Weekend in Colchester

The oldest surviving Roman town wall in Britain, built around AD 65–80. You can walk a 2.8 km circuit around the centre, with several visible sections and gates.

Tip: Start at Balkerne Gate (near the Mercury Theatre) for the best-preserved section. The walk takes about 40 minutes at a steady pace.

Britain's oldest town wall, built around AD 65–80. The best-preserved Roman gateway in the country, with arches and a sentry walkway.

Tip: Walk the entire wall circuit – about 2.5km – for free. Start at the gate, head south past the castle, and loop back through the park. Takes 45 minutes.

Georgian townhouse museum with period rooms, toys, and costume collections. Focuses on everyday life in Colchester from 1700-1900.

Tip: The dollhouse collection in the attic is surprisingly detailed. Allow 45 minutes max. Combine with a walk through Castle Park next door.

Sprawling park surrounding Colchester Castle, with formal gardens, a boating lake and a cricket pitch. Plenty of benches and grass.

Tip: Pack a picnic – no queues, no cost. The sensory garden near the Hollytrees Museum is quieter than the main lawns.

The oldest surviving Roman town wall in Britain, walking much of the original 2.8km circuit. Visible sections include Balkerne Gate and the wall near the castle.

Tip: Start at Balkerne Gate (near the Jumbo water tower) for the best-preserved section. The full walk takes about an hour and is flat, with interpretation panels along the route.

Georgian townhouse turned museum of social history, with period rooms and collections of toys, costume and domestic objects from the 1700s to 1900s.

Tip: Small but charming – you can see it in 30 minutes. The staff are local volunteers who know good stories about the house. Closed for lunch 1pm-2pm.

A large public park around the castle with formal gardens, a boating lake, and a sensory garden. Good for a picnic or a stroll along the Roman wall fragments.

Tip: The park café does decent tea, but the benches near the herb garden are quieter.

Small, charity-run museum in an 18th-century building with taxidermy, fossils, and local wildlife displays. Donation requested but entry is free.

Tip: Go on a weekday morning to avoid school groups. The Victorian specimen drawers upstairs are a hidden treat for natural history buffs.

11 hectares of gardens surrounding the castle, with a boating lake, rose garden, tennis courts, and the remains of a Roman wall.

Tip: The Hollytrees Museum inside the park is free – a Georgian townhouse with local costume and toys. Open same hours as the park.

A free Georgian townhouse museum with period room displays, toys and costumes. Small but well-curated, focusing on domestic life since 1700.

Tip: Combine it with the adjacent Castle Park. The volunteer guides are local volunteers who actually know their stuff.