Windsor Castle and Beyond: A Complete Travel Guide to Windsor

In episode 99 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, hosts Tracy and Doug delve into the fascinating world of Windsor. 

This highly requested episode covers everything from the rich history of Windsor Castle to the abundance of activities and attractions that the town has to offer. 

Join us as we explore the ease of getting to Windsor from London, discover the best times to visit the castle, and learn about additional experiences such as boat trips on the Thames and visits to the Crooked House of Windsor. 

Tracy shares her insightful tips and recommendations, ensuring that your visit to Windsor is nothing short of a royal experience. 

So, grab your earbuds and prepare to embark on a virtual journey to this iconic UK destination.

📝  Show Notes - Episode 99

Listen to these episodes next:

• Episode #97 - Easy Day Trips from London (Part 2)
• Episode #92 - Visiting Portsmouth
• Episode #96 - Easy day trips by train from London (Part 1)

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Welcome to the UK Travel Planning Podcast. Your host is the founder of the UK Travel Planning website, tracey Collins. In this podcast, tracey shares destination guides, travel tips and itinerary ideas, as well as interviews with a variety of guests who share their knowledge and experience of UK travel to help you plan your perfect UK vacation. Join us as we explore the UK from cosmopolitan cities to quaint villages, from historic castles to beautiful islands, and from the picturesque countryside to seaside towns.

Speaker 2: 0:40

Hi and welcome to episode 99 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast. So this week Doug and I are here to chat about all things Windsor. This is because we've been requested to do this podcast episode in our UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group and our UK Train Travel Tips Facebook group. So if you're not in the group, do pop over and join, because it's a great way to request podcast episodes. Anyway, one thing we want to do is to kind of chat all about Windsor, because we know it's a very, very popular day trip from London. So we didn't include it in episodes 96 and 97, where we talked about the 10 easiest day trips from London by train, mainly because we're going to do this whole dedicated episode.

Speaker 2: 1:22

So we know Windsor is one of those most popular places that people want to visit and the history of Windsor Castle dates back more than a thousand years. There's over 10 centuries worth of history there and it's also the oldest working kitchen in the UK. Would you believe it? It is huge. In fact it's the largest lived in castle in the world. The castle is so large that it has 300 fireplaces and almost 400 clocks. Amazing, it's housed 40 British monarchs, so King Charles III is the latest resident following the passing of his mother, queen Elizabeth II, who is actually buried at Windsor. She was laid to rest in September 2022 in St George's Chapel, which is a royal church, which can be found in the castle grounds, which is a royal church, which can be found in the castle grounds.

Speaker 2: 2:08

The castle's driveway is very long indeed, and you probably saw that if you watched the funeral of the late queen, and it's known as the long walk. It's a basically tree-lined four and a half kilometer avenue, and it was created by the first King Charles, so it's such a popular and historic place to visit. Just remember, though, it is a working royal castle, so Windsor is sometimes closed to the public, so it's a bit of a pain. It might be an inconvenience to visitors, but it also shows what a key role the castle plays in the life of the British monarchy, so I will talk later about some of the tips and things to consider about visiting Windsor. So I'll talk about Windsor Castle, and I'll focus also on some of the other things that there are to do and see in Windsor, but Doug's going to start off by basically telling you how to get from London to Windsor itself.

Speaker 3: 2:55

Yeah, no problem. So you've basically got a choice of two of London's principal railway stations. You've got London Waterloo, which will take you direct to Windsor and eaton riverside station takes about 53 minutes for the fastest journey and that's with southwest railways. Or you can come from london paddington to the central station with one train change there at slough and that takes between 28 and 30 minutes so really not too far to get to, which is why we recommend that you can easily do windsor on a day trip by train.

Speaker 2: 3:27

So do I need to pre-book tickets for that, doug?

Speaker 3: 3:30

I wouldn't. You don't need to pre-book with those you book on the day. I think it's between £12 and £15 per adult per journey. Just remember, though, you can't use your London Oyster card to get out to Windsor.

Speaker 2: 3:42

Yes, that's important to know. You will need to buy a ticket because Oyster cards are not valid on that route as far out as Windsor and I know the last time I was there, when I'd taken the train out, people were getting stopped. A lot of people hadn't realised and there was lots of big signs up saying you can't use your Oyster card to get out here. So that's really important if you're going to go out to Windsor, that you do buy yourself a ticket, a return ticket to Windsor Also, just to mention that you can't use contactless either. So no Easter card and no contactless if you're going from London to Windsor, because they're outside of the London travel zones.

Speaker 3: 4:15

That's right. Yes, Don't be caught on the day.

Speaker 2: 4:18

I'll just also mention it's a short walk from either of the train stations Windsor-Eton-Riverside or Windsor Eaton Central to get to the castle 10 minutes and it's mainly flat, apart from when you've got to walk kind of the uphill bit to actually get into Windsor Castle itself. So it's an easy stroll from either of those two train stations. So that's only one way to get out there. You can take a tour out there and I have got a list of the different tours that we recommend. So you can take a private tour out to Windsor if you want to do that and incorporate it into some other visits, say perhaps Stonehenge. But honestly there's enough to do in Windsor for an entire day. Or even if you just want to go for half a day and see the castle, you can do that. If you are driving, I'd recommend that just use the park and ride. It's a lot easier. Actually parking it in Windsor itself can be really tricky, can be expensive, so you're far easier using the park and ride scheme and I will put a link to that in the show notes. Okay, so let's focus on Windsor Castle, because I know that is really the most popular attraction and the most popular reason that people head out to Windsor. So the main thing and the most important thing that I'm going to stress here is that you check that it is open on the day that you want to go, because often when during consults we've had times where an itinerary has been planned around a visit to Windsor Castle, but on a day when it's actually short, so then we have to rejig things around, so it's really important to check. So it is closed to the public on Tuesdays, wednesdays and public holidays. So don't Plan to go there on a Tuesday or Wednesday. If you want to go to St George's Chapel, which I highly recommend that you do, that is also closed on a Sunday. So don't plan to go to Windsor Castle Tuesday, wednesday, sunday. If you want to go to St George's Chapel.

Speaker 2: 5:57

From 1st March to 31st October, the castle opens at 10 and closes at 5.15pm. Last entry is 4pm. Between 1st November and the 28th of February, the castle is also open at 10am, but closes an hour earlier at 4.15pm. The last entry is at 3pm in the winter. So do double check that. And obviously, as I say, the castle may close at any time due to royal events, so it's important to check that.

Speaker 2: 6:24

The most popular things to see at Windsor Castle include the State Apartments, the Semi-State Rooms, queen Mary's Doll's House, which I love the Moat Room and, of course, st George's Chapel. So just to mention as well that the Semi-State Rooms at Windsor Castle are only open typically between late November and late March. Okay, so that's important, really, seriously I can't stress this enough that make sure that Windsor Castle is open on the day that you want to visit. It is very popular, really popular. There's over a million people per year visit Windsor Castle. So summer season and weekends are when you're going to see the longest queues and biggest crowds. So if that's the case, I would book for a visit, get a ticket. If you have the London Pass, you can only have entry after 1pm, but it does get very, very popular. Also worth saying is that there's a changing of the guard which takes place at about 11am on Tuesdays. Just again, the castle is not open on Tuesday. Or St George's Chapel, however, they do have a changing of God ceremony, but you can see the Changing of God on Thursdays and Saturdays and Sundays, but again, if you go on a Sunday, just remember, st George's Chapel will be closed. So if you want to go and see everything and you want to see the castle, you want to see the Changing of God and you want to go to St George's Chapel, the best days to go are Thursdays and Saturdays and then if I'm going to temper that again Thursdays, because obviously at the weekend it's going to be busier. So try and incorporate into a Thursday if you can Also give yourself plenty of time as well when you're going to visit Windsor Castle, at least two hours, because there's lots of things to explore, lots of things to see.

Speaker 2: 8:01

For example, going to see Queen Mary's Doll's House, which I highly recommend see. For example, going to see Queen Mary's Doll's House, which I highly recommend. It was built during the 1920s by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens for Queen Mary and it's just. I love Doll's Houses and it's beautiful. But you will probably have to stand in a queue, in a line to go and see it because it is very popular. But again, I would recommend that you do. It's really worth going to see.

Speaker 2: 8:23

So just talking again about the changing of the guard, so that's when the household troops hand over the watch to the next soldier, so you may have seen it at Buckingham Palace. So the thing about that and just a few insider tips about that really is that there will be a queue of people wanting to watch it. We find the best place to stand is on the slope on the hill up to the castle, because the troops will come around the corner and you get a great view and you can listen to music and get some fantastic pictures. I'll put some in the show notes. However, again, it's very, very popular, so I'd stand there a good 20 minutes before it starts. But I'm going to say the last time I went there it was just before the king's coronation and it was cancelled literally 10 minutes before. So we're all standing there waiting for it to happen so it can be cancelled at short notice. So I'm just giving you that a little bit of a warning. But if you are there and it happens, it is absolutely fantastic to see. So I do recommend waiting there and lining up to to actually witness that ceremony, because it's pomp and glory at its best.

Speaker 2: 9:23

So you've explored Windsor Castle and you're thinking right now what? So? What other things are they doing in Windsor? Because, honestly, there are actually quite a few other things that the town has to offer. Take a long walk through Windsor Great Park. As I've mentioned, it stretches for around two and a half miles. There are 500 red deer and ancient oak trees that line, that route, so definitely worth a stroll, especially in summer. Absolutely gorgeous.

Speaker 2: 9:47

If you prefer doing a bit of a hop on, hop off bus tour, there are a couple in Windsor that you can take so you can see the sights from a double decker bus. So obviously with that you can jump on and off as you like and explore each of the different stops, or you can do the entire loop, which takes around 45 minutes. So I will put a link to the different hop-on, hop-off bus tours that are available in Windsor. Another thing to do in the summer, which I did last time I was there, is actually take a boat trip on the Thames. So it's a lovely way to see more of the Windsor area and to experience the River Thames. So I would recommend doing that. It's worth doing and as well if you've been walking around a lot, it's actually quite nice to sit on a boat and just relax for a few hours and do that and then you can see some of the massive houses along the banks of the Thames. Eton College is really famous, the UK's most prestigious private school, where many prime ministers went to school and where Prince Harry and Prince William also went to school.

Speaker 2: 10:41

Another thing to do in Windsor, and one of our favourites and I've got a picture of myself, I think probably got one of Doug as well is to go and see the Crooked House of Windsor. So this building was built in 1687 in central Windsor. It was rebuilt in the 1700s but it's very, very, very crooked, she will see. So it's actually now a grade two listed structure. It's got three stories, bay windows at the front and apparently the wood used in its construction is warped as it dried out, which is why the house leans to the side. So it's been used for lots of different things Tea houses. Apparently it was an antique shop, butchers the last time I was in Windsor it was actually for sale. So I'm not sure at this moment what it is being used for, but you can still stand in front of it and take some fantastic pictures.

Speaker 2: 11:27

Other things to do in Windsor Dr Choc's chocolate making workshop that you can do if you like making chocolate, if you like fresh produce, you want to put a picnic together, I'd recommend going to the Windsor farm shop. It's on the fringe of the home park, within the actual estate. It's got a cafe, local goods meat, fruit, vegetables, baked goods, etc. So brilliant if you want to put a picnic together. If you're interested in local history, pop into the Windsor and Royal Borough Museum. The small museum is housed at Windsor's Guildhall and you can learn about the local history at this museum via the collections, exhibits and interactive displays. There are lots of other royal residences in Windsor, for example, frogmore House, which is where Prince Harry has lived, princess Eugenie has lived there, plus many other royals throughout history. If you're looking for souvenirs to purchase to take home, there are lots of little shops as well in Windsor.

Speaker 2: 12:19

Now, we have been asked about where to eat. Personally, I really like the Ivy in Windsor. It's a beautiful restaurant and the food is delicious, and if you are there, do pop and have a look in the bathrooms, because they're just gorgeous. It's a beautiful restaurant, so that's probably my favourite one that I tend to go to. Other ones to go to the Boman, which is a historic pub on the river which offers some home-cooked meals and apparently a very good Sunday roast.

Speaker 2: 12:46

If you're into burgers, there is Honest Burgers in Windsor and that's a very popular burger chain. So there's lots. Honestly, there's lots and lots of restaurants to choose from, so you're not going to find that you're going to go hungry. There's lots of cafes, there's lots of restaurants for a variety of budgets. So, as you see, there's lots to do in Windsor. It's not just the Royal Castle. Obviously, I know you're probably thinking about heading out to Windsor to go and see the castle, and absolutely go and see the castle. So whether you tour the castle, go on a boat, walk the long walk, make some chocolate, dine out in style shop till they drop, walk, make some chocolate, dine out in style shop till they drop, or even stay over for a few days, you're guaranteed to have a great time in Windsor. So I hope that this podcast has given you a taste for things that you can do and see in Windsor.

Speaker 2: 13:29

I've shared some important tips with you to consider when you're going to go out to Windsor. Give yourself at least half a day, a full day if you've got it, if it's a lovely summer's day. It's a beautiful town to wander around in, very easy to get to. Just avoid, as I say, if you can, the weekends. Make sure that you check that it's open. Again, I probably would recommend a Thursday because that's avoiding the weekend. You also will probably get to see the changing of the guard. St George's Chapel is open, so that works really well.

Speaker 2: 13:59

Oh, one tip that I will mention is that, as a working castle, you have to abide by quite clear rules, so you can't film or take pictures in areas like St George's Chapel or the state apartments, and eating and drinking is also prohibited in those parts of the castle and its grounds. There is a cafe there and there are places where you can buy ice cream, so you're not going to go hungry. You do also have to go through security checks when you enter the castle, so don't pack too much. A small day pack was fine. And one last tip actually is to look out for the flag, because if the king is currently in residence, you will see the royal standard flag will be flying. Otherwise, if you see the Union Jack, it means that he's elsewhere at the time, so he's not at home. So if you see the Royal Standard flying, the King is in residence, so that's exciting to look out for.

Speaker 2: 14:48

Anyway, all I want to say is have a fantastic visit to Windsor. If you are in a Facebook group and you visit Windsor, do put some photos in the group. We always love to see those. We have got two articles about visiting Windsor, one for visiting Windsor Castle specifically and one for things to do and see in Windsor in general, and those are on our LondonTravelPlanningcom website. So I will put links in the show notes to those two articles. So do pop over and read those if you need a bit more in-depth information. Otherwise, I guess that leaves me to say until next week, enjoy your visit to Windsor and happy UK travel planning from me.