Shopping in Aalborg: Best Shops, Streets & Malls

Aalborg is the fourth largest city in Denmark, so naturally it has a lot of nice places to go shopping. In fact, it is the center of commerce in Northern Denmark, with people from different towns usually driving into Aalborg to buy what they need.

Here is a full guide to shopping in Aalborg. Get all the best recommendations on stores, streets, malls and other details!

Best areas to go shopping in Aalborg

The main shopping streets in Aalborg are Nytorv, Algade and Bispensgade. There are also a lot of stores on Vesterbro where a lot of traffic passes through.

All of these streets are fairly close to each other in Aalborg’s city center. You can easily walk around when doing your shopping. And if you’re arriving by car, it is usually simple enough to find parking.

Of course, there are stores spread out across several parts of the city, so the main streets are not the only ones to discover. But it’s always best to start there, as you will find the highest concentration of stores in the real center where the streets of Nytorv, Algade and Bispensgade are all located.

You can also check out the Kennedy Arcade at the bus terminal. There are some stores, a supermarket, a cinema and a few other things. A nice way to keep yourself occupied if you’re waiting for a bus or a train by the end of the day.

As for restaurants, they are much more spread out than the stores are. In almost any part of Aalborg, there will be restaurants. If you’re doubting where to eat, then read our guide to eating out in Aalborg!

Shopping malls in Aalborg

In the central part of Aalborg, you will find two malls:

• Salling – a three-floor department store with everything from clothes to books
• Friis – a two-floor shopping center consisting of several different stores, most importantly the department store Magasin is located inside the mall

Visiting both of these places is highly recommended. And they are located relatively close to each other, so you can easily shop in both malls on the same day. If you’re staying in central Aalborg, it’s very easy to go to either of those malls and find whatever you’re looking for. They are right in the middle of the city.

But the best mall in Aalborg is located just a bit south of the city center – it’s called Aalborg Storcenter, and it’s a 15-minute trip from the center if you’re driving by car.

With 2,400 free parking spaces, you rarely need to worry about parking. Alternatively, bus line 1 goes from the central bus terminal to the mall and back again.

Aalborg Storcenter is the largest mall in Northern Denmark. There is a huge selection of stores. The popular hypermarket Bilka is the highlight, but you will also find clothing stores (H&M, Nielsen, Only, Selected, Jack & Jones), electronic stores (GameStop, Humac, 3, YouSee), shoe stores, jewelry shops, hobby stores, a pharmacy, various restaurants, and much more.

In fact, you can spend an entire day in Aalborg Storcenter and feel well entertained. It is open every day of the week from 10 am to 7 pm, although it has more limited hours during the weekend.

DON’T MISS: Where to stay in Aalborg – Best areas & hotels

Typical opening hours

Stores in Denmark have somewhat short opening hours. If you’re coming in from a country like the US, the UK, France, Spain or another country famous for very generous opening hours, you might not be too impressed.

Most normal stores open at 10 in the morning and close around 5 pm during the regular weekdays. Malls will usually have slightly longer opening hours, staying open until 7 or 8 pm in the evening. Supermarkets, however, will be open earlier and stay open longer.

On Saturdays, you can expect stores to open at 10 or 11 am and close around 2 pm. On Sundays, everything will usually be closed, except for supermarkets and some malls (such as Aalborg Storcenter, a notable exception: It’s open every day of the week).

So if you’re going shopping in Aalborg, make sure to plan ahead, and preferably start your shopping in the middle of the day when all the stores are open!

Bringing your purchases home

You have to pay the full price when you buy something: But you can usually get a tax refund if you’re living in a non-EU country and traveling back home after your trip to Aalborg.

Simply fill out a form and report your purchases, and you will save the value-added tax (VAT). Find more information at the Global Blue website.

Depending on where you’re going next, you might have to declare your purchases in customs when you arrive at your next destination. However, that depends on the rules of where you’re going. You do not have to report anything to customs if you’re traveling to another EU country, except if you bring huge amounts of liquor or cigarettes (which is unlikely, due to the high prices of such things in Denmark)!

If you need to bring an extra suitcase to have room for your new purchases, you can easily find a store that sells them in Aalborg. Check in Aalborg Storcenter or in Friis. It’s also easy to arrange extra checked luggage at Aalborg Airport where the staff is friendly and professional.

Prices in Aalborg

The prices are mostly the same in Aalborg as in the rest of Denmark. There are no major differences since most stores are chains anyway. However, some cafés and restaurants might be cheaper than in Copenhagen or Aarhus – the two most expensive cities in the country. But if you’re shopping for clothes or electronics, you will find the same prices in Aalborg as anywhere else in Denmark.

Generally speaking, Denmark is an expensive country. Unless you’re arriving from Norway or Switzerland, prices will likely be higher than what you are used to. Denmark is not the ideal place to go shopping unless you’re looking for something specifically Danish. The good thing is that the quality is as high as the prices: You rarely go wrong when you buy products in Denmark and that must be considered a positive.