Every weekend, trains from Waterloo and Paddington are packed with people heading for Windsor , the royal enclave 21 miles west of London, where they join the human conveyor belt round Windsor Castle.

Though almost as famous as Windsor, Eton (across the river from the castle) receives a mere fraction of the tourists, yet the guided tours of the school give an eye-opening glimpse of life as lived by the offspring of Britain's upper classes.

Windsor has two train stations, both very close to the centre. Direct trains from Waterloo (Mon-Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; journey time 50min) arrive at Windsor & Eton Riverside, five minutes' walk from the centre; trains from Paddington require a change at Slough (Mon-Fri every 20min; Sat & Sun every 30min; journey time 30-40min), and arrive at Windsor & Eton Central, directly opposite the castle. Note that you must arrive and depart from the same station, as tickets are not interchangeable. The tourist office (daily 10am-4pm; longer hours in summer; phone 01753/743900) is at 24 High St.

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