The town was recently named among the most underrated county towns across Britain by The Telegraph.
It was noted for its many attractions and history such as Christchurch Museum.
Here is what we love about the town.
1. Food and drink
The interior of Bistro on the Quay (Image: Dan Laughlan)
Ipswich’s food scene blends classic Suffolk comfort cooking with a new wave of modern cafés, bistros and bars, especially around the Waterfront and in The Saints.
There are many highly-rated places to eat ranging from fine-dining restaurants such as Bistro on the Quay to Suffolk’s highest-rated fish and chips at Ocean Fish Platter.
Ipswich also has a range of bakeries and cafes for cosy afternoons as well as pubs for an evening pint and meal.
2. Shops
The Saints are packed full of independent traders (Image: Gregg Brown)
Ipswich is quietly strong on independents, with The Saints, made up of St Peters and St Nicholas Street, forming a stylish spine of boutiques, delis, galleries and lifestyle stores in period buildings.
These sit alongside the better-known high-street names in Buttermarket and Sailmakers, giving readers a mix of dependable chains and one-off finds.
Pop-ups, micro-retail units and regular market traders add a changing layer of makers and start-ups, ideal for a “shop local” angle.
READ MORE: Ipswich named among UK’s best spring days out
3. Parks
Many people flock to parks in Ipswich to enjoy the sunshine in summer (Image: Charlotte Bond)
Christchurch Park is Ipswich’s green showpiece, with sweeping lawns, ponds, ancient trees and the Mansion providing a stately backdrop to dog walks and big events.
Chantry Park offers a larger, more open landscape where concerts and festivals set up against mature avenues and formal gardens.
Further out, spaces like Holywells Park and Orwell Country Park add family play areas and estuary views, underlining Ipswich’s reputation as a town where nature is never far from the centre.
4. The Waterfront
Ipswich Waterfront (Image: Lucy Taylor)
The Ipswich Waterfront is where centuries of maritime graft meet glass-fronted apartments, university buildings and a strip of bars and restaurants.
Former dockside warehouses have become places to eat, drink and stay, while yachts and barges now fill the marina where cargo ships once loaded.
It is a great place to spend a couple of hours in the afternoon walking along and taking in the views as you duck in and out of the bars and cafes.
5. City of Culture
Creative leaders from across the town, Ipswich Borough Council, MP for Ipswich Jack Abbott and this newspaper have all backed the bid (Image: Lucy Taylor)
It was recently announced that Ipswich was chosen on the longlist for the 2029 City of Culture.
The prize would help the town to build on its already celebrated culture such as its wide range of festivals, markets, grass-roots music venues and historic landmarks.
The government has awarded the town £60,00 to develop its bid.
6. Events
Ipswich’s Holi Festival of Colour returns in April (Image: Supplied)
Ipswich’s events calendar runs from massive free gatherings to intimate cultural nights and big names at the Regent Theatre.
Ipswich Music Day fills Christchurch Park with stages, food stalls and families, showing off the town’s appetite for outdoor culture.
Around the Waterfront and Cornhill, markets, maritime weekends, theatre seasons and Christmas celebrations keep the streets busy well beyond the summer peak.
READ MORE: Ipswich among Britain’s most historic towns – but is it the oldest?
7. History
Ancient House is among the oldest buildings in Ipswich (Image: Charlotte Bond)
Ipswich has over a thousand years of history behind it, evolving from an Anglo-Saxon trading settlement into one of England’s earliest true towns.
Over the years, it has had strong associations with big names in history such as Geoffrey Chaucer and Charles Dicken’s.
The Telegraph recently named it as one of the towns which could claim to be the oldest in Britain.