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Discover the City of Colchester

  1. Year of Celebration Logo
    Colchester celebrates becoming a city with a programme of celebratory events.
  2. Live Music in Castle Park
    Find out what's on in Colchester

Highlights

Roman River Festival poster with abstract multi-coloured image of a guitar

It is with great excitement that we look ahead to the 23rd Roman River Festival which features such…

Charles III Coronation

Discover more of Colchester's history by joining a virtual, augmented reality Coronation Trail on…

Pompeii Murmillo Gladiator helmet © The Trustees of the British Museum

Join us this summer for our spectacular new exhibition, Gladiators, A Day at the Roman Games!…

The Siege of Colchester - An Historic walk around Colchester reliving the English Civil War Siege

Take a walk through history, exploring key sites from the Siege of Colchester in 1648 and the scars…

Hidden Colchester

Take a walk through the backstreets, lanes and alleys of Colchester to discover its secrets and…

Colchester - A Walking Tour of the Roman and Medieval Gates

'Walking the walls' is a great way to explore Colchester's history. This circular walk takes you…

The Wivenhoe trail runs beside the Colne (to the left in this image) snaking between Colchester and Wivenhoe.

TeXt reads "New! Downloadable Walking T

Follow our downloadable map along the The Wivenhoe Trail from Colchester town centre to the…

"Artfund Museum of the Year 2021 - Winner"

Firstsite is Colchester's contemporary art gallery and winner of the Artfund Museum of the Year,…

The Mercury Theatre, with Jumbo Water Tower in the background

A highly respected regional theatre, home to the critically acclaimed Mercury Theatre Company,…

Walking Tours - Book Now Graphic

Take a guided walking tour around Colchester to discover its history and heritage with an expert…

Colchester Orbital

The Colchester Orbital  is a 15 mile picturesque walk and cycle route, which follows existing…

Silhouette of a family watching a sealion

Colchester Zoo is home to 240 species set in 60 acres of parkland and lakes! Listed as the 11th…

@background_bob and his amazing friends…back again!

'Back again!' features over 270 collaborative artworks created by @background_bob with leading…

Beth Chatto Gardens

World renowned gardens showcasing sustainable planting and 'the right plant for the right place'.…

Hollytrees House framed by Wisteria

The jewel in Colchester’s crown - an award-winning oasis of horticultural splendour boasting a…

Colchester Castle

Colchester Castle is the largest Norman Keep in Europe and houses the town's main museum

An image of the 2023 Visit Colchester guide with a Roman Vase on its cover. A text prompt urges you to request your copy now.

The official Visitor Guide to Colchester, packed with lots of information on places to visit,…

a portrait of a woman with blonde hair, beside a teapot.

Art Exhibition at Firstsite

Castle grounds with a jumping pillow in the foreground

Wyvernwood is an immersive story-led experience near Colchester, Essex, for families with children…

Kits Pond Fingringhoe Wick

In collaboration with Colchester Arts Society we are thrilled to announce our first sculpture…

Mehdi Jalalaghdamian: Art In Exile

Firstsite presents a special year-long exhibition by Iranian rug maker, Mehdi Jalalaghdamian…

Screenshot of St Botolph's Priory from teh Ancient Colchester App

The Ancient Colchester App developed by Colchester & Ipswich Museums allows you to wander around…

Le Talbooth Restaurant on the River Stour near Dedham

Le Talbooth Restaurant on the River Stour near Dedham

Enjoy a meal at this scenic location

Medieval Wall Paintings in Copford Church

Medieval Wall Paintings in Copford Church

Copford Church

Walk through 2000 years of history at the Balkerne Gate

Walk through 2000 years of history at the Balkerne Gate

The Balkerne Gate

The ruins of St Botolph's Priory

The ruins of St Botolph's Priory

Discover what remains of Britain's first Augustinian priory.

Mersea Island Beach Huts

Mersea Island Beach Huts

Explore West Mersea Beach

Discover Constable Country

Discover Constable Country

The River Stour in The Dedham Vale

Wivenhoe Quayside

Wivenhoe Quayside

Enjoy a drink by the river

The Chappel Viaduct

The Chappel Viaduct

Explore the Beautiful Borough

A Fresh Catch of Oysters on Mersea Island

A Fresh Catch of Oysters on Mersea Island

Oysters

Jumbo and The Balkerne Gate in Colchester Town Centre

Jumbo and The Balkerne Gate in Colchester Town Centre

Town Centre Shopping

The Colchester Town Centre Skyline

The Colchester Town Centre Skyline

Jumbo and The Town Hall in Silhouette

More Highlights

A coin, from 1648, fashioned during the siege of Colchester

Under Siege is a temporary display in Colchester Castle to mark the 375th anniversary of the epic…

Sing with Songs of Praise

Songs of Praise is coming to Colchester’s Castle Park Bandstand and we would love you to join us!

Medieval Priory

Follow in the footsteps of the Emperor Claudius and Queen Boudica to uncover Colchester's…

Open Farm Sunday at Wilkin & Sons.

Farm Tours and more, at the home of Tiptree Jam & Preserves.

Pipes in the Park 2023

Scotland comes to Colchester with a day of Pipes and Drums and Highland Dancing, plus food stalls,…

G4 Live

The UK’s No.1 vocal quartet extend their exhilarating ‘G4 LIVE’ tour with more dates into 2023!

The Doctor Will See You Now

Join Alan Fletcher (AKA Karl Kennedy) Ramsay Street’s most famous doctor, as he looks back and…

Dara Ó Briain: So… Where Were We?

Dara Ó Briain performs at Colchester's Charter Hall with a brand new show!

Zog

The smash-hit stage adaptation is at the Mercury Theatre.

Morris Men dancing

Catch the Colchester Morris Men across the borough of Colchester, Essex and Beyond his Summer.

St Martin's Church

In this, the 375th Anniversary year, return to 1648 where Colchester is  under siege from General…

The Packing shed - a brown hut on a small island.

Take a boat out to an open day at the old oyster packing shed in Mersea.

Steam Engine at the East Anglian Railway Museum

Come along this Father's Day for Steam Train Rides, where one of our full sized steam engines will…

Layer Marney Tower

The Essex Summer Opera Festival returns to Layer Marney Tower

A colourful rickshaw/tricycle stands in front of firstsite - a large golden curved building.

Celebrate Colchester’s diverse community through food, music and performances.

The Colchester Food & Drink Festival

The annual Food and Drink Festival returns to Castle Park

Castle Park Theatre - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Outdoor Theatre in Colchester's Castle park

Market stalls outside Jumbo water tower

Colchester's Farmers Market takes place in the public square outside the Mercury Theatre on the…

Open Air Theatre - Peter Pan

Outdoor Theatre in Colchester's Castle park

A child rides a bike on the pump track

Head down to Colchester Sports Park for our Festival of Fun and explore Colchester’s state-of-the…

Heavy Horse at Tendring Show

This year’s show will be packed with everything you could wish to see at this much loved one day…

The Packing shed - a brown hut on a small island.

Take a boat out to an open day at the old oyster packing shed in Mersea.

Colchester United Open Day

Colchester United's popular Summer Open Day returns for 2022

Audience on camping chairs watching a bandstand concert

A day of music on the Castle Park Bandstand

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