Copenhagen Palaces: Christiansborg, Amalienborg or Rosenborg?
4 min read
If you only have time for one palace, the Christiansborg Palace ticket covers the most. It costs €30.10, with 4.6 out of 5 from 1,076 reviews. Amalienborg and Rosenborg are smaller and each has one clear highlight.
Christiansborg: rooms, kitchen, stables and ruins
According to the booking page, the ticket includes the Royal Reception Rooms and the Great Hall, the Royal Kitchen, the Royal Stables and the ruins under the palace. The palace chapel is free to enter and open on Sundays. Christiansborg is a working palace: rooms can close for state visits and official events, and the page says your booking may then be changed or cancelled with a full refund. The timing matters: last entry is 16:30 and the palace closes at 17:00, while the Stables are open from 13:30 to 16:00 with last entrance at 15:30. From 2 November to 21 March the palace and the Stables are closed on Mondays, according to the Royal Danish Collection (Den Kongelige Samling), which runs all three palaces. A reviewer was disappointed not to get into the stables, so arrive in the early afternoon if they matter to you. Strollers, baby carriages, backpacks, luggage and food and drinks are not allowed.
Amalienborg: the royal family’s rooms
The Amalienborg Palace Museum ticket costs €18.06 and has 4.3 out of 5 from 865 reviews. The museum is in Christian VIII’s Palace and covers the last 150 years of the monarchy. It shows rooms preserved as if the occupants had just left, among them Christian X’s study, Queen Louise’s salon, the Fabergé Chamber and the Gala Hall. The page carries the label “wheelchair accessible” and calls it a family museum suitable for all ages; confirm step-free access with the museum if you need it. From 1 November to 23 December it is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00 and closed on Mondays. The entrance is in the first building on your left when you enter the square from Frederiksgade and the Marble Church. Go down to the cashier to scan your online ticket. Strollers, large bags and food and drinks are not allowed, and a ticket is no longer valid if you arrive more than 20 minutes late.
Rosenborg: the crown jewels
The Rosenborg Castle ticket costs €20.07, with 4.6 out of 5 from 637 reviews. The Treasury shows the Danish Crown Jewels, including Christian IV’s crown from 1596, which the page says weighs almost 3 kilos, and the Order of the Elephant. Scan your online ticket at the ticket office first, and note the same 20-minute late rule. Backpacks, flash photography and touching exhibits are not allowed. People with mobility impairments and wheelchair users are listed as not suitable, so this is the one to skip if walking is difficult. From 2 November to 23 December Rosenborg is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00 and closed on Mondays. All three palaces are closed on 24 and 25 December.
Which one to pick
- One palace, most to see: Christiansborg.
- Wheelchair users, or a visit with children: Amalienborg (strollers are not allowed there).
- Treasures and jewels: Rosenborg.
In winter, do not plan any of them for a Monday. If you would rather see the exteriors, the bike tours pass Christiansborg, Amalienborg and Rosenborg, and the canal cruise passes Christiansborg and Amalienborg. For a pass, see bus, boat or Copenhagen Card.
Our recommendation
Book Christiansborg Palace for the widest visit, and add Rosenborg if jewels interest you. If anyone in your group uses a wheelchair: Rosenborg is listed as not suitable, Amalienborg carries the “wheelchair accessible” label, and for Christiansborg ask the Royal Danish Collection about access before you book.
