The 7 Best Windsor Castle Tours From London šŸ° [2024 Reviews]

Constructed around 1,000 years ago, Windsor Castle understandably has quite the history (to say the least!). The oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, itā€™s been home to 39 monarchs and currently the Queen spends many weekends there.

If youā€™re going to be in London, itā€™s a historic icon that you absolutely must see ā€“ even if you arenā€™t particularly interested in the royal family.

We have the top Windsor Castle tours available, making sure you make the most of your time and money!


Have a look at our reviews of for other things to do in London: Buckingham Palace Tours, Stonehenge Day Trips, Thames River Dinner Cruises.

Best Tours Of Windsor Castle

Half-Day Trip to Windsor with Castle Tickets From LondonPrivate Windsor Town & Guided Castle Walking TourRoyal Windsor Afternoon Tour from London

Best Half-Day Tour

Best Private Tour

Best Budget Tour

editors choice
Royal Windsor Afternoon Tour from London
Departure:Earls Court Underground StationPickup availableEvan Evans Office 258 Vauxhall Bridge Road
Start:9:50 PMBetween 9:00 AM & 1:30 PM1:00 PM
Duration:4 hours3 hours7 hours
Includes:Entrance to Windsor Castle, Windsor Castle multimedia guide, transportation from London by luxury busProfessional guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, private tour, transport by private vehicleEntry to Windsor Castle, English-speaking guide, personal audio headset

Tour Information & Booking

Tour Information & Booking

Tour Information & Booking


Quick Answer: The 7 Best Rated Windsor Castle Tours For 2024

  1. Best Half-Day Tour: Half-Day Trip to Windsor with Castle Tickets From London
  2. Best Private Tour: Private Windsor Town & Guided Castle Walking Tour
  3. Best Budget Tour: Royal Windsor Afternoon Tour from London From London
  4. Best Luxury Tour: Private Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath from London
  5. Best Small Group Tour: Private Windsor Castle And Eton Tour
  6. Best Day Tour: Windsor Castle Tour from London with Lunch
  7. Best Guided Tour: Afternoon Trip London to Windsor Castle

Be sure to see our reviews of Buckingham Palace tours, Downton Abbey tours and Thames River cruises.


Windsor Castle Tour Reviews

1. Best Half-Day Tour: Half-Day Trip to Windsor with Castle Tickets From London

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 4 hours
  • Departure: Earls Court Underground Station
  • Departure Time: 9:50 AM
  • Includes: Entrance to Windsor Castle, Windsor Castle multimedia guide, round-trip transportation from London by luxury bus

This is one of the most popular tours from London, and if youā€™re in the city looking for an educational, fun tour this one is hard to beat. The From London: Half-Day Trip to Windsor with Castle Tickets packs a ton in while still making it easy to fit into a busy schedule.

If youā€™re looking to explore Windsor Castle and get some fresh air walking around the grounds, take a good look here!

There are various central London meetup points, ensuring itā€™s as convenient as possible for you. Choose the one that works best for you and head out west on a bus tour in the morning. If you have London plans in the evening, this wonā€™t conflict at all!

The bus is quite comfortable, with nice, big windows to see the beautiful city and landscape views as you head to the historic town of Windsor.

Once you and the rest of your group arrive, youā€™ll be taken through and told all about the Queenā€™s official residence. Thereā€™s no need to rush, either ā€“ they make sure you can take it at your own pace.

From the Norman Invasion and its origins to present-day relevance, youā€™ll practically be an expert on the castle! The history is obviously very interesting, but the castle and surrounding area itself is also quite beautiful!

We highly recommend heading to the left once exiting the castle to take the ā€œlong walkā€. Itā€™s a great way to also get away for a moment from the hustle-and-bustle of lively London.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


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2. Best Private Tour: Private Windsor Town & Guided Castle Walking Tour

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Departure: Pickup included
  • Departure Time: Between 9:00 AM & 1:30 PM
  • Includes: Air-conditioned vehicle, private transportation, wi-fi on board, bottled water

While our other tours are certainly smaller ones for more personalized attention, this one is even more so. This 3-hour tour comes in the form of a private car service picking you up from your hotel and taking you to the town of Windsor where you will see main sights of Windsor and of course Windsor Castle.

If that sounds like a good time to you, check out the Windsor Castle Private Tour! With just your group, you can be assured youā€™ll receive all the answers to your questions!

Considering the convenience and ability to learn so much with this model of tour, itā€™s surprising how affordable this one runs for. With such an accommodating, knowledgeable, attentive guide, it feels like a good friend is just taking you and showing you around Windsor!

As soon as you get in the vehicle, your guide will start telling you interesting facts and anecdotes about all the sites you see. Youā€™ll even learn quite a bit about Windsor and Windsor Castle before you arrive!

This is the largest and oldest continuously-occupied castle in the world, and as one of the official royal residences of the Queen, it already draws a lot of interest.

Walk around and see St. Georgeā€™s Chapel, which is over 500 years old and has been the place of many significant events throughout history.

Check out inside the castle, where the State Apartments sit and have been used to house important guests throughout these over 900 years. Not to mention, all of the beautiful furniture, tapestries, artwork, and more!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


Search For Other London Experiences You May Enjoy


3. Best Budget Tour: Royal Windsor Afternoon Tour from London

Royal Windsor Afternoon Tour from London

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 7 hours
  • Departure: Evan Evans Office 258 Vauxhall Bridge Road
  • Departure Time: 1:00 PM
  • Includes: Entry to Windsor Castle, English-speaking guide, a personal audio headset, audio guide in various languages, wi-fi

Not everyone needs or wants a tour that will fit into busier schedules. Some want to pack in as much as possible, and donā€™t mind taking longer tours to do so. If that sounds like you, check out the London: Royal Windsor Afternoon Tour from London.

This 7-hour tour is led by a professional tour guide, who is undoubtedly knowledgeable and there to ensure you have a great time. The English-speaking guide will take you through the historic Windsor so you can explore the castle, see the famous St. Georgeā€™s Chapel, and more.

Starting out as a Saxon village, itā€™s thought to have been inhabited from approximately 700 AD ā€“ as you can imagine there are quite a few stories to tell about the area.

Meet up at Evan Evans Office in London and head out to Windsor. We found the vehicles to be smooth, and the driver to be very safe and attentive.

Once you arrive to this beautiful countryside location, youā€™ll get to see the river, stroll about its cobbled streets, and explore its charming little tea rooms, shops, and more as your guide offers an intriguing commentary on its background.

After getting to know the town a bit, youā€™ll head over to the infamous Windsor Castle. Itā€™s hard to miss, and you may have even caught a glimpse of it already as it rises high above the rest of the town.

Having been the ancestral home of the royal family for almost a thousand years, there are countless stories to learn about it.

The architecture alone is quite stunning, but the interior is really going to make your jaw drop. Take a tour through the state apartments, where all kinds of significant icons throughout history have laid their heads.

On the walls hang some of the most important pieces of art by legendary artists as well, and were luckily saved during a more recent fire.

Youā€™ll then see St. Georgeā€™s Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed in 2018. However, itā€™s been around a lot longer than that: since 1528! Itā€™s also the resting place of various monarchs.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


4. Best Luxury Tour: Private Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath from London

Private Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath from London

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 12 hours
  • Departure: Various departure points (round-trip transportation offered)
  • Departure Time: 8:30 AM
  • Includes: Bottled water, professional guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, private tour, transport by private vehicle, fuel surcharge

Next up, we bring you our longest tour and one that will take you all over some of the most legendary places in the country. Youā€™ll not only get to see Windsor Castle, but many other points of interest!

The Private Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath from London tour will check a lot of boxes on your bucket list, and do so in one of the most convenient ways possible!

Start off by being picked up in a luxury, air-conditioned vehicle and head straight to Eton College, which is known as being the private school of choice for the royal family of the United Kingdom.

Commissioned over 500 years ago by King Henry VIII, itā€™s still one of the top choices for schools for some of the most powerful families on the planet.

Next, is Windsor Castle, where youā€™ll get to see the Royal Guards, inside the history of the castle, the courtyards, and even St. Georgeā€™s Chapel. Your guide will take you through all the interesting nooks and crannies, and to the most iconic parts, as well.

Now, itā€™s over to both Woodhenge and Stonehenge. Woodhenge is an ancient Neolithic wooden monument built very close to Stonehenge in approximately 2500 BC. Youā€™ll learn about why itā€™s so important, both throughout the years and present-day.

Hop on over to Stonehenge and your guide will also fill you in on the history behind this 5,000-year-old wonder, explore the visitor center, and take some photos!

After all this adventuring, youā€™re sure to have worked up an appetite. Sneak in a fantastic traditional pub lunch of fish and chips or sip on a traditional English tea.

Head on over to the beautiful, enthralling town of Bath which is filled with jaw-droppingly intricate architecture and a unique history. Thereā€™s some great shopping and dining here, and if youā€™d like you can also enter the infamous Roman Bath house!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

5. Best Small Group Tour: Private Windsor Castle And Eton Tour

Private Windsor Castle And Eton Tour

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 6 to 7 hours
  • Departure: Various pickup spots available
  • Departure Time: 9:00 AM
  • Includes: Hotel pickup and drop-off, private tour, transport by private vehicle, driver/guide, professional guide

This tour is a crowd favorite, due to the time being easy to fit into the daytime while being able to tend to London plans in the evening. The Private Windsor Castle and Eton Tour lasts anywhere from 6 to 7 hours, depending on traffic and other factors.

Offered in 10 different languages, this is a comprehensive tour that will have you avoiding the large group tours that can be harder to learn or see the interesting points with.

You and the rest of your group will be picked up in central London, in a comfortable, spacious vehicle with air conditioning. The trip is quite scenic and your guide/driver will tell you interesting stories about the route as well as Windsor so you have a good background before arriving.

Starting out in the historic center of the town, youā€™ll check out hidden passages that connect the castle to certain pubs! Youā€™ll see the famous ā€œcrooked houseā€, and even see the rear part of the castle that many visitors donā€™t get to see.

Next, youā€™ll see the more common, ā€œtouristyā€ parts of the castle though youā€™ll get to skip the long lines and just enter.

Youā€™ll be able to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony, the amazing apartments inside where many important figures have stayed, artwork by some of the most famous artists throughout history, and much more.

Youā€™ll also see St. Georgeā€™s Chapel, which has been transformed into a royal wedding venue various times, and even holds the tombs of Henry VIII, Charles I, George VI, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and many others. The architecture itself is beautiful, and an excellent example of late medieval Gothic architecture.

If youā€™d like, you can stroll across the River Thames into Eton ā€“ home of Eton College. Weā€™ve already covered quite a bit about this college, but we do recommend checking it out.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


6. Best Day Tour: Windsor Castle Tour from London with Lunch

Windsor Castle Tour from London with Lunch

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 6.5 hours
  • Departure: Victoria Coach Station, Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Rd
  • Departure Time: 7:30 AM
  • Includes: One-course pub lunch, professional guide, transport by air-conditioned coach

Exploring and learning can really take a lot out of you, and what better way to take a tour then have one with a delicious lunch included to break up the walking? The Windsor Castle Tour from London with Lunch is exactly that, and more.

Youā€™ll be able to see Windsor Castle, St. Georgeā€™s Chapel, and other points of interest in one of the most convenient ways possible.

You and the rest of your group will meet at Victoria Coach Station bright and early, at 7:30 am. The 6.5-hour tour is great, because youā€™ll be in London in time for dinner or any other plans you may have.

The air-conditioned coach is very easy to relax in, with nice, big windows that are great for checking out the countryside as you travel to the historic town of Windsor.

As you head over, your guide will tell your group all about the castle, as well as any other notable places you may encounter.

If you donā€™t already know about it, youā€™ll learn about how it plays a very important role in British history and was originally built by William the Conqueror over 900 years ago.

It is one of the Queenā€™s official residences, and she sometimes still stays here so thereā€™s always the chance sheā€™ll be ā€œin residenceā€ while you explore around. Make sure to check out St. Georgeā€™s Chapel as well, which is an incredible piece of Gothic architecture and holds the tombs of various monarchs.

Take some time to walk around the town of Windsor at your own pace. Set right next to the Thames, itā€™s absolutely beautiful, with charming little shops, pubs, and delicious food. Speaking of which, youā€™ll have lunch here at a pub with some traditional fish and chips!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


7. Best Guided Tour: Afternoon Trip London to Windsor Castle

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 4 hours
  • Departure: Various options available
  • Departure Time: 11:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM, 1:00 PM,
  • Includes: Hotel Pickup and drop-off, transport by private vehicle, audio guides, admission tickets, 2 hours of viewing time at Windsor

Are you on the search for a more compact tour? One that will pack as much in as possible but still allows you to fit it into a busy schedule? If so, the Afternoon Trip London to Windsor Castle should catch your eye!

With hotel pickup and drop-off offered, you donā€™t even have to spend time getting to a station or central pickup spot! However, itā€™s important to keep in mind that this is a self-guided tour, with groups of up to 8 passengers.

Due to this design, itā€™s one of the best in terms of flexibility and is also a very comfortable way of getting out of the city and seeing this piece of history thatā€™s still relevant today.

Do you ever feel rushed by tour guides? Now you wonā€™t have to, as you can truly check out Windsor Castle at your own pace.

The audio guide is available in multiple languages and takes you through the State Apartments, St. Georgeā€™s Chapel, Queen Mayā€™s Dollā€™s House, and much more!

Not only that, but this tour comes with tickets that allow you to bypass the lines which can save you around an hour!

We felt that this was a great experience for families, partners, and friends as you can talk amongst yourselves without interrupting a tour guide. Not to mention, with the smaller group sizes youā€™ll simply be able to move around easier and see more!

It also lets you choose how you want to spend your time, whether thatā€™s in a certain wing of the castle or outdoors.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


FAQs About Windsor Castle Tours

tours of windsor castle

What are the hours of Windsor Castle?

Windsor Castle is open daily from 10:00am to 5:15pm, except on some public holidays and when the queen is residing there.

How much are tickets for Windsor Castle?

The tickets for Windsor Castle vary depending on the type of ticket and the age of the visitor. For adults the prices are about . You can buy tickets in advance or at the ticket office We recommend a skip-the-line guided tour to save time as the lines can be quite long.

What can I see and do at Windsor Castle?

There is a lot to see and do at Windsor Castle, so we would recommend allowing between 1Ā½ and 2 hours to adequately see the castle. Some highlights are:

The State Apartments: These are the rooms where the Queen and her guests entertain. They are decorated with paintings, furniture and items from the Royal Collection.

St Georgeā€™s Chapel: This is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in the world. There are 10 monarchs buried here, including Henry VIII and Charles I.

The Changing of the Guard: This is a traditional ceremony where the soldiers that are dressed in red tunics and bearskin hats march from Victoria Barracks to Windsor Castle accompanied by a band. Then they change places with another group of soldiers who guard the Castle. The ceremony takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 11:00 am.

The Semi-State Rooms: These are the most lavishly decorated rooms in the Castle. They are used by the Queen for official entertaining during the winter months. They include the Crimson Drawing Room, the White Drawing Room and the Green Drawing Room.

Why You Should Visit Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is one of the most popular tourist destinations in England and you should go for several reasons. Here are five reasons you should visit Windsor Castle:

  1. Royal Residence: Windsor Castle has been one the official residences of the British Royal Family for over 900 years. It is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and has been the home of British kings and queens for centuries.
  2. History and Architecture: The castle is steeped in history and its architecture is a stunning blend of medieval, Georgian, and Victorian styles. Visitors can explore the State Apartments, the Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, St. George’s Chapel and the impressive grounds of the castle.
  3. Changing of the Guard: The Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place everyday at Windsor Castle, providing tourists with an opportunity to witness the pageantry of this historic event.
  4. Location: Windsor Castle is situated in the picturesque town of Windsor, which is a short train ride from London, making it an easy day trip from the city.
  5. Family-Friendly: The castle offers various family-friendly activities, such as the interactive family trail which takes visitors on a journey through the castle’s history and the Castle Quests, which are fun treasure hunts for kids.

Tips For Visiting Windsor Castle

  1. Plan your visit: Windsor Castle is popular so it’s a good idea to buy your tickets well in advance to avoid long lines. Tickets are available online or at the castle’s ticket office. We would recommend a “skip-the-line” tour.
  2. Wear comfortable shoes: The castle grounds are massive, and you’ll be doing a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes. The castle also has many staircases so keep this in mind when choosing your shoes.
  3. Check the schedule: The castle’s opening hours and tour schedules var, so be sure to check the website or call ahead to plan your visit. Also note that the castle is closed on certain days the year.
  4. Bring a camera: The castle and its grounds are incredibly beautiful so bring a camera or smartphone to capture the beautiful scenery.
  5. Respect the rules: Windsor Castle is a royal residence, so there are rules and regulations you must follow while on site. This includes: no photography inside certain areas, no eating or drinking inside the castle and no touching or leaning on any of the artifacts.
  6. Changing of the Guard: Try to time your visit at the same time as the Changing of the Guard ceremony. It’s a spectacular display of British pageantry that takes place at the castle’s entrance.
  7. Allow plenty of time: There’s a lot to see and do at Windsor Castle so allow yourself time for your visit so you don’t have to rush. It normally takes a few hours to see everything.
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The Half-Day Trip to Windsor Castle is our Editor's Choice for the best tour of Windsor Castle from London.

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Robert Baker

Robert is a content writer and editor at World Guides to Travel where he shares his love for the great outdoors. He also writes in-depth travel blogs for other websites around the world. Robert is passionate about the environment and uses his writing to educate people about the advantages and importance of sustainable living. Robert enjoys creative writing. In 2009, his childrenā€™s novel Sally Hemings & the Good Associates won the Childrenā€™s Fiction section of the You Write On Book of the Year Award.
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