LONDON ? Most people equate Windsor with the castle, but, as I recently found out, there?s more to the area than the royal residence. The borough is also home to a host of notable attractions, quality shopping and good food!

Just over an hour?s drive from central London, Windsor is a mix of the antiquated and the modern, with the latter nicely and subtly mixed in without sacrificing the area?s character.

Walking down High Street, one sees traditional English pubs and old shops alongside hotels, Starbucks, McDonald?s, all facing the walls of the 1,000-year-old castle that prides itself in being the Queen?s favorite weekend home.

One of Windsor?s main attractions is the changing of the guard, which takes place on High Street every 11 a.m. on odd-number days except Sundays.

While brief, it makes for great photo-op, and kids love watching the guards decked out in traditional military garb marching up High Street and into the castle. It?s one of the town?s must-sees and there?s just no excuse if you miss it.

If you decide to take the train from Paddington, you will arrive at Windsor and Eton Central Station, one of two that service the area.

Constructed in Victorian style reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes movies (or, for the younger readers, Harry Potter!), the station is also a commercial complex called Windsor Royal Station. It is conveniently connected to Peascod Street, the area?s main shopping street.

Toiletry and burger

The railway mall has UK and foreign brands from clothing such as French Connection, Whistles, Jaeger and Ghost, to toiletry such as Crabtree & Evelyn, Jo Malone and the very British Penhaligons; as well as Oil and Vinegar, a culinary store, and Links of London, the UK?s premiere silversmith.

There are also local gift shops and a small market for homemade goods, such as leather bags, silver jewelry and throw pillows.

One interesting store I chanced upon was COOK, which sells ready-made, homemade meals catering to all tastes and nutritional requirements, including gluten-free and vegetarian options. They make sides, mains and desserts, even meals for babies, kids and special occasions.

I had the best burger while in Windsor, specifically at Cattle Grid restaurant, also at Windsor Royal. Time Out Magazine named them one of London?s Best Burgers in its October 2008 issue.

They serve great British beef with a variety of toppings (I had brie and caramelized onions), handcut Maris Piper fries on a flavorful sourdough sundried-tomato bun.

My husband had their steak and loved it, too. They cut their own beef in-house, cook it any way you like, and top it off with a selection of butters and sauces, such as chili or herb garlic butter, real gravy, Harissa and Blue Cheese.

Cattle Grid also serves ribs, a beef-and-wild-mushroom winter stew, which the neighboring table seemed to be enjoying, and has a variety of salads and desserts, of which the vanilla cheesecake was the most tempting.

Jewelry and ?empanada?

Peascod Street, Windsor?s main shopping area, has a good selection of British brands such as the ubiquitous Marks & Spencer, Topshop and Boots chains.

American institution Gap is there, of course (it?s in every shopping mall and high street I?ve ever been to in the UK!); as are female fashion retailers Monsoon and Karen Millen, and men?s stores Moss, Warwicks and Austin Reed. Brand loyalty is big in Britain, or so I?ve discovered.

One good find that day was Jojo Maman Bebe, a store specializing in maternity wear and children?s products, where I was able to find good bargains for my baby. Considering the size of the store, I was surprised to find selections I had difficulty sourcing in the city, besides being served by some of the nicest salespersons.

Another interesting find, although admittedly inappropriate to bring up with my husband amid the recession, were the jewelry stores.

I saw some lovely pieces at Pearl Gallery of Windsor and in Inuti, a small store at Windsor Royal selling funky designer jewelry. There were also local goldsmiths around, as the British value bespoke or customized jewelry over commercially produced ones.

Returning to High Street, we also discovered the British empanada known as a Cornish pasty, ?smuggled? by the West Cornwall Cornish Pasty Company (an allusion to Cornwall?s pirate past) into Windsor. Thicker than our version, it comes in white or whole meal, and is offered in carnivorous, vegetarian and exotic flavors.
My husband enjoyed his Steak and Stilton pasty, while I tucked into another customer?s recommendation, the Indian-inspired Chicken Balti.

Eton and Ascot

For families with toddler-age children and above, a potentially fun destination would be Legoland Windsor, a theme park my nephew just loves. All rides and attractions are apparently interactive, educational and a lot of fun.

There?s a mini golf course, building workshops (it is Legoland, after all), and a feature called Kingdom of the Pharaohs, where kids get to live out an adventure much like the movie ?The Mummy.? The entrance fee is quite substantial, so I suggest making a day of it.

Windsor is also home to Eton College, where only the brainiest boys aged 13-18 are accepted. It counts several British Prime Ministers among its alumni. Tours are available, but pre-booking is essential as they run only on some days and school holidays.

For horse-lovers like me, an attraction I will be returning to Windsor for will be the races at Ascot. Some have family days when kids are welcome and activities like face painting are featured.

I will also be coming back for the Royal Windsor Horse Show, and in August for the FEI European Show jumping and dressage championships. Both are some of the most important in the international equestrian scene and will no doubt be a feast for my eyes!

For more information, the best website to check out is http://www.windsor.gov.uk.