Windsor Castle + River Cruise en London

Windsor Castle, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, is one of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. The Castle's dramatic site encapsulates 900 years of British history. It covers an area of 26 acres and contains, as well as a royal palace, a magnificent chapel and the homes and workplaces of a large number of people. What there is to see: The magnificent State Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto, Gainsborough and the famous triple portrait of Charles I by Sir Anthony van Dyck.  In 1992 fire destroyed or damaged more than 100 rooms at the Castle. By good fortune the rooms worst affected were empty at the time, and as a result, few of the Castle's artistic treasures were destroyed.  The highly acclaimed restoration work, completed in 1997, is a testament to the extraordinary skills of some of the finest craftsmen in Europe. From October to March visitors can also enjoy George IV's private apartments (the Semi-State Rooms), among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle. St George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England. It is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the senior order of British Chivalry established in 1348 by Edward III. Within the chapel are the tombs of ten sovereigns, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, and Charles I. Among the highlights of a visit to Windsor is Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the most famous dolls' house in the world. The Drawings Gallery shows changing exhibitions of material from the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. The special display below is shown alongside a selection of treasures from the Royal Library. Current/Forthcoming exhibitions: The Queen: Portraits of a Monarch Friday, 23 November 2012 to Sunday, 09 June 2013 Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most depicted women in the world. She has sat to numerous artists, from Cecil Beaton and Pietro Annigoni to Lucian Freud. Her portrait likeness, so widely circulated, has also inspired artists such as Andy Warhol, whose screenprint portraits of Her Majesty have been recently acquired for the Royal Collection and are displayed for the first time at Windsor Castle. Portraits of The Queen are made for a number of official purposes, ranging from photographs distributed at the time of a State Visit, to those that mark a particular anniversary. Portraits bearing a clear and recognisable image of the sovereign are required for use on coins, banknotes and stamps. Many of the works on display were created with one of these purposes in mind. This exhibition presents a selection of official, commissioned and formal portraits of The Queen, gathered here from the different Royal residences.    

Windsor Castle Highlights Explore Windsor Castle, Englands most famous castle and one of the official residences of the Queen, and represents 900 years of British history. Enjoy a self-guided tour and wonder around over 10.5 hectares and visit the magnificent State Apartments, furnished with some of the finest treasures from the royal collection. Take in the magnificent St George?s Chapel an active centre of worship, where Prince Edward was married and Henry VIII was laid to rest. Ticket Features: Instant ticket delivery Includes access to The State Apartments Includes access to Queen Mary's Dolls' House Includes access to St George?s Chapel Includes access to The Semi-State Rooms (September - March only) Audio guide in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, and Mandarin Thames River Red Rover Hopper Pass As the River Thames snakes its way through London there is history at every bend. You can see and experience the River Thames Sights from the relaxed comfort of this hop on and hop off all day River Red Rover Cruise. You can hop on and off at Westminster Pier, Waterloo Pier, Tower Pier and Greenwich Pier. Westminster Pier is close to Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Horse Guards, Whitehall, Cabinet War Rooms.and Churchill Museum. London Eye Pier is adjacent to the London Eye, London Aquarium and close to the world-renowned South Bank arts complex. Tower Pier is right along side the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Greenwich Pier provides easy access to the World Heritage Centre of Greenwich, home of the famous tea clipper Cutty Sark, the Old Royal Naval College, the National Maritime Museum, the Queen?s House, the Old Royal Observatory.  On Wednesdays to Sundays Greenwich also has a traditional covered market.