York of the south

The similarities between York and Windsor are striking. While the huge stone structure of the Minster rises above York, the equally imposing Windsor Castle dominates the surrounding town.

Then there are the rivers... and the inviting shops... and the sense of living history... and the racecourses... and the quaint old pubs and the ubiquitous souvenir shops... and the list goes on.

Windsor is cosmopolitan, yet quintessentially English. There are 16 types of cuisine to choose from in a relatively small area of the town, yet it is that Englishness that draws tourists from all over the world.

The jewel in its crown is, of course, the castle, and a visit to the town without it in your itinerary is quite unthinkable.

We stayed in recently refurbished rooms at the elegant Castle Hotel in High Street, which has possibly the best location in town and offers dining of a high standard. It is also a fine example of Georgian architecture, with a sitting room ideal for afternoon tea.

Soldiers in their striking red tunics and bearskins march past its door for the changing of the guard ceremony and the castle entrance is only a two-minute walk away up Castle Hill.

Strolling into the glorious sunshine, we were immediately impressed by the sights. An imposing statue of Queen Victoria to the left, an oddity in the leaning form of the Crooked Tea Rooms straight ahead and a church to the right.

The street scene was made that much busier by the preponderance of weddings taking place. A reception was in full swing in the hotel and ceremonies were about to start in the Guildhall opposite and in the church. You couldn't move for brides, vintage cars and guests in all their finery.

The castle demands at least two hours of your time to browse through the state apartments, St George's Chapel and the immaculate grounds. The architectural mix is beguiling and it can quite rightly claim to be the architectural epitome of the history of the nation. Yet it is still only a cover for the wonderful pieces of history inside. In the chapel, you will walk over the vaults containing the bodies of Henry VIII and Charles I (complete with his head). Among the military displays, I spotted the bullet that killed Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar tucked in the corner of a cabinet.

The largest inhabited castle in the world, the Queen is officially in residence twice a year and has private weekends at Windsor.

Leaving the castle, we browsed around some of the more interesting shops, particularly those in the Royal Station pedestrian shopping centre, before heading for the River Thames, which forms a natural boundary with Eton.

Although York has made strides in promoting its rivers and encouraging the caf culture, it could learn from Windsor and Eton. It all seemed so civilised there, so gracious, and it reeked of money.

Our river trip, courtesy of French Bros, lasted 35 minutes, and while it was a pleasant interlude, the riverbank's sights could not match those of York.

Over the bridge, Eton seemed to offer even more eating establishments than Windsor, dotted between an eclectic mix of shops, galleries and boutiques. The further one progresses down the High Street, the further one seems to be heading back in time until Eton College emerges and the clock appears to have well and truly stuck in an age long gone.

Boys scurry about in the tailcoat uniform of one of the world's most exclusive schools, weaving past fascinated tourists.

A tour of the college takes about an hour and is well worth the diversion from the culinary and shopping delights.

All this history and grandeur captivated my partner, Ingrid, and me, but we could not ignore the tugs on our sleeves and little voices of our children, Lucy and Jack, who persistently asked when we were going to Legoland, which is only a ten-minute drive away.

Anyone who has ever puzzled over a pile of plastic bricks on the living room floor will be fascinated by Legoland, an extraordinary theme park where the rides look like grand versions of the real thing. The centrepiece, Miniland, a sort of model village recreated from 35 million Lego bricks, could have kept me amused for a whole afternoon.

We spent nine hours at the park and just about covered it all, despite queues for several of the rides. It's a great family day out, but teenagers will find there is relatively little for them when compared to other theme parks.

In a packed weekend, we only used the car once. There are many more tourist attractions on Windsor's doorstep, but we had to save them for another day, another visit.

As we carried our luggage out of the elegant surroundings of the Castle Hotel, I noticed a cabinet display marking the forthcoming Royal Ascot race meeting. The town was starting to gear up for this top feature of the racing calendar. Now that's another thing Windsor and York have in common.

Fact file:

For further details about the Royal Borough and its attractions, visit www.windsor.gov.uk or phone the Royal Windsor Information Centre on 01753 743900.

Our accommodation was at the Castle Hotel, High Street, Windsor (www.macdonald-hotels.co.uk) Phone: 0870 400 8300.

Eton College (www.etoncollege.com), phone: 01753 671177.

French Brothers boats (www.boat-trips.co.uk, phone 01753 851900.

Legoland Windsor (www.legoland.co.uk), phone 08705 040404.

Updated: 09:55 Saturday, June 12, 2004