Visit Colchester

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.

🚜Open Farm Sunday! This FREE event throws open the gates to farms all across the UK and is celebrating 20 years of doin...
02/06/2026

🚜Open Farm Sunday! This FREE event throws open the gates to farms all across the UK and is celebrating 20 years of doing so 🎉

🍏Colchester has an exceptional produce offering from seafood, oysters, fruits and a growing wine industry. If you'd like a behind-the-scenes peek at some of Colchester's farms, check out our events page with the listings from Wilkins & Son of Tiptree, Rix Farm and Bennison Farm 🍓

Image credits: Wilkins & Sons of Tiptree (top), Visit Colchester (bottom left), Bennison Farm Community Supported Agriculture (bottom middle) and Rix Farm (bottom right)

ROAR! It's International Dinosaur Day 🦖🎉To celebrate, for the month of June, Colchester Museums are offering FREE entry ...
01/06/2026

ROAR! It's International Dinosaur Day 🦖

🎉To celebrate, for the month of June, Colchester Museums are offering FREE entry to Hollytrees Museum to anyone whose name begins 'Jul' (Jules, Julia, Julius...) for the entire month of June 😮

A visit to Hollytrees' current resident 150million year old specimen is a huge treat. This skeleton is 75% complete, thought to be a new species of dinosaur and is the very first time it has been on display to the public!

🪪Just provide valid ID to prove it and you're in!

In Colchester Visit Essex

Easy, breezy like Sunday morning 😍😎In this hot weather, we couldn't resist sharing views of Colchester's very own Island...
31/05/2026

Easy, breezy like Sunday morning 😍

😎In this hot weather, we couldn't resist sharing views of Colchester's very own Island, Mersea.

A hub for fresh seafood, wildlife and sea air, where better to cool off in the late Spring heat 🌬️🌊

🗺 Planning a day out? Read all about this seaside delight below 👇

In Colchester Visit Essex

Phew, where has the first half of the year gone?!🤯🌀 If that leaves you feeling in a spin, don’t fret! We have cherry-pic...
30/05/2026

Phew, where has the first half of the year gone?!🤯

🌀 If that leaves you feeling in a spin, don’t fret! We have cherry-picked this month’s happenings in the district of Colchester, AND we have a handy website packed full of all the year’s events so you don’t miss a thing.
Here are our picks for the month ahead…

📌 5-7th June – Wild Arts Summer Opera Festival at Layer Marney Tower 🎼🧺
Sit back and enjoy the magic of live opera at the historic Tudor venue of Layer Marney Tower. Take a picnic and make an evening of it!

📌 6th and 7th – Roman & Medieval Festival ⚔
Taking place in Castle Park and taking visitors back in time to days of old. Get ready for longbows, re-enactments, living history camps, storytellers, puppeteers, and more!

📌 14th – Pipes in the Park 🎶
A FREE event for all to enjoy in Castle Park!

📌 20th – Rowhedge Regatta ⚓
Enjoy this annual riverside regatta featuring boat races, community festivities, music, food stalls, and traditional River Colne maritime spirit!

📌 20th – Magical Protection Workshop at Hollytrees Museum ✨🪶
Join us for an immersive workshop exploring the ancient arts of spiritual protection 🛡

📌 27th June – Colchester Morris Centenary Day of Dance 👑🔔
Join Colchester Morris on their extra-special Day of Dance as they perform in various locations around the city.

📌 27th & 28th June – Colchester Food & Drink Festival
Enjoy a full weekend of foodie yumminess, with delicious nibbles, tasty treats, and live entertainment 🥩🥘

Colchester City Pipe Band Essex Caledonian Pipe Band Colchester Museums In Colchester Visit Essex

Colchester Town Hall in all its glory!Known as the city’s civic cathedral, the building oozes civic pride and intricate ...
29/05/2026

Colchester Town Hall in all its glory!

Known as the city’s civic cathedral, the building oozes civic pride and intricate detail, both inside and out ✨ From ornate stained glass windows depicting historic figures from Colchester’s past, to the sweeping grand marble staircase, the beautiful mace made in 1720, and the iconic painting of Queen Elizabeth II by Colcestrian Richard Stone 👑🖼️

From this Friday, FREE Town Hall tours will run on the first Friday of each month in June, July, and August 📅 There’s no need to book—just turn up on the day at 11am ⏰

In Colchester Visit Essex

It’s nearing the end of National Walking Month 😢🚶‍♀️🌿We’re going out with a bang with a firm Colchester favourite: the W...
28/05/2026

It’s nearing the end of National Walking Month 😢🚶‍♀️🌿

We’re going out with a bang with a firm Colchester favourite: the Wivenhoe Trail!

🌳This route is scenic, well-marked, and a pleasure to walk. The path runs alongside the River Colne, giving plenty of opportunity to listen out for birdsong 🐦 and local wildlife 🐿️. Whilst walking, you can enjoy the rolling pastures 🌾 leading up to Rowhedge, where cattle occasionally graze. You’ll suddenly feel far away from the busy city ☺️

Once you reach Wivenhoe, enjoy a well-earned cup of tea or coffee ☕ at one of the many cafés 🧁 – or something stronger at one of the delightful pubs 🍺🍷!

Travel back to Colchester via train 🚆 or bus 🚌 or turn around for do the whole journey in reverse if you're feeling up to it!

if you’re travelling at the weekend, perhaps continue your adventure on the Wivenhoe, Fingringhoe and Rowhedge Ferry ⛴️, which can take you across the water to the village of Rowhedge 🌊🏡

Pick up your copy of the Wivenhoe Trail from the Colchester Visitor Centre 📍 (based at our HQ, Hollytrees Museum 🏛️), or download a FREE copy from our website linked in the comments below 👇💻


Visit Essex In Colchester

👛Look after the pennies and...you know the rest!Did you know that Colchester has some great FREE things to do over the h...
27/05/2026

👛Look after the pennies and...you know the rest!

Did you know that Colchester has some great FREE things to do over the half term?!

📌Colchester Natural History Museum - free entry to learn about this area's incredible natural history. From wooly rhino jaws to fossilised sharks teeth! You can see incredible parts of Colchester's natural history 😯

📌Cirque du Square is a special FREE circus event coming to Culver Square Saturday 30th May 🎪🤹‍♀️Learn circus skills and watch fire breathers🔥No booking required!

📌Walk like a Roman with our brilliant Roman Trivia Trail - FREE to pick up from our Visitor Information or download from our website. Best bit? If kids complete the trail and can tell us a Roman fact, we can give a FREE gift!

📌Don't forget the FREE Soundwave Sessions taking place in Colchster Castle Park's Bandstand on Sunday 31st May at 12noon and 4pm!

For more inspiration for FREE things to do in Colchester, head to our dedicated webpage linked in the comments 👇

🎟For under the price of a cinema ticket, you can join our weekly walking tour!🚶Our Camulodunum to Colchester Tour runs w...
26/05/2026

🎟For under the price of a cinema ticket, you can join our weekly walking tour!

🚶Our Camulodunum to Colchester Tour runs weekly, and is led by our experienced and fully qualified city guides, meaning your tour is guaranteed to be well paced, entertaining, and factually accurate 🏛

So popular, even the squirrels can't keep away!🐿

Turn up on the day, or book in advance via the link in the comments below 👇

⏰It's almost time for the annual Colchester Real Ale and Cider Festival 🍻📅A staple in the Colchester Spring calendar, th...
25/05/2026

⏰It's almost time for the annual Colchester Real Ale and Cider Festival 🍻

📅A staple in the Colchester Spring calendar, this festival shows off a wide selection of real ales from local and regional breweries. It takes place in the deconsecrated church, St Mary at the Wall, now known as Colchester Arts Centre. Here the church yard is boundaried by a 2000 year old Roman Wall and is still the keeper of an impressive medieval tower - the top of which saw damage during the Siege of Colchester in 1648 and the Colchester Earthquake of 1884 😯

🍺Sip on fine brews while soaking up the historic surroundings 😏

Find out more in our link in the comments 👇

Colchester and North East Essex CAMRA Colchester Arts Centre

It's and we can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday than in the city's scenic Castle Park 🌳🥰🎵Don't forget that t...
24/05/2026

It's and we can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday than in the city's scenic Castle Park 🌳🥰

🎵Don't forget that the Soundwave Sessions are very much still in full swing at the Castle Park Bandstand. Here, you can see local groups and bands performing for FREE in the heart of Colchester. Check our website for more details!

🎺The next performances are taking place on Sunday 31st May 🤩

📩 P.S Check out our lovely new Colchester Bandstand postcard - available to buy in our Visitor Information Centre 📬

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

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