Step onto Strøget and you’ll be offered a hundred fridge magnets of the Little Mermaid and plastic Viking helmets with horns — and I’d urge you to walk straight past every one of them (the Vikings never wore horned helmets anyway; that’s a 19th-century opera invention). Copenhagen is full of genuinely lovely souvenirs that say “Denmark” without saying “tourist trap”: world-class design, gourmet liquorice, beautiful porcelain, and the odd brick. Let me steer you to the good stuff, at every budget.
This is a curated guide to the best souvenirs to buy in Copenhagen — what to buy, where to buy it, the money-saving outlet hack, and the tat to skip.
Best Copenhagen souvenirs at a glance
- Budget: Danish liquorice, chocolate (Anthon Berg), a LEGO keychain, Flying Tiger finds
- Mid-range: Lakrids by Bülow, a Skandinavisk candle, a HAY accessory, an H.C. Andersen book
- Splurge: Royal Copenhagen porcelain, Georg Jensen silver, a Kay Bojesen wooden monkey
- The hack: Royal Copenhagen & Georg Jensen factory seconds at the Frederiksberg outlet
- Skip: mermaid magnets and horned Viking helmets (historically wrong, made in China)
- Tax-free: non-EU shoppers can reclaim VAT on purchases over 300 DKK
Budget souvenirs (under ~100 DKK)
You don’t need to spend much to bring home something authentically Danish:
- Danish liquorice — the Danes are obsessed with lakrids, including the salty salmiak kind. A bag or tin is cheap, distinctive and very Danish (be warned, salty liquorice is an acquired taste).
- Danish chocolate — Anthon Berg marzipan bars or Toms’ “Skildpadder” (turtles) make great cheap gifts.
- A LEGO keychain or Pick-a-Brick cup from the flagship store — see my LEGO Store Copenhagen guide.
- Flying Tiger Copenhagen — the Danish variety chain (it’s actually Danish) is full of quirky, cheap design-y bits.
- Danish butter cookies in a classic tin — kitschy in the best way.
Mid-range souvenirs (~100–1000 DKK)
Step up a little for these crowd-pleasers:
- Lakrids by Bülow — gourmet chocolate-coated liquorice, made in Copenhagen; a beautiful tin is the perfect edible gift.
- A Skandinavisk candle — Danish scents like “Hygge,” lovely packaging, very giftable.
- HAY homeware — affordable Danish design accessories you can pack easily.
- An H.C. Andersen fairy-tale book — a charming, literary keepsake from the city of the storyteller.
- Hoptimist figurines or a small Stelton/Bodum piece — Danish design at a sensible price.
Splurge souvenirs (1000 DKK+)
For a keepsake that lasts a lifetime:
- Royal Copenhagen porcelain — the hand-painted Blue Fluted is iconic; even a single cup is a treasure (flagship on Amagertorv).
- Georg Jensen silver — timeless Danish jewellery and homeware.
- A Kay Bojesen wooden monkey — the famous teak monkey is a design classic; smaller songbirds are a more affordable entry point.
- A piece of Danish design — a small lamp, a vase, something from the design shops.
The money-saving hack: factory seconds
Here’s a tip most visitors miss. Royal Copenhagen and Georg Jensen share a factory outlet on Søndre Fasanvej in Frederiksberg (a few kilometres from the centre), where “second-quality” pieces — with tiny, often invisible flaws — sell for at least 30% off, and discontinued first-quality lines are discounted too. For Georg Jensen the savings can reach 50–75%. If you’ve got your heart set on Danish porcelain or silver, the outlet is the smart way to buy it. There’s also a designer outlet in Ringsted for those venturing further.
Where to buy souvenirs
The best hunting grounds: Strøget and Amagertorv for the design flagships (Royal Copenhagen, Illums Bolighus, Georg Jensen, the LEGO store); the department stores Illum and Magasin du Nord for one-stop variety; the Designmuseum Denmark shop for tasteful design pieces; and flea markets for vintage porcelain bargains. For edible souvenirs, any good food shop or the department-store food halls work — my full guide to eating in Copenhagen has more.
What to skip
Save your kroner by avoiding the obvious tat: the “Made in China” Little Mermaid magnets, snow globes and keychains, and especially the horned Viking helmets — real Vikings never wore horns (it’s a myth from a 19th-century Wagner opera). Buy the H.C. Andersen book instead of the mermaid snow globe; you’ll be glad you did.
Practical tips
- Tax-free shopping: non-EU residents reclaim VAT on purchases over 300 DKK per shop — see my Copenhagen money guide.
- Pack porcelain carefully — wrap pieces in clothing in the middle of your case, or carry the most fragile in hand luggage.
- Food souvenirs (liquorice, chocolate, akvavit) are fine for personal use; check customs rules if travelling outside the EU.
- Budget vs splurge: a Lakrids tin or LEGO keychain for cheap; a single Royal Copenhagen cup or Kay Bojesen songbird as an affordable design “entry.”
Tat vs treasure: smarter swaps
The single best way to shop souvenirs in Copenhagen is to swap the obvious tourist buy for the authentic equivalent — same spirit, far better keepsake. Instead of a Little Mermaid fridge magnet, buy a beautifully illustrated Hans Christian Andersen fairy-tale book (the mermaid is his story, after all). Instead of a horned Viking helmet (historically bogus), pick up a tin of Lakrids by Bülow liquorice or a Danish design piece. Instead of a generic “Copenhagen” snow globe, take home a single Royal Copenhagen cup or a Kay Bojesen songbird. Instead of a plastic toy, a LEGO set bought at the Danish flagship. The authentic version usually costs only a little more (and the outlet hack can make it cheaper), lasts forever, and actually tells the story of Denmark rather than a factory in China. Shop by that one rule and you’ll bring home things you’re proud of.
Edible souvenirs and customs
Food makes some of the best (and most packable) gifts, but a few notes help. Liquorice is the quintessential Danish edible souvenir — from cheap supermarket bags to gourmet Lakrids by Bülow tins — and the salty salmiak kind is a fun (if divisive) novelty for friends back home. Chocolate (Anthon Berg marzipan, Summerbird, Peter Beier) and akvavit or a Mikkeller craft beer round out the edible options. Customs-wise: liquorice, chocolate, candy and sealed spirits are fine for personal use, and within the EU there’s no issue; if you’re flying outside the EU, avoid meat, dairy and honey products and check your home country’s allowances. One tip from experience — skip the cream-filled flødeboller as a gift; they don’t survive cabin pressure. Stick to dry, sealed treats and they’ll travel happily.
VAT refunds and packing fragile finds
If you’re buying the splurge souvenirs, two practicalities save money and heartache. VAT refunds: Denmark’s 25% VAT is included in prices, and non-EU residents can reclaim roughly 10–19% on purchases over 300 DKK per shop — ask for the tax-free form at the till (Global Blue or Planet), and get it validated at Copenhagen Airport before you fly; some operators refund to your card on the spot in the bigger stores. Packing porcelain: Royal Copenhagen and other ceramics are gorgeous but fragile, so wrap each piece in bubble wrap or clothing, nestle it in the centre of your suitcase surrounded by soft layers, and carry the most delicate or expensive pieces in your hand luggage if you can. A little care here means your beautiful cup arrives home in one piece rather than as an expensive jigsaw. Full money detail is in my Copenhagen money guide.
Souvenirs by traveller: who buys what
To make it easy, here’s a quick steer by type of shopper. For kids (or the young at heart): a LEGO set or minifigure from the flagship, or quirky bits from Flying Tiger. For foodies: a Lakrids tin, Danish chocolate, and a small bottle of akvavit. For design lovers: a Kay Bojesen monkey, a HAY accessory, or a piece of Royal Copenhagen (from the outlet to save). For readers and romantics: an illustrated H.C. Andersen book and a Skandinavisk “Hygge” candle. For the hard-to-buy-for: the department stores (Illum, Magasin du Nord) and the Designmuseum shop cover every taste under one roof. Match the gift to the person and you’ll skip the tat aisle entirely.
The bottom line on Copenhagen souvenirs
Copenhagen rewards the souvenir shopper who looks past the magnet stands. Whether you spend 50 kroner on a bag of liquorice or a small fortune on a Royal Copenhagen heirloom, the city offers keepsakes that are genuinely Danish — beautiful, well-made, and meaningful. Shop the design flagships and food halls, use the outlet for porcelain, claim your VAT back, pack the fragile bits carefully, and resist the horned helmets. You’ll come home with gifts that actually feel like Copenhagen. Round out your shopping with the full guide to the city’s shopping districts and the best design shops.
The stories behind the icons
The best Copenhagen souvenirs come with stories, and knowing them makes the gift better. Royal Copenhagen porcelain dates to 1775, founded under royal patronage; its hand-painted Blue Fluted pattern, with the three wavy lines as its mark, has been made for nearly 250 years — every piece is still hand-painted, which is why even a single cup feels special. LEGO was born in 1932 in tiny Billund from a carpenter’s workshop, its name a contraction of the Danish “leg godt,” play well — a Danish icon that conquered the planet. Lakrids by Bülow is a modern Copenhagen success story, founded in 2007 by Johan Bülow, who turned humble Nordic liquorice into a gourmet, chocolate-coated luxury sold in beautiful tins. And Kay Bojesen’s teak monkey, designed in 1951 by a silversmith trained in Georg Jensen’s workshop, has become the affectionate face of Danish design. Buy any of these and you’re not just bringing home an object — you’re bringing home a piece of Danish craft history, which is exactly what makes them better gifts than anything off a magnet rack.
A souvenir-shopping itinerary
If you want to knock out your souvenir shopping efficiently, here’s a route that covers every budget in one central loop. Start mid-Strøget at the LEGO flagship for a Pick-a-Brick cup or a set, then walk to Amagertorv for the design heavyweights — Royal Copenhagen for porcelain, Georg Jensen for silver, Illums Bolighus for a wide spread of Danish design gifts. Pop into Illum nearby for its food hall (Lakrids, chocolate) and beauty buys, then continue toward Kongens Nytorv and Magasin du Nord, whose food hall is great for edible souvenirs and whose floors cover everything else. For cheap-and-cheerful, any Flying Tiger branch along the way handles quirky budget gifts. If you’re after the serious porcelain at a discount, set aside a separate trip to the Royal Copenhagen outlet in Frederiksberg. That loop, all walkable, lets you buy for everyone on your list — kids, foodies, design lovers — without backtracking.
Authentic vs touristy: a deeper look
The line between a meaningful souvenir and landfill tat is worth drawing clearly, because Copenhagen sells plenty of both. The touristy stuff clusters at the City Hall end of Strøget and around the harbour: mass-produced Little Mermaid magnets, snow globes, keychains, and the perennial horned Viking helmets — which are not just cheap but historically wrong, since Vikings never wore horns (the image was invented for a 19th-century Wagner opera). The authentic alternatives cost only a little more and last a lifetime: a Danish-design object, a tin of quality liquorice or chocolate, a piece of porcelain, an H.C. Andersen book, a LEGO set bought in LEGO’s homeland. The simple test: ask “is this genuinely Danish, and will I still want it in five years?” If the answer’s no, skip it. Spending your souvenir budget on one or two real things rather than a handful of trinkets is the move every seasoned traveller eventually learns — and Copenhagen, with its design pedigree, rewards it more than most cities.
Getting your souvenirs home safely and cheaply
Two final practicalities protect both your wallet and your purchases. On money: non-EU residents can reclaim VAT (around 10–19% after fees) on purchases over 300 DKK per shop — get the tax-free form at the till, and either claim on the spot at stores like Illum or validate at Copenhagen Airport before flying; over a few design purchases this adds up to a real saving. On packing: porcelain and glass are the fragile worry, so wrap each piece in clothing or bubble wrap, bed it in the centre of your suitcase surrounded by soft layers, and carry the most precious or delicate items in your hand luggage. Edible souvenirs — liquorice, chocolate, sealed akvavit — travel fine for personal use, though if you’re heading outside the EU, skip meat, dairy and honey and check your home allowances. Get these right and your beautiful Danish keepsakes arrive home intact and a little cheaper than the sticker price. The full money detail is in my Copenhagen money guide.
Final thoughts on Copenhagen souvenirs
Copenhagen is a souvenir-lover’s city — if you know to look past the magnet stands. From a 50-kroner bag of liquorice to a Royal Copenhagen heirloom, the keepsakes here are genuinely Danish, beautifully made and built to last, telling the story of a country obsessed with good design and good craft. Shop the flagships and food halls, use the outlet for porcelain, claim your VAT back, pack the fragile bits with care, and leave the horned helmets on the shelf. You’ll fly home with gifts that actually feel like Copenhagen — and that’s worth far more than a suitcase of trinkets. Browse the rest with the Danish design shops guide and the full rundown of where to shop.
Last-minute souvenirs at the airport
Forgot to buy gifts, or simply ran out of time? Don’t panic — Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) is genuinely good for last-minute souvenir shopping, better than most airports. Between Terminals 2 and 3 you’ll find a strong run of shops carrying many of the same authentic Danish buys covered above: LEGO, Royal Copenhagen, Georg Jensen, Lakrids by Bülow liquorice, Danish chocolate, design pieces and books, plus the usual duty-free spirits and the airport’s own selection. Prices are broadly comparable to the city (sometimes with duty-free savings on alcohol and cosmetics for non-EU departures), so you’re not necessarily paying a big “airport premium” on the Danish brands. It’s also where you’ll validate your tax-free forms and collect VAT refunds, so build in extra time before security if you’ve shopped in the city. That said, the airport works best as a backup rather than a plan — the choice and atmosphere of buying in the actual shops, design flagships and food halls of Copenhagen is far nicer. But if you’re stuck, a quick sweep through the airport shops can still get you home with genuinely Danish gifts rather than generic travel tat.
Last updated: July 2026. Photo credits: Tamanna Rumee, Efnan babahanoğlu / Pexels.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best souvenirs to buy in Copenhagen?
Danish design (Royal Copenhagen porcelain, Georg Jensen, Kay Bojesen’s wooden monkey), gourmet liquorice (Lakrids by Bülow), LEGO, Skandinavisk candles, and H.C. Andersen books — far better than fridge magnets.
What is Denmark known for buying?
Design and craftsmanship — porcelain, silver, furniture and homeware — plus LEGO, liquorice and chocolate.
Is LEGO cheaper in Denmark?
Not dramatically, but the Strøget flagship has exclusive sets and it’s a fun place to buy a Danish-bought brick souvenir. Non-EU shoppers can claim VAT back on larger purchases.
Is Royal Copenhagen cheaper at the outlet?
Yes — the Frederiksberg factory outlet sells second-quality pieces (with tiny flaws) at 30%+ off, and discounted discontinued lines.
Can I get a VAT refund as a tourist?
Non-EU residents can reclaim VAT on purchases over 300 DKK per shop, validated at the airport on departure.
Are the Little Mermaid magnets and Viking helmets authentic?
No — they’re mass-produced tat, and horned Viking helmets are a historical myth. Skip them for something genuinely Danish.
Find your keepsakes across the Danish design shops, the LEGO flagship, and the city’s flea markets — all in the full full shopping guide.
