{"id":2629,"date":"2020-02-11T10:37:51","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T10:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/host-students.com\/uncategorized\/best-places-to-visit-in-colchester\/"},"modified":"2025-10-08T14:07:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T14:07:00","slug":"best-places-to-visit-in-colchester","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/host-students.com\/information\/new-students\/best-places-to-visit-in-colchester\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Places to visit in Colchester."},"content":{"rendered":"

Ahead of its opening this summer, just in time for those going to uni in Colchester <\/a>this September, the team at 27 Magdalen Street<\/a> have pulled together some of the best things to do and places to visit while living with us at Host.<\/p>\n

\n

Get to know the history of Colchester.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"colchesterHead to the Castle.<\/strong><\/a>
\nColchester is home to a Norman Castle built by William the Conqueror way back in 1076, its famous for its almost intact keep which is the largest in Europe. The keep is now home to a museum, which showcases the history of Colchester from Celtic Kings, through Roman invasion and Boudiccan revolt, to Norman conquest and medieval life. Student entry costs \u00a36.75 and you can do a tour of the roof and the vaults for an extra \u00a33.
\nThe Castle sits within what\u2019s now Colchester\u2019s Castle Park<\/a>. The park is a perfect way to spend a summers afternoon providing green space in the town centre, where you can sit, walk, enjoy music, play games, or picnic amongst wonderful flowers and trees.
\nCastle Park runs great events throughout the year, including this year\u2019s headline act, Westlife <\/a>on the 11th<\/sup> July.<\/p>\n

Explore the National History Museum.<\/strong>
\nOkay don\u2019t expect the Blue Whale skeleton or Dippy the dinosaur, but Colchester does have its own National History Museum! The free to enter museum is located in the former All Saints Church.<\/p>\n

\n

Get all artistic.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Minories Gallery<\/a>\u00a0are part of Colchester Institute and house a contemporary art gallery in a listed Georgian building. Take a look around the galleries or horn your artistic side with a class run by the institute.
\nThe Gallery is also home to an art and crafts shop and tea room, in the beautiful walled gardens.<\/p>\n

\n

Get out of town and explore the local Countryside.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When the uni work is getting all a bit too much, Colchester is an ideal base, to just get out and explore.<\/p>\n

Head to Mersea Island<\/a><\/strong>\"mersea<\/a>
\nHop on the bus and spend a day on the island, its only 9 miles outside Colchester and it\u2019s the most easterly inhabited island in the UK. Make sure you check the tide times though or the causeway could be cut off by the tide!<\/p>\n

Not feeling the island life?<\/strong>
\nThen head inland to Highwoods Country Park<\/a>, its perfect for a walk to clear the head or a spot of fishing. Just hop on the number 8, 8a or 65 bus from stand S in Head Street.
\nOr head to Abberton Reservoir<\/a> it\u2019s an internationally important wetland site where up to 40,000 ducks, swans and geese visit each year.<\/p>\n

Get all Captain Jack Sparrow<\/strong>
\nAnd hire your own boat! You can hire a rowing boat<\/a> from Dedham and row yourself up and down the river Stour. After messing about on the river why not join the Constable trail<\/a> and take the mile and a half walk to Flatford Mill, which was made famous in the John Constable painting.
\n\"colchester
\nTo get to Dedham from Colchester just hop on the 81A bus from Osborne Street towards Manningtree.<\/p>\n

We’re goin’ to the zoo, zoo, zoo. How about you, you, you?<\/strong>
\nColchester is home to a zoo, the second-best zoo in the UK according to Trip Advisor. Colchester Zoo<\/a> is home to over 240 species from Bears and Chimpanzee to Elephants and Wallabies. You\u2019ll want to go at least once when living with Host in Colchester!<\/p>\n

\n

\"braintreeLet\u2019s go shopping!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jump on the train to Braintree and visit Braintree Village Outlet Centre<\/a>. Home to over 85 stores, you\u2019re bound to pick up a bargain or two! Braintree Freeport station is right outside the village.
\nFor city-centre shopping, Ipswich is within 40 minutes or head to the Capital! London is just a 50-minute express train to Liverpool Street Station.<\/p>\n

\n

Host opens in Colchester this summer!<\/h3>\n

And you could be one of the first to experience this brand-new development<\/a> from September.\u00a0Situated in the centre of town, 27 Magdalen Street is the perfect choice for students, studying in Colchester.<\/p>\n

Come and have a look for yourself\u2026
\n\u2026Our Show Flat is now open.\u00a0You\u2019ll find us at 27 Magdalen Street,\u00a0Colchester CO1 2ZT. We\u2019re open for viewings Monday to Friday (9am – 5pm) so pop in and say hello.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ahead of its opening this summer, the team at 27 Magdalen Street have pulled together some of the best things to do in Colchester.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":2635,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,56],"subject":[71],"location-tax":[34],"class_list":["post-2629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-students","category-university-students","subject-lifestyle","location-tax-colchester"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nVisit Colchester - Get to know the history this summer - Blog | Host<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Best Places to visit in Colchester. 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