking for a quick getaway to a classic British seaside, Cromer offers everything you could want.
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Blakeney
(Image: Chris Morgan/Creative Commons)
Blakeney is considered a dreamy coastal oasis dotted with charming Georgian cottages, delicatessens, gastro pubs, restaurants and galleries.
It’s often labelled “Chelsea-on-Sea” as it seems to have had an influx of Londoners and city types to its shores.
If you’re lucky you might even spot some seals on the dunes at Blakeney Point.
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