6 hours
5
Instant Confirmation
Visit Her Majesty Elizabeth II's favourite home of Windsor Castle with St George’s Chapel, dating back to 1070, and explore the historic town of Eton and the famous Eton College, an ancient school of princes and prime ministers for centuries, including Princes William and Harry and the former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. On your private day trip from London, you will: Travel by private transport from London to Windsor in an iconic London Black Cab with your private driver and your Blue Badge Tour Guide;Enjoy a fully guided tour of Eton, see Eton College from the outside and learn about the fascinating history, uniforms, habits, and language of England’s most famous all-boys public school and its illustrious alumni;Visit the famous school outfitters and learn how to tie a Windsor knot;Head to Windsor Castle – a magnificent 11th Century castle built by William the Conqueror in 1070 and reportedly Her Majesty’s favourite royal home;Enjoy a fully guided tour of the state apartments (with your qualified private guide and audio guide provided by the royal family). Admire the banqueting hall and impressive medieval suits of armour;Learn about the working life of the Royal Family;Step inside St George’s Chapel as your guide gives you an in-depth tour of this historic building beloved of the royals;See the changing of the guard at Windsor Castle (mornings only) and learn about the tradition of England’s military pomp and pageantry;Enjoy an easy transfer back to London. Experience the pomp and pageantry, royal splendour, and traditions of Royal Windsor and Eton on this lovely half-day guided private tour. You’ll walk in and around Windsor Castle – the Queen’s favourite residence, where she and His Royal Highness the late Prince Philip were quarantined during the pandemic. It was known affectionately as HMS Bubble! Windsor is a working royal castle, and you’ll visit the state apartments, where Her Majesty receives visiting dignitaries and heads of state. You’ll see Queen Mary's exquisite dollhouse - inclusive of a library, globe, and leatherback chairs, which took over three years to complete and learn about working royal life. Your expert guide will show you around the magnificent St George’s Chapel – another favourite of the Royal Family as a more intimate setting than Westminster Abbey in London. His Royal Highness Prince Harry of Wales was married to Ms Meghan Markle here, as was HRH Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank. Most recently it was the chosen venue for the regal yet incredibly moving funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip was the Queen’s husband of 73 years – and the longest-serving royal consort of all time. The chapel is also the burial place of several famous British monarchs and their consorts, including Henry VIII and Charles I. Coming down the hill and over the river, you will leave Windsor and enter the impossibly quaint town of Eton. See the exterior of Eton College (not open to the public), where you will find yourself walking in the footsteps of 20 of the country’s prime ministers, Oscar winners such as Eddie Redmayne, writers such as Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond novels and Princes William and Harry. Step into one of the country's most famous tailors, where the college's uniforms are made, and perhaps learn to tie to the illustrious 'Windsor knot'. Enjoy popping your head into the array of different antique, art and quirky independent shops, and enjoy a relaxing and scenic drive back to London. Please note: As Windsor Castle is a working royal palace, sometimes the entire Castle or the State Apartments within the Castle need to be closed at short notice. We will endeavour to be in touch with you as soon as we have this information.
Operated by
Travel Curious
If your hotel information is not provided, your guide will meet you at the Taxi Rank in Embankment Place, outside Embankment Tube Station (at the Villiers Street entrance and not the Embankment entrance)
Duration
6 hours
Start Times
09:00, 09:30
Address
Villiers St, London WC2N 6NS, UK
Britain’s most well-known school was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, and has educated the sons of the rich and famous ever since. Innumerable big names have passed through its classrooms, including Princes William and Harry, Hugh Laurie, Eddie Redmayne, Ranulph Fiennes, and no fewer than 19 Prime Ministers, including David Cameron. Even fiction authors can’t resist putting their characters through the old public school – Bertie Wooster, Captain Hook and James Bond were all enrolled here (although the latter was expelled for “trouble” with a maid). The Old and the NewVisiting the school, you will experience a surreal blend of the ancient and the modern, with centuries-old buildings sharing the grounds with modern steel-and-glass constructions. The grounds are quintessentially English, with babbling streams running beside lush green playing fields, and little woods just starting to encroach on old red brick cottages. It often feels more like an idyllic country village than a school. The Lowest-Scoring Game in the WorldThe pupils themselves provide a rare insight into the student lifestyle of a bygone era. Eton is well known for its stubborn preservation of tradition. Boys wander chatting between classrooms in full tailcoats, waistcoats and bow ties, before changing for the playing fields, where you might be lucky enough to catch the Eton Wall Game in action. This bizarre and incomparable sport, much beloved by Etonians, is played on a very long and narrow pitch, though scoring is famously difficult – the last proper goal was scored in 1909!
Windsor Castle is the largest occupied castle in the world. It has been an official residence of the English Royal Family for nearly 1,000 years, and the Queen stays here most weekends, and for a month during Easter. Even when she is not in residence, nearly 500 people live or work in the castle, a testament to its classic medieval combination of palace, fortress and small town. As an international symbol of British heritage, and one of the country’s most evocative and recognisable historic landmarks, Windsor Castle rarely fails to impress.Military BeginningsThe castle was built by William the Conqueror shortly after his 1066 invasion, in an effort to consolidate his territorial gains and assert his rule over the land. Originally a simple motte and bailey construction, over the years its strategic proximity to the Thames led to several rounds of addition and reinforcement, notably by Henry II, King John and Edward III. Onward and UpwardVisiting the castle today, the great walls loom above you from atop their 15m chalk outcrop. In the very centre of the motte stands the keep, the Round Tower, a colossal fortification in which the medieval garrison would once have been able to make their last stand. Around the tower are three “Wards”, or sections, which you can visit. Particularly impressive are the sumptuous state apartments in the Upper Ward. They were mostly designed by Jeffry Wyatville, who wanted each room to reflect a different school of design. The result is a kaleidoscope of opulence which both showcases the wealth of the generations of royals who have lived here, and also illustrates the changing styles of the times.
Built in the fourteenth century, St George's Chapel at Windsor has played host to numerous royal weddings and funerals and is one of England's most visited sites.
Inside Windsor Castle are three wards of state apartments - the upper ward rivals the grand decor of Versailles.
Queen Mary's Dolls' House is the largest dolls' house in the world. Built between 1921 and 1924 for Queen Mary, consort of George V, by the leading British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, it includes contributions from over 1,500 of the finest artists, craftsmen and manufacturers of the early twentieth century.
Learn the inside of the classic British tailoring practices.
No refund is possible if you cancel.