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Windsor Castle

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mannyb
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4 out of 5
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Windsor Castle

  • November 20, 2008
  • Rated 3 of 5 by chaoticmum from Coon Rapids, Minnesota
Awesome place to visit. Lots of history here. It's a beautiful castle and there is a lot of good info about it for tourists. There's lots to see with the castle grounds, so plan to spend about half a day.

From journal 2000 Europe Trip: London, England

Editor Pick

Windsor Castle

  • October 9, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by barbara from Atlanta, Georgia
Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is the largest castle still in operation in the world. The Queen of England lives here most weekends, and I understand that she prefers this to Buckingham Palace in London proper, which she considers to function more as an office than a home.

One English friend said, "You want to see a castle? Go to Windsor. That's a castle."

On that advice, we paid the £14.20 per adult ticket and the £8 per child ticket to tour the place. If you live in England, make sure you get your ticket stamped to allow you entry into the castle for a full year. Different parts of the castle open in different seasons. For instance, the Semi-State Rooms were closed in the summer 2007 but are re-opened in the autumn.

So what is the castle like inside? This is certainly a large complex. The architecture reminds me strongly of the Tower of London, which makes sense as the buildings were originally constructed around the same time. Windsor has expanded over the years, but architects have been faithful to the original design.

An audio wand tour that comes with your ticket talks about the history of the castle. In the summer season, you can also join a free guide at certain times of the day. I like live tours, so this is what we did. Our live guide was an Italian, but she obviously loved England. She ushered our group quickly around the outer grounds, pointing out when different buildings had been erected. Apparently Windsor was built with defense in mind. However, it hasn't had to withstand attack often. The most significant sieges were during the reign of John of Magna Carta fame. Later, Elizabeth I spent a good deal of time here because she felt safe within the thick walls.

After the live tour, we stood in line to go into the State Apartments and to see Queen Victoria's dollhouse. A girl at heart, I loved looking at the masterfully crafted miniatures and the small doll outfits on display that were gifts to the current queen and her sister when they were still children.

My husband liked the Great Hall the best. The heraldic shields of many knights are on the ceiling. You'll see some of the shields are "empty." These belonged to knights who brought shame on their families and lost favor with the monarch.

The one thing that I have to go BACK to visit is St. George's Chapel where Henry VIII is buried. Keep in mind, due to religious services, it's closed on Sundays.

How do you get to the castle? Windsor is not difficult to reach by train from London, and the train station is within easy walking distance of the castle. If you are driving a car, you'll see exit signs on the M4. There are a couple of different pay-lots near the castle that you may use.

Castle hours: Opens 9:45am daily with last admission at 4pm.

From journal Lads in London

Editor Pick

Windsor Castle

  • April 16, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by The Breeze from Mayfield, Ohio
Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is only 20 miles outside of London, not far from Heathrow Airport. It can be reached by train, bus, or car, or you could join a tour. As the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the primary residence of the current queen, it is definitely worth a visit.

The castle is very visitor friendly; there is a good historical overview in the first building you enter. You may purchase an official souvenir guidebook or rent an audio guide at the start of your visit for a self-guided tour. In addition, there are 30-minute guided tours available for free.

Things to see in the castle include the lavish staterooms, the gallery featuring the royal art collection, and Queen Mary’s Dollhouse (which I didn’t see). Downhill from the castle is St. George’s Chapel and the Albert Memorial Chapel. We got to see the changing of the guard as well. Outside the castle walls, the city of Windsor abounds in shops and restaurants, etc., which visitor might enjoy.

From journal London Side-trips

Windsor Castle

  • January 21, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by bebe4God44 from Baltimore, Maryland
We went to the queen's castle! It's huge, beautiful, and fun! Did I mention that it's historical? Going to Windsor is definitely worth at least one day! It's awesome to tour the castle during the morning and afternoon. The sights inside and outside the castle are magnificent! Then, if you want to leave to tour outside the castle around Windsor, you can just get a wristband to ensure you can get back into the castle if you want, then travel around Windsor for the day! Take a carriage ride, shop, eat, and just have fun. Oh yeah, and while you're at it, don't forget to get a Starbucks coffee, head over to the river of whales, and take a load off. The geese are gorgeous just sitting on the river, just like a fairytale!! Then, if you want, head back to the castle to see it again, your wristband getting you in for free! A totally fun day!!!

From journal Windsor Castle

Editor Pick

Windsor Castle

  • August 2, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Laalasa from Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
Windsor Castle

Windsor also has a changing of the guard – but that happens inside the castle walls. People line up on the streets outside to see the brightly dressed soldiers marching through at around 10am. If you are there at the time, get your ticket before you stand to watch, or better yet, get your tickets and go inside to see the changing. Once the soldiers march past, there is a mad rush to Q-up for the tickets. Here there are no guided tours but instead clearly marked paths to wander around. Sections of the palace are not open to the public.

There are various staterooms, and the exhibits in them are staggering – armor, weapons, and clothing from all over the world made of gold and silver and studded with precious stones. The state apartments and doll house are other tourist attractions, as well as the St. George's Chapel, with its amazing stained-glass windows.

Once outside the castle, have lunch in one of the restaurants on the picturesque Thames. After lunch, walk across the bridge for a stroll in the village of Eton. There, even on holidays, you will see high school kids in uniform - pin-striped trousers with a black tailcoat and waistcoat.

From journal It's the tower bridge, all you tourists!

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