Published on November 1st, 2012

A Weekend in Windsor

Windsor is of course famous, first and foremost, for the connection with the Royal Family. Home to the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, Windsor also gave the Royal family a new name in 1917 (to replace a politically sensitive German surname). To this day various member of the House of Windsor enjoy staying in the magnificent and imposing Windsor Castle, which is known to be the favourite weekend home of the Queen. If you like the idea of having such noble neighbours for your own weekend break, there are several Windsor hotels, such as the Copthorne Hotel Slough-Windsor (you’ll find this at millenniumhotels.co.uk) that can offer the kind of accommodation that you might expect of an area with such prestigious pedigree, and when you are ready to venture out you’ll find that the surrounding area is a historical treasure chest.

Whilst it may be an obvious recommendation it simply cannot be ignored; Windsor Castle is a must-see. Situated in the Great Park established by William the Conqueror in the 11^th Century as a private hunting ground for his new home, Windsor Castle is a majestic display of the power of architecture to communicate both poise and power. Significant sections of the Castle are open to the public most of the year round (for a more specific list of the opening dates of different parts of the Castle, look here: http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle/plan-your-visit), although many of those staying in Windsor hotels choose to simply enjoy the well-kept beauty of the Great Park, which is free to enter.

The town of Windsor itself is full of quaint old buildings and a great selection of historical old pubs, and if you fancy a ‘fact finding’ tour of these venerable institutions, you can find a great place to start directly opposite the Castle, in the form of the Horse and Groom.

However, those who are visiting with children will be pleased to know that the area also has plenty to entertain young ones beyond architectural glimpses of the past and old world pubs. The Legoland Resort Windsor celebrates the thoroughly modern phenomenon of those endlessly versatile plastic building blocks, and features over 55 rides and interactive attractions, more than enough to occupy a full day – while some of the models in the park cannot fail to impress the whole family.

If you want to see the place that provided an education for the current British Prime Minister, David Cameron, a short walk across the bridge over the River Thames will take you to Eton College. Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI to provide a free education for poor boys, admission to the school has become a bit more competitive over the years, and is now one of the most sought after and exclusive educational establishments in the world. Eton can be explored through an hour long guided tour which requires pre-booking.

For more information about things to see and do during your weekend in Windsor, try looking here: http://www.windsor.gov.uk/things-to-do/attractions.