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Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm

Visit Colchester

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Visit Colchester

Official Tourism Service for the Colchester City Council area.

Contact us for the best advice on where to go, things to do, where to watch, listen, join in, eat, drink, stay and enjoy in and around Colchester

The centre offers hands on advice and information resource.
- Access to wheelchair users and people with disabilities as well as pushchairs.
- A large retail area for local souvenirs, gifts and treats.
- A range of gifts, souvenirs and treats made by l

ocal companies, artists and craftspeople under the 'Colchester Collection' name - unique to the information centre.
- New electronic information services.
- Ideas on things to do and places to visit locally.
- Tickets for local events.
- Bookings for guided tours.
- Help with your travel plans.

07/06/2025

Looking for some last-minute Father's Day inspiration?🚘❤

Whether it's time to teach Dad some new jokes at Colchester Arts Centre, you're hoping to relive your childhood with a family-friendly day trip to Colchester Zoo or eager to enjoy a relaxing walk in nature, Colchester is the perfect place to be this Father's Day.

Visit our blog today to start planning your day: https://www.visitcolchester.com/blog/post/celebrate-fathers-day-in-colchester-top-things-to-do-with-dad/

06/06/2025

🚨COMPETITION TIME! 🚨

In a few short weeks, the Food and Drink Festival returns to Castle Park! With old favourites and new additions, this event promises live music, kids activities and plenty of local produce - and, courtesy of our friends over at The Colchester Food and Drink Festival, we're giving away a pair of VIP tickets (worth £60!) AND 3 pairs of Adult Tickets!🍽

Enjoy a day of delicious food, artisan drinks, chef demos, and live entertainment with an Adult Ticket or - if you're our lucky VIP winner! - indulge in an exclusive private cooking demonstration, a personal meet and greet with celebrity chef John Paul Alberti and access to the VIP Lounge 🤩👨‍🍳

To be in with a chance of winning these tickets, let us know your favourite restaurant in Colchester in the comments below🎟👇This competition closes Thursday 12th June, so comment today to be in with a chance of winning!⏳

You can learn more about this fantastic event and book your own VIP Tickets today: https://www.visitcolchester.com/event/food-and-drink-festival-2025/234472101/

❗️Remember, we will NEVER ask you for any sort of payment, or reply to your comments with a link or request personal information via a link. Do NOT click on any links in any replies to your comment, they won't be from us or Colchester Roman & Medieval Festival, and could be fraudulent❗️

Terms & Conditions:
1. Eligibility: Entry is open to individuals aged 18 and over who are residents of UK. Employees of FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVALS UK, its affiliates, and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
2. Tickets are non-transferable and must be accepted as awarded.
3. No Cash Alternative: Festival tickets have no monetary value and cannot be exchanged for cash or any other prize, whether in whole or in part
4. Liability: FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVALS UK is not responsible for any travel, accommodation, or incidental expenses related to attending the festival. The organiser is not liable for any injury, loss, or damage incurred as a result of attending the event.
5. Changes and Cancellation: The organiser reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the competition at any time without notice if circumstances arise outside of its control.
6. Acceptance of Terms: By entering the competition, participants agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions.

05/06/2025

👣We have four fabulous themed tours for you to enjoy this Summer!

Each tour covers a unique aspect to Colchester life and its surrounding history. All tours are perfectly placed for refreshment at local pubs, cafes or restaurants after! ☕🧁

🌳Midsummer in Castle Park: Discover it’s history, it’s landscape and the wildlife which calls it home. Perhaps you could even round off your tour with a picnic in the park! 🧺

✨Delightful Dedham: Pull on your walking boots to explore beautiful Dedham the village at the heart of Constable Country. Discover the village architecture, links to John Constable, and it's magnificent "wool" church ⛪️

🍃 Leafy Lexden: It was the Lexden Hundred, but now is it a suburb or a village? Join your guide to explore this unique part of Colchester. A beautiful part of the city to explore in the summer months 😎

⛵Wivenhoe Wander: On the banks of the River Colne, Wivenhoe is now home to many artists, but it also has a long history of ship building and fishing, which you will be able to discover on this tour along the river bank and through the lanes of the town!

You can book any of the following ways!
☎️ Call us on 01206 282920
💻 Visit our website (a link for each tour is in the comments section below 👇)
🙋‍♀️ Visit us at Colchester Visitor Information (at our HQ, Hollytrees Museum) to book in person!

😀Please note, the guide will not be able to take cash or card payment on the day. All bookings must be made in advance via telephone, email or the online booking system.

04/06/2025

A lovely showcase from our friends at VisitEngland! Start planning your trip to our beautiful, historic city today: visitcolchester.com😍

03/06/2025

What links each of these venues? 🔗 Why, they're all hosts for this month's First Thursdays event of course!

🤩Yes, First Thursdays is back THIS Thursday!

The free arts festival run by Creative Colchester is a monthly celebration of creative flair and talent in the area and sees local venues throwing open their doors with fantastic performances, workshops and interactive experiences!

For this month's live music takeover 👨‍🎤🎶 musicians will be playing across the city centre with some of Colchester's fantastic venues such as Roots & Grooves Cafe, Popina Courtyard in Lion Walk Shopping Centre, Best Days Vintage, Three Wise Monkeys Colchester and Coda Colchester all playing host!

Make the most and plan your evening by checking out timings for each event at on our Visit Colchester events page! https://www.visitcolchester.com/whats-on/

02/06/2025

🚨WHAT'S ON IN COLCHESTER THIS MONTH🚨

It's a busy June here in Colchester, so here's a roundup of some of the TOP events to add to your itinerary:

📌 Roman and Medieval Fest - returning for another year, the Roman and Medieval Fest combines local history with hog roasts - and that's just the beginning! (7th - 8th June)
📌 Open Farm Sunday - fancy riding a tractor? Maybe a bouncy castle is more your speed? Local farms and international producers open up their doors to welcome you in for one day only! (8th June)
📌 Essex Book Festival - from writing workshops to explorations of food and culture, there are a huge array of author events, walks, talks, exhibitions to enjoy as part of this festival. (1st - 29th June)
📌 Rowhedge Regatta - a FREE family-friendly day celebrating the village's maritime history - expect street entertainment and their famous boat races (14th June)
📌 Pipes in the Park - Scotland comes to Colchester in this annual event. Expect food, drink, dancing and plenty of bagpipes! (15th June)
📌 The Essex Summer Opera Festival 2025 - gather friends and family to enjoy captivating and enchanting opera in the surroundings of Layer Marney Tower, one of Essex’s most beautiful historic homes (performances from 17th - 22nd June)
📌 Castle Park Theatre - Twelfth Night - Shakespeare in the Park returns to Castle Park Theatre in the Lower Bowls Green with our annual celebration of the great outdoors, great food and drink, and - of course - great theatre! (10th - 21st June)

Want to learn more about the unmissable events in Colchester this June? Visit our 'What's On' page today: https://www.visitcolchester.com/whats-on/

📸Photo credit: Colchester City Council

The Colchester Food and Drink Festival Wild Arts

31/05/2025

Set to be Colchester's biggest festival EVER, the ALB Festival 2025 has just released their FULL line-up for this year's event 🚨📣

Huge names like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Pixie Lott and Tinchy Stryder grace the stage on Saturday 13th September, while fantastic tribute bands and a 40-piece live orchestra round off the weekend on Sunday 14th!🎻 Free activities, family entertainment, food, drink and more are all included in your ticket.

Every ticket sold directly supports ALB's incredible work in the community, helping to transform lives in Colchester, from every walk of life. Tickets for this fantastic event are available for purchase now - with instalment plans available too - so don't miss out on a day of family-friendly fun!

You can find out more about this incredible event on the ALB Festival page or on our website: https://www.visitcolchester.com/event/colchester-anti-loo-roll-festival/227952101/!🎶

📍Lower Castle Park, Colchester
⏰Sat 13th and Sun 14th September 2025

29/05/2025

👩‍🎨We're thrilled to announce that we are now a stockist of Tina Bullen Fine Art art works and greetings cards!

🎨A true Colcestrian, Tina’s works are inspired by nature, whilst connecting with the viewer via colour and composition. Tina mainly works in oils. The prints here are of Highwoods Country Park, Colchester 💚

Make sure to pop in and visit our gift shop at our HQ in Hollytrees Museum if you'd like to purchase one of these beautiful cards, bookmarks or mounted art works✨

28/05/2025

We're officially halfway through half term...now what do we do? We've got the answer for you!

Whether you're looking for an action-packed adventure or family-friendly day out that's even friendlier on your pockets, we've put together another great list of FUN things to do this May Half Term:

🌸 Action-packed Attractions - escape rooms, bowling and laser tag are just the beginning. Our website shares bucket-loads of information on some of the top 'Things to Do' in Colchester!🎳
🌸 FREE Days Out - Firstsite Colchester, The Minories and Castle Park are all free to explore. Why not pick up our Roman Trivia Trail to explore along the way? The route covers Colchester's historical highlights, and brings you back to Hollytrees Museum to collect your FREE prize!🏅
🌸 Historical Highlights - combine education and entertainment with a trip to Colchester Museums, which boasts a jam-packed events calendar including storytelling and drop-in sessions across Colchester Castle and Hollytrees Museum.
🌸 Explore the Great Outdoors - hop on a bus or train to explore woodland, beaches and riversides around the Colchester district. Whether you're basking in the sunshine on Mersea Island or gawking at the gorgeous greenery of Constable Country, there's plenty of variety to keep your little ones entertained 🌊🌳

For even more inspiration, visit our 'What's On This May Half Term in Colchester' page on our website: https://www.visitcolchester.com/whats-on/whats-on-for-kids-this-may-half-term/

Is there anything we've missed? Let us know in the comments below!👇🏼

Visit Essex

26/05/2025

A firm favourite with local real ale enthusiasts and casual beer drinkers alike, the Colchester and North East Essex CAMRA team are making their way back to Colchester Arts Centre for the 38th Colchester Real Ale and Cider Festival!🍻

Serving up a mix of beer (including Belgian and no/low alcohol beers), ciders, soft drinks, wines, gluten free and vegan options, there's something on offer for everyone. Not only will you find local fan favourites, but you may also find something new!🍺

📍 Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street, Colchester
⏰Weds 28th to Fri 30th (12pm - 10:30pm), Sat 31st (11am - 10:30pm).

You can learn more about this great annual event on our website today: https://www.visitcolchester.com/event/38th-colchester-real-ale-and-cider-festival/236715101/

📸Photo Credits: Colchester and North East Essex CAMRA

CAMRA Young Members CAMRA

23/05/2025

You might have seen the incredible buildings which make up Colchester's iconic skyline 🌃 but do you know the fascinating history behind each one?

The impressive Victoria Tower on Colchester Town Hall, funded by Colchester engineer and philanthropist James Paxman, with St Helen at the top! But who is St Helena? And who are those figures crouched beneath her? 🧐

Maybe you've spotted Trinity Church! The Western tower of this church is Colchester's oldest standing building 💁 but what does it have in common with Colchester Castle and St Botolphs Priory 🤔

You must have seen Balkerne Water Tower of course?! But why do locals refer to it as 'Jumbo'? 🐘

Who is the handsome moustachioed gent on the side of Colchester Town Hall?! And what has he got to do with Colchester Castle 🏰🧐

Our Camulodunum to Colchester walking tour answers all these questions and more! This weekend we have not one but TWO tours running! Check out the details below...

📅 Saturday 24th May at 11am
OR
📅 Monday 26th May at 2pm

📍 Meet at Colchester Visitor Information by Hollytrees Museum
👛 £9per adult children under 16 years old are FREE!
☎️ Book online (link in comments), via telephone or turn up on the day!

📸 credits: Visit Colchester

Address

Hollytrees Museum, High Street
Colchester
CO1IUG

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441206282920

Website

http://www.visitcolchester.com/

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Welcome to Visit Colchester

Visit Colchester is the official tourism site for Colchester providing up-to-date information on attractions, accomodation, events and more for the Borough of Colchester. Follow us on Facebook and other social media channels for daily updates on things to do and see in Colchester, visit our website at www.visitcolchester.com for a more comprehensive guide, or pop into our HQ in Hollytrees Museum to visit us in person.