Places worth your afternoon.

• BrisbaneAustralia2743
• Cape TownSouth Africa1474
• CopenhagenDenmark6807
• EdinburghUnited Kingdom3205
• HanoiVietnam4887
• HobartAustralia999
• KyotoJapan6822
• LisbonPortugal161
• LjubljanaSlovenia102
• MelbourneAustralia424
• Mexico CityMexico605
• MontrealCanada361
• New OrleansUnited States442
• PortoPortugal58
• San FranciscoUnited States788
• WellingtonNew Zealand124

Free to wander into

No ticket needed. A few of the free sights listed this week.

• Copenhagen · Indre By

  Christiansborg

  This Neo-baroque palace, completed in 1928, after 11 years of construction - is unique in the world, housing both the executive power, the legislative power, and the judicial power of Denmark, in a single building. It is the 5th construction at the site, and the ruins of the original castle dating back to the 12th century - was excavated during the construction of the current palace, is open to the public (adult 85 kr, student 60 kr). Apart from the ruins there are a few other places that can be visited: free guided tours of the parliament building are conducted during summer months; Parliament's tower can be visited free of charge Tu-Su 11:00-21:00; the Royal Reception Rooms (including the Great Hall with the tapestries) 150 kr; the Royal Kitchen 85 Kr, the Royal Stables 85 kr; the Palace Chapel - free admission. Besides, there is a combination ticket which allows entrance to all of the aforementioned sights - 225 kr. You get a discount of 10 kr for all tickets when ordering online.

• Edinburgh · New Town

  National Galleries of Scotland: National

  This holds much of Scotland's fine artwork from Renaissance to 20th century, with changing exhibitions. These rotate seasonally, so an exhibition put on for the Festival typically stays to the end of the year, allowing quieter times to view. Enter from the plaza between gallery and Royal Scottish Academy, and a basement passage connects the two exhibition spaces. The Scottish Galleries on the lowest floor reopened in 2023 after several years of redevelopment, and show a good collection of local work and views which may inspire trips.

• Hanoi

  Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum

  The city down south may have his name, but only Hanoi has the man himself, entombed in distinctly Lenin-esque fashion. Against his wishes, but that's how it goes. No talking, revealing clothing (shorts should be knee length and no exposed shoulders), or other signs of disrespect allowed while viewing; photos are allowed only from outside, in the grand Ba Dinh Square. Purses are allowed into the tomb, but expect them to be searched by several bored soldiers along the way. Left luggage is handled in a complicated scheme: there is an office near the street for large bags, with separate windows for Vietnamese and foreigners, and a further office for cameras, which will be transported to a third office right outside the exit of the mausoleum. Items checked in at the first office, however, will stay there. The mausoleum is closed for a couple months around the end of the year, when the body is taken abroad for maintenance. It is closed in the afternoons for maintenance.

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