Budapest shopping offers something for everyone!
Whether you are after unique hand crafted souvenirs, designer clothing or maybe something a little more retro and different, we can point you in the right direction.
Well worth a visit for the traveller on a budget, needing to change wardrobes during the seasons, is the well stocked second hand stores along Rákóczi út.
We recommend stopping into the second had store ‘Humana, People to People’ for a bargain on, new or near new, clothing items. A percentage of your small receipt bill goes to charity as well, which we like =)
MALLS sell everything you need, food, cosmetics, clothes, books; they all have souvenir shops, though Budapest Markets are better places to get authentic Hungarian souvenirs and fresh produce.
ALLEE SHOPPING MALL, Október huszonharmadika utca, 8-10, 11. District
A 10 minute walk or 2 stops on the tram from the hostel is Budapest’s newest mall Allee. Plenty of shops for cloths – Zara, H&M, Pull & Bear and many more, shoes and electronics. It has a big food court on the top level. There are cafe’s, several ice cream and nice quality cake shops, a great bakery, a pharmacy and a cinema that is open every day. In the basement you will find a huge SPAR Supermarket open from Monday to Saturday, 7:00-22:00.
Next to the Allee there is a wonderful two level fresh fruit and vegetable market where you can always find an abundance of Hungary’s beautiful seasonal produces. There are stalls on the 2nd level with authentic farmers who are selling heavenly, fragrant produce directly from their own garden. Also for meat lovers you will find top quality butchers under the same roof, as well as a small flower market.
WEST END CITY CENTER, Váci út 1-3., VI. District
Its striking architecture and around 400 shops make West End City Centre the most impressive and largest Budapest shopping malls. An ideal place for shopping even if you don’t have much time because it’s located next to the Nyugati Train Station, there’s also a 14 screen cinema if you need to sit down for a couple of hours!
MAMMUT I. Nagyajtai út 4/a, II. District, Buda
After sightseeing in the nearby Budapest Castle District pop into Mammut to do some shopping or have snacks in one of its cafes or restaurants on the upper floors. Mammut offers both big brand and smaller shops. For high-tech electronic gadgets visit Saturn on the underground level. Themarket at the back end of the mall sells fresh fruits, vegetables. The best place to munch some snacks, like lángos or pancakes.
GREAT MARKET HALL, Vámház körút 1
This market is an excellent place to buy your paprika, souvenirs and try fresh, authentic Hungarian food. The first floor, when you walk in from the main entrance is full of fruit, vegetables, meat, bread, paprika, cheeses etc, all at excellent prices. The upper level is mostly souvenirs, which are a lot cheaper than you’ll buy on the main streets. In the basement you will find fresh fish stalls, a supermarket and Asian food stores.
CHINESE MARKET KÕBÁNYAI ÚT, Outer Pest
If you’re after a bargain this place is fabulous and sells everything from clothes, sheesha pipes, perfume to electronics and all at half the price of the regular stores. It’s a little out of the way but still easily reachable by tram and foot. It’s not a huge tourist spot and doesn’t look that welcoming from the outside as it’s just a collection (a huge collection) of stalls but its well worth a trip for a bargain.
FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT
Come and visit the Budapest Christmas Fair, one of the largest of its type in Europe, if you want to buy something unique and original. At the end of November, Vörösmarty Square turns into a festive market place. Cottage-style wooden stalls and an outdoor stage take over one of Budapest’s most attractive squares.
You can smell the scent of traditional honey cookies, mulled wine, cinnamon and fir from a far. The rich fragrant simply lures you to the market!
All products are hand-made and the Hungarian Society of Folk Arts guarantees their quality.
On 21st-23rd December a small Bethlehem comes alive on the square with a crib and live animals. You can take part in a Christmas tree decorating competition, as well.
Don’t forget to taste traditional Hungarian food and cakes: strudel, grilled sausages and meat, Christmas cookies, kürtös kalács (hollow, cylinder-shaped pastry with different coatings: sugar, walnut).Try lángos, it’s a kind of fried dough.
You’ll find similar Budapest Christmas Markets at Liszt Ferenc tér (Pest, near Oktogon) or at Nyugati tér, (Grand Boulevard, M2 line, trams No.4, 6) but this one at Vörösmarty Square is the largest.
WAMP
The Sunday Artists’ Market = WAMP (vasárnapi mûvész piac). You can find local designers exhibits and stalls at Erzsébet Square. Open from 11a.m to 7p.m. If you are interested in seeing what local designers are up to in Hungary, or you are looking for original items as gifts, go and have a look.
It happens on various Sunday’s of the month.
Visit http://www.wamp.hu/en/fair_dates to check out the dates and get more information.
Hungarian Cuisine, native folk and Gypsy music
Traditional Hungarian dishes are primarily based on meats, seasonal vegetables, fruits, fresh
