Christiania covers an area of more than 85 acres and houses almost one thousand inhabitants, and every year more than a million people visit the Freetown. Some of them use Christiania almost every day, while others pay a quick visit to the village located in the middle of Copenhagen.

Christiania is thus one of the greatest tourist attractions in Copenhagen, and abroad it is a well-known "brand" for the progressive and liberated Danish lifestyle. Many Danish businesses and organizations also use Christiania as a show place for their foreign friends and guests. The purpose is to show something Danish that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Among the local users are many social security recipients, pensioners, immigrants and clients from social institutions. Single mothers also visit here, not to mention the many homeless and jobless young people. Greenlanders, street people and vagabonds, all find a sanctuary here.

They all come to the Freetown to enjoy the peaceful green environment and the magic mixture of village and metropolitan life, because this is seldom possible where they live: in dark flats and dismal institutions around Copenhagen, where people are too busy to talk; where it is not welcome or perhaps even forbidden to enjoy a beer on a bench (if the meeting place has not already been done away with!).

Christiania is the "losers' Paradise," for the creative and recreational values, which we all look for, are found in rich measure in the area.

Christiania is a green, traffic-free city with paths, gravel roads and large water areas. So when you use the area, you must not worry about becoming a little wet and muddy. Many even find the lack of street-lighting a distinct advantage - the stars appear so much brighter at night. The inhabited green ramparts make for a variegated and exciting natural environment. In fact, the green ramparts of Christiania appear much more recreational and attractive to visitors than the well kept, deserted areas under the care of municipal Copenhagen.

Many people, however, abstain from exploring and using Christiania, simply because they cannot find their way around. To help those and the thousands of tourists who visit this unique place in Europe, Christiania has published the tourist guide, which you are reading now.

We welcome you and hope that your eyes will be opened to the creative and cultural values that Christiania offers. There are many things to discover in Christiania, and with this guide, we open the door to them all.

As a result, we hope that the political calls to open up the area for the population of Copenhagen will soon stop. For the whole of Christiania's lifetime, the area has been open to the public and has proved a delight for millions of people.