Windsor Castle - a fantastic half-day (to full-day) trip
Windsor Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in the world, and simply a beautiful and fun site to visit. Trains depart every 30 minutes from London Waterloo station, and you can expect to spend a half-day at the Castle and up to a full day if you want to experience the rest of the grounds and the towns of Windsor and Eton.
Getting there: Trains depart from London Waterloo station daily, and “Windsor & Eton Riverside” is the last destination. Weekday departures are typically every 30 minutes, at :28 and :58 past the hour. Additionally, you can take the train from London Paddington Station to Windsor Central station.
Costs: £14.20 for an adult, £12.70 for a student, £8.00 if you’re under 17 and free if you’re child is under 5 years old. There is also a family pass for £36.50. (If the State Apartments are closed, admission prices are dramatically less as you can only see the grounds and St. George’s Chapel.)
What to see:
* Changing of the Guard. You can experience this ceremony at 11am, though never on Sundays. In July it occurs daily, and other months on alternating days. Check the Windsor Castle website for details. This is always a fun ceremony, with much pomp and circumstance. The uniforms are magnificent, and it makes for great photos.
* The State Apartments. Though the beginning of the self-guided tour can be a bit dull, the main rooms where dignitaries are hosted are beautiful. Your family can see the impossibly large table for state dinners, the room where the Order of the Garter (the most senior of state honors) meets yearly with the Queen, and St. George’s Hall with hundreds of shields from the Order of the Garter.
* St. George’s Chapel. Currently under renovation, this is the chapel where many Kings and Queens are buried, including most recently the Queen Mother. The stalls in the choir are decorated with beautiful shields and heraldry; again, all corresponding to the Order of the Garter.
* Grounds. The grounds of Windsor Castle are beautiful. The Round Tower sits on a natural hilltop, and if you look closely you can see some odd gargoyles around it. The moat that used to surround it has now been turned into a beautiful garden that can be overlooked (though not enjoyed) by the public. The views from the rest of Windsor Castle are expansive over the countryside, making it obvious why it was built there in the first place!
The castle is surrounded by the picturesque villages of Windsor and Eton. Whilst Windsor Castle can be experienced in about half a day, you can easily spend the rest of the day shopping and enjoying the rest of the beauty of these two towns on either side of the Thames.
A good reference site for the Castle, including current prices, can be found by clicking here.
Photos from Flickr and personal collection.
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POSTED IN: Great Walks, History & Information, Must-See Sights, Photos, Tours - Guided or Self-Guided
