We may think our ideal winter holiday is sitting on a hot tropical beach sipping a cocktail. And why not? But there are other options closer to home. Yes, you have to put up with the British weather. But even so, a brisk walk along a Suffolk beach and diving into a pub with character and good beer is worth considering.

Take Southwold for instance. It's early morning. The sky above the dark sea is wintry with a touch of pink on the horizon. And a line of large green umbrellas sweep in an arc along the beach line. They're firmly fixed over the heads of unseen fishermen. With rods flung out to sea, they'll sit there for hours contemplating, looking away from the land. And not far behind them in the distance, keeping their long vigil, are the brightly coloured beach huts. This scene has remained unchanged for decades. And it's this that makes Southwold such an escape from the noise and pace of city life. Because as soon as you enter the little seaside town you're transported back 50 years to a quieter, gentler, sea-breezy life. It's because of this that the town has developed a certain cachet with city folk. In fact many of the cottages and houses are owned by out-of-towners looking for an escape from their busy lives. As a result those beach huts often change hands for up to £35,000. And it's easy to see why there's so much interest.

Southwold has a long history. It was in the Domesday Book and in 1659 much of it was destroyed by fire. When they rebuilt the town they created small greens making it much harder for future fires to spread so quickly. Consequently there's great pleasure to be had meandering between streets and grass admiring the mix of houses. From flint cottages to rather grand Georgian houses overlooking the bay, there's very little vestige of anything more recent. On the green above those beach huts sits six large cannons pointing out to sea. They're trained on Sole Bay. And they're a reminder of the battle that was fought off this coast in 1672. An Anglo/French fleet of 93 ships fought a Dutch fleet of 75. The outcome was unclear but it was bloody and over 6,000 men died. Fortunately today all is calm and the main joy of Southwold is that you can relax and chill.

"Known locally as the town that drowned, legend has it that the church bells still ring below the water."

Walk down to the harbour, tucked away from the town on the River Blyth, and you'll see all shapes and types of boats moored by the river bank. When the wind blows, which it does often here, the rigging tinkles and mixes with a wide variety of birdsong.

Birdwatchers will be in their element here. But this is not a fancy, pristine harbour. Don't think marina, think rickety black tarred landings, small wooden huts selling fish fresh from the day's catch, and a down to earth pub, The Harbour Inn, at the end of the muddy walk where you can sit and have a beer of locally brewed Adnams ale.

If you're feeling energetic you can walk across the fields to Walberswick, a place much favoured by Suffolk artists. And then you can return to Southwold by a different route walking along the shingly beach back to town.

The Suffolk coast has much to offer. It is after all a designated Heritage Coast. There's crumbling cliffs, shingle beaches and coastal lagoons along 60 miles of low-lying coast. It has some of the most important wildlife areas in Britain and includes three National Nature Reserves.

The heather cliffs of Dunwich are worth a visit if only to look out to sea. Because not much is left of this town which was a major shipbuilding port in the twelfth and thirteenth century. Dunwich suffered from coastal erosion and the town slowly slipped into the ocean. Known locally as the town that drowned, legend has it that the church bells still ring below the water.

Drive down the coast by Dunwich and you reach Aldeburgh. The jury is out among many people as to whether Southwold or Aldeburgh tops the charts. They both have their charm in different ways.

"From flint cottages to rather grand Georgian houses overlooking the bay, there's very little vestige of anything more recent."

Whereas Southwold stands high above the sea, Aldeburgh is a town that sits on the seafront. It delivers the taste of salt in the mouth and seaweed on the nostrils. Small boats are pulled up onto the shingle and, like Southwold, you can buy the day's catch fresh from the nets. Aldeburgh is famous for its fish and chip shop. People queue outside and then take their paper wrapped food to sit and eat within the sound of the waves.

Follow the Alde estuary a few miles inland and you reach Snape Maltings. The old warehouses are now full of antiques. You can roam over several floors and several centuries of collectables. The malting house close by has been converted into a concert hall. This is the home of the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies, which pays homage to the composer Benjamin Britten and tenor Peter Pears who lived locally.

Meandering through Suffolk country lanes on a winter's day is a sure way of unwinding and taking life at a bygone pace. Driving to the coast will take you through villages redolent with history such as Peasenhall, Yoxford and Blythburgh. It's an opportunity to take a deep breath of fresh country air, a step back in time, and a welcome winter break from the pressures of city life.

For more information on Suffolk, go to www.visit-suffolk.org.uk

By Michele Nevard