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Windsor Castle Private Tour from Southampton

A 4-hour driver-led tour to the world’s oldest and largest occupied castle — nearly 1,000 years of royal history, the State Apartments, St George’s Chapel, and the resting place of Queen Elizabeth II.
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windsor castle private tour from southampton

The World’s Oldest and Largest Occupied Castle

Windsor Castle has been the home of British monarchs for nearly 1,000 years — making it the longest-occupied palace in Europe and, by some counts, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in the world. William the Conqueror chose the site in the 1070s, building a wooden motte-and-bailey fortress on a ridge above the Thames to guard the western approach to London. Thirty-nine monarchs have called it home since, and successive kings and queens have rebuilt, expanded, and remodelled it in their own styles, leaving today’s castle a near-millennium of architectural history layered into a single 13-acre site.

St George’s Chapel, inside the castle walls, is one of the great achievements of English Perpendicular Gothic architecture. Eleven monarchs are buried there — including Henry VIII, Charles I, and Queen Elizabeth II, who was laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in September 2022. Harry and Meghan were married here in 2018. The drive from Southampton takes 90 minutes each way, leaving two hours at the castle. The tour can be combined with a one-way transfer to Heathrow, which is just thirty minutes from Windsor — a particularly natural pairing.

What You’ll See on Your Tour

Two hours at Windsor is enough to see the major rooms, the chapel, and a quick walk in the grounds. Your driver will set you down near the Henry VIII gate at the bottom of the High Street and arrange a pickup time. Audio guides are included with admission and the recommended route through the State Apartments takes about 75 minutes.

The State Apartments

The State Apartments occupy the upper floor of the castle’s Upper Ward and are widely regarded as the finest expression of late Georgian taste in Europe. Charles II remodelled the rooms after the Restoration to rival Versailles; George IV and his architect Jeffry Wyatville rebuilt them again in the 1820s in a richer Gothic Revival style. Look out for St George’s Hall (used for state banquets, with seating for 160), the Waterloo Chamber (built to display Sir Thomas Lawrence’s portraits of those who defeated Napoleon), the Grand Reception Room, and the priceless collection of art including works by Rubens, Van Dyck, and Holbein.

St George’s Chapel

Begun by Edward IV in 1475 and completed under Henry VIII in 1528, St George’s is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter — the chivalric order Edward III founded at Windsor in 1348, the oldest in the world. The chapel ranks just behind Westminster Abbey as a royal mausoleum. Eleven monarchs are buried here including Henry VIII (with his beloved third wife Jane Seymour), Charles I, and Queen Elizabeth II, whose resting place in the King George VI Memorial Chapel attracts thousands of visitors. Harry and Meghan were married here in 2018; Edward and Sophie too. Note: the chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays as services take precedence.

The Round Tower

The Round Tower sits on the original Norman motte at the centre of the castle and has been the visual symbol of Windsor for nearly a thousand years. It was rebuilt in stone by Henry II in the 1170s, replacing William the Conqueror’s wooden keep. Today it houses the Royal Archives. The Royal Standard flies from the tower when the King is in residence — if you see the Union Jack instead, the monarch is elsewhere.

Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House

A 1:12 scale doll’s house presented to Queen Mary in 1924, designed by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens with contributions from over 1,500 of the leading artists, craftsmen, and manufacturers of the day. The miniature library contains real, hand-written books by Conan Doyle, Hardy, and Kipling; the wine cellar contains real (tiny) bottles of vintage champagne; the cars in the garage actually run. It is one of the great curiosities of British craftsmanship and a particular favourite with younger visitors.

The Long Walk

If you have time after the State Apartments, the Long Walk runs three miles south from the castle through Windsor Great Park, lined with horse chestnut trees planted by Charles II. You will not walk the full length on a 4-hour tour, but the view down the avenue from the South Wing — completely unspoiled in either direction — is one of the most photographed in Britain. The bronze statue of George III on a horse, called the Copper Horse, sits at the far end on Snow Hill.

Additional waiting time beyond the included allowance is available at an agreed hourly rate. All fares are fixed per vehicle before you travel.

windsor castle tour

Combining Tours

Some of our tours can be combined into a single longer journey — Winchester with Windsor Castle, or Stonehenge with Salisbury Cathedral, for example. Combined tours are offered as one-way Transfer Tours ending at a London airport, hotel, or other onward destination, and add a meaningful extra dimension to your day at a single fixed fare.

Available combinations are surfaced in the booking widget when you select your pickup and drop-off — the widget will show which pairings work for your timing and which do not. If you have a specific combination in mind that you do not see, please get in touch and we will see what is possible.

Two Ways to Take This Tour

The Windsor Castle tour is offered in two formats — a round-trip Day Tour returning to your cruise terminal or hotel, or a one-way Transfer Tour ending at any onward destination.

Day Tour

Duration: 4 hours total
Pickup: 10:00 collection from your cruise terminal or hotel
Finish: Return to your pickup point by approximately 14:00

The full driver-led tour as described above. Your driver will collect you at 10:00, drive 90 minutes to Windsor, set you down near the Henry VIII gate for a 2-hour visit, and return you to your pickup point by approximately 14:00.

Transfer Tour

Duration: One-way to onward destination
Pickup: Pickup time arranged around your flight or onward booking
Finish: Heathrow, Gatwick, or Bournemouth Airport, a London hotel, or other onward destination

Designed for passengers travelling onward from Southampton with sightseeing built into the journey. Your driver will collect you with luggage from your cruise terminal or hotel, take in Windsor Castle on the way, and deliver you to your final destination. Windsor sits just 30 minutes from Heathrow — making this the most natural Transfer Tour pairing of any of our routes — but the tour can be combined with Gatwick, a London hotel, or any other onward destination if your schedule allows.

Important: Day Tour only available for ships sailing later than 17:30. Some ships depart at 16:00 and some at 19:00 — please check your sailing time with your travel agent or cruise line before booking.
princess cruise ship at ocean terminal southampton

What’s Included in Your Tour Fare

Every tour fare we quote is a genuine fixed price per vehicle. The number you see at booking is the number you pay, regardless of traffic or stop times within the agreed schedule.

  • Safeguarding-certified, smartly dressed, professional driver for the full tour
  • Private vehicle for the duration — no other passengers, no shared transport
  • All fuel, tolls, parking, and ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) charges where applicable
  • Driver commentary on the route, the monument, and the wider Salisbury Plain landscape
  • Flexible itinerary tweaks on the day where time allows

Windsor Castle entry tickets must be pre-booked online at rct.uk before your tour day. Walk-up tickets are not generally available. Tickets sell out, particularly in summer and at weekends, so we recommend booking as soon as your tour date is confirmed. Audio guides, the State Apartments, St George’s Chapel (when open), and Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House are all included in the standard ticket.

Passengers are welcome to bring their own child seats or boosters; we are not able to supply these.

Book Your Windsor Castle Tour

Use the booking form below to get a fixed quote in under a minute. Your tour is pre-filled as ‘Windsor Castle’ — just choose Day Tour or Transfer Tour, your date, and your group size.

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ships at Qe2 cruise terminal southampton

Why Cruise Passengers Choose Paragon for the Windsor Tour

Windsor is one of our most-requested Transfer Tours — pairing it with the drive to Heathrow is a way to add a once-in-a-lifetime castle visit to a journey you would be making anyway. Our drivers know the parking and drop-off arrangements at Windsor, the quietest entry times, and the timings that work for both an onward Heathrow flight and a comfortable cruise sail-away.

Vehicle choice is confirmed when you book, based on your group size — saloon for one to four passengers, MPV for up to six, minivan for up to eight. Every booking is handled by Paragon directly. You will not be passed to a subcontractor.

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4 SEATER EXECUTIVE SEDAN (Saloon)

2–4 passengers. Clean, comfortable, and air-conditioned — ideal for individuals, couples, and small families. Luggage: 2 suitcases + 2 holdalls

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6 SEATER MPV

2–6 passengers. Spacious and practical — the popular choice for family cruises and group transfers. Luggage: 4 suitcases + 4 holdalls

8 seater minivan for cruise transfers southampton

8 MINIVAN (* passenger Vehicle)

2–8 passengers. Our largest option — ideal for larger groups, extended families, and high-luggage cruise passengers. Luggage: 8 suitcases + 6 holdalls

All vehicles are kept clean, well-maintained, and smart enough for the premium end of the cruise market. Every booking is handled by Paragon Taxis directly — you will not be passed to a subcontractor or a third-party operator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Windsor Castle tickets included in the tour fare?

No, and they must be pre-booked online at rct.uk before your tour day. Walk-up tickets are not generally available. Tickets sell out particularly in summer, at weekends, and during school holidays — book as soon as your tour date is confirmed. The standard ticket includes the State Apartments, St George’s Chapel (when open), and Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, with audio guides included.

Will St George’s Chapel be open during our visit?

The chapel is open to visitors Monday to Saturday. It closes on Sundays as Sunday services take precedence. If you specifically want to see the chapel and Queen Elizabeth II’s resting place, please make sure your tour day is not a Sunday.

Can we see Queen Elizabeth II’s grave?

Yes. Queen Elizabeth II is buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel within St George’s Chapel, alongside her husband Prince Philip, her father George VI, her mother, and her sister Princess Margaret. The memorial chapel is open to visitors as part of the standard chapel visit.

Is the Windsor Day Tour suitable for early-departure cruises?

This is the most important practical question for Windsor. The Day Tour — including the 90-minute drive each way — is only viable for ships sailing later than 17:30. Some cruise lines depart at 16:00, in which case a 14:00 return back to Southampton would be too tight. Please check your sail-away time with your travel agent or cruise line before booking. If your sailing is early, a one-way Transfer Tour to Heathrow or another airport is the better option.

Can the tour finish at Heathrow instead of returning to Southampton?

Yes — Windsor is the most natural Transfer Tour pairing in our range. The castle sits just 30 minutes from Heathrow, so adding a 2-hour castle visit to your transfer journey involves no significant detour. We do this combination most days. The tour can also finish at Gatwick, a London hotel, or another destination.

Will we see the Changing of the Guard?

The Changing of the Guard happens at Windsor Castle several mornings a week (the schedule varies by season). It usually takes place between 11:00 and 11:30 on the relevant days, in the castle quadrangle. With our standard 10:00 pickup from Southampton you will arrive at the castle by 11:30 at the earliest, so you may catch the tail end if a ceremony is scheduled. To time it precisely, mention it at booking and we can arrange an earlier pickup.

What if it rains?

Windsor is largely indoors — the State Apartments, St George’s Chapel, and Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House are all under cover. Rain has very little impact on the visit. The only outdoor section is the walk between gates and the grounds, which is brief.

Are there food and drink options at the castle?

There is a café in the Undercroft (within the castle precincts) serving sandwiches, cakes, and hot drinks, plus a kiosk in the Lower Ward. Time-wise, however, a 2-hour visit is comfortably full without lunch — most passengers prefer to eat before or after the visit. Your driver can suggest options in Windsor town on the way back to the vehicle.

Do you take local Southampton fares?
Paragon Taxis is a transfer and tour specialist. We focus on longer-distance work — cruise transfers, airport transfers (Heathrow, Gatwick, Bournemouth, and others), private day tours, and transfers to and from London hotels. We do not take general local Southampton fares; any local taxi company will serve you better and faster for a short hop within the city. If your journey involves a cruise pickup or drop-off, an airport, a tour, or a long-distance onward destination, that is exactly what we do.
Can you arrange a hotel or overnight stay for me?
No — Paragon Taxis is a transfer and tour service only, and we are not able to arrange accommodation. There are many hotels close to Southampton’s cruise terminals and the airports we serve; your travel agent or a hotel booking site will be best placed to recommend an option for your dates.

Other Private Tours from Southampton

If Windsor is not the right fit, take a look at our other tours. The Salisbury Cathedral tour covers another great medieval building closer to Southampton, and the Stonehenge tour covers the iconic stone circle on Salisbury Plain. See all our private tours from Southampton on the tours overview page.

What Our Passengers Say

Paragon Taxis has earned a 5-star reputation built across four decades of transfers. Our passengers range from first-time cruise travellers to frequent corporate flyers — and they come back because we deliver exactly what we promise.

Book Your Windsor Castle Tour Today

Fixed fares, private driver, four hours at the world’s oldest occupied castle. Day Tour and Transfer Tour both available.

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Still Have Questions?

Our booking form will give you a fixed price in under a minute — just tell us your pickup, drop-off, date, and time. If you have a specific request, a non-standard route, or a question about your sailing or flight, check our FAQs first, or get in touch and we will help.

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No booking fees. No deposits. All fares per vehicle. Instant confirmation by email. Please note: late night calls may not be answered. For out-of-hours enquiries please WhatsApp or email — we will respond first thing.