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What's inside Windsor Castle? Your complete visit guide (2026)

May 28, 2026

4 min Read

By Samridhi Puri

Quick facts about Windsor Castle

Detail	Info
Location	Windsor, Berkshire, England (SL4 1NJ)
Nearest airport	London Heathrow (LHR), approx. 12 miles
Train from London	London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside or London Paddington to Windsor Central
Currency	British Pounds Sterling (GBP)
Language	English
Best time to visit	March to May or September to October (fewer crowds, mild weather)
Closed days	Tuesdays and Wednesdays (Wednesdays only in July and August). Always verify your visit date at rct.uk

Windsor Castle has been continuously occupied by the British Royal Family for over 900 years. That is longer than any other royal residence in the world. And yet, on most days, you can simply buy a ticket, walk through the entrance gates on Castle Hill, and see the inside of the oldest and largest occupied castle on earth. Not many places let you do that.

If you are also planning a wider London trip, the London Tourist Pass covers 40+ attractions at significant savings… worth sorting before you arrive.

Whether you are planning a Windsor Castle visit from London, trying to figure out Windsor Castle tickets in advance, or just wondering what you will actually find inside those famous stone walls, this guide covers it all. From State Apartments and St George's Chapel to the changing of the Guard and how to get there cheaply, here is everything you need to know.

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What is Windsor Castle, and why does it matter?

Windsor Castle is the official residence of the British monarch in Windsor, Berkshire, about 25 miles west of central London. It sits on a chalk hill above the River Thames and covers roughly 13 acres. It functions as a working royal palace, not a preserved heritage site. King Charles III uses it as a weekend residence, and it hosts official royal engagements, investitures, and state occasions throughout the year.

The castle was originally built by William the Conqueror in the 1070s as a wooden fortress. Over the following nine centuries, successive monarchs expanded, rebuilt, and redesigned it. What you see today is largely the result of George IV's lavish renovations in the 1820s, which gave Windsor its distinctive round towers and the grand silhouette you see in every Windsor Castle image.

Queen Elizabeth II spent a great deal of time here and, following her death at Balmoral Castle in September 2022, the committal service was held at St George's Chapel after the state funeral at Westminster Abbey, where she was interred.

Alike tip: Windsor Castle sits on the North Terrace, if you arrive from the Long Walk side (the great avenue stretching south from the castle), you get the full front-on view that most visitors only see in photos. The Long Walk entrance is free and a great way to see the scale of the grounds without spending anything.

What's inside Windsor Castle: a room-by-room look

This is what most people search for before visiting, and the honest answer is that Windsor Castle inside is considerably more impressive than most expect. The visitor route changes depending on the time of year (royal use affects what is open), but the core areas available to the public include:

1. The State Apartments

These are the grandest rooms in the castle and the highlight of most visits. Decorated with works from the Royal Collection, one of the largest art collections in the world, the State Apartments include paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, and Canaletto. The Grand Reception Room, the Waterloo Chamber (built to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon), and the King's Drawing Room are among the most visually extraordinary interiors in Britain. The rooms are furnished as they would be for a state occasion, not stripped back like a heritage site.

2. St George's Chapel

Built between 1475 and 1528, St George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England. It is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in the world, and the burial site of ten monarchs, including Henry VIII, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II. Entry to the chapel is included in the standard Windsor Castle entry ticket. It is closed to visitors on Sundays (it holds regular church services) and during some ceremonial events, worth checking before you visit.

3. Queen Mary's Dolls' House

This is one of the most extraordinary objects at Windsor and one that most visitors underestimate. Built between 1921 and 1924 to a scale of 1:12, the doll's house was designed by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and gifted to Queen Mary. It contains fully functioning miniature plumbing and electricity, working lifts, a cellar stocked with real wine, and a library with tiny original manuscripts by Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, and others. It is remarkable.

4. The Semi-State Rooms (seasonal)

These rooms, including the Green Drawing Room, the Crimson Drawing Room, and the State Bedchamber, are open to visitors in the winter months (typically October to March) when the Royal Family uses Windsor less frequently. They are even more heavily decorated than the State Apartments and are worth timing your visit around if you can.

Note: The Semi-State Rooms are currently closed for the season and are due to reopen in autumn 2026. Check rct.uk for the latest access schedule before booking.

5. Windsor Great Park and the grounds

The castle sits at the northern edge of Windsor Great Park, a 5,000-acre royal park that stretches south towards Ascot. The Long Walk, a three-mile tree-lined avenue, connects the castle to the Copper Horse statue of George III at Snow Hill. Entry to the park itself is free.

Alike tip: The State Apartments close when the King is in official residence at Windsor, usually around Easter week and parts of June (during the Order of the Garter ceremony). If the State Apartments are closed, the standard admission still covers St George's Chapel, the Precinct, and the Drawings Gallery.

Windsor Castle tickets: how to book and what to know

Windsor Castle is open to the public on most days of the year, though opening hours and which areas are accessible vary by season and royal calendar. Booking online in advance is strongly recommended, particularly for peak summer months and school holidays when queues at the Windsor Castle entrance can stretch significantly.

Children under 5 are admitted free. There is no free entry day at Windsor Castle for general visitors, though St George's Chapel is closed to visitors on Sunday mornings due to church services, as it is used for worship.

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Note: Windsor Castle is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for most of the year. The entire castle is also closed on selected dates for royal functions, check the Royal Collection Trust website at rct.uk before booking.

Getting to Windsor Castle from London: your best options

Windsor Castle from London is one of the most popular day trips in the country, and the good news is that it is easy to reach. The town of Windsor is about 25 miles west of central London, and there are two direct train routes:

Route	Journey time	Changes	Notes
London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside	~55 minutes	No change, direct	Short walk to castle from station
London Paddington to Windsor Central	~35 minutes	Change at Slough	Windsor Central is 2 min from castle gates
Coach (National Express / Green Line)	~75 minutes	Direct	Budget option, drops near the town centre
Car / Drive	~45 minutes (off-peak)	N/A	See the parking section below

Both Windsor stations are within easy walking distance of the castle. From Windsor & Eton Riverside, you can see the Round Tower from the platform. Windsor Central is a two-minute walk from the castle gates.

Windsor Castle parking: what to expect

There is no dedicated Windsor Castle parking on-site. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead operates several car parks in the town, with the closest being the Alexandra Gardens car park and the Windsor & Eton Riverside car park, both a short walk from the castle entrance. For current charges and availability, check The Official Windsor site.

Experienced visitors tend to park on the Slough side and take the 10-minute train rather than drive into Windsor itself, particularly on summer weekends when the town centre congestion is significant.

Alike tip: If visiting on a Changing of the Guard day (typically Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 11am, confirm the schedule at householddivision.org.uk before you go), arrive at least 45 minutes before the ceremony.. The best free viewing spots on Castle Hill and the High Street fill up quickly. You do not need a ticket to watch from outside the castle.

Best time to visit Windsor Castle

The best times to visit are spring (March to May) and early autumn (September to October). Crowds are noticeably thinner than in July and August, London weather during these months is mild and more predictable, and the State Rooms are open in the autumn period. Summer is busier, but the castle grounds and Long Walk are particularly enjoyable in good weather. Avoid Bank Holiday weekends if you want a quieter experience.

London weather is famously variable year-round; layers are advisable in any season. Rain is always possible even in July, so a light waterproof jacket is wise.

For the best exterior photographs, the Long Walk looking north toward the Round Tower gives the classic Windsor Castle silhouette that most visitors recognise. Early morning on weekdays offers the cleanest light and the fewest people in frame. The view from the Alexandra Gardens car park across the Thames also gives a less-photographed angle on the castle's south face. Note that photography is not permitted inside the State Apartments or St George's Chapel.

Guided tours at Windsor Castle: are they worth it?

Standard admission includes an audio guide (available in multiple languages), which is more useful than it first appears, given how much history is packed into each room. For those who want a deeper experience, several independent operators offer guided tours that combine Windsor Castle with other sites, typically Hampton Court Palace or London city highlights.

The best guided tours available for Windsor Castle include full-day coach tours from London that cover transport, guided commentary, and sometimes entrance tickets. These are particularly good for first-time visitors who want context without self-directing.

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Top things to do at Windsor Castle and around it

Here is a quick list of the experiences that make a Windsor Castle visit worthwhile:

Walk the State Apartments and the Grand Reception Room: allow at least 90 minutes
Visit St George's Chapel: the burial site of ten monarchs.
See Queen Mary's Dolls' House: 10 minutes well spent; it stops most visitors in their tracks
Watch the Changing of the Guard (free, outside the castle, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 11 am): confirm schedule at
Walk the Long Walk in Windsor Great Park: free, and the best way to appreciate the castle's scale
Explore Windsor town centre: the Guildhall (where Charles and Camilla married in 2005) is directly outside the castle gates
Visit Eton College across the river: a 10-minute walk from Windsor & Eton Riverside station, and free to walk around during non-term periods

Is Windsor Castle worth visiting for families, couples, and solo travellers?

Yes, and each type of traveller gets something different from it.

Families with children: Queen Mary's Dolls' House and the armour collections in the State Apartments tend to be genuine hits with young visitors. Children under 5 enter free. Allow half a day if travelling with young children.

Couples: The State Apartments, St George's Chapel, and a walk along the Long Walk at golden hour make for an unexpectedly romantic day out. The Changing of the Guard adds theatre without requiring extra planning.

Solo travellers: The audio guide is well-paced for solo visits, and the castle is extremely safe. Windsor is a compact, walkable town with excellent cafes and restaurants a short walk from the castle entrance.

Is Windsor Castle open on Sundays?

Windsor Castle is open on Sundays, but St George's Chapel is closed to tourists as it holds morning services. The State Apartments, Queen Mary's Dolls' House, and the Precinct are generally accessible. Hours can vary by season, so check the official site before visiting.

Alike tip: Arriving at opening time (10 am) on a weekday morning is consistently the quietest time inside the castle. Tour groups and school visits tend to arrive mid-morning, so the first 30 to 45 minutes after opening gives you the State Apartments at their least crowded.

How to save on your Windsor Castle visit?

Visiting five of London's top attractions individually typically costs £170 to 190 per adult; the London Tourist Pass covers all five at upto 30% off, with savings rising further as you add more experiences.

The London Tourist Pass works in two ways. The Build Your Own Pass lets you choose exactly which attractions you want, with savings that grow as you add more. Bestseller Bundles are pre-selected combinations of the most popular sights, ideal for first-time visitors who want a ready-made London plan.

For visitors building a wider London itinerary, the London Tourist Pass lets you bundle 40+ London and nearby attractions, including the Tower of London, London Eye, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE London, Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, and more at up to 30% off. The more you add, the greater the savings. Every pass currently includes a free UK eSIM as a seasonal bonus (check the pass page for current inclusions, as this offer rotates).

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Windsor is also part of the Royal Collection Trust's family of palaces, if you are visiting multiple Royal Collection sites (Buckingham Palace, Kew Palace, and others), check whether a combined ticket offers better value.

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Before you go!

Windsor Castle is one of those places that earns its reputation even before you walk through the Windsor Castle entrance. The Grand Reception Room alone contains more significant European art than many dedicated galleries. The Royal Family still holds official events here every month. And you can walk in on a Tuesday morning in October with a pre-booked ticket and see all of it.

Most visitors say they wish they had given it more time. Plan for a full morning or afternoon, bring layers, whatever the London weather forecast says, and book your Windsor Castle tickets in advance to avoid queues. For a first-time visitor to England, this is one of the best days you can spend outside London.

And if you want to build the Windsor visit into a wider London trip, Eia will do the planning for you, and you get attractions, savings, and your e-tickets all in one place.