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Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 26 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: Sarah Marshall

Denmark’s crown jewels have been carefully guarded for 400 years behind the gates of this splendid Renaissance castle in the centre of the city. Find the collection of precious gems – including some of the world’s finest emeralds – in the basement alongside glass cabinets filled with weapons, scientific instruments, a set of toy soldiers and other royal treasures.

Upstairs, in the Knight’s Hall, three life-size silver lions guard coronation thrones made from narwhal tusks, while tapestries and fine furnishings fill the King’s private quarters.

Even if the intricacies of Danish history don’t interest you, the amount of bling on display is impressive. The surrounding gardens are also worth exploring.

Logistics

Price from: £15
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Find the castle in the King’s Garden, close to Nørreport Station. It’s also an easy stroll from the centre of town. To enter the castle directly and avoid queuing at the visitor office, purchase a ticket online.

Anyone wanting to join a one-hour guided tour led by the Museum at Rosenborg, will need to book an additional ticket at least two weeks in advance. If visiting alone, it’s worth bringing a mobile phone (although remember to keep it on silent); information about each numbered object can be downloaded from the castle website as there is limited information available inside.

When to do it

The castle is open year-round (closed on Mondays), but the gardens are at their most beautiful in early April when the crocuses are in bloom.

Destination guides

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Copenhagen

Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark

Copenhagen

Compact, sexy, culture-rich and charismatic, this most stylish, progressive and tastiest of all the Nordic capitals never disappoints.

Round-ups

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