If you are staying in one of the many wonderful North Norfolk Hotels, make sure you allocate a morning or afternoon to shopping in the historic town of Holt. At first glance, this pretty, Georgian place seems tiny, with no more than a line of attractive, pastel-coloured buildings lining the High Street. But it is deceptive; wander down an alley or two and you will find a number of tucked-away courtyards which are home to a host of boutiques, galleries, jewellers, upmarket gift shops and more.
And if you are staying in a hotel in North Norfolk, this is the place to come for your holiday souvenirs, as the chic shops here are full of frippery - classy candles, mirrors, picture frames, cake tins, items for the garden and so on. In fact, not only is Holt ideal for holiday mementoes, but it is also perfect when it comes to Christmas shopping - if you are struggling to find something for the person who has everything, you will find some great gift ideas here. In Appleyard, just off the High Street, you will find The Holt Bookshop, an independent book store which has all sorts for all ages, as well as regular author evenings and storytelling sessions. Appleyard also has a large cookshop, the popular Fat Face clothing store, and one of those wonderful wooden toy shops.
In the other direction you will find Chapelyard, another popular shopping area, home to more galleries and gift shops as well as an interesting store aimed at bird-lovers.
And then there is Lees Yard, perhaps the most upmarket shopping square here, where you will find the Adnams Cookshop and Wine Store, and the PictureCraft
gallery where paintings of North Norfolk landscapes by seven-year-old prodigy Keiron Williamson have recently been causing a stir.
On the High Street itself there are some interesting antique shops, more galleries and a large Joules clothing store, but the best-known place here is Bakers & Larners, an
independent department store offering everything from clothing and kitchens to wine, cheese and chocolates, which last month celebrated its 240th year.
Holt is a shopper's delight, and this charming town should definitely be on the "must-see" list for guests of all North Norfolk Hotels.