Step Back in Time at Colchester Castle and the City Centre
Start your day where the magic happens: Colchester City Centre. Colchester is on the London Liverpool St to Norwich line, around an hour's travel from each city. It also serves the branch lines to Clacton-on-Sea, Walton-on-the-Naze, and Harwich International Port. You can learn more about our transport links here.
There's so much to do and see around the city, with key historic sites including the Castle, Priory and the Roman walls and Medieval Gates siting beside contemporary structures like the city's modern art gallery and theatre. Similarly, the busy shopping streets of the city centre are a stone's throw from the relative tranquility of the Victorian Castle Park and the quieter residential streets of the city's historic Dutch Quarter.
In the show, Michael speaks to experts to learn more about Colchester Castle- our Norman icon. Constructed on the foundations of the Temple of Claudius and built when Colchester was the first Roman capital of Britain, Colchester Castle houses beautifully showcased archaeological collections of international quality, covering 2,500 years of history and including of the most important Roman finds in Britain.
After you've delved deep into your Roman history, explore the town with a guided walking tour, visit our other attractions, and enjoy a lunch before continuing your journey onwards.
Colchester Castle is beautiful across all seasons, but is especially beautiful in the summer months.
Explore the Grounds of the University of Essex
Set in over 200 acres of attractive parkland, much of it landscaped in the eighteenth century, the University of Essex Colchester Campus is a mixture of 1960s buildings and more recent additions.
For visitors, the campus has an art gallery and theatre which host events open to the public during term time, as well as the usual student facilities. It also has excellent sports facilities, and offers public events, lectures and activities throughout the academic year. One of the quirkiest things about the campus is its frisbee golf course!
The campus is not only an academic base for thousands of students, but also home to research facilities and the excellent Wivenhoe House hotel, which is located on campus for overnight visitors looking for convenient accommodation.
The most convenient railway station for the University of Essex is Hythe, which is located 1.2 miles - or approximately 25-30 minutes walk - away.
The University of Essex Colchester Campus is full of interesting buildings and proudly offers a calendar of public events.
Enjoy an Unusual Journey atop the Chappel Viaduct, and See the Green Spaces of Chappel and Wakes Colne
Chappel and Wakes Colne is home to a stunning example of Victorian engineering, the Chappel Viaduct, and the village has plenty of beautiful green spaces to explore. With galleries, museums and local restaurants - including the Swan Inn, which boasts unmatched views of the viaduct! - this is the perfect day-trip from Colchester.
Chappel and Wakes Colne is very easy to reach by train. The journey is picturesque and requires one simple change, regardless of whether you're travelling from Colchester or Colchester Town.
Take the train to Marks Tey (approximately 5 minutes). From there, disembark but stay within the station as you’ll be switching platforms – feel free to ask a station employee for help if you’re struggling to find your way. From Marks Tey, take the train to Chappel & Wakes Colne, which should take approximately 6 minutes. In total, with changes, the journey should take less than half an hour.
We'd recommend reading our 'A Car-Free Day Trip to Chappel from Colchester: Celebrating 175 Years of History!' blog for the full rundown of what's on offer.
Bonus: for the railway enthusiasts, we think you'll love the East Anglian Railway Museum. The museum has a large collection of trains and locomotives to see, including some which are fully restored.
They also frequently run special events and themed days including steam days, diesel days, days out with Thomas and even the Chappel Beer Festival in September!
