What to Buy in Denmark
The two books
Just Mathias Thiele began collecting Danish folklore systematically in 1817 at the Royal Library in Copenhagen and published Danske Folkesagn between 1819 and 1823. Svend Grundtvig and Evald Tang Kristensen carried the work on. That collection is where the nisse, the kirkegrim, the gravso and the lygtemand come from, and it is the reason this site can be specific about what Danes believed rather than vague about it. Hans Christian Andersen published his first fairy tales in 1835 while living at Nyhavn 20, and it was Andersen who fixed Holger Danske to Kronborg in 1846 and used the lygtemand in his own writing.
The one thing you will actually need to buy
A pen. Both self-guided murder mystery hunts are fully analogue — no phone, no app — and a pen is the only equipment. They do not include food, drink, transport tickets or entry fees. See the Round Tower hunt and the Amalienborg hunt.
What to look at instead of buying
Thomas Dambo's six wooden giants stand out in the landscape around the city: Sleeping Louis, Hilltop Trine, Oscar Under the Bridge, Thomas on the Mountain, Little Tilde and Teddy Friendly. The day trip to find them runs four hours with private transport, a coffee break and a meal, and it does not take under-12s. That is on the six forgotten giants page. For the folklore itself, start at Danish folklore creatures.
Frequently asked questions
What is a must-buy in Denmark?
This site does not document Danish retail. What it can point you to is Thiele's collected folk legends and Andersen's fairy tales, the sources behind every story here.
What do I need to bring on a self-guided hunt?
A pen. Both murder mystery hunts are fully analogue and need no phone.
Where can I see Thomas Dambo's trolls?
On the four-hour six giants trip, which includes private transport and a meal. See the six forgotten giants.