Car Hire Colchester

Colchester Mini Guide

What’s Special About Colchester?
It is the oldest Roman town in the UK and was mentioned by Pliny in his writings. The city was once the capital of Roman Britain and was attacked by Boudicca in the revolt of the Iceni. Today the town is growing rapidly, helped by tourism, the service industry and its attraction as a commuter town for London. It’s also home to Tiptree’s the internationally acclaimed preserve manufacturers!

How do I get to Colchester?
Getting flights to anywhere near there is difficult so most people arrive by train. Colchester Station is right in the heart of the town and there are services from London’s Liverpool Street Station. You can hire a car to get there but the journey along the Essex coast is fairly mundane and often choked with commuters.

What Should I get to see in Colchester?
Because of its fame as a Roman town, visit the Castle Museum to find out all about why the Romans chose this place. From there, explore the rest of the castle, an 11th century building on the site of the Roman temple.  For more Roman ruins you have the remains of the Roman walls which can be followed on foot and partway along them, the oldest Roman gate in Britain. The town is promoting it's outdoor attractions as part of a 'Get some fresh air' campaign and everyone is invited to join.

What About Gifts from the Town?
A lot of places sell Roman memorabilia including plastic centurions, and various ‘Roman’ style stationery items. Most people wanting a worthwhile gift head to the little roads off the high street where independent shops sell delightful gifts and confectionery. If you’ve taken the chance to sample the glorious smells from the Tiptree Preserve factory nearby you may be tempted to purchase their gift packs to take home.

Colchester was a magnificent Roman town and many reminders of this time are still visible today. The town’s museums give a wealth of information on its history with the Castle Museum being the best.

If you’ve hired a car, two places of interest are worth a day out. Mersea Island in the estuary is very much a reminder of yesteryear with tiny hamlets as well as an area of marshland, home to migrating birds. You should also visit Wivenhoe, where the waterfront and shopping street also remind one of times long lost.