Windsor Castle, Stonehenge & Bath Day Trip from London

Windsor Castle, the oldest inhabited castle in the world

Windsor Castle has been a royal residence for more than nine centuries, since William the Conqueror began building it around 1070, and it remains an official residence of the King. It is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, and the royal standard flies from the Round Tower when the monarch is in residence. The default option on this page includes your entry ticket.

Inside, the State Apartments are richly decorated and are used for state occasions, and St George's Hall is one of the highlights. Because it is a working royal palace, some rooms can close at short notice, and the castle is usually closed to visitors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If you are choosing between dates, ask us which day suits Windsor Castle best.

Stonehenge, the great stone circle

Stonehenge is the best-known prehistoric monument in Britain, a ring of standing stones on Salisbury Plain raised around 5,000 years ago. The large sarsens came from the Marlborough Downs, while the smaller bluestones were brought from the Preseli Hills in Wales, more than 150 miles away. Its alignment with the summer solstice sunrise and winter solstice sunset points to a ceremonial purpose.

Entry is included in the default option and in several others. At the visitor centre you can see an exhibition and reconstructed Neolithic houses, then ride a shuttle to the stones and walk the path around the circle. You cannot touch the stones, but the view is close. Allow around an hour here, and dress for wind, because the plain is open. Guests ask whether Stonehenge is worth the trip, and the answer is yes for the atmosphere and history.

The Roman Baths in Bath

The Roman Baths are the reason many visitors come to Bath. The Romans built a temple and bathing complex here from about AD 70, around Britain's only hot spring of its kind, which still rises at about 46 degrees Celsius. The Great Bath, lined with lead and surrounded by columns, is the centrepiece, and the museum displays carved stone, coins and the temple of Sulis Minerva.

Entry is included in the default option and in some others, and it is not included in the flexible option, where your guide can help you buy a ticket on the day if you decide to go inside. Visitors cannot bathe in the water, but the steam and the stone give an authentic sense of the Roman city of Aquae Sulis. Allow the time your guide suggests, because the museum is popular.

Georgian Bath, the abbey and the Royal Crescent

Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage city, famous for its Georgian architecture in pale, honey-coloured stone. Highlights include Bath Abbey, whose present church dates from around 1500, the sweeping curve of the Royal Crescent, built in the 1760s and 1770s by John Wood the Younger, and Pulteney Bridge, lined with shops. Jane Austen lived in the city in the early 1800s and set two of her novels here.

After the Roman Baths you have free time for lunch, a walk beside the River Avon or a look at the abbey. If you are wondering how to get from London to Bath and Stonehenge in a day without a car, this tour links both with Windsor. Some options include a packed lunch, and the option names tell you which ones do.