Den Blå Hal (discontinued)

Den Blå Hal (which literally translates into “The Blue Hall”) is a weekly indoor flea market hosted in a massive building spreading out across 2000 square meters (21,500 square feet) in the Amager neighborhood of Copenhagen.

Even though Den Blå Hal is a bit further out of Copenhagen’s city center – it takes roughly 40 minutes to get there by metro – this rickety old shed filled with antique Scandinavian home ware is well worth a visit. For shoppers who are into flea markets and trinkets, Den Blå Hal is an antique haven.

Regardless of all the crap stacked up in piles, the 100 small shops hosted in Den Blå Hal, sell everything from retro design and used furniture classics, to art and knick-knacks of toys, vintage and recycled clothing.

Some of the most remarkable things to see and find at Den Blå Hal include beautiful old hat boxes, an entire room full of antique Royal Copenhagen, ceiling-high piles of glassware and ceramics, nicely weathered letterpress drawers, vintage Danish design furniture, gorgeous Raadvad Danish bread slicer for a great price (some of these models date back to 1880), oriental rug, old Danish “våbenskjold” cast iron bottle opener, Bauhaus wall clocks, boxes of vinyl records, electronics, and of course, a lot of knick-knacks.

Pricing of the goods for sale at Den Blå Hal is generally fair, but as with almost all flea markets the merchants are all ears if alternative prices are offered. Often, bargaining is an easy way into extended conversations with the vendors (and charm them!), who are keen to engage with visitors, and share their knowledge and enthusiasm for their goods as much as to encourage a sale.

The main advantage of Den Blå Hal is that it is open all year round, when almost all open-air flea markets in Copenhagen exclusively operate from April to October. The entrance ticket to Den Blå Hal costs only 10 DKK (USD$1,65 or £1,20) and the flea market even has its own café, which is perfect to take a break between two bargains.

With 2,000 square metres of shopping space, shoppers visiting Den Blå Hal are more than likely to find something that catches their eye—no matter what they’re after.