Here’s the Plan …
Essential Info
When to go: Year round. September- March for access to Windsor Castle’s Semi-State Rooms.
Getting there: Windsor is 1.6km from Junction 6 of the M4. There are two railway stations, Windsor & Eton Central and Windsor & Eton Riverside; both connect to London. Heathrow is 20km east; bus routes 71 and 77 link Windsor and Terminal 5.
Getting around: The compact centre is best explored on foot. Buses serve the wider area; an Explorer FirstDay ticket offers unlimited travel for 24 hours.
Where to stay: The Macdonald Windsor Hotel offers opulence right opposite the castle. For a more boutique option, Frances Lodge B&B is central, with ten contemporary rooms.
Where to eat: There’s an overwhelming choice of chain restaurants and independent eateries around Windsor and Eton. For elegant candle-lit dining, Gilbey’s is a cut above, while family-run Al Fassia remains one of the UK’s best Moroccan establishments.
About 8km west sits the small village of Bray, home to a superfluity of Michelin-starred marvels, including Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck and Alain Roux’s Waterside Inn.
