Nighttime Experiences for Free (Well, Almost)--You don't have to go to clubs or attend cultural presentations to experience Copenhagen nightlife. If you want to save money and have a good time, too, consider doing as the Danes do: Walk about and enjoy the city and its glittering night lights for free, perhaps stopping at a lovely square to have a drink and watch the world pass by.

Copenhagen's elegant spires and tangle of cobbled one-way streets are best viewed at night, when they take on the aura of the Hans Christian Andersen era. The old buildings have been well preserved, and at night they're floodlit. The city's network of drawbridges and small bridges is also particularly charming at night.

One of the best places for a walk is Nyhavn (New Harbour), which until about 25 years ago was the haunt of sailors and some of the roughest dives in Copenhagen. Today it's gone upmarket and is the site of numerous restaurants and bars. In summer you can sit out at one of the cafe tables watching life along the canal and throngs of people from around the world passing by -- all for the price of your Carlsberg. Along the quay you can also see a fleet of old-time sailing ships. Hans Christian Andersen lived at three different addresses along Nyhavn: 18, 20, and 67.

Another neighborhood that takes on special magic at night is Christianshavn, whose principal landmark is Christiansborg Slot or Castle, a massive granite pile surrounded by canals on three sides. The ramparts of Christianshavn are edged with walking paths, which are lit at light. This neighborhood, which glows under the soft, forgiving light of antique street lamps, is the closest Copenhagen comes to the charm of the Left Bank in Paris. You can wander for hours through its warren of cobbled streets and 18th-century buildings. The area also abounds in cafes, bars, and harbor restaurants, so there are plenty of "refueling stops." Originally the section was conceived by King Christian IV to provide housing for workers in the shipbuilding industry. But in the past decades its real-estate prices have soared.

For a much more offbeat adventure -- although it's not the safest place at night -- you can head for the commune of Christiania, which lies a few blocks to the east of Vor Frelsers Kirke. This area once housed Danish soldiers in barracks. When the soldiers moved out, the free spirits of Copenhagen moved in, occupying the little village, even though -- technically speaking -- they are squatters and in violation of the law. They declared the area a "free city" on September 24, 1971. However, Copenhagen authorities have not moved in to oust them in all this time, fearing a full-scale riot. The area is a refuge for petty criminals and other drug dealers. But there has been success in the community as well, evoking the communes of the 1960s. For example, the villagers have helped hundreds of addicts kick heroin habits.

At night adventurous tourists enter Christiania to eat at one of the neighborhood's little restaurants, many of which are surprisingly good. Prices here are the cheapest in Copenhagen, because the restaurant managers refuse to pay taxes. You can also wander through some of the shops selling handmade crafts. Because most establishments are small and personalized, you can also invite yourself in, perhaps to listen to innovative music or see some cultural presentation. Currently your best bet for dining is Spiseloppen. Later you can visit the jazz club, Loppen, where you'll hear some of the best jazz in the city. If you're a vegetarian, as are many members of the commune, head for the vegetarian restaurant, Morgensted. (These two restaurants and the club don't have addresses, but they're easy to spot.)