Ipswich Town Hall

The cream and red brick Victorian pile that dominates Ipswich's Cornhill is properly impressive - all soaring clock tower and ornate detailing that speaks to the town's wool-trade wealth. Built in 1886, it's still the civic heart of things, and you can usually wander into the ground floor to admire the tiled entrance hall and grand staircase without needing a ticket or appointment. The exterior is the real draw though. Stand across the square on a clear day and you'll get decent photographs, especially if the light catches those decorative tiles and brickwork.

Historians and architecture types will spend a proper twenty minutes picking apart the Victorian craftsmanship - the turrets, the decorative ironwork, all of it. Families with restless kids? They'll get bored after five minutes unless you can hold their attention with stories about how important Ipswich once was. It's more about appreciating the building itself than experiencing much inside.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Priory Park is only a short drive away, and Cosy Camping Suffolk or Bucklesham Park are feasible for a day trip into town - the Town Hall makes a natural stop on a wander around Ipswich's centre. Pair it with a walk along the Waterfront or a poke around the Ipswich Museum if the weather turns. Plan about thirty minutes, grab a coffee nearby, and move on. Worth seeing if you're in the area, but not worth a special journey on its own.