Had a lovely day out here plenty of animals to see,some were hiding in their beds as it was a bit chilly but you could peep at them there. There's walk through areas to get up close. Plenty of food and drink cafes dotted through the zoo and picnic benches too. Definitely worth a visit.

Love a zoo trip!! such an enjoyable experience. Great variety of animals to see and even though it can be very busy you still see and enjoy it all. The animals all have great spacious enclosures and plenty of items in for them to enjoy. There is plenty of things to see and to do which is great. The Gift shop at the end is brilliant as well, has a great variety of things for all ages.

What an amazing zoological zoo. It's started off as wet and windy but cleared up as there was many indoor areas to visit. The meerkats took abit of coaching to get them outside but eventually came out. Feeding the giraffes was really good and exciting for the children. Well grown ups. The staff were really helpful and knew exactly where to send you when lost for the next adventure around the park. So many animals and looked in good care. Lots of schools visiting which was good to see. Well done teams.

Had a very nice day. Very nice experience during the visit. The zoo is very easy to find with plenty of parking. The staff is very nice and helpful. You can stroll around the park in a relaxing enjoyable atmosphere. The zoo is easily accesible for wheel chair users and the benches around the park come in handy for those who have issues walking longer distances. The zoo beeing situated in a field away from towns, villages is very nice and gives you a better touch with nature. The large animal section is very nice. Also note that animals might take a nap exactly when you want to film or take a photo of them...with patience you can still catch them moving around. The restaurant offers good food and you can enjoy the food outside in nice weather. Kids playground close to the restaurant. Toilets also around the park are clean. You can get a ride on a mini train. The souvenir shop is nicely organised, affordable prices. The plush animals are very nicely made. Definitely worth a day visiting. Best to buy tickets in advance. You'll find a nice biodiversity animal range. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Better buy tickets in advance or an year pass if you plan to visit more times.

Really enjoyable day and a huge variety of animals to see. It’s really well laid out and the animals all looked happy. The Africa section was impressive. The elephants and giraffes seemed happy. Every turn you took there was something new to discover. Food options were a bit hit and miss with long waits for average not even hot food. That was the only down side but went for the animals hence the 5 star review. The green anacondas were stunning as were the chimpanzees

I had an absolutely fantastic time visiting Colchester Zoo! One of the highlights of the day was the amazing train ride that took us on a scenic journey around the park, giving us a chance to see the majority of the animals from a unique and relaxing perspective. It was such a fun and convenient way to explore the zoo. Another great feature was the variety of informative talks held at different animal enclosures throughout the day. These talks gave us the chance to learn more about the animals, their behaviors, and conservation efforts, all while getting a closer look at them. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. Overall, it was a brilliant experience—perfect for families, couples, or anyone who loves animals. Highly recommend visiting Colchester Zoo for a memorable and educational day out!

A great day out. I came with my six and ten year old and they loved the day. We didn't get to see all the animals but we did see most of them. We were there from 11.30 to 6pm l. There were plenty of places to sit and eat lunch/snacks. Lots of playgrounds, exhibits and interactive places.

Cozy little castle with a small surrounding park. There is not much going on inside, the whole interior is converted to a modern exhibition with different artifacts. 30-40 mins was enough to walk. There is a toilet (ran out of toilet paper). Also, no family discounts and they are not part of English heritage. For a family of 4 we paid about 50 GBP which is terrible. Guided tours cost extra.

A great day out. The grounds are well worth seeing (hence the couple of pictures) as well but once inside, the castle is interactive, very well laid out and really interesting. The staff were incredibly helpful and their customer service was first rate. Highly recommend.

We took our 8 year old granddaughter who was fascinated. Lovely staff who were very well informed. We all loved it and plan to make a return visit very soon. To much to take in on one visit.

A beautiful castle on the outside and an excellent, informative museum on the inside. The kids loved it, especially the interactive activities. It is set within some gorgeous grounds and pretty gardens. Highly recommended.

Amazing castle 🏰 to look at, although there are parts that have fencing around due to the deteration of brick work, but for a 900 year old building, it's doing pretty well. You can visit inside at a cost of £13.50 per adult, and as far as I know, there's plenty to see inside. The grounds around it are well maintained with lovely flower and rose beds. Well worth a visit and a walk around the grounds, good day out.

Colchester Castle is an amazing place to visit! The history here is fascinating, and the museum is very well organized with lots of interesting exhibits. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and the interactive displays make it fun for both adults and children. The castle and the surrounding park are beautiful and perfect for a relaxing day out. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in Colchester!

Visited today with a relative and it was nice to read about the history of the castle and the area, as well as see some artefacts in the museum etc too. It was a very small castle compared to what I was expecting, we managed to see the museum in an hour or so, and we were taking our time, and we did also pay the additional £4.75 each to do the guided tour, which gives you access to the vaults underground with the guide, as well as the roof (not much to see on the roof to be honest but it was interesting anyway). No cafe facilities on site but the day ticket allows you to re enter if you leave and want to come back in. I wouldn’t say you need anymore than an hour and a half maximum here to see everything within the castle museum.

A free-spirited place for the arts of Colchester. I like that this is not just an art gallery, but it can also be a place for cinema screenings. They can keep some arts, making them go down in history with that mosaic. Arts are not always pictures or sculptures, I was also met with cardboard tags with writing on them. Artwork could also be video like a saucy one on the screen with a picture of edited with things like computer mouse marks. You have got to have this anywhere in your area

A free artistic and educational resource with a market. We enjoyed exploring the stunning building and artworks

So grateful to First Site for everything they’ve put on during the summer! Their holiday fun activities have given us so much to do because they have a lot going on during the week (Tuesday - Saturday). Special thank you to Lorraine for being so welcoming and accommodating — if you plan to come here she’s always happy to help ✨ 10/10 would recommend coming here!

Looking for something different? This is the place! We've so many live performances from Opera, Ballet to West end shows. Plus although you don't get the theatre experience your not paying extortionate prices plus train fares, being on the doorstep. Comfort with drinks and food available both inside and around it's a great way to spend an afternoon or evening😁

Love this gallery. More people should come here! We are so lucky to have it.

A great venue to host a work awards evening. The venue is spacious, close to town so plenty of parking places and there is enough equipment required to make sure the evening runs smoothly. Jess one of the event organisers has been great and will look after you throughout the evening for you and your colleagues.

Amazing place! Great for little ones. Lots of interaction and activities. Fantastic collection of art work on view and currently your art can be displayed along side some famous names! Good little cafe inside, bit pricey but tasty food and good coffee. Friendly staff, happy to chat and very welcoming. I could buy everything from the gift shop, fab array of arty gifts. It was only our first visit but will certainly make an effort to return when back in the area! A little gem of place. Lucky Colchester!

This is a lovely park, well maintained and with a diverse landscape, covering sport grounds, a play ground, a flower garden, tree lined walking paths, a lake, a koi pond, a sandpit and most famously - a castle. It’s great in any weather but summer and autumn are the best seasons to admire the spectacle of colors in the park.

We visited & stayed in Colchester to see James & Texas, as part of the summer series. Decided to visit castle & took part in the tour. Tour guide Gillian was fabulous, talked to us a lot & great knowledge. Castle is very interesting. We had fun in Colchester & found the people to be very friendly & helpful.

Saw Craig David at Lower Castle Park. Helpful staff, toilets were close by, amazing experience. One negative, if you don't know the area very well it's very hard to find the car park for events. I paid for parking but couldn't find where the car park was! 🤔😕

Castle Park in Colchester is the perfect spot to unwind on a warm summer’s day. The gentle rustle of leaves, the fresh breeze drifting through the trees, and the laughter of children playing create such a peaceful atmosphere. The playground is beautifully designed, giving kids plenty of space to run, climb, and explore. There’s even a drinking water tap close by, a small but thoughtful touch that keeps little adventurers refreshed during their play. The park is dotted with tall, leafy trees, offering cool shade and a sense of calm no matter how hot the day gets. Walking through, you can’t help but feel you’ve stepped into a place where history and nature blend seamlessly. The only thing missing from my visit was stepping inside the castle itself. It would have been incredible to wander through its ancient halls and imagine the stories it could tell, especially since it was my very first trip to Colchester.

Castle park concert - don't go VIP it's a complete waste of money. You get a spot furthest away from the stage with minimal views of the stage. The toilets were nice, but that's it. And whoever put the flags up needs sacking. They blocked the screens!!!

Wonderful historic place with nature calm sightseeing and kids playground

Just stunning really, it's obviously a well cared for park. I hope they will renovate the play lake one day. However, It was nice to see some of the old boats have been repurposed as planters.

Genuinely one of the best theatre venues I've ever visited. The auditorium is large but all on one tier, access to seats is pretty easy. The menu is reasonably priced and quite extensive. Slushies are always a bonus, and the pantos done here are a marvel.

My first visit to the Mercury Theatre exceeded expectations. The auditorium has raked seats ensuring that you get a clear view of the stage without having to peer around the heads of people in the rows in front of you, although the seats are a little narrow. The performance that I saw was slick, professional and the acoustics were very good. The actors could be heard clearly. There is a café and bar onsite and, an added bonus for the ladies, the toilets were plentiful, unlike in London where you all have to queue for two or three toilets. Parking at St Mary's car park was easy and only a few minutes walk to the theatre. I'll definitely be visiting again.

Loved the theatre but hated the performance of Private Lives . My wife and I left at the interval. This production had none of the waspish humour you expect in a Coward play. It was poorly acted...you didn't care what happened to the characters. We were, however, impressed by the theatre.

1st time visitor. Was very impressed with venue. Comfy rooms seats. Great sound. We saw endless love. Good show. Only comment would be upstairs bar was shut in interval and downstairs was rammed. Barely got drink before interval finished. Otherwise was great x

Lovely comfortable seats and positioned so that you look over the heads Infront of you. Lovely cafe serving a variety of food. Great coffee always a bonus. The staff were all lovely and very friendly. Can't wait to visit again.

Wonderful auditorium, we went to see Adam Frost. We were up at the back when these really distracting noises started behind us during the second half. There was music, a compere and lots of singing and clapping. It was almost impossible to hear Adam Frost. Lots of people around us were complaining. We were apologised to at the end and told it was a party in the studio next door. One usherette said that people have complained a lot. THEN PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT MERCURY. A few more layers of insulation or no party when there's a speaker in the main auditorium. It can't be that difficult, but when you have paid good money to hear someone speak you do expect to be able to hear them.

The Mercury is a brilliant and somewhat unique venue, certainly in East Anglia, in that it has specific seating areas for those with disabilities, meaning that they are not required to move around to enable others to access seating. These boxes are very comfortable, and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Headsets are available for those who require assisted listening, and many in-house productions feature audio description and detailthe touch tours, both of which enable those as are blind such as myself to access and gain more from the shows we attend. Food and drink is always lovely, and the disabled toilets are very easy to access. There is designated disabled parking, with the only drawback being the requirement to navigate somewhat narrow bollards. I am also hopeful the adult pantomime will some day be audio described, and that actors will wear microphones on stage at some point, as it can be difficult to understand dialogue at times. Overall, this is a must visit venue for tourists locals alike.

My first time at Bill's and it was lovely. My friend needs gluten free food and they have a special menu which was really helpful. I asked for poached eggs rather than scrambled which was no problem. Both meals were delicious. What made it extra special was the waitress Becca. She was really helpful and nothing was too much trouble for her. She also made sure everything was alright. Will definitely be back.

We had a delightful experience at Bills one evening after the Fireworks display at Castle Park! We received exceptional service from the beginning, particularly from Mickey & Livio (or Livia, apologies for the incorrect spelling!). They were very friendly, & made us feel comfortable & at ease, although we did order from the set menu, with 2/3 course meals, & felt guilty for having the next course at around closing! Despite this, all staff members were happy enough for us to order dessert, & also gave us a free brownie for the consideration! We appreciated it so much & left feeling very happy, so thank you so much for the lovely experience & we’ll definitely be visiting again!

Great service, all the servers are superb and make you feel welcome. Ordered the avocado sourdough and it’s a hit as always 10/10 service

Food was good and very pretty. I appreciated the vegan plant plate. Staff was friendly and helpful, thank you, Becca! 🙂

Great place! 6 of us came here for a birthday meal and he not only delivered my friend his birthday cake, but SANG with us. Not only that, I shouted HIP HIP after we sang happy birthday but no one said hooray. Then all of a sudden, I heard Mickey shout HOORAY. great guy, you should promote him.

Mickey was such great vibes and a great host. He helped us pick our orders and it was delicious.

Had a fabulous breakfast at Bill's, the server Livio was so helpful & polite, customer service was 100% all staff were friendly and approachable. The food was cooked beautifully & was very tasty, well presented on the plate. We couldn't fault anything & were very impressed. Definitely will return & recommend this restaurant.

This was our second visit to Kintsu, and it did not disappoint. I really like the mystery of not knowing what is to come with the tasting menu! Each course is as or more delicious than the last, and the creativity that goes in to both the flavours and presentation truly warrants the price. The restaurant itself is stylish, but relaxed and with a great playlist! There’s also a small central courtyard area for pre-dinner drinks in the warmer months. Highly recommend a visit if you’re looking for something finer in the Colchester area!

Fantastic hidden gem in Colchester! We were blown away by the quality, professionalism and character of Kintsu. We were Lucky to have the Chefs Table Experience and I have to say every dish was wonderful. We paired this with a wine flight. All of the wines were divine and we had a wonderful evening. Thank you team Kintsu and see you again, soon!

Beautiful lunch on a sunny Saturday. Fantastic food, service and very unusual and well paired wine. Decent value all considered. Thank you!’

Divine food, great wine and wonderful service! We celebrated our wedding anniversary there during our short trip to Colchester last December. We had the tasting menu with wine pairing…. One of our best dining experience! A must-go!

Came here before Christmas and WOW! Absolutely stunning food, so impressed. Me and my partner are from London and this would be double the price in London. We are huge foodies and this was one of our favourites. Every dish was stunning. We will be back. Lovely staff, such talented chefs. Can’t stop raving about it.

Kintsu is the best restaurant in the south Suffolk and north Essex region. They deliver a truly amazing service, using exceptionally unique and delicate flavours created from fresh local produce. You order around 3 main courses per person, and a dessert per person. Do not go into Kintsu with the mindset of sharing, the plates are perfectly small for one person. All ingredients and drinks are local, where the beer I was drinking was from Diss and Ipswich. The quality of the ingredients was outstanding every visit (I've been four times and plan to go every season). The atmosphere is fine dining but a bit more laid-back. Each dish is perfectly created and tastes better than any other restaurant in the area.

Exellent food with friendly staff and a good atmosphere. Hard to find entrance though could have been better signposted. Great for a celebration meal. Most items locally sourced and seasonal. Especially liked the mushroom pasta. Catered for food intolerance well.

We were looking for some where to eat late on Easter Sunday and the restaurant delivered. Despite some places closing early they were able to serve us late on in the evening. All the food was good with plentiful portions. Special mention to the lamb hummus. You will leave full and happy. Staff were helpful and attentive.

Sat 5/4 Celebrating friends birthdays (as it’s seems many people were that eve by the amounts of complimentary cakes the staff brought out that eve) Good food and service. Yum cocktails and great atmosphere in the restaurant, def suited the celebrations. Thanks for a fab eve

The wife and I visited Mirra at the weekend. With the kids at home, we thought we would chance a restaurant in town - and we had spotted Mirra previously. Thankfully, there was space for us, and we were seated quickly and ready to order. Feeling like we don't get this opportunity often, we splurged on some starters (pan-fried prawns and turkish pizza) and even a cocktail. For mains we played it safe, not really knowing what we would like / not like, opting for a mixed kofte and lamb skewer (and a side of chips - well everything should come with chips shouldn't it?!) All the food was really nice, and if anything, we had ordered too much as they gave us a little basket of bread at the beginning and a bowl of salad with the main. It was all very nice and the service was pretty good as well. We needed to chase up the side, as it didn't look like it was going to turn up, but came as soon as we then asked. It terms of price it was a little on higher side, especially if you start adding cocktails to the bill! The restaurant also automatically adds a service tip, which I don't normally like places doing - although thankfully on this occasion it was nice enough that I don't mind particularly! Will certainly come again, and also noticed they do some kids meal options so perhaps I could even bring the kids... maybe....

We had an amazing experience at Mirra Restaurant! The food was absolutely delicious and the staff were truly exceptional. We celebrated my son’s birthday here, and everything was perfect. The way they prepare the dessert for special occasions, bring it to the table, and sing for the celebrant was so impressive and heartfelt. It really made the moment unforgettable. Even though we live two hours away, we will definitely come back again. Highly recommend!

What a fantastic experience! We were in town visiting and chose this for an evening out with family. The service was impeccable, and the staff worked together seamlessly to make sure guests never have to wait and are well taken care of. And then there’s the food!!! Incredible. Every dish was perfect. The sea bass was fresh, the salmon moist, the chicken kebab seasoned just right, and the tzatziki sauce rich and creamy. It was the best meal I’ve had in the last 6 months!

Delicious food, great cocktails and brilliant service. I’d heard a lot of good things about this restaurant and it really did meet all the hype. Will definitely be back. What a lovely team you have, too!

Food was great, service was genuinely excellent. Atmosphere was good, the whole restaurant sang Happy Birthday to my wife but it was a Wednesday night so imagine atmosphere better towards the weekend. Great experience

One of the best restaurants in Colchester! We went for lunch and sat upstairs on the first floor — it was quiet and felt really relaxed. The service was amazing, very attentive and friendly. We shared the T-bone steak for two, and it was absolutely delicious. Great food, great service — highly recommend and we’ll definitely be back!

Really good food across the board. Bursting with flavour and small but quality menu. I had the monkfish as a main which was cooked well and portions were good. Rump of veal was also good although maybe cooked for an extra few seconds then I prefer. Great selection of wines and special shout out the member of staff who was working the bar for the first time having normally been in the restaurant. Price point matches the quality of the food and service. Recommended.

Had an amazing meal here tonight, food was fantastic, wine choice brilliant and our waitress Frankie was the perfect.mix of professional and friendly. Highly recommended

We came here for a date night on Saturday night, lovely atmosphere and the food was absolutely fantastic, great value for money considering the quality. They had great selection of drinks and a special thank you to our waiter, didn’t catch his name but he wore glasses and a mullet, made us feel very welcome and relaxed, knew all of the drinks and specials off by heart and took our order without notepad. Really great service, thank you!

I came here for a meal whilst on my hen do and it was incredible! Not only was the food incredible was the service was absolutely top notch! Our waiter Andrew was incredibly attentive, super friendly and so lovely to us - he made me feel very special! Thank you so much for making my hen do so magical!!

Andrew the barman is EXCELLENT. His margaritas are second to none, and his service is thoughtful and genuine. Ask Andrew to make your cocktails, and you’ll be a happy customer. Very very pleased.

OMG. So third time now we've been and somehow the food just gets better. Great decor and the service is quick and professional. Bonus being as soon as you sit down you get a bottle of still water with no charge. Why all restaurants don't do this is beyond me. Now to the food. We had Sunday roast. I had the beef and it was amazing. Also probably had the best roast potatoes I've ever had. They were epic. I had Cauliflower soup for a starter that was also delicious. Highly recommended.

Me and a friend came for the bottomless brunch. Our server was Fran who was friendly and provided quick service, regularly coming back to take our drink orders and we managed to get 7 drinks each in the 2 hour slot. The food was also very good!

We popped here for a little lunchtime snack and a cheeky cocktail🍸 and have been back every week for the last four. The atmosphere at this time is nice and chilled. The food has been consistently delicious. I also highly recommend the salted caramel brownie with coconut ice cream. 😋

We stopped by Turtle Bar for lunch and were pleasantly surprised! The flavors were incredibly tasty and felt authentically fresh. I had the fish tacos with a side of sweet potato fries, and everything was perfectly cooked and well-seasoned. The cocktail I ordered was also excellent — refreshing and well-balanced. Great food, relaxing vibe, and friendly service. Highly recommend if you're craving something flavourful and satisfying.

Krish was a really helpful and friendly server when I was dining alone. Food arrived quickly and was well-seasoned and cooked perfectly. I had the roti with sweetcorn fritters and jerk cheese fries. Very nice atmosphere. Although, I would say that the lighting in the venue is very mismatched and could be improved for a better experience.

Amazing food amazing staff Naomi was very chatty brilliant customer service highly recommend 🍹

Great Caribbean food and atmosphere. Josh was a great server.

I had such a lovely meal here, the food was lovely and I felt so welcome as soon as I walked in and put at ease visiting a new restaurant. Particularly a young waitress called Naomi was very attentive, and catered to my every night. She talked me through different options and what she thought would be better for me as sometimes I am a bit hesitant with trying new things and I loved it!!! Thank you Naomi will definitely be returning soon!!! Xxx