One hour northeast of London, the East Anglian county of Cambridgeshire boasts a rich agricultural and academic heritage. Cambridge, the county town, is home to the illustrious University of Cambridge, one of the world's oldest and greatest academic institutions. This prestigious seat of learning has an outstanding record of scientific and artistic achievement. Dominating the dramatic skyline are the university's 31 colleges, which offer 800 years of architectural splendor in the form of ancient courtyards, towers, and chapels. Memorable sites include King's College, the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Cambridge University Botanic Garden, and "the backs," a stretch of verdant college lawns on the banks of the River Cam. Surrounding the university colleges, Cambridge offers a historic market, green spaces, boutiques, bookshops, and charming pubs, cafes, and restaurants that throng with students, tourists, and residents.

Bordering London to the west and Suffolk to the east, the diverse county of Essex is replete with picturesque villages, patchwork fields, country parks, stately homes, and nature reserves. The county boasts a 350-mile coastline graced with seaside towns, and serene beaches, estuaries, and inlets that teem with wildlife. Dedham Vale, immortalized by the 19th-century paintings of John Constable, is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty comprising ancient woodlands, meadows, farmland, and rivers. Notable landmarks include the Stour Valley; Epping Forest; and historic Colchester, which is Britain's oldest town.

Norfolk is a bucolic haven on England's pristine mid-east coast. With no motorways, this tranquil county is distinctly separate from the rest of England and boasts miles of wide-open countryside, unspoilt coastline, forests, waterways, heathland, nature reserves, abundant marine and birdlife, and rich agricultural land. The home of one of England's greatest heroes, Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, Norfolk's nautical heritage is apparent with its historic ports; pristine coast; and the serene Norfolk Broads, which are a series of navigable inland waterways. Norfolk's other cherished sites include the North Norfolk coast, Thetford Forest, the 15th-century Blickling Hall, the royal residence at Sandringham House, the lovely town of Holt, and the cathedral city of Norwich. Norfolk's county town, Norwich is an affluent city graced with a magnificent cathedral and castle, beautiful Tudor architecture, meandering cobbled streets, and excellent shops and restaurants.