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Discover the City of Colchester

  1. Live Music in Castle Park
    Find out what's on in Colchester

Highlights

Two Reticulated Giraffe

Colchester Zoo is set within over 60 acres of beautiful parkland and lakes and is home to over 155…

Colchester Castle

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

Hidden Colchester

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

Castle grounds with a jumping pillow in the foreground

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

Colchester Orbital

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

The reconstructed starting gates at the Roman Circus

The site of the Colchester Roman circus (chariot-racing arena) was discovered in 2004. It was built…

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…

Am image of the 2024 Guide with a prompt to 'request your copy now'.

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

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 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…

Firstsite Contemporary Art Gallery

Firstsite is Colchester's contemporary art gallery.

The Mercury Theatre, with Jumbo Water Tower in the background

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

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…

Hollytrees Museum Exterior with Wisteria

An important part of Colchester's rich history with three centuries of fascinating toys, costume,…

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…

The Colchester City Centre Skyline

The Colchester City Centre Skyline

Jumbo and The Town Hall in Silhouette

The Chappel Viaduct

The Chappel Viaduct

Explore the Beautiful Borough

Wivenhoe Quayside

Wivenhoe Quayside

Enjoy a drink by the river

Walk through 2000 years of history at the Balkerne Gate

Walk through 2000 years of history at the Balkerne Gate

The Balkerne Gate

Jumbo and The Balkerne Gate in Colchester City Centre

Jumbo and The Balkerne Gate in Colchester City Centre

City Centre Shopping

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

Medieval Wall Paintings in Copford Church

Medieval Wall Paintings in Copford Church

Copford Church

The ruins of St Botolph's Priory

The ruins of St Botolph's Priory

Discover what remains of Britain's first Augustinian priory.

A Fresh Catch of Oysters on Mersea Island

A Fresh Catch of Oysters on Mersea Island

Oysters

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

More Highlights

Wooden puppet and toy rocket

Embark on a nostalgic journey through the enchanting world of puppetry with our exhibition,…

Walking Tours - Book Now Graphic

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

Colchester Arts Centre

Theatrical-folk-duo sensation 'Sons of Town Hall' entertain at Colchester Arts Centre.

Bluebells at High Woods Country Park

Pick up a map from the Visitor Centre and find the best bluebell areas in the park to explore

the comedy network

Live comedy at the Mercury Theatre

Young girl holding a magnifying glass

Designed for children aged 2 1/2 to 4, along with their parents, grandparents, and carers, these…

Frank Skinner

Following a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and 7-nights at the Lyric Theatre in London’s West…

Folk & Bespoke Artisan Craft Market at Firstsite

An opportunity to connect with and purchase work from creatives at Firstsite.

A picture of Jane Jacobs.

Colchester's annual community walking festival returns for 2024.

A colorful poster featuring the Musik in the Park logo and three artists: George Mensah, Roger Sanchez and Jess Bays.

Join us for the first dedicated House music event in Colchester, featuring Jess Bays and Roger…

Folk & Bespoke Craft Fair

Handmade shopping day for gifts and crafts at Firstsite Art Gallery.

Colchester Farmers Market

Every month we now have a wonderful line up of nearly 30 stalls joining us selling a fantastic…

A steam train

A firm favourite with families, they're a great opportunity to visit the Museum and have a ride in…

Morris Men dancing

Colchester Morris take to the streets of Colchester to perform once again.

Bourne Mill - Mill Open Day

An opportunity to visit this Elizabethan fulling mill, which has an 18' working waterwheel.

The Wivenhoe Art Trail

Whether you’re local or an art lover from afar, save the date, mark the calendar and book time off,…

Wivenhoe Open Gardens 2024

Many different gardens around the village are open across the two days.

Cyclists racing up East Hill

Come and cheer on the cyclists in this year's Ride London Classique as stage one finishes in…

An Orangutan

Join us as we celebrate our charity, Colchester Zoological Society and the vital conservation work…

Transport Extravaganza at the East Anglian Railway Museum

Classic cars, vintage motorbikes and modern head-turners, alongside the museum exhibits and FREE…

Two images are beside each other: the first features a woman with blonde hair and a pink shirt, and the second is the cover for a book, with the words

Join us for the Launch Event of the Essex Book Festival featuring multi award-winning and…

Roman soildier and knight with shields and swords

Join the festivities at the Colchester Roman and Medieval Festival.

Large Reptile

Did you know… the Aldabra Giant Tortoise can live up to 150 years! Join us as we share all things…

Poster for the Castle Park Theatre production of Macbeth.

Something 'wicked' this way comes with this intriguing and visually stunning production of Macbeth.

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