Shopping in Budapest
Shopping in Budapest
Budapest is fast becoming a mecca for international shoppers, a reputation it enjoyed even in Communist times. Thankfully small boutiques and big brands are beginning to flourish in Budapest with many main shopping areas in addition to new influx of shopping mall culture which if nothing else offers convenience shopping in the colder winter months. There are now a host of big shopping malls in Budapest, the biggest being the west end shopping mall in the city center located between between Nyugati tér and Lehel tér in Pest. But perhaps surprisingly, the number of smaller outlets offering “luxury” goods and services has also mushroomed. There are now, for example, many places where one can buy antique style building materials, where one can have pictures framed, or buy fine cheeses, pipes and tobacco, books from the time of Newton, bakelite records, Wagner manuscripts and antique clocks. Two elements of the Budapest shopping experience that really should not be missed out on are a visit to one of the market halls and a trip out to the Ecseri Flea Market. But then there is also much to be discovered by taking a walk down Falk Miksa utca. This Pest street, like certain areas in Paris and Rome, has become a centre for antique shops.
General Shop Opening Hours
Food shops are typically open 7am - 18.00, cloths shops between 10.00 - 18.00 Monday to Saturday. Most shopping centres are open on Sundays but outside of the malls shops remained closed. Tesco is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Banks Mon- Thursday 08.00 - 15.00 Friday 08.00 - 13.00. Post offices Mon-Friday 08.00 - 18.00. Saturday 08.00 - 13.00. Normal office working hours are 08.00 - 16.00 Monday - Friday.
West End Shopping Mall Budapest Photo
The Main Markets in Budapest
Central Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok) (V. Vámház körút 1-3.) In olden times this most famous of market halls was connected to the River Danube by a tunnel so that goods could be directly offloaded from barges and taken inside to the stalls for sale. Upstairs is a stunning – although sometimes pricey – range of folk art inspired goods.
Hold utca Market Budapest (V. Hold utca 13.) Like a jewel in the centre of Pest, quite close to the Parliament.
Rákóczi tér Market Budapest (VIII. Rákóczi tér 7-9.) More representative of everyday Budapest, rarely frequented by tourists.
Hunyadi tér Market Budapest (VI. Hunyadi tér) Dating from 1897, this is the only one that has not been renovated since the political changes in 1990. There is a good delicatessen.
Klauzál tér Market Budapest (VII. Klauzál tér) In the centre of the old Jewish Quarter.
Batthyány tér Market Budapest (I. Batthyány tér 5.) This, the only one in Buda, was lovingly restored in 2003. Upstairs are shops, a nice café and a fantastic view over one of the city’s finest squares and across the River Danube towards the Parliament.
Flea Markets, antiques and second hand books shops in Budapest
Ecseri Flea Market Budapest (1194 Nagykőrösi út 156.)
A visit to this long-established traditional flea market is a great day out for both Hungarians and foreign visitors. It has since the middle of the nineteenth century been held in various locations, always slightly further out from the city centre. Since the 1960’s it has not even been on Ecseri út although it is still known by that name. Perhaps confusingly, it is also sometimes known as “Tangó.”
The market is over four acres big, and since nearly all of it is under cover it is still comfortable to visit and browse around in bad weather. Open: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday, 6 aa.m. – 3p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Serious bargain hunters will be found there first thing on a Saturday morning, before most tourists have even risen from their bed! Public transport: No. 54 bus from Boráros tér; average off-peak journey time 22 minutes.
Budapest Flea Market , outside the Petőfi Hall (1146 Zichy Mihály út 14.)
Saturdays and Sundays, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Here there are few genuine tradesmen, the majority of the several hundred vendors being ordinary people selling just bits and pieces for a few forints. Some are visibly very poor indeed, and thus a visit to the Market gives an insight into an aspect of Hungary most tourists do not see. Which is not to say that amongst the flotsam and jetsam there are not also sometimes some real bargains to be found. ( http://www.bolhapiac.com/)
Pintér (V. Falk Miksa utca 10.) This is one of the most interesting premises on Falk Miksa utca. Behind its unassuming two-window frontage lies a 20,000 square foot Aladdin's Cave of furniture, paintings and chandeliers. ( http://www.pinterantik.hu/)
Nagyházi Gallery (V. Budapest, Balaton utca 8., corner of Falk Miksa utca.) Another large antique shop specializing in furniture, paintings and folk hand-weavings, and also holding auctions. ( http://www.nagyhazi.hu/)
Múzeum körút — Centre for antiquarian booksellers (V. Múzeum körút, from Astoria to Kálvin tér.) Over a dozen antiquarian booksellers stocking everything from second hand modern books to valuable rarities, including incunabula, manuscripts and postcards. Opening hours vary, but are usually from around 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
Six Hungarian present ideas
Tokaji Wine : It is a fact that only white grapes tend to be grown in the Tokaj region of northeastern Hungary. What might be less known is that this encompasses several different types of grape, leading to the production of a variety of fine but distinct white wines, ranging from dry to sweet. The most famous sweet wine from the region is the Tokaji “Aszú” dessert wine. The various qualities of it are graded from 3 to 6 puttonyos; the higher the grading the more expensive the price. The whole Tokaj area has seen a great deal of new investment in recent years, much of it by companies from France.
Unicum : This is a bitters sold in a distinctive round black bottle. Its origins are over two centuries old, and it is best drunk cold. Available in a range of sizes. ( http://www.unicum.hu/)
Red paprika , in a cloth sachet: Although paprika itself is of American origin, the grinding of it is a particularly Hungarian invention. It is an absolutely essential ingredient in traditional Hungarian cooking.
Modern print of a 1930’s photograph : Several of the world’s historically most renowned photographers came from Hungary. But whilst they were making their names abroad, their lesser known contemporaries stayed behind. Now, beautiful prints of their photographs are available at very reasonable prices from the Mai Manó Ház bookshop (VI. Nagymező utca 20., http://www.maimano.hu/,.)
Herend porcelain : The history of Herend porcelain goes back over two hundred years, and over that time the factory has produced some 12,000 different types of handmade objects and ornaments. The Herend shop in Budapest is at: VI. Andrássy út 16.
The Symphonic Poems of Franz Liszt : Liszt (1811-1886) was the founder of the Budapest Music Academy, and always regarded himself as staunchly Hungarian even though he did not actually spend that much time here. Amongst many fine modern recordings of his works are those by the Budapest Festival Orchestra under their founding conductor Iván Fischer. ( http://www.bfz.hu/)