How safe is Christiania nowadays for a solo young-ish female traveler?

January 21, 2020 12:03 AM

I'm considering applying for a research stay for several weeks in Christiania in Copenhagen. I'm seeing mixed reviews in terms of safety. What's the reality?

I would be staying in Christiania for several weeks during the summer. I would have a host organization, but I don't know how hands-on they would be. I assume I would be going around alone most of the time, primarily in the daytime (and I could make it entirely in the daytime if need be). I'm a solo female academic from the USA who looks to be in her mid-to-late twenties and who only speaks English and Spanish. My research does not relate to drugs and I would not be hanging around Pusher Street though I would walk it once out of curiosity or maybe more if it's helpful for transit and safe to do so. I would hope to take some photos in other parts of the free town of green spaces and structures but I would defer to my host on where that could happen. I am fairly street smart and have been fortunately fine in general tourists-be-alert situations (i.e. pickpockets in crowded hot spots) but want to know if this is on a different level. I've never been to Denmark before but have traveled a fair amount in Europe and a little in South America.

posted by anonymous to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total)

I spent a day in Christiania as a tourist, alone, female, a couple of years ago. I felt perfectly safe, for what that's worth.
posted by lollusc at 1:11 AM on January 21, 2020

I (female) have been to Christiania for a day with my mother. Looking back on that experience, I would feel safe applying for this stay. The environment did not feel threatening in any way. I believe that your street smarts will be sufficient there.
posted by Too-Ticky at 4:39 AM on January 21, 2020 [2 favorites]

Totally safe. Stay away from people that look shady, as you would in most cities. I wouldn't hang around Pusher Street if you don't have to--not because it's dangerous but because it's frequently raided and a kind of tense/unpleasant place. There may be a higher-than-average ratio of people with substance use disorders or mental illness who will want to come up and interact with you. I'd handle them like you would any place else. (As for daylight, if you come in late June, it's only really dark-dark from 11 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.!)
posted by whitewall at 4:41 AM on January 21, 2020 [1 favorite]

copenhagen as a whole is an extremely safe city. just stay away from shady people and you will be just fine. christiania is quite an interesting place. during the summer go further down the road and enjoy the food trucks at Refshalsøen. i live in Frederiksberg so memail me if you have other questions or would like more info. welcome!
posted by alchemist at 5:21 AM on January 21, 2020 [2 favorites]

I know that program. You will be totally safe.
Unfortunately in Copenhagen as a whole, there has been a rise in pickpockets and other incidents involving tourists, but it is still a very safe city. Please memail me if you get the grant, I have a lot of material on Christiania you can have I you want it.
posted by mumimor at 5:44 AM on January 21, 2020 [2 favorites]

We walked around the area with 2 small kids. The advice a local gave us was treat it like walking through any residential neighborhood. Ie it's not a show or a tourist destination. It's a place where people live. We enjoyed it, didn't take any pictures and had zero issues or uncomfortable moments.
posted by chasles at 6:27 AM on January 21, 2020

I echo all the comments above, but chime in only to add that you may want to take your bearings on photography there by talking to one or two locals before brandishing your camera -- I think there can be some sensitivities as to where photography is welcome and where it is not (but not in ways that would be vastly different from some of the other places you have traveled). Have fun -- it's a fun place!
posted by AwkwardPause at 9:07 AM on January 21, 2020

I concur with the answers above. I (female) spent the day there with a female friend and never felt unsafe. We also walked down Pusher Street, which does have a weird vibe. My friend, who lived in Copenhagen at the time, said it was generally fine but tense, though generally safe if you don't go looking for trouble. To give you a sage of how extremely safe Copenhagen is, people lock their bikes with just those wheel locks, not even attaching them to anything.
posted by orchidee at 9:25 AM on January 21, 2020

I'm in Copenhagen for work regularly, and have taken my kids many times. They've been allowed to roam freely since they were 13-ish (all over 18 now), and they all enjoy going to Christiania alone and together while I'm working. It's safer than so many places in the city where we live in the U.S. and I have no qualms about safety there in general. If you have any concerns, just avoid Pusher Street and the main entry/exit points during crowded times of the day--as others have said, it's not the locals but the malign spirits who are attracted to the scene who can appear threatening. Some of the more distant paths away from the center can feel a bit isolated, so if you want to be extra cautious steer clear of those routes and keep people in view.

Anecdote: when my youngest was ~14, and he and I were milling around waiting for our friend to get a meal at Morgenstedet, a very drunk guy came up and started hassling us (kid had on a shirt that said something about California, and drunk guy took the opportunity to aggressively posture about American politics). A group of five or six locals *immediately* intervened and got drunk guy to go home and sleep it off. A few of them ended up eating with us and we still keep in touch and hang out when I'm in town.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 2:15 PM on January 24, 2020