My Sunday Photo

Visiting Santa at Colchester Castle

One place that is on our must-visit list is Colchester Castle. We have walked past it many times but have never found the time to visit. I spotted that this year there was going to be a grotto there. I knew that I had to book a visit with Santa at Colchester Castle.

Visiting Santa at Colchester Castle

To book your visit you have to call Colchester Castle directly. It costs £5 per child to visit Santa’s Grotto and your child will receive a gift. What is really good, and is something that we need. They give you a time slot to visit Santa. For us, this reduces any queuing time and takes this stress away for Ethan.

When I called to book our time to meet Santa we discussed all of Ethan’s needs. They booked him in for a time after Santa had been for a rest hoping to reduce Ethan’s wait time and the number of people there.

colchester castle
colchester castle flag

Having never been inside the Castle we didn’t know what to expect or where the grotto would be. The description given was the castle’s ancient Lucas Vaults would transform into a magical grotto. I had visions of it being in a basement area but it was off to the side of the main museum.

colchester castle entrance

What We Loved About Our Visit To See Santa

  • The grotto is so pretty. It is decorated really well and Little E was mesmerised by the dancing snowflakes on the wall.
  • Santa was really good with Ethan and didn’t mind when he started to rush about and look around the grotto.
  • You can take photos and videos inside the grotto. There isn’t a professional photo opportunity but that means there is no pressure for any extra added cost.
  • The cost. For £5 the children had a lovely visit with Santa. We weren’t rushed and we felt that we could take as much time as we needed.
  • There are different price packages available so if you want to combine your visit with an entrance to Colchester Castle museum you can.

Would We Visit Santa at Colchester Castle Again?

Yes, we would. I think this Santa’s Grotto is perfect for a child’s first visit and it is conveniently positioned in town. It reminded me of visiting grottos in our childhoods when we didn’t have the Christmas events you have now.

santas ethan little e

Are you thinking of visiting Colchester by bus? Our post Visiting The Tendring Coast By Bus lists the available ticket options.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

error: Content is protected !!