HERE’S THE PLAN...

Essential Info

When to go: Year round. Visit between September and March for access to Windsor Castle’s Semi-state Rooms; the castle closes entirely on 17–18 June 2018. Getting there: Windsor is 1.6km from Junction 6 of the M4. There are two railway stations, Windsor & Eton Central (connects with Slough, where fast trains run to London Paddington and Reading) and Windsor and Eton Riverside (connects with London Waterloo). 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 for £8. Where to stay: The Macdonald Windsor Hotel (23 High Street; 01753 483100) offers opulence right opposite the castle; doubles from £129pn. 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 in Eton High Street is a cut above, while family-run Al Fassia remains one of the UK’S best Moroccan establishments. Set down a little cobblestone alley, Sebastian’s Italian has delicious and authentic pizzas. See also the mentions of the Two Brewers pub and Bel & The Dragon in the Days 1 and 2 below.

Foodies with fat wallets may want to head 8km west to the small village of Bray, home to a superfluity of Michelinstarred marvels, including Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck and Alain Roux’s The Waterside Inn. Heston also owns two pubs in the village, The Crown and The Hind’s Head, and upmarket Italian restaurant Caldesi in Campagna has a strong local following. Alternatively, in Old Windsor, the Oxford Blue is a renowned gastropub; you may see Elton John there as he lives literally just up the road. Further info: windsor.gov.uk