21 BEST Danish Souvenirs
Looking for souvenirs from Denmark? If you’re going to Denmark, then you’re in for quite a treat!
We spent four days in Denmark as part of our 2-month Northern Europe adventure,
Some Danish souvenirs are similar to those of their neighbours in Sweden, and to the Netherlands, but there are also many unique items that you can only find in Denmark.
As you learn more about the history and culture of Denmark, you’ll be glad you gave this small country some of your time- and will be hard-pressed to choose which Danish gifts and souvenirs to bring home.
So, let’s jump in – all the best souvenirs from Denmark!
BEST Danish Souvenirs
1. A Little Mermaid figurine
Part of why I always wanted to come to Denmark was to see the iconic Little Mermaid statue by the sea.
Some say this popular attraction is a bit of a tourist trap, but regardless, it’s an icon of Denmark. The statue was unveiled in 1913, and has been popular for tourists ever since.
Regardless of whether you make it out to the mermaid statue on your Copenhagen itinerary, you can find figurines of this statue everywhere.
2. A Dala Horse
Dala horses originated in Sweden, but they’re commonly found in Denmark too because of the shared history and culture.
I found the Dala horses to usually have slightly different designs in Denmark, such as the ones above that are decorated Danish flag style.
It’s a nice (usually wooden) ornament to sit on a shelf, reminding you of your trip to Denmark.
3. Unique kitchenware
Denmark has lots of unique kitchen items that are unlike others you may have seen.
There are a number of stores in Copenhagen that sell kitchenware items, and even cute home decor items.
You can find unique things like:
- Danish cheese shavers/cutters with a wire
- Stainless steel cutting boards
- unique molds for chocolate or ice
As you’re walking around Copenhagen, you’ll see many stores that sell kitchenware so I recommend checking them out!
4. Frederiksdal’s cherry wine
Many parts of Denmark are ideal for producing wine, and there are actually quite a few wineries and wine producers.
Frederiksdal is particularly unique for a Danish wine, because its the only wine in the world made with cherries instead of grapes. Their signature wine is called Rancio, but they have lots of different types of wines, such as sparkling.
You can find the Frederiksdal wine in supermarket chains such as føtex, or Bilka.
Frederiksdal Cherry Wine is probably the most unique wine from Denmark, but if you like wine, there are other types of Danish wines worth trying too: Cold Hand Winerym North 54, Klitgaard, and Anderson.
5. Danish butter cookies
Denmark has been an exporter of butter cookies for hundreds of years. You’ve likely seen the typical Danish butter cookies before in the royal blue Royal Dansk tin.
Royal Dansk cookies are still made in Denmark and exported worldwide. But you can get them cheaper and easier if you’re already in Denmark.
There are some other brands of butter cookies too, such as Kjeldsens. You can find butter cookies in souvenir stores, the airport, or at supermarket chains such as Irma, føtex, or Bilka.
6. Danish Candy
As with many countries, Denmark has some unique candy that you can only buy there.
- Sømods is an old-fashioned candy store in downtown Copenhagen that has been running since 1891. The best thing about them is that they use only cane sugar and natural flavourings to sweeten their candies, and natural colours to colour them with. So, the candy isn’t super bright and fluorescent like other candy, but its made exactly like in the old days.
- Almuegarrden (pictured above) we saw these candies everywhere around Copenhagen, so it was easy to grab them. They’re hard candy and they’re very good
7. Royal Copenhagen Porcelain
Royal Copenhagen is most known for their Christmas plates (mentioned in more detail below) but they make other porcelain keepsakes as well.
To be honest, I didn’t see as much Royal Copenhagen Porcelin as I was walking around. I think it’s something you’ll have to specifically look for if you want to buy.
8. Danish fashion
I’m not a huge fashion person, but after seeing many of the clothing stores in downtown Copenhagen, I did some shopping and bought some clothes to bring home.
Danish fashion is about fuss-free, low-maintenance and minimalism. A Danish fashion describer describes it well here.
There are a few Danish clothing retailers and designers to check out in Denmark, and their clothing of course makes a great, useful souvenir or gift from Denmark.
Some of them are Mads Nørgaard and Hygge. I bought some clothes from Cos (which is a Swedish store, not Danish, but has that similar minimalist style.)
9. Freetown Christiania merchandise
Freetown Christiania is a bohemian neighbourhood in southern Copenhagen. If you plan to go there, then there are souvenirs you can bring back from there.
It’s a bit of a controversial neighbourhood and has become one of the city’s top tourist attractions. You can buy souvenirs specifically about this neighbourhood from there.
10. Tom’s chocolate (or candy)
A very popular and unique Danish shocolate is Toms skildpadder (Tom’s turtles.) They have a thick chocolate exterior and a creamy centre. They have a rum filling, but there is no alcohol in them, so it’s totally safe for kids and adults!
Tom’s Chocolate has been made in Denmark for 100 years. You can find their chooclate in supermarkets, most chocolate stores, or the airport.
11. The Hoptimists
The Hoptimists are basically funky-looking figurines that are meant to put you in a good mood.
They were created by a Danish designer in the 1960s and are still popular today, as a gift or souvenir from Denmark.
They’re meant to just sit on a desk or shelf, looking happy. They come in different colours, and even made of different materials.
12. LEGO
LEGO was invented in Denmark in the 1930s. If you’re in Copenhagen with kids, you may want to stop by the LEGO store.
I know you can buy it anywhere, but since Denmark is the country where it was invented, some people buy LEGO sets there.
There is a large LEGO store on the Strøget that you can check out (pictured above!)
If you’re in Denmark with kids, you may want to consider visiting the LEGOLAND in the town it was invented, called Billund (its about a 3 hour drive from Copenhagen though.)
13. A troll figurine
Trolls are legendary in Danish culture, so they’re a popular theme in Denmark souvenirs.
They’re also common in Swedish souvenirs, due to similar folklore. If you want it to look obviously Danish, look for some holding the Danish flag (pictured above!)
14. Hygge items
Denmark is where the concept of hygge was invented. Hygge is about time spent alone, or together with family and close friends, enjoying the simpler pleasures in life.
Think of things like : drinking hot chocolate in front of a fire, or playing a board game, reading a book, or simply sitting outside. If you want to read more about hygge, this article explains it well.
There are many souvenirs (such as the tote bag pictured above) that say “hygge” on them.
Another idea for a souvenir is to bring back items from Denmark that would bring you a sense of peace and coziness at home.
Something like:
- Hygge candles
- Minmimalist blankets or pilllows
- A book
- Cozy clothing from the Hygge Original Clothing store on the Størget, the main pedestrian street in Copenhagen
Denmark is a country that does hygge (peace, wellbeing, calmness) well – so bring back things that will bring you to that state of mind.
15. A Danish Christmas ornament
Nordic countries take their Christmas seriously, and Denmark is no different.
I learned from visiting Denmark that Danish Christmas is very similar to Swedish Christmas, and lots of the decorations and ornaments are similar.
There are some differences though – in Denmark, you will often see the Danish flag (red with white cross) on ornaments, and many little Santas (called a nisse in Danish.)
The Danish Christmas decorations evoke more of a cosy, quaint Christmas feel, rather than flashy or commercial which I really like. A lot of the ornaments are handmade.
There are a couple Christmas stores in Copenhagen that are worth checking out. You can also find some Christmas ornaments in regular souvenir stores.
16. Royal Copenhagen’s Christmas Edition Plates
Royal Copenhagen’s Christmas plates sort of fall iunder the Christmas ornament category, but they deserve a special mention.
The Christmas plates by Royal Copenhagen are always deep blue and white, and depict historical, nostalgic and traditional images of winter, and Christmas.
These plates have been made since 1888. The designs are beautiful, but simple – very true to the hygge concept, because it is about the small things:
- kids building a snowman
- a cat sitting by the window
- a family decorating a Christmas tree
You can find them on Etsy too
17. Viking-based souvenirs
Denmark is one of the three countries that Vikings originated from, so you will see a lot of Viking-themed souvenirs.
You can find Viking replica jewelry, also simple trinkets like Viking magnets, keychains, and figurines, and even toys for kids!
18. A Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale book
Hans Christen Anderson was an 1800s Danish author who wrote titles you’ve almost definitely heard of:
- The Ugly Ducking
- The Little Mermaid
- The Empror’s New Clothes
- The Snow Queen (which Frozen is loosely based on)
- Thumbelina
I grew up with many of the above stories, so some of them are very nostalgic for me. Since Hans Christian Andersen was Danish, you can get prints of his books in Copenhagen.
- There’s a shop on Nyhavn that sells prints of his books in different languages, as well as other Danish souvenirs. Check out their webshop here
19. Danish cheese
Danish blue cheese, called Danablu, is a cow dairy-based cheese which is soft and known for its blue ‘veins’.
It was developed on the Danish island Funen, where farmers replaced goat’s milk with cow’s milk to make a creamier cheese. You can read more about the history here.
Another cheese to consider is Danbo mellemlagret, which is the most common breakfast cheese in Denmark.
You can find Danablu Cheese at Danish supermarkets. If you’re a huge cheese fan, you should stop into Helge’s Cheese (Helge’s Ost) in downtown Copenhagen to find other Danish and international cheeses.
20. Nyhavn-themed souvenirs
Nyhavn is the most iconic canal in Copenhagen, and you will see it all over many souvenirs.
You can find tote bags, magnets, and many other types of keepsakes with the Nyhavn building.
These types of souvenirs are also found of bikes, Danish flags, vikings and other little symbols of Denmark and Copenhagen.
21. Black licorice
Similar to the Netherlands and Sweden, lakrids (liquorice) is also common to Denmark.
You’ll see lots of black licorice, some of it in more fancy containers, or just simple bags of it from convenience stores.
My husband doesn’t like black licorice, but I’ve always liked it as its a common candy in Sweden that I’ve grown up with.
21. Daisy jewelry
The daisy is the national flower of Denmark, and a special Danish jewellry is a daisy necklace.
I saw some Danish women wearing them and they are very pretty.
Georg Jensen is a jewelry brand (named after a Danish silversmith) that makes the beautiful daisy-based jewelry. Unfortunately though, they don’t ship outside Europe.
However, there are also some options for beautiful daisy jewelry on Etsy if you can’t find the store in Copenhagen.
Where to Find the Best Danish Souvenirs
Supermarkets – Supermarkets are sometimes the gold mine when it comes to souvenirs from any place. There are many chains you’ll see in Copenhagen or Denmark, such as Irma, føtex, or Bilka. To find some really good quality, I recommend heading to Torvehallerne, a market with stands, or Mad & Vin, which is a classic supermarket.
The Copenhagen Airport great opportunity to buy duty-free items, and sometimes more ‘upscale’ versions of some of the ideas above
Souvenir stores you will see many of the things above in the many souvenir stores in Copenhagen
Souvenirs from Denmark FAQ
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about souvenirs and gifts from Denmark
What is a typical gift in Denmark?
Typical gifts in Denmark include daisy jewellery, traditional butter cookies, and Tom’s chocolate turtles.
What items is Denmark famous for?
Denmark is famous for its traditional Danish butter cookies, which are sold worldwide.
What is the main product of Denmark?
The main product of Denmark is the butter cookies, and the Royal Copenhagen plates.
Final Thoughts on Danish Souvenirs
I hope that you’ve come up with some great ideas of things to bring home from Denmark. It’s a small country, but with so much history and inventions and there are many great souvenirs and gifts from Denmark to consider.