World Travel with Bob: Windsor, May 25, 2015

Before leaving London for Southampton, we spent our last day in London on a side visit to Windsor. We had planned to make this day trip earlier during our week stay in London. However, I suffered through a cold for a few days upon our London arrival and decided to save the long day trip to the end of our London visit.

The town of Windsor, located in the Berkshire county, can easily be reached from London via train - with one train change. The primary tourist draw in Windsor is - not surprisingly - Windsor Castle.

Building of the castle started in the 11th century by William the Conqueror and modifications continued thereafter.

The castle grounds cover 13 acres and visitors can walk through St. Georges Chapel, the State Apartments and Queen Mary's Dolls' House. As the Queen often stays at Windsor Castle, many areas are not open to visitors. About 500 people live and work in the castle. Foreign visitors are often entertained in Windsor Castle and ceremonial events continue to take place there. Close to 1 million visitors tour the castle and grounds each year.

The entry fee is £19.5 for adults and tickets can be purchased online or at the castle gates. If you know the date of your visit in advance, its best to order an online ticket to avoid a lengthly queue. We found it best to arrive early, tour the castle grounds and then exit to town for lunch or afternoon tea. The town of Windsor is well-suited to tourists, with many eating and shopping locations to choose from.

Eton College is a short walk from the grounds of Windsor Castle. Crossing the River Thames, we made our way through town to the college buildings. As school was in session, we were unable to see much. Hearing cannons being fired, we crossed a school parking lot and were able to watch a college rehearsal for a Battle of Waterloo reenactment.

We completed our Windsor visit around 4pm and returned to London by train. The remainder of the day was spent packing, going out to dinner and cleaning the apartment before our departure the next morning.

This is the last installment of photos from our UK trip. The remainder of the trip was spent on the Queen Mary 2, transiting across the pond.