The famed English novelist Charles Dickens, who regularly visited Bury St Edmunds, once described it "a handsome little town, of thriving and cleanly appearance". This description rings true even today for the historic town located in Suffolk County in East England. Originally named Beodericsworth, Bury St Edmunds was historically an important and prosperous market town known for its textile-making industry. Today, the traditionally affluent town continues to attract many businesses, including several breweries and a sugar processing factory.

The town has a rich history, having been one of the Saxons' royal towns and this history and affluence is reflected most obviously in the town's elegant 17th and 18th century Georgian architecture and medieval buildings such as the town's Guildhall. Bury St Edmunds was essentially a medieval town which grew around the Bury St Edmunds Abbey, the final resting place of King Edmund who was slain in 869. The reputation and status of the town rose due to the miracles which reportedly happened at the shrine of the martyred king. The Benedictine monastery has since been destroyed but its ruins and the gardens which surround it is now a park of sorts and is open free-of-charge to visitors.

Bury St Edmunds is well-connected and fairly conveniently accessible from around the country. It may be reached from central London via train in two hours. National Express train services run direct from London's Liverpool Street station to the town (often via Ipswich) but another option is to take First Capital Connect trains which run from London's Kings Cross station and change to National Express East Anglia trains either at Cambridge or Ely. These services also connect the town to other parts of England and to Scotland.

While there are no direct flights to the town, most of England's airports, including the closest London Stansted Airport and Norwich Airport can be accessed by road or by public transport. There are coach and bus services that run directly to the town from around the country, including Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and from the various airports. The A14 is the primary road serving the town, running from Birmingham down to Felixstowe, connecting Bury St Edmunds to London via the M11.

Bury St Edmunds is self-contained and has excellent recreational, cultural and shopping options. In addition to the usual high-street shops, every Wednesday and Saturday, the town centre turns into an open air market, offering a wide range of goods and wares for sale, from fresh local produce to antiques. For entertainment, the top destination in the town is the Theatre Royal, a Georgian theatre which is the oldest purpose-built venue in the country. There are also several museums and art galleries in the town, including Moyse's Hall Museum, which is housed in one of the oldest residential buildings in East Anglia and the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery. Every May, Bury St Edmunds plays host to a festival, which features a host of activities ranging from concerts, dance recitals and other such performances.

The town is also green and blessed with natural beauty. There are over 600 acres of parkland, gardens and green spaces in Bury St Edmunds to enjoy. With such abundance of space, there is no lack of recreational activity opportunities, provided by golf courses, riding stables and the many nature trails in the town.