If you have visited London a few times and have seen a lot of the things, you might want to spend a day outside of the city. One of my favorite daytrips from London is to Windsor. Trains go from Paddington station, change at Slough to a small train that takes you to Windsor. You get a nice view of Windsor Castle, its main attraction. When you arrive at Windsor you find yourself in a small shopping mall. For most people not the main goal for a visit to Windsor. There is the Ascot race track nearby and also Legoland, if you have children. You don't need to come by car, as busses go from the Windsor Train station. The main goal however is Windsor Castle. Buildt here because it was a one day travel from London at the time. The Castle is really worth a visit. Ofcourse you don't see all, but what you get to see is a good glimpse into Royal life. Once you have been through the security check (like the ones at airports) the road to Windsor Castle lies ahead of you. If you want to you can pick up a headset for an audioguide. The gardens you see on your way to the Castle are really beautiful. The view from the hill might be a bit disappointing. It was to me. I saw beautiful things but also some ugly as factories have found their way to the area. A good start for a tour is Queen Mary's Doll House. It is huge, and it has everything. Even real, though very small books and running water.
There are also exhibitions in the Castle. On one of my visits there was an exhibition on Prince Charles, who was to turn 60 later that year. It was lovely to see a letter that he had written to his grandmother. There were lots of other things to see ofcourse, but the letter made an impression on me. The tour through the Castle is breath taken. I held my breath when I walked up the Grand Staircase. There is so much to see that you can't think of what to see first. You can also visit the spot where the fire distroyed part of the castle in 1992. They were still busy repairing the damage on my last visit. It takes a lot of time and love to repair what was damaged.
St George's Chapel is another must see when you visit the Castle. You can follow Prince Charles, who wed Camilla Parker-Bowles here a few years ago, in his footsteps. The chapel is not that big, but it was very intimate and peacefull. You can also visit the graves of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. There are people all around the castle and the chapel you can talk to or ask your questions. I had some nice discussions with the people who work there.
There is much more to do at the castle. There are some changes of guards to see. You can find all details in a brochure that you get with your entree ticket. The changing of the guards is a must see, but be there on time. There are some nice area's where you can sit and relax, when the sun is shining.
Once you have visited Windsor Castle there is no need to rush back to London. The small town of Windsor offers a lot of nice views. Eton is close, just cross the bridge in the city and you are there. You can also board one of the boats that take you on a Thames tour. In Windsor there is also a nice shopping area.
I discovered Windsor, when my favorite actor Nathaniel Parker (famous for his Inspector Lynley series) did a play at the Theatre Royal Windsor. The theatre is small, but it is a lovely place to visit a play. They offer a lot of performances, and it is worth to see a play or concert there. Ofcourse it is also possible to spend the night in Windsor, they have some lovely hotels there. I enjoyed my stays in Windsor and I think it is a great trip away from all the hustle and bustle of busy London.
