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Here's the short version: a popular combined single day tour to Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath is a long day that leaves you yearning for more. Break them up or do less.
The combined trip is an 11-12 hour road trip with most of that time being spent on the bus. Many tours give you just 60-90 minutes at each location. That's PLENTY for Stonehenge but that little time in Bath and Windsor is almost criminal. You get ONE HOUR to see the castle. You could stand in line to see Queen Mary's Dollhouse for half that. You get 15 minutes in St George's Chapel. While it's not a large church, you will not be able to spend much time seeing the various monarch tombs there. You'll be in and out. Windsor Castle and the village is at least a half day of sight-seeing. You might shed a tear realizing how little you got to see and how much there was to see.
You're allowed just 40 minutes to see the Roman Baths in Bath and then you just drive by everything else. Bath is easily a full day. You'll be yearning for more as you drive out of town.
Stonehenge is really the only true one-hour worthy stop. You get out, look at the rocks, take some photos and you're ready to go.
I've never really understood the combining of these 3 very different locations.
First: Windsor is SUPER easy to get to on your own. You can take a direct train from Waterloo station that takes about an hour. Or, you can take a one stop train from Paddington with a quick change at Slough that takes a total of about 35 minutes. Do not be afraid of doing this on your own. See the castle, walk around the back to the Long Walk and view it from there. Take in the adorable village, walk over the river to Eton College and grab some lunch at the Carpenter's Arms across from the castle. Just note that the castle is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays so plan accordingly. Also, St. George's chapel isn't open on Sundays except for services.
Bath is more of a 3/4 day trip just because it takes longer to get there and is more spread out. It's easy to get to. You'll just take the train from Paddington Station to Bath Spa. The station in Bath is close to the center of town and once you get off, there will be plenty of information about where to go and what to see. Note that the Royal Crescent is quite a walk from the center of town and somewhat uphill, but doable.
If you want to see Stonehenge, it's perhaps the only location you might want to set up a tour to. It's easier than fiddling with transportation once you get into the area. Still, this is a 6-hour trip (see what I mean about being on the bus the whole time?) But, you'll see Stonehenge and be back on London to do things later in the day.
Then, I would pick Windsor or Bath for another day. Pick Windsor if you love Royal things. Pick Bath if Jane Austen is better than Queen Victoria in your mind.
CHEERS! 🇬🇧
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