4
Posts
1–2 days
Ideal stay
2016
Visiting since
A town better known for its castle. We went for the coronation weekend and came back for the beer — a craft scene smaller than you’d expect and better than you’d hope.
Why go
More than a castle: a riverside town with a better beer scene than it lets on
Windsor is much more than a royal photo stop — Windsor Castle, the long sweep of Windsor Great Park and the Thames give it a lovely mix of history, grand scenery and everyday English town life. It’s an easy place to spend a day wandering, having a pub lunch and imagining what it would be like to have a castle at the end of your street.
Start here
Windsor: The Town Behind the Castle
Four visits, never once inside the castle — start here, then pick a pub →
The Streets — Olesia
Walks and sights
Windsor: The Town Behind the Castle
Four visits, never once inside the castle
The Long Walk, the crowds, and a drone show over the park
The Taps — Ian
Pubs, taprooms and breweries
Windsor Taps — The Full Line-Up
All five venues, written up properly
The quick-reference version: which one, and why
Windsor through our lens
Plan your visit
The practical bits
Getting there
By train: the easiest option. There are regular trains from London, and both Windsor & Eton Central and Windsor & Eton Riverside stations are an easy walk from the centre.
By car: possible, but parking can be expensive and busy, especially at weekends. We usually park in the car park by the river, just across the railway bridge from the brewery.
When to go
Any time, really. Spring and early autumn are ideal for combining the castle (which we’ve never done!) with a walk through Windsor Great Park (which we always do — it’s so lovely). Summer is lively and good for the riverside, while a crisp winter day can make the castle feel particularly atmospheric.
Where we’d stay
For a first visit, stay in Windsor town centre so the castle, riverside, restaurants and pubs are all within walking distance. For something quieter and more spacious, look towards Eton or the edge of Windsor Great Park. What has always worked for us is either a day trip from London by train, or a stay in one of the villages around Windsor — better value, and reasonable parking when we come by car.
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