Windsor Castle is famous worldwide and being so close to London is very popular with the tourists.  It is crowded and busy, especially at the peak season when I visited.  However even so it is large enough to accommodate the massive number of tourists.  Parking in Windsor is a bit of a nightmare but as there is more to see than just the castle I found that we had actually parked conveniently close for the boat trips and took one of these after visiting the castle itself.

Windsor Castle is one of the official residences of the Queen and is protected by rigid security.  But once you are inside it is well worth the effort.

Before you reach the state apartments which in my opinion are the highlight of the castle you go through an education centre which shows not only the history of the castle but also the restoration work which has taken place since the destructive fire of 1992.  Very informative and easy to follow.

One of the other highlights of the castle is Queen Mary's Dolls' House. Huge and highly detailed, you have to queue separately to see this but it is well worth it.  Containing real books in miniture and working lights etc., this is an exquisite work of art.

Following after this you can also see the China Museum.

And then there are the State Apartments.  The tour begins on the Grand Staircase and on into the Grand Vistibule.  It is here that you realise what a wonderful guidebook Windsor Castle produces.

Every picture, every sculpture, every item of furniture in the rooms is clearly described.  With a plan of each room you can find everything in the book and see what it is without having signs and notices around the rooms.

This guidebook is one of the best I have ever seen and really adds to the visit.

The tour continues through the rooms each as lavish and impressive as the last.  The tour continues on, you can have a taped tour if you choose, I made do with the guidebook myself.

St George's Hall was restored after the fire in 1992 and is now open to the public again.  Lined with royal portraits and sculptures the room captures the sunlight and it is hard to believe that it was ever damaged by fire.

The ceiling is covered in coats of arms of all the Knights of the Garter.

In the guidebook you can also see just how many guests you can seat at a table in it.  Plenty for most parties.

The next room in the guidebook is not actually open to the public as it is a private chapel.

The tour then continues to The Lantern Lobby.  This is the new room which marks the place where the 1992 fire started.  From here in the Winter there is actually a different route to take. I was there in the summer so did not see it for myself.  The rooms on the winter route appear to be The Green Drawing Room, the Crimson Drawing Room, the State Dining Room, The Octagon Dining Room, and the China Corridor.  Even though they are not open to the public in the summer they are still well documented in the guidebook.

The tour continues for both summer and winter at The Grand Reception Room.  At the end of the tour someone told me that we had just walked about four miles.  It is a long tour but a very very good one.  There is a lot to see and the tour is not necessarily over at this point.  For St George's Chapel is still to see and the town of Windsor itself.

Unfortunately the Long Walk, pictured below is not open to the public.  The picture below is a postcard image.  You can also, as I did, go on one of the boat trips on the river and take photos of the castle from the river itself.