Christiania walking tours from Christianshavn
Why walking, and not wheels
Christiania is pedestrian and bicycle territory, no cars, and bikes are walked inside rather than ridden. So whatever you arrive on, you finish on foot. A cycling tour gives the Freetown a slice of its route; a walking tour gives it the whole booking, which means the guide can stop in front of a self-built house and tell you who built it and when. The built part of the 34 hectares is smaller than the map suggests, and the good half — the ramparts, the lake, the boatyards — rewards a slow pace. If you would rather cover the Little Mermaid and Nyhavn in the same trip, the bike tours do that instead.
The two-hour small-group walk
This is the one I send most people to. Two hours, English, capped at ten, led by a local of the district. It meets at Strandgade 95 and finishes there, and the order is fixed: the Church of Our Saviour with its spiral outside staircase (15 minutes), Freetown Christiania (30 minutes, free time included), the Copenhagen Opera House across the water (15 minutes), back to Strandgade. The guide is included, it runs rain or shine, it is wheelchair accessible, and you can cancel free up to 24 hours before.
Usually included
- A guide who lives in the district
- Two hours on foot, small group of no more than ten
- Free time inside the Freetown, not only a walk-through
- Runs in any weather; wheelchair accessible
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead
Not included
- Food, drink and anything you buy inside
- Entry to the Church of Our Saviour spire
- Hotel pickup
- A ride — this one is entirely on foot
Reviewers name the guides. Sibylle from Switzerland wrote that Simon “told us a lot about the city and life in Copenhagen, and answered all our questions”; Eileen from the United States said Ina “was upbeat, knowledgeable, and altogether a delightful guide”; James from Australia called it an “authentic experience… 2 hours of walking and stopping at really interesting spots”. The full write-up sits on the Christiania walking tour review.
The private walk, when a group of ten is nine too many
The Christianshavn Private Walking Tour is the same two hours, from Højbro Plads, but it is your party alone and it runs in English, Spanish, Italian or French. The route takes in Christianshavns Kanal, Nyboder, Højbro Plads itself, Freetown Christiania and the Church of Our Saviour. The guide and any public transport used are included; food, drink and tips are not. It is wheelchair accessible, free to cancel up to 24 hours ahead, and you can reserve now and pay later. Its rating is 5.0 — from seven reviews, which I would treat as encouraging rather than settled. Denise from the United Kingdom wrote “it was amazing and Henri was great. Loved Freetown”. More on the format and the sample size under private tours.
The half-day: two districts, one walk
The Vesterbro & Christianshavn Guided Tour runs 3.5 to 4 hours, private, in Danish, English or Spanish, from Viktoriagade 8. It opens in Vesterbro (Det Ny Teater, Værnedamsvej, Saxogade, Istedgade, the Meatpacking District, Øksnehallen, Halmtorvet), then crosses Knippelsbro into Christianshavn for Christians Kirke, Strandgade, Asiatisk Plads, Wildersgade, the Church of Our Saviour and Christianshavns Vold, finishing in the Freetown. Metro tickets are included, lunch is an optional stop, gratuities are not included. Three reviews, all 5.0 — Werner from Switzerland wrote that the guide “knows a lot and shows you places a tourist never would find.” Three reviews is three reviews, so read it as a small, good start.
Most bookedChristiania & Christianshavn Guided Walking Tour
PrivateChristianshavn Private Walking Tour
Half dayVesterbro & Christianshavn Guided Tour
What works
- The Freetown gets the whole booking, not a 20-minute slice
- Small groups: ten on the flagship, your party alone on the private walks
- Two of the three are wheelchair accessible
- A guide can tell you which path is a private drive before you walk down it
Worth knowing
- Two hours on cobbles and gravel; read what to wear first
- You will not see the Little Mermaid or Nyhavn on these
- The two private walks have very few reviews between them
- Copenhagen weather turns fast, and every one of these runs anyway
Read the rules on the gate before you arrive rather than while standing in front of them. The one visitors break without noticing is running: do not run inside Christiania. It reads as trouble here, for reasons that go back decades.
Can’t make these dates?
Browse more available Christiania tour and find one that fits your schedule — all with instant confirmation and free cancellation.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Christiania walking tour?
Two hours for the small-group Christiania and Christianshavn walk and for the private Christianshavn walk. The Vesterbro and Christianshavn half-day runs 3.5 to 4 hours because it covers a second district first.
Is the walking tour hard going?
It is flat, but it is two hours of walking and standing on cobbles, gravel and old rampart paths. The small-group walk and the private walk are both listed as wheelchair accessible. See how long to spend if you are planning the rest of the day.
Do walking tours go inside Freetown Christiania, or just past it?
Inside. The small-group walk gives the Freetown 30 minutes including free time, and both private walks finish in there. The tour meets in Christianshavn, a few minutes from the main entrance on Prinsessegade.