Shopping · Copenhagen · Denmark
Shopping in Copenhagen
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Guillaume Baviere from Helsingborg, Sweden, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Copenhagen is a design capital: furniture, lighting, homeware and fashion from Danish brands and independent studios. Strøget has the big names, while the lanes around it and Nørrebro's Jægersborggade have smaller designers and vintage shops. Best souvenirs: Danish design objects, Royal Copenhagen porcelain and LEGO.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Danish design objects
Where to shop
Strøget
The long pedestrian street with the Illum and Magasin du Nord department stores, Danish brand flagships and international chains.
Strædet and the Latin Quarter
Lanes running parallel to Strøget, such as Læderstræde and Kompagnistræde, with independent boutiques, antiques and cafés.
Jægersborggade, Nørrebro
A short street of ceramicists, independent fashion, vintage shops and coffee roasters.
Værnedamsvej, Vesterbro
A small street of delis, wine shops, flower stalls and French-style cafés on the Frederiksberg border.
Markets
Torvehallerne
Food market halls at Nørreport selling produce, cheese, fish and Danish specialities, with lunch counters.
Christmas markets
Stalls of gløgg, æbleskiver and handicrafts at Nyhavn, Højbro Plads and in Tivoli from late November.
Summer flea markets
Weekend flea markets in the warmer months, including those at Israels Plads near Torvehallerne and on Ravnsborggade in Nørrebro.
What to buy
Danish design objects
Homeware, lamps and kitchenware from design shops and the Designmuseum shop, from small gifts to classic pieces.
Royal Copenhagen porcelain
Hand-painted blue fluted porcelain from the brand's flagship store on Amagertorv.
LEGO
The Danish building brick, invented in Billund, from the LEGO store on Strøget.
Licorice
Gourmet licorice and salty salmiak sweets, a Nordic favourite, from specialist shops and supermarkets.
Akvavit
Bottles of caraway or dill akvavit to serve ice-cold with herring back home.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Street · Indre By
Strøget
One of Europe's longest pedestrian shopping streets runs about 1.1 km from City Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv, past department stores, Danish design flagships and the squares of Gammeltorv and Amagertorv.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Free
- Iconic
Market · Nørreport
Torvehallerne
Two glass-and-steel market halls beside Nørreport station hold around 60 stalls of fish, cheese, bread, coffee, smørrebrød and pastries, with an outdoor fruit and flower market between them.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Rugbrød, Æbleskiver, Koldskål and Akvavit. Bakeries and supermarkets; served with almost every lunch. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Indre By | $$$$ | Medieval lanes, Strøget shopping and the Round Tower in the old city |
| Nyhavn and Frederiksstaden | $$$$ | The postcard canal, royal Amalienborg and the Marble Church |
| Christianshavn | $$$ | Canals, houseboats and a spiral church spire across the harbour |
| Vesterbro | $$$ | Old working-class streets turned bars, cafés and the Meatpacking District |
| Nørrebro | $$ | Diverse streets, Jægersborggade's workshops and Assistens Cemetery |
| Østerbro | $$$ | Elegant apartment streets, Fælledparken and a city beach |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in DKK. Service is included in Danish prices, so tipping is not expected. Rounding up or leaving about 5–10% for exceptional restaurant service is appreciated but optional.
- Take a queue number (kønummer) in bakeries, pharmacies and some shops, and wait to be called.
- The Copenhagen Card pays off only if you visit several paid attractions a day and use public transport heavily.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February; the busiest months are July.
- January: Winter sales in the shops (January)
- June: Roskilde Festival, 35 km away (usually late June to early July)
- July: Copenhagen Jazz Festival — concerts across the city (usually early July)
- November: J-Dag — release of the Tuborg Christmas beer (first Friday in November)
- November: Tivoli Christmas season opens (usually mid-November)
- December: Christmas markets at Nyhavn, Højbro Plads and Tivoli (usually late November to December)
Staying near the shops
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and couples
Indre By
Medieval lanes, Strøget shopping and the Round Tower in the old city
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Copenhagen?
Danish design objects, Royal Copenhagen porcelain, LEGO and Licorice.
+Where is the best shopping in Copenhagen?
Strøget: The long pedestrian street with the Illum and Magasin du Nord department stores, Danish brand flagships and international chains.
+What are the best markets in Copenhagen?
Torvehallerne, Christmas markets and Summer flea markets.