history comes alive in windsor castle
A weekend in historic city of Windsor, which is still the home of current Royal Family – and one of the largest castles in the world – a dream come true. There is something special about this castle no matter whether you are a big royalist or not! You will be impressed by both the interior and the exterior of the area, and if you include the Long Walk, you’ll also get very fit in the process!
View of the outer walls from the main street of Windsor
The whole town of Windsor is very idyllic and pretty and you can just feel the history around it, the cultivated Eton on the other side of the river, the Runnymede site of signing Magna Carta, so many reasons… The town and the 11th-century castle are literally joined together – the outer walls of Windsor Castle line the main street, so it really has a dominant position and gives the town its unique feel, which is enhanced by other pretty old buildings, churches and the shopping arcade built in the train station.
The architecture is very impressive and one can tell it has developed over centuries from nooks and crannies and simply by spotting different styles
Where the old meets new. The restoration is ongoing and considering the sheer size of the estate it is in amazing condition (the castle even accommodates a staff of nearly 500 people)
One can easily spend few hours enjoying the castle and its grounds, especially if one takes one of those free audio guides and stops to listen all the fun details about each room and their history! The St. George’s Chapel is also a must-visit stop within the grounds as it is the home of the Garter and of course the famous buy Choir of St George’s Chapel.
The immaculate courtyard, which is not accessible by the public as it contains the private quarters of the Royal family
The Queen also has some beautifully landscaped garden areas between the Middle Ward and the Upper Ward around the Motte
Despite the long queues to enter the castle (I recommend booking a ticket in advance like we did as that guarantees you access and cuts the queueing time to minimum) there area is so vast that it doesn’t feel crowded at all, except maybe inside in the State Apartments and the Doll House
The eye rests in the details – even the lamp posts have delicate crowns on them!
St. George’s Chapel inside the castle area – so beautiful and full of amazing details and history
St. George’s chapel
If you arrive in WIndsor by car you’d likely drive across the Long Walk – which literally fulfills its name, being 5km long from the Castle to the Copper Horse on Snow Hill (but being a straight line it doesn’t quite look that long). This walk connect the Castle with the greater estate and the Home Park, including a deer park (and also connects to Windsor Great Park, totalling 4800 acres of parkland).
My recommendation of Windsor Castle: Excellent – a must visit place where history comes alive. “The cost £17.75 is reasonable considering that this is a well-maintained, active Royal Palace with amazing collections on displays. COmbined with a stay in the town is a lovely and unforgettable experience”.