Windsor
The castle, the Long Walk, and the shortest Thames crossing to Eton — 30 minutes east of Reading and always busy.
Windsor Castle round tower rising above the town
Why people stay in Windsor
Windsor is 30 minutes east of Reading and does not need much introduction — the castle is the oldest continuously occupied royal residence in Europe, and its silhouette over the Thames dominates everything. The town below is a mix of tourist honeypot (Peascod Street, the Royal Shopping Arcade) and genuine market town (Windsor & Eton Central Station, the Two Brewers pub on Park Street). Eton College sits across the Thames via the pedestrian bridge. At 9pm the castle sits floodlit above and the tourists have mostly gone; the pubs on Church Street and Park Street are where the actual town drinks.
Stay in Windsor for the royal-town experience with the castle on your doorstep and easy London trains. It's expensive, and the volume of visitors in high season is genuinely tiring — the castle car park queues start at 9am on summer Saturdays. Don’t stay here on a budget or if crowds bother you. What's overrated: the tourist trap restaurants on Peascod Street — chain quality at 30% premium. What's underrated: the Long Walk, 4 km of straight avenue south of the castle through Windsor Great Park to the Copper Horse statue — free, uncrowded once you’re 500m in, and stunning at sunset.
The Castle Hotel Windsor on High Street ($195-$320) is the flagship — Georgian coaching inn, direct castle views. Sir Christopher Wren Hotel on Thames Street ($180-$280) has proper riverside rooms. Macdonald Windsor on High Street ($150-$220) is opposite the castle gate. Premier Inn Windsor Town Centre on Bell View ($130-$180) is the budget option and books up months ahead. Under $130 is impossible in Windsor centre — for cheaper stays, base yourself in Slough or even Bracknell.
What to see
Hotels in Windsor
Getting around Windsor
Windsor has two stations. Windsor & Eton Central runs to Slough (6 minutes) then London Paddington (30 minutes total). Windsor & Eton Riverside runs direct to London Waterloo (55 minutes). From Reading, take the GWR to Slough then change (30 minutes total). From Heathrow, bus 703 direct to Windsor takes 45 minutes. Inside Windsor the town centre is fully walkable; Legoland needs the shuttle or a taxi.
Questions about Windsor
GWR from Reading to Slough (10 minutes) then change to the Windsor branch shuttle (6 minutes). Total 30 minutes, around $10. Buy a Reading-to-Windsor ticket that covers both legs. Trains every 15 minutes each way.
Yes — since 2022 all castle entry requires a timed ticket, and summer weekend slots sell out days ahead. Book direct at rct.uk, never through third parties. Show up at the entry time on your ticket, not earlier — you’ll be turned away.
