Windsor is a town on the River Thames in southeast England, just west of London. It’s home to Windsor Castle, a residence of the British Royal Family. Built by William The Conqueror in the 11th century, the castle was extensively remodeled by subsequent monarchs.
If you head to Windsor via train, you will most likely disembark at Windsor & Eton Riverside, a tiny station that feels surprisingly simple considering the town’s royal reputation. But don’t worry – Windsor does have an annoyingly grand station to gawk at, and you’ll find it connected to the other train station – Windsor & Eton Central (which only goes to Slough these days, AKA the ‘Scranton’ of the UK version of the Office, but I digress). Attached to Windsor & Eton Central is Windsor Royal Station, which is now a gorgeous shopping centre. This original railway station was built in the 1850s and is a Grade II listed building for its stunning Victorian architecture. It’s also full of modern shops, cafés and fancy restaurants, with a cute steam locomotive fittingly known as ‘The Queen’ on display in the middle of the covered arcade.
Head up Thames Street
If you’re walking up to Windsor Castle from the Windsor & Eton Riverside station, then you will most likely head up Thames Street, a curved street that’s lined with restaurants, shops and pubs on one side and the castle walls on the other.
Feel Like a Princess at Windsor Castle
Easily the most important and popular of Windsor attractions is Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, which used to be one of Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite main residences. This means that members of the British royal family are actually living here when you visit, as many parts of the castle are open to the public. Originally constructed by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, Windsor is a beautiful castle surrounded by stunning gardens, so it’s easy to see why the former Queen loved it so much. That and 300+ fireplaces, 400+ clocks, and what is supposedly the country’s oldest kitchen… but we won’t bore you with the details. One of the best and most popular things to see here is the Changing of the Guard ceremony (similar to the one held at Buckingham Palace but on a smaller scale), although you should make sure you also don’t miss the gorgeous display of Queen Mary’s Doll’s House inside as well!
Enjoy Windsor Great Park
There are a number of lovely things to do in Windsor if you enjoy the great outdoors, especially within the grounds of Windsor Great Park.
This 5,000-acre Royal Park used to be the private hunting grounds for Windsor Castle but is now mostly free for the public to enjoy. There’s an enclosed deer park where semi-wild red deer can roam without being hunted and there are lots of beautiful areas for walking or picnicking when the weather is nice. The Savill Garden is the only section of the park where there’s an entrance fee, but it is very lovely and only costs £7.95 if you book your tickets online.
Walk the Long Walk
Another attraction located within Windsor Great Park is the Long Walk, a very aptly named straight road that stretches 4.3 km (3 miles) between Windsor Castle and a copper horse statue on Snow Hill. Since the Long Walk is so straight, you can enjoy pretty incredible views of Windsor Castle from the tree-lined avenue, and going for a walk here is one of the best free things to do in Windsor. If you go all the way to Snow Hill then you can see the copper horse statue of King George III and stunning views – even to London on a clear day!
Then Walk on Britain’s Shortest Street
For a much shorter walk, you can also find the shortest street in Britain in Windsor: Queen Charlotte Street!
This street is less than 52 feet long and lined with ancient cobblestones, plus it’s just down the road from Windsor Castle… so it’d be rude to not at least stop by.
Take the train from Windsor and Eton Riverside Station OR from Windsor and Eton Central for easy access to central London.