Visit Colchester - Britain's first Roman city. Watch our film to discover what awaits you.
Welcome to Colchester! A historic Essex town, Britain's first city and former capital of Roman Britain. Its rich history dates back over 2000 years.
But it's not all about the past. 21st Century Colchester is a thriving, modern town with first class visitor attractions, including the family favourites Colchester Zoo and Colchester Castle, as well as fantastic places to eat, drink and shop.
Poised at the gateway to East Anglia with picturesque villages and only minutes away from the coast, the Colchester area is the perfect destination for a well-deserved short break, day trip or family holiday.
What to do in Colchester?
With Roman Ruins, a Norman Castle, and Civil War scars - Colchester's history can be explored without even leaving the town centre, but head further afield and discover even more!
With both a Zoo and a Castle Colchester is off to a great start for any adventurous children. There's more to see and do whatever the weather, and it doesn't have to break the bank.
With three theatres and several art galleries, including the internationally recognised Firstsite, Colchester is the cultural hub of Essex and the local region.
Constable Country and Mersea Island are on Colchester's doorstep, as well as several award winning parks, gardens and nature reserves, there's plenty of opportunity to explore the outdoors.
Explore the Beautiful Borough
There's more to Colchester than the historic town centre, with the borough covering more than 135 square miles of scenic Essex coast and countryside.
From island life on Mersea, jam-making in Tiptree, and the heart of Constable Country in the Dedham Vale, there's a wealth of small towns and villages just a short distance from Colchester's centre, all with their own unique character and stories to tell. Sometimes the smallest villages hold the most unlikely secrets!
Stay a few days, explore the Beautiful Borough of Colchester, and share your experiences with us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using the #BeautifulBorough hashtag.
Events in Colchester - Highlights
Adorn: Jewellery, The Human Story
Sat 27 Jul 2019 - Sun 16 Feb 2020
Jewellery exhibition at Colchester Castle
Bandstand Concert: The Harmonettes
Sun 18 Aug 2019
Free concert on Castle Park's Victorian Bandstand
Guided Walk: From Camulodunum to Colchester
Wed 21 Aug 2019
Guided Walking Tours of Colchester. Meet at the Visit Colchester Information Centre
Clacton Airshow
Thu 22 - Fri 23 Aug 2019
The hugely popular airshow returns to Clacton for the 28th year.
A Festival of Colchester 2019
Fri 23 Aug - Sun 15 Sep 2019
A new multi-discipline and heritage-based collaborative arts festival with a primary theme of Nursery Rhymes, Folklore and Storytelling.
Mark Titchner: Some questions about us
Fri 23 Aug - Sun 13 Oct 2019
In this exhibition, Mark will present a number of works exploring the notions of displacement and belonging in connection to migration and national identity.
Siobhan Coen: Unknown Knowns
Fri 23 Aug - Sun 13 Oct 2019
English artist Siobhan Coen has been looking into the effect of RGB lights on different paint colours.
Day Out With Thomas
Sat 24 - Mon 26 Aug 2019
Thomas and Friends appear at the East Anglian Railway Museum
Wine & Cider Festival 2019
Sat 24 - Sun 25 Aug 2019
Family friendly wine and cider festival with live music and camping
History Comes Alive
Sat 24 - Sun 25 Aug 2019
This Summer, history invades the Castle Museum. Let the re-enactors from Historical Promotions take you back in time and bring history to life during this fun-filled weekend.
Guided Walk: From Camulodunum to Colchester
Sat 24 Aug 2019
Guided Walking Tours of Colchester. Meet at the Visit Colchester Information Centre
Guided Tour - Uncovering Roman Colchester
Sat 24 Aug 2019
Guided Walking Tours of Colchester. The tour starts at the VisitColchester Information Centre, located in Hollytrees Museum
Colchester United v Northampton Town
Sat 24 Aug 2019
League 2 Football at the Weston Homes Community Stadium
Bandstand Concert: Chelmsford Silver Band
Sun 25 Aug 2019
Free concert on Castle Park's Victorian Bandstand
The Panto Horse Derby Bank Holiday Races 2019
Mon 26 Aug 2019
Colchester High Street shuts to traffic for the annual charity panto horse race.
Guided Walk: From Camulodunum to Colchester
Mon 26 Aug 2019
Guided Walking Tours of Colchester. Meet at the Visit Colchester Information Centre
Guided Walk: From Camulodunum to Colchester
Wed 28 Aug 2019
Guided Walking Tours of Colchester. Meet at the Visit Colchester Information Centre
Marina Warner. Beyond the Visible:
Thu 29 Aug 2019
Marina Warner will explore the work of contemporary artists such as Paula Rego, Helen Chadwick, and Kiki Smith, and place them in a context of the fantastic and its expression in the work of earlier visionaries.
More events around town
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Plan your visit
Colchester Visitor Information Centre
Tel: +44 (0) 1206 282920
Email: vic@colchester.gov.uk
