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Windsor Castle

Type:Castle / Fort

Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1NJ

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 13436 reviews13436 reviews

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Windsor Castle's Round Tower. Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2024. Photographer Peter Packer.

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About

No trip to Windsor could be complete without a visit to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has been the home of 40 monarchs and is one of the official residences of His Majesty The King.

Windsor Castle is open to visitors throughout the year, five days a week, from Thursday to Monday. We recommend allowing 2.5 to 3 hours to see everything.

Tickets for Royal Borough Advantage Card holders are available on the day (subject to availability) or can be prebooked by telephone only (transaction fee payable). Visit Windsor Castle's Practical Information page to find out more.

What to see and do at Windsor Castle (all included in your ticket price)

Visit the magnificent State Apartments to see ceremonial rooms that are used today by the Royal Family for official visits by Heads of State from other countries, investitures, and awards ceremonies, where people from all walks of life are recognised for their achievements. Explore historic rooms, built for Charles II and his Queen, Catherine of Braganza, and view some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Van Dyck and Rubens, fine French furniture, delicate tapestries and impressive armours.

During the winter months, enter the Semi-State Rooms, the richly decorated private apartments. Severely damaged by the fire of 1992, they were completely restored to their 19th-century appearance using the original designs supplied to George IV.  Blending classical, gothic and rococo styles, they also contain some of the best 18th-century English and French works of art.

Celebrate 100 years of Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the largest and most famous dolls' house in the world! Completed in 1924, it's a perfect replica of an Edwardian residence, complete with electricity, working lifts and running water. Its scaled-down rooms range from a fully stocked wine cellar and ‘below-stairs’ spaces to grand entertaining salons, and feature contributions from over 1,500 of the finest artists, craftspeople, and manufacturers of the day. The house went on display at Windsor Castle in 1925 and has been delighting visitors ever since.  Read our blog here.

Take in the splendour of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, the burial place of 11 monarchs including Queen Elizabeth II, Henry VIII and Charles I and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England.

St George’s Chapel is included as part of a ticketed visit to Windsor Castle. Please note, the chapel is closed to general visitors on Sundays but worshippers are welcome to attend services.

Watch Changing the Guard!  Weather permitting, the ceremony begins at 11am and lasts approximately 30 minutes. Please check the Royal Collection Trust website for latest information. There is a link to the British Army website from here too with confirmation of the full schedule.

Have a break in the Undercroft Café. Located in one of the oldest surviving spaces of the Castle, Edward III’s medieval Undercroft, which for centuries served as the Castle’s main wine cellar, is now a café open to visitors. Visit the Royal Collection Trust website to see the menu.

Family activities at Windsor Castle

Collect your handset and follow Scorch the dragon on a special tour of Windsor Castle, full of amazing stories. Try spotting mystery objects and other games as you go round.

Discover the Castle and its 1,000-year history with one of the free trails for children aged 5-11. Look out for battlements, towers, arrow loops and murder holes!

During local school holidays, join free activities for children and families including crafts, storytelling and ‘make and takes’.

If you’re looking for a quieter space, toddlers can take time in the Chill Out Zone, with toys, books and lots of bean bags. The Learning Centre is breastfeeding friendly, and has a designated family bathroom with changing table and a handy ‘caught short’ box.

Top Tips for visiting Windsor Castle

  • Book your tickets in advance, to avoid any disappointment.
  • Get your ticket converted into a one-year pass so you can visit again within 12 months. Speak to a member of staff on the day. Please note that only tickets booked on the Royal Collection Trust website can be converted into a one-year pass.
  • Check which flag is flying from Windsor Castle’s round tower – if it’s the Royal Standard then The King is in residence when you’re visiting.
  • Make sure to collect a multimedia guide to get the most out of your visit to Windsor Castle – it's available in many different languages.
  • Look out for special tours throughout the year including the Great Kitchen and Conquer the Tower tours (these must be booked in advance).

Book Tickets

Guide Prices

Ticket TypeTicket Tariff
1. Adult (in advance)£30.00 per ticket
2. Adult (on the day, subject to availability)£33.00 per ticket
3. Young Person 18-24 (in advance)£19.50 per ticket
4. Young Person 18-24 (on the day, subject to availability)£21.50 per ticket
5. Child 5-17 / Disabled (in advance)£15.00 per ticket
6. Child 5-17 / Disabled (on the day, subject to availability)£16.50 per ticket
7. Under 5Free
8. Access companion (must be booked with a disabled ticket)Free

Groups: Groups of 15 or more receive a 10% discount on ticket prices shown above.

Events

Saturday, 16th November 2024 - Sunday, 5th January 2025

Garter Tower Christmas Illuminations copyright Gill HeppellWindsor Castle Garter Tower Christmas IlluminationsStanding over 50ft tall, Garter Tower is illuminated with stunning images of St George’s Chapel’s stained glass windows, architectural details and motifs, dating back to the 15th century, as well as images created by local schoolchildren.
more info

Thursday, 21st November 2024 - Monday, 6th January 2025

Windsor Castle Christmas tree in St George’s Hall. © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection TrustChristmas at Windsor CastleStep into Christmas and 1,000 years of royal history at Windsor Castle. This festive period, see the State Apartments decorated with magnificent Christmas displays.
more info

Sunday, 22nd December 2024 - Sunday, 5th January 2025

Young child at Windsor Castle. Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023Festive Family Fun at Windsor CastleStep into the shoes of a Victorian child this Christmas as you enjoy the beautifully decorated Castle.
more info

Join in and share your images

Share your images on Instagram and your images could appear in our gallery like the images below!

Facilities

Accessibility

  • Accessible Lift - gives access to State Apartments and Semi-State Rooms.
  • All Areas Accessible to Disabled Visitors
  • Facilities for Hearing Impaired Visitors - Induction loop on audio tour.
  • Facilities for Visually Impaired Visitors
  • Facility for service dogs - water available on request
  • Guide Dogs Permitted
  • Ramp/Level Access
  • Toilets for Disabled Visitors
  • Wheelchair user accessible

Audio Commentary in Foreign Languages

  • French audio guide
  • German audio guide
  • Italian audio guide
  • Japanese audio guide
  • Mandarin audio guide
  • Portuguese audio guide - Brazilian Portuguese
  • Russian audio guide
  • Spanish audio guide

Catering

  • Cafe
  • On-Site cafe/restaurant - Undercroft Café serving freshly prepared meals, including sandwiches, wraps, salads and sweet treats and an exclusive selection of teas
  • Refreshments Available
  • Vegetarians catered for

Children & Infants

  • Family Friendly, Children Welcome

Establishment Features

  • Audio Commentary in Foreign Languages
  • Gift shop - Step into the Windsor Castle shops and experience a world of exclusive gifts and royal souvenirs, including commemorative chinaware, glittering jewellery, sumptuous homeware, delicious food and drink and charming gifts for children.
  • Printed Material in Foreign Languages
  • Toilets

Parking & Transport

  • Green Transport - Green Line from London. Buses and coaches from Slough, Staines, Heathrow and Bracknell.
  • Parking (charge) - No car parking on site but follow the signs for LONG STAY PARKING in Windsor town centre; these car parks are better value if you are visiting the castle.

Payment Methods

  • American Express accepted
  • Approx length of visit - A typical visit lasts between 2 and 3 hours.
  • Blue Badge Guides admitted free
  • Delta accepted
  • Groups Accepted - Only Blue Bage Guides accredited to Windsor Castle are permitted to guide within the precincts of the Castle.
  • Maestro Accepted
  • MasterCard accepted
  • Max group size - 9999
  • Min group size - 15
  • Special group rates - Reduced admission charges apply to groups of 15 or more visitors
  • Sterling Travellers Cheques accepted
  • Visa accepted

Printed Material in Foreign Languages

  • French printed material
  • German printed material
  • Italian printed material
  • Japanese printed material
  • Mandarin printed material
  • Portuguese printed material - Brazilian Portuguese
  • Russian printed material
  • Spanish printed material

Provider Preferences

  • In town/city centre
  • No Smoking Attraction

Specialist Features

  • Family Fun - In addition to trails and a children's audio guide we now offer an exciting family programme every Saturday throughout the year, linked to the amazing history of Windsor Castle, the magnificent art works on display and the royal residents past and present who have lived here.

Tours and Demonstrations

  • Educational Visits Accepted
  • Guided Tours Available for Groups
  • Guided Tours Available for Individuals

Travel & Trade

  • Group discounts available

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating:

4.5 of 5 stars
    • Excellent
      10095
    • Very Good
      3229
    • Average
      691
    • Poor
      213
    • Terrible
      147

    Recent Reviews:

    • Departure37332435933
      EDUCATIONAL VISIT WITH HEK Home Ed Kids
      5 of 5 stars
      Saturday, 19th October 2024
      FANTASTIC DAYS WITH HEK Home Ed Kids AT THE CASTLE !!! Super day, very educational. Very well organised by the HEK staff and the Castle Education staff. Kids really loved the day. The staff at... Read full review
    • Lynn A
      Educational visit and Workshops with HEK - Home Ed Kids
      5 of 5 stars
      Saturday, 19th October 2024
      We visited Windsor Castle with HEK - Home Ed Kids. It was an excellent day from start to finish. The staff at the Education Centre were fantastic from the minute we arrived, the whole day was... Read full review
    • Jim G
      Saint Louis, Missouri
      Very Enjoyable Visit
      5 of 5 stars
      Thursday, 24th October 2024
      We greatly enjoyed our visit to Windsor Castle. We toured St. George’s Chapel, the State Apartments and Queen Mary’s Dols’ House. The Chapel is inspiring and the Sate Apartments spectacular. The... Read full review

    Map & Directions

    Awards

    • Regional and Miscellaneous -WTTC Safe Travels WTTC Safe Travels 2021

    Opening Times

    Open New Year
    Open November to February (1 Nov 2024 - 28 Feb 2025)
    DayTimes
    Monday10:00 - 16:15
    Tuesday - WednesdayClosed
    Thursday - Sunday10:00 - 16:15
    Open March to October (1 Mar 2025 - 31 Oct 2025)
    DayTimes
    Monday10:00 - 17:15
    Tuesday - WednesdayClosed
    Thursday - Sunday10:00 - 17:15

    * Last admission 75 minutes before closing. Please check the 'provisional closure' dates listed on the Royal Collection website: rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle

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