What To Buy in Copenhagen: 20 Best Danish Souvenirs

My Top Picks for Souvenir Shopping in Copenhagen

If you’re traveling to Copenhagen, Denmark, you’re probably planning to pick up a couple souvenirs to remember your trip by.

After all, you don’t just happen upon Copenhagen. Visiting any Scandinavia destination requires intention . . . and a significant investment of finances. In the words of the great Denzel Washington, “I’m leaving here with something.” I’ve done the heavy lifting for you and figured out the very best “somethings” to pick up in Denmark.

With its emphasis on design and hygge, Denmark’s the perfect place to purchase high-quality home décor you’ll value for the rest of your life. If you prefer consumable souvenirs, you’re spoiled with choices including cookies, licorice, tinned fish, snaps liqueur and some of the world’s best skincare lines.

When I visited Copenhagen in December 2025, I quickly discovered it’s all too easy to part with your precious kroner in this cozy, stylish European city. Whether you hit up Strøget – the famous pedestrian shopping street in central Copenhagen – wander the thrift shops of Norrebro or scope out local artwork in Free Christiania, you’re sure to find the perfect souvenir to share travel memories with friends and family at home.

Here are 20 Danish gifts that epitomize Danish culture and are well worth saving room in your suitcase for! 

1. LEGO sets

Until my trip to Copenhagen I didn’t realize that my favorite childhood toys originated in Denmark! This is a bold statement, but I wager that LEGO is Denmark’s best-known export. There are many LEGO stores scattered around central Copenhagen including on Strøget and next to Tivoli Gardens.

If you don’t want to take an entire LEGO set home with you, there’s a station in the store where you make your own personalized LEGO figurines which is a fun, very affordable option.

2. Trolls

Another beloved childhood toy I was surprised to see on Copenhagen were trolls that looked remarkably like the Russ Troll dolls I played with in the 90s. It turns out those trolls were based on wooden troll figurines created by Danish artist, Thomas Dam, in the 1960s.

True, the trolls we discovered in a Tivoli Gardens gift shop weren’t the squishy plastic doll I remembered. Instead you collect these resin figurines which are sometimes called called “good luck trolls.” If you’re a 90s kid, or know one, this is such a sweet nostalgic gift with a great Denmark connection.

4. Hoptimists

I think the Danes have the “cute figurine” market cornered! Another adorable little friend to bring home are Hoptimists. Like a precursor to Bobbleheads, these large headed figures have a spring for a body. It’s the perfect addition for your desk or bookshelf to make you remember your Copenhagen trip with a smile every time you spy it.

5. Licorice

All Scandinavian countries are huge consumers of licorice (lakrids in Danish) and while this spicy treat isn’t as popular in Denmark as it is in Finland, you’ll still find a lot of licorice varieties to sample around Copenhagen. The Danes especially like salty licorice and you’ll also see a lot of chocolate covered licorice.

Some popular brands to watch for include Bülow, Haribo Super Piratos, Anthon Berg, and Bagsværd. I bought some Katjes Salte Fisk (salty fish) gummy candies because I thought they were such a fun fusion of Swedish fish and salted licorice. Wow, they are not for me! You might feel the same about Danish licorice, but you won’t know until you try it. . . .

6. Local art and stationery

Copenhagen has a thriving art scene, especially if you venture into the Free Christiania community. We strolled through the Free Christiania Christmas market a couple times where I fell in love with the sweet prints pictured above by local artist Lisa Grue.

It’s also a great place to pick up stationery, whether you up for a budget buy at the nearest Flying Tiger Copenhagen or some special letterpress notecards from a gift shop. I found some beautiful astrology print postcards at the Rundetaarn gift shop.

7. Candles and other hygge essentials

No, I’m not recommending you fly across the Atlantic to come home with the equivalent of a peach candle. However, Danes are the number one consumer of candles in the world. The Danish love of low, warm lights is a big part of how they create hygge (or general coziness) in their everyday lives.

Can’t bring yourself to buy a candle? Consider some elegant candlestick holders that typify sleek Scandi design. Or pick up some high quality homewares like the throw blanket, rug, decorative pillow, or planter to increase your home’s hygge at a home goods store like Søstrene Grene or Notre Dame.

8. Skincare products

Scandinavia as a whole is known for simple, high-quality products and that’s especially true with their skincare products. Danish beauty products often focus on all natural, responsibly-sourced, organic ingredients. If you have sensitive or dry skin, it’s well worth seeking out some Danish skincare products will likely treat your skin very well! 

Some favorite Danish skincare lines to seek out include Lumene, Rudolph Care, Tromborg, Ole Henriksen, and Karmameju. A couple ingredients to seek out are sea buckthorn and honey. Sea buckthorn is cultivated in Denmark and its oil helps protect skin from UV and other irritants. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

9. Carlsberg merchandise

Is it just me or do European beer companies like Guinness and Carlsberg have the best marketing artwork? If you do the Carlsberg Brewery Tour experience, you’ll definitely want to hit up the gift shop for some fun souvenirs like magnets, posters, clothing, and of course, beer.

10. Royal Copenhagen and other ceramics

Royal Copenhagen has been making porcelain products in Denmark since the 1700s. They’re known for their collectible plates and dinnerware, but also make vases, picture frames, ornaments, and figurines. I’m particularly fond of their fluted, handless contrast mugs. 

If Royal Copenhagen isn’t quite your style, you’ll find a lot of other pottery and ceramic wares on Danish gift shop shelves.  

11. Holiday decorations and Christmas ornaments

The Danes use some very distinctive motifs in their holiday decorating including the Danish flag, a white and red woven heart (julehjerte), and straw julbock (Christmas goat) ornaments. These items are great affordable gift options that don’t require much suitcase space.

We found a great selection of these items both at Tivoli Gardens and the National Museum gift shop. If you don’t want to come home with more trinkets, you could pick up a paper craft kit or how-to book so you can craft beloved Danish symbols like the Christmas heart or star at home. 

12. Thrift store finds

Copenhagen is a very eco-conscious city so it only makes sense to consider bringing home some secondhand souvenirs. You’ll find thrift stores all over Copenhagen, including Old Town, Freetown Christiania, and Vesterbro. We whiled away a nice afternoon in the Norrebro neighborhood secondhand clothing store. I found a perfect handmade wool skirt that made its way into my suitcase!

13. Vesterhavsost (North Sea Cheese)

Vesterhavsost is a delicious semi-hard Danish cheese that tastes like a cross between gouda and parmesan is often featured on the morning plates offered at Copenhagen cafes. It’s the perfect companion to a freshly baked sourdough bun. We picked up a couple wedges to bring home at Torvehallerne. It tastes best at room temperature.  

16. Aquavit/snaps

When I heard a tour guide refer to “snaps,” I thought she’d misspoken and meant “schnapps.” But no, snaps is the Danish term for aquavit, a grain or potato liquor that’s infused with potent flavors like caraway, fennel, anise, or dill and then served in very small amounts with a meal as a digestive or palate cleanser.

I always associate aquavit with caraway which is definitely an acquired taste! However, we found a delicious holiday spiced snaps from Fary Lochan at Torvehallerne flavored with rosehip, cinnamon, and apricot so it’s well worth asking for some assistance in the shop to ensure you end up with a snaps you’ll actually enjoy.

17. Coffee beans

Scandinavians love a coffee break! (In Sweden it’s a whole ritual called fika.) Bring the cozy hygge vibes of a Copenhagen café home with some coffee beans roasted in house at the favorite café or coffee shop of your visit.

We actually grabbed our coffee souvenirs from Love Coffee in Lund, Sweden during our time across the Oresund Strait. Many Copenhagen bakeries, including the famous Andersen & Maillard, roast their own beans.

18. Tote bags

With Copenhagen’s focus on sustainability and eco-consciousness, it only feels right to pick up one of the cotton tote bags with whimsical Danish inspired prints that you’ll find outside of many gift shops around the city.

These reusable shopping bags feel much more on brand with Copenhagen than other somewhat unimaginative souvenir “defaults” like fridge magnets. They also take up little to no space in your suitcase and you can use it to cart around your other purchases.  

19. Tinned fish

The Danes are very seafaring people and seafood is a staple of Danish diets. The easiest way to bring a taste of the North and Baltic seas home is to pick up a couple tins of fish and other seafood products.

I found Fangst products at a Torvehallerne vendor. Their tinned mussels made such a unique souvenir! Other popular tinned seafood and freshwater fish in Denmark includes sardines, herring, cockles, and trout.

20. Cookbook

Copenhagen, especially the famous Noma restaurant, is credited with creating New Nordic Cuisine, which focuses on simple, fresh flavors using local ingredients. Add in the city’s celebrated cafes and bakeries and you’re definitely in for a delicious visit you’ll want to recreate at home.

Some favorite Danish cookbooks to seek out are noma Time and Place by René Redzepi, anything by Trine Hahnemann, or Danish Food and Cooking by John Nielsen.