Christiania Freetown

Christiania is on the East side of Copenhagen's main channel and is home to a self-proclaimed autonomous district run by its residents with its own rules since 1971. It's a home to hippies and artists and the rules are simple: no guns, knives, or violence of any kind. The signs and art are all very colorful and invoke a counter-culture feeling of free love and anarchism. The residents work hard to be environmentally friendly with small homes, repurposed materials, and bike paths in place of streets. It felt like a an organic neighborhood unspoiled by land developers and not constricted by rigid building codes. Beware that the residents don't want tourists to take photos of them, especially in the Green Light District. However a local shopkeeper allowed photos of the street art and sculptures in his area and I snapped several photos along the canal trail leading into Christiania.