Like many places, Colchester has been shaped by its history, and the city centre streets in particular are full of incredible and indelible stories - from the nation-shaping to the amusing and quirky! One of the best ways to uncover these tales is to take a Guided Tour with one of our qualified city guides.
The Visitor Information Centre runs weekly walking tours that depart at 11am every Saturday with occasional additional tours in the summer months, whilst a number of private guiding companies also operate throughout the year in the city centre. Before booking a tour, we recommend checking that your guide is accredited with the local tourist guide association for the best experience.
Visiting on a weekday? Fear not! We've also got some great self-guided routes available to you. Our top recommendation is the Hidden Colchester Trail, which can be downloaded online or purchased from the Visitor Information Centre at Hollytrees Museum for £2.50 – it’s a perfect introduction to the city and all it’s history. Other options are available including guides to the Roman Walls, the Siege of Colchester, Colchester’s Concrete Murals, or a Blue Plaque trail.
If you're an educational professional, you may be interested in one of our school tours. Covering a broad range of topics - and with the possibility to be tailored to your needs or focus topic - these tours are popular amongst local and visiting schools. Our experienced guides are able to provide tours for groups both small and large, spanning a wide age range.
The Visit Colchester team have plenty of experience working with different sized groups with different needs, so we're confident that we can make your trip as stress-free as possible. For more information, you can call us at 01206282920, email us at vic@colchester.gov.uk, or pop into the Visitor Information Centre to discuss your options.
