Summer is the busiest season — coach tours from London arrive daily, queues at the castle are long, and the gardens of Windsor Great Park are at their best. May and June, with the spring colour and the lower rainfall, are arguably the best months to visit. The Royal Windsor Horse Show takes place in the Castle grounds in mid-May.
Autumn is quieter and equally good for walks in the Great Park, when the avenue trees turn yellow and the deer are rutting. Winter is colder and dimmer but the State Apartments are open year-round, and the castle and chapel are atmospheric in December. Avoid Mondays in summer when many small attractions in the town are closed.