4-Bedroom Hot Tub Cottage in Steeple Bumpstead

Hedingham Castle sits on a hill above the village of Castle Hedingham in Essex. Its Norman keep was built around 1140 by the de Vere family, later Earls of Oxford, and is widely described as the best preserved of its kind in England. The estate is still a family home, owned by their descendants, the Lindsays.

Tip: Check the events calendar and book tickets online in advance before you go.

Colchester Zoo has been open since 1963 and is home to many rare and endangered species, including big cats, primates, birds, invertebrates and fish. The animals are arranged in themed zones, so you move from one habitat to the next as you explore.

Tip: Arrive close to opening, and book e-tickets online at least 24 hours ahead to get the cheaper rate. If you arrive after midday, visit Kingdom of the Wild and Elephant Kingdom first, as they close an hour early.

IWM Duxford is a branch of the Imperial War Museum, set on the historic Duxford Aerodrome in Cambridgeshire. The site began as a Royal Flying Corps training aerodrome, played a prominent part in the Battle of Britain, and stayed an active RAF airfield until 1961.

Tip: Check the IWM Duxford website before you go for air shows and special events, as the site hosts them regularly.

Mountfitchet Castle is a reconstructed Norman castle and village, built on its original site in Stansted Mountfitchet. You can wander in and out of the timber houses, see scenes of medieval life and smell the log fires. Tame fallow deer and other rescued animals roam freely around the 10-acre site, and you can hand feed them.

Tip: Arrive early to get the most from your visit. The castle recommends allowing at least 2 hours.

Gainsborough's House is the birthplace of the English painter Thomas Gainsborough, in the Suffolk town of Sudbury. It is now a museum and gallery in a Grade I listed building, parts of which date back to around 1500. It is described as the National Centre for Gainsborough, with a large collection of his oil paintings, works on paper and artefacts on permanent display.

Tip: Check the website's exhibitions and events pages before you go to see what is on during your visit.

The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge, on Trumpington Street in the centre of the city. It holds over half a million objects and artworks, and its collection of antiquities and modern art is among the best in western Europe. The building itself is Grade I listed.

Ely Cathedral stands above the flat Fenland landscape, which is why locals call it "the ship of the Fens". The earliest parts of the present building date to 1083, and it is one of the largest Norman churches built in its day. Its nave is among the longest in Britain, and the central Octagon, with its lantern above, creates a remarkable space inside.

Tip: Book tickets and tours in advance, as tour places are limited, and check opening times first because it is a busy working cathedral.

King's College Chapel is the chapel of King's College in the University of Cambridge, and a commonly used symbol of the city. It is considered one of the finest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture, and it has the world's largest fan vault, built by master mason John Wastell.

Tip: Head for the altar end to see the Rubens, and look up along the way to take in the fan vault.