Amalienborg Slot

The four identical palaces facing each other across the large cobbled square are the main residences of the Danish royal family. Completed in 1760, the somewhat austere Amalienborg Slot (kongernessamling.dk/amalienborg; adult/child 125kr/free) palaces are named for kings Frederick VIII, Christian VII, VIII and IX. The now-abdicated Queen Margrethe II has lived in Christian IX's palace since 1967, while the relatively new King of Denmark, King Fred, and his Tasmanian wife, Queen Mary, live at Frederik VIII's palace. You can visit the palace of Christian VIII, which also serves as a guest palace for the "spare" Prince Joachim and Princess Benedikte, when they visit from the US. You get to see some historic reconstructed royal studies, giving a sense of life behind the scenes, plus the changes in royal taste. It's worth heading to Amalienborg Slot to see the daily show when the Royal Life Guards, in tall bearskin caps, march from Rosenborg Slot at 11.30am to change the guard here at noon.