Budapest shopping

Your advert here

Share |

Photo: Jens DollenbacherHungarian liquor shop

Vaci Utca is Budapest's main shopping street
The Main Market is worth a couple of hours to admire the food stalls
Arts and Crafts are upstairs at the Main Market
The shop at Budapest airport has a good range of whole salamis, cherry chocolate liqueurs and Hungarian wines and spirits

Budapest shopping

There's excellent shopping to be found in Budapest. While Vaci Utca and the Main Market will attract most visitors, there's also fine shopping opportunities along the Great Boulevard, often at keener prices.

Budapest shops have boomed since the end of the Communist era and now vary from huge shopping malls to tiny designer boutiques. Shops are generally open 10am - 6pm weekdays. Some close on Saturday afternoons and markets tend to open and close earlier than shops.

Vaci Utca

On the Pest side of the river, Vaci Utca houses many fashion boutiques, including international brands. There are interesting buildings to admire in Art Nouveau and neo-Classical style.

The street is traffic-free and packed in summer with the usual array of street entertainers. There's some interesting Hungarian ceramic shops - well worth poking around for Budapest shopper bargains.

Budapest shopping streets nearby include Petofy Sandor u. and Parizsi utca. The latter features the Paris Passage, or Parizsi udvar, a fascinating blend of architectural styles that include a glass cupola.

Budapest 'Fashion Street'

In the heart of Pest, Deak Ferenk utca has attracted the 'Fashion Street' moniker with its wide range of fancy stores. Here you'll find the likes of Boss, Lacoste, Benetton, Karl Lagerfeld, Polo Ralph Lauren etc. All well and good, but all of these can be found in most British cities.

Budapest Main Market

Vásárcsarnock, the Main Market, was built in the late 19th century and restored in recent years. This is where to head if you admire good quality and well presented food.

The market is full of paprika, salami and vegetable stalls on the ground floor. Hungary's celebrated goose liver can be bought while other stalls sell specialist liqueurs such as Apricot Brandy (Barackpalinka).

Some food stalls target the tourist market and staff generally speak good English. Upstairs, it's all Hungarian crafts and clothes plus a selection of bars. The market is at the Pest end of the Liberty Bridge.

Hungarian wine

The Hungarian Wine Centre, or Magyar Borok Haza is in the centre of the Buda Castle district opposite Matthias Church.

All 22 wine regions of Hungary are featured including, of course, the famous Tokay. Hundreds of wines are for sale and there are tasting areas aplenty. Remember to pick up one of the free informative wine maps.

Hungarian marzipan

Hungarians are famous for their sweet tooth. While pastries and cakes are notably popular, so is marzipan. Specialist shops are dedicated to the almond paste with amazingly complex displays. There's even a Marzipan Museum in the Hilton Hotel in the Castle district with lots of items on sale.

Budapest chocolates and cakes

The famous cafes have shops alongside selling high quality confections including many gift items. The shop at Gerbeaud is on Vosrosmarty ter in Pest while the shop at Russwurm in Buda (Szentharomsag utca 7) is also very popular.

Andrassy ut

You'll find up-market stores on Andrassy ut, the Champs Elysee of Budapest. They include Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Tag Heuer and many others.

Even if the stores are not a turn on, Andrassy ut is an elegant street for a stroll. Keep going out of the city on this wide boulevard and you eventually reach Heroes' Square and then the peace and calm of the City Park.