To see inside Windsor Castle properly, think of the castle as three wards in a row, with the State Apartments at one end and St George’s Chapel at the other. This page gives you a map of the castle area, my route through the wards, a note on each place, and the rules that decide what you can enter or photograph. If you still need an entry slot, my guide to tickets for Windsor Castle compares all 10 options.
Windsor Castle Map: Entrance and Surroundings
The map below shows the castle and the entrance and sights that Google Maps places within walking distance of it.
Windsor Castle - Learning Centre Entrance · Entrance · about 3 min walk
The castle stands at the top of a steep hill, according to the official practical information page, and the visitor route covers long distances. By my reading of the listings, comfortable shoes matter more here than at most London sights. The postcode is Windsor SL4 1NJ. The Admission Centre is a short, uphill walk from the town, and Windsor has two railway stations in the town centre, each a short walk uphill from the castle. Walking times in the map legend are my estimates: straight-line distance multiplied by 1.3, at 4.8 km per hour.
Is There an Official Windsor Castle Map?
I could not verify one. The official visit pages are run by the Royal Collection Trust, and the practical information page is where visitor details sit, but when I tried to open the main visit page the site refused the request, so I cannot point you to a plan file with confidence. I will not link a map I have not seen. Your ticket confirmation and the page above are the places to look for the current plan, and the multimedia guide that comes with the admission ticket follows the route for you.
The route below, my plan of inside Windsor Castle, is my own, built from the official practical information, Wikipedia’s description of the wards and the admission listing.
The Route I’d Take Inside Windsor Castle
This is what to see inside Windsor Castle, in order. I give no times per stop, because no source gives them. The admission listing says the whole visit is likely to last between 2.5 and 3 hours, and the official page suggests 1.5 to 2 hours.
My route inside Windsor Castle
1Security and entranceAirport-style security
2Upper WardCourtyard beside the royal apartments
3State ApartmentsOne-way route, no photos
4Middle Ward and Round TowerSeen from outside
5Lower WardHome of the Order of the Garter
6St George's ChapelClosed Sundays, shuts at 16:00
Security and the Entrance
Before you go inside Windsor Castle you have to clear the gate. Everyone goes through airport-style security. The official page says large bags that cannot fit through the scanners, bicycles, skateboards and drones may not come in. Pushchairs and large backpacks must go to the cloakroom in the China Museum before the State Apartments. Pen knives, scissors and sealed alcohol are checked in on arrival. Leave time for the queue and the uphill walk first, as the coach-tour reviewer’s half hour suggests, and carry only what you need through the scanners.
The Upper Ward
The Upper Ward is where most of what is inside Windsor Castle for visitors begins. Wikipedia says the Upper Ward holds the State Apartments along the north side, the private royal apartments to the south, and the Edward III Tower in the southwest corner. The castle grounds cover 13 acres (5.3 hectares). The official site describes Windsor as a working royal palace and an official residence of the King, so parts of the Upper Ward can close at short notice. The private apartments are not on the public route, as far as I found.
The State Apartments
The rooms are the heart of any visit inside Windsor Castle, and the multimedia guide explains them as you walk. The State Apartments are the main indoor part of the visit. The listing says they are furnished with treasures from the royal collection, including paintings by Holbein, Rubens and Van Dyck, and fine English and French furniture. Wikipedia says they were mostly designed by Wyatville in the early 19th century, with Rococo, Gothic and Classical rooms, and that the Grand Reception Room is 100 feet (30 m) long and 40 feet (12 m) tall. After the 1992 fire, parts were rebuilt in a style called Downesian Gothic. In winter the Semi-State Rooms created by George IV are added to the route, per the ticket listing.
The State Apartments follow a one-way system, so you cannot go back for a room you missed, and photography is not permitted inside them.
Royal Collection Trust
Windsor Castle Admission Ticket
★4.7 (8,291 reviews)
24-hour ticket
Free cancellation
My pick: The ticket that opens the State Apartments and St George's Chapel, with a multimedia guide: $43, 4.7 from 8,291 reviews.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Windsor Castle admission ticket
✓ Multimedia guide
✓ Access to St. George's Chapel (except on Sundays)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Transfers
✕ Tour guide
✕ 1-Year Pass
Meeting point: Windsor Castle. Windsor SL4 1NJ, UK
Duration: 1 day
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Loved the castle! Was so beautiful and the staff were really friendly.” – GetYourGuide review
The Middle Ward is built around a motte (an artificial hill) 50 feet (15 m) high, per Wikipedia. The Round Tower on top was raised by 30 feet (9.1 m) by Jeffry Wyatville in the early 19th century. I found nothing that says the standard ticket lets you climb it, so I treat it as a landmark to photograph from the courtyard. That matters for photographs: the precincts are the one place where non-commercial photography is encouraged.
The Lower Ward
This is the last part of the route inside Windsor Castle, and it is the quietest. The Lower Ward holds St George’s Chapel and most of the buildings connected with the Order of the Garter, per Wikipedia. Wikipedia also says the former Lady Chapel was converted into the Albert Memorial Chapel between 1863 and 1873 as a memorial to Prince Albert. I do not know whether that chapel is open on the standard route, so I leave it out of the stops above.
St George’s Chapel
If you only have an hour inside Windsor Castle, put the chapel and the State Apartments first. St George’s Chapel dates from the late 15th and early 16th centuries, in Perpendicular Gothic style, and Edward IV began it in 1475, per Wikipedia. The vault in front of the altar holds the remains of Henry VIII, Jane Seymour and Charles I. The Royal Collection Trust says ten kings are buried at the castle. The admission listing says 11 monarchs, so I use the official figure. The chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays and closes at 16:00 on other days, which is why I put it last on a weekday and recommend you be through the State Apartments by early afternoon. Photography is not permitted inside the chapel.
Evan Evans Tours
Windsor Castle with Transport
★4.3 (1,017 reviews)
5.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The coach option from London that includes Windsor Castle: $52, 5.5 hours, English, 4.3 from 1,017 reviews.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Transportation
✓ Wi-Fi
✓ Guest Services Assistant
✓ Entry to Windsor Castle (only if selecting the inclusive option)
✓ Windsor Castle audio guide (only if selecting the option including entry to Windsor Castle)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pick-up and drop-off
✕ Tour Guide
✕ Entry to Windsor Castle (unless selecting the option including entry)
✕ Lunch
Meeting point: Evan Evans Office 258 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 1BS 258 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, London SW1V 1BS, UK
Languages: English
Duration: 5.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Stephen was an excellent guide! The castle was amazing and wished we were there longer.” – GetYourGuide review
Getting Around Inside Windsor Castle: Access and Rules
Eating and drinking is not allowed in the State Apartments or St George’s Chapel, per the official page, and the castle has an undercroft cafe. The Royal Collection Trust runs a mobility access page, and I would read it before you come if the hill and the distances matter to you. I did not read the details, so I cannot quote lift or ramp arrangements.
Inside Windsor Castle the standard ticket covers the State Apartments and St George's Chapel, per the admission listing, plus a multimedia guide. In winter the Semi-State Rooms are added to the route. The Round Tower and the private royal apartments are part of the castle, but I found nothing saying visitors can enter them.
Is there an official Windsor Castle map?+
The Royal Collection Trust runs the castle's visitor pages, but I could not open its map or plan from here: the site returned an error when I tried the main visit page. I have not linked a plan I could not verify, so check the practical information page on rct.uk for the official plan and your ticket confirmation.
What to see in Windsor Castle?+
I would see the State Apartments, St George's Chapel and the castle precincts, and look at the Round Tower from the outside. Ten kings are buried at the castle according to the Royal Collection Trust, including Henry VIII and Charles I, who are in St George's Chapel.
How long does it take to see inside Windsor Castle?+
The official practical information page suggests between 1.5 and 2 hours. The admission ticket listing says to allow 2.5 to 3 hours, and one coach-tour reviewer wrote that the walk from the coach park and the security check took about half an hour.
Can you take photos inside Windsor Castle?+
Not everywhere. The official site says photography and filming, including wearable devices, are not permitted inside the State Apartments or St George's Chapel, and non-commercial photography is encouraged outside in the precincts. Drones are not allowed anywhere.
Is St George's Chapel open on Sundays?+
No. The admission listing says the ticket includes the chapel except on Sundays, and the official practical information page says it closes at 16:00 on other days. Plan the chapel for a weekday or Saturday.
