Christianshavn and Christiania Guided Walking Tour Copenhagen

Christianshavn: canals and old Copenhagen

Christianshavn was laid out in the early 17th century by King Christian IV, who gave the district its name, as a fortified trading town on reclaimed land between the city and the island of Amager. Its plan was inspired by Dutch towns, and that is still obvious today: a central canal lined with houseboats and wooden sailing boats, narrow bridges, and rows of ochre, red and mustard merchant houses with steep tiled roofs. Many of these buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Our walk begins here because Christianshavn is the best introduction to the area's character. Your guide points out old warehouses, hidden courtyards and the ramparts that once protected the town, and explains how a working-class harbour district became one of the most sought-after addresses in Copenhagen. If you are wondering whether a Christianshavn walking tour is worth it, this first stretch usually answers the question: it is quiet, photogenic and full of stories you would miss on your own.

Church of Our Saviour

The Church of Our Saviour, consecrated in 1696, is one of the most recognisable buildings in Copenhagen. Its dark brick body is in Dutch Baroque style, but the real landmark is the spire completed in 1752: an external spiral staircase winds around the outside of the tower, climbing to a gilded globe and a figure of Christ nearly ninety metres above the street. On a clear day visitors who climb it look out over the rooftops, the harbour and as far as Sweden.

On this tour we spend about 15 minutes outside the church, which is the perfect time to take photos of the twisting spire and hear how it was built. Entry to the tower is not part of the walk and the climb is seasonal and weather-dependent, so if you want to go up, your guide can tell you the best time to come back. Inside, the church holds a richly carved altar and a large Baroque organ.

Freetown Christiania

Freetown Christiania began in 1971, when a group of young people moved into an abandoned military barracks area on the old ramparts of Christianshavn and declared it a free town. Today it is a car-free, self-governing community of several hundred residents, with its own rules, workshops, cafes, music venues and green spaces around a quiet lake. The colourful murals, hand-built wooden houses and bicycles everywhere make it unlike any other part of the Danish capital.

Your guide tells the story of how Christiania was founded, how residents and the state reached an agreement over the land, and what daily life is like here now. You then have about 30 minutes of free time to explore at your own pace. Please respect the residents' wishes: in a few central streets photography is not welcome, and your guide shows you where. If you are asking how to visit Christiania respectfully, a guided walk with a local is the easiest answer.

Copenhagen Opera House and the modern harbourfront

After Christiania the walk turns towards the modern side of Christianshavn, where former naval docks and warehouses have become offices, flats and public waterfront. The highlight is the Copenhagen Opera House, opened in 2005 on the island of Holmen. Its enormous flat roof reaches out over the water, and it sits on a precise line across the harbour with the royal palace district on the opposite bank, a view your guide will point out.

We stop for about 15 minutes near the Opera House, enough time to admire the building, take photos of the harbour and hear about the area's transformation. The tour then ends at Strandgade 95, one of the oldest streets in Christianshavn, where historic warehouses face the harbour. From here it is a short walk to the bridges that lead to Nyhavn and the city centre, and your guide will happily suggest places to eat nearby.