North Norfolk has a great many historic houses of merit.

The Houghton Estate. Built in the 18th Century by Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first Prime Minister, Houghton Hall is one of the grandest surviving Palladian houses in England and is a Grade I Listed building of international importance. The work of architects James Gibbs and Colen Campbell is complimented by the superb interiors of William Kent and opulently furnished to reflect Walpole's status. Since 1797, Houghton Hall has been a home of the Marquesses of Cholmondeley who, by heredity, hold the post of joint Lord Great Chamberlain.

The 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley has continued the restoration of Houghton Hall to its former grandeur retaining many of its original furnishings. As well as an impressive collection of paintings, tapestries, silver and beautiful furniture, Houghton is home of the Cholmondeley Soldier Museum, a unique collection of over 22,000 models designed to depict famous battles throughout history.

The stables, probably designed by William Kent, were built between 1733 and 1735 and are extremely fine. The interior includes a superbly-constructed brick vault supported on timber pillars, with two stalls in each bay and Doric columns forming heel-posts behind them.

The 350 acres of parkland surrounding the house are home to a large stud herd of carefully managed fallow deer, including a rare white colour. Other breeds on view include Barasingha, Sambar, Chital and Père David.

Renovation of the five acre walled garden began in 1991 and now includes a beautifully laid out kitchen garden and a series of ornamental and rose gardens in various styles.

The medieval church of St. Martin's is the final resting place for many of the Houghton Hall residents through the centuries. There is a well-preserved set of painted funeral hatchments and a medieval effigy of a prior of Coxford, dating from 1307.

The Sandringham Estate. Built in 1870, Sandringham has been the private home through four generations of British monarchs and is now the country retreat of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.

Many of the ground floor rooms in the main house are open to the public and contain many items of personal and family value to the Royal Family. The decor and furnishings remain very much as they were in Edwardian times. There is a museum, originally created in 1928 by King George V, which houses an interesting collection of Royal Family cars and estate vehicles as well as rooms containing hundreds of items of objets d'art and other memorabilia given to members of the Royal Family as gifts or collected during Royal visits. The house, museum and gardens are open from April to October (except when HM is in residence) from 11am to 5pm.

Surrounding the estate are 600 acres of managed park and woodland. There are two waymarked Nature Trails and numerous paths in the woodlands to explore. These are open all year round with free parking and picnic areas.

Since 1905, there has been uninterrupted racing at Fakenham (except for during the two World Wars) and today's racegoers continue to relish the excitement and buzz of a day at the races from the Autumn through to early Summer. For many, Fakenham offers the very essence of National Hunt racing and is, undoubtedly, one of the country's most friendly racecourses, regularly attended by members of the Royal Family.

At Thursford is a unique collection of steam powered vehicles and machinery collected by local businessman George Cushing over 40 years. The collection is one of the largest in the world and includes traction engines, steamrollers, fairground attractions and musical organs.

To experience the power of steam from a bygone age, take a trip aboard the 'Norfolk Hero' steam train which runs from Wells to Walsingham along the longest stretch of 10¼” track in the world. A daily timetable runs from April through to October.

Felbrigg Hall, near Cromer, is a fine example of a 17th Century country house and is the work of master builder Robert Lyminge, who was also responsible for Blickling Hall. Jacobean in style, it was built over the site a medieval property dating back to 1400. Now owned by the National Trust and open to the public from March to October, the Hall contains its original 18th Century furniture, one of the largest collections of Grand Tour paintings by a single artist and an outstanding library. The library is said to be haunted by the Ghost of William Windham the Second who died in a fire in 1810 while trying to rescue some precious books.

The original Walled Garden has been restored and features a series of potager gardens, a working dovecote and the National Collection of Colchicums as well as a restored orangery. The park and woodland surrounding the house, through which there are waymarked walks, is well known for its magnificent and aged trees.

Blickling Hall, near Aylsham, was built in the early 17th Century over the site of a building dating back to 1057, and is one of England 's great Jacobean houses.

Now owned by the National Trust, Blickling is famed for its spectacular long gallery, superb library and fine collection of furniture, pictures and tapestries. Access to the house and tours from March to October. The landscaped gardens are full of colour throughout the year and the extensive parkland features a lake and a series of beautiful woodland and lakeside walks.

The Palladian style mansion, Holkham Hall, near Wells-next-the-Sea, is home to the Coke family and the Earls of Leicester. Built between 1734 and 1764 by Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester, the Hall is still in the private ownership of the current Earl and Countess of Leicester.

The finest rooms in the house are open to the public from June to September and offer a glimpse of the breathtaking opulence enjoyed by the Coke Family at the height of their wealth. Probably the most breathtaking room is the magnificent 50ft high entrance hall built of alabaster and plasterwork to a design by Inigo Jones. As well as the house, there are also shops and craft centres to visit, including a working pottery, a plant nursery and a farming museum. The Hall is surrounded by extensive parkland, which is open to the public all year round.

Beaches along the coastline include Brancaster, Blakeney and the famously expansive sandy stretches of Holkham. The area is noted for its wildlife and internationally renowned nature reserves such as Titchwell Marsh (RSPB), Blakeney Point (Wildfowl bird sanctuary and boat trips to visit seal grounds) and Holkham where there is an annual spectacle of migratory geese over the winter months. Pensthorpe Waterfowl Park is set in 500 acres of beautiful countryside with miles of nature trails to explore through ancient fen meadows, woodland and a superb series of lakes.

The coastline is also dotted with pretty seaside towns and villages – Wells next the Sea, The Burnhams, Brancaster and Stiffkey or the more traditional seaside resorts of Hunstanton, Sheringham and of course,Cromer.