Budapest is one of the most elegant cities on the Danube and a perfect destination for a romantic getaway, a fun trip with friends, or a family trip.
Its landmark buildings, including the Parliament and the Opera House, are complemented by more popular attractions such as a funicular railway to the top of Buda and its famous thermal baths, which offer you the chance to take a healthy dip.
But what’s most surprising about the Hungarian capital is the number of places where craft markets flourish with their stalls full of typical souvenirs, or the varied range of options for shopping in Budapest, whether in its well-known historic streets or on the grand boulevards, which have nothing to envy of the top avenues in Paris or London.
Where to go shopping in Budapest
Planning a day of shopping in Budapest is a fun way to get to know not only the city’s history but also its cuisine. But first you need to know where to go to buy the best souvenirs and what to look for in each neighbourhood.
Great Market Hall, Budapest’s Central Market
f you want to get the cheapest souvenirs in Budapest, you must visit the Central Market Hall. It’s the ideal place to buy some of the most famous souvenirs in the Hungarian capital, such as Tokaji, paprika, traditional dolls, tablecloths, and embroidered shirts. The Central Market Hall is, without a doubt, the best place in the city for you to make “good, nice, and cheap shopping” a reality.
It’s also the largest covered market in the city as well as being the oldest, having been built at the end of the 19th century. Located in the heart of Budapest, after World War II, the building fell into decay and had to close in 1991 with it being virtually in ruins. But the inhabitants of Budapest always demanded their market and three years later it was restored and turned into one of the most important tourist attractions in the city.
The best approach is to rummage through the vegetable, meat, and spice stalls for the best handicrafts that can be found in the stalls that offer everything that can be considered typical of Budapest. If after all this you get a bit peckish, there are food stalls on the first floor.
Andrássy Avenue
This is the most luxurious avenue in the city and the perfect place to go shopping if you’re looking for exclusive products. Gucci, Armani, or Louis Vuitton models can be found on this street alongside trendy restaurants that keep the glamour of the city’s imperial past alive. There’s no doubt that this atmosphere during the day and at night was one of the reasons why, in 2002, UNESCO declared Andrássy Avenue a World Heritage Site. The other is its imposing neo-Renaissance façades, among which one of the most beautiful buildings in Budapest stands out: The Opera House.
If we look up beyond the designer shop windows, we can admire the structure of a boulevard built in 1872 and which was intended for the aristocracy of the time. Bankers and historic families occupied what are now windows full of delicacies, while at the heart of this avenue runs the first underground railway system in all of Western Europe. It’s best to take a leisurely stroll along it until you reach the famous Heroes’ Square.
Historic Váci Street
This is one of the oldest streets in the city, which in the Middle Ages marked the way to an entrance to the walled city. Centuries later, it has become a bustling, pedestrianised shopping street, lined with 18th- and 19th-century mansions, which is full of life at all hours of the day. A few years ago, it was frequented by Hungarian high society, but has been transformed into a place full of the best souvenir stalls, fashion shops, hotels, and the most popular restaurants and cafés that set the tone of the city on the Danube.
The Gozsdu Weekend Market
The Jewish Quarter is one of the most fascinating places in Budapest and, although few people are aware of this, a great place to buy souvenirs at good prices, especially during the weekend when the Gozsdu Weekend Market takes place. Every Saturday you can buy various kinds of vintage items and antiques, while on Sunday the stalls are transformed into traditional craft workshops. From spring to autumn, this weekend market is also open on Fridays with a special jewellery edition.
Ecseri Flea Market
The name literally means flea market, i.e. a kind of flea market where you can find everything. It’s not in the centre of Budapest, but it’s worth a visit if you want to buy antiques and get one of the most sought-after souvenirs for many tourists who land in Budapest: artefacts from the city’s communist past. That said, if you want to buy some old treasures such as antique furniture, paintings, and even pieces of Herend porcelain, one of the most popular souvenirs, you’ll have to get up a bit early.
Budapest’s big shopping centres
After the fall of communism, the city was filled with large shopping centres on the outskirts where you can buy clothes, shoes, decorative items, perfumes, and even souvenirs. The most well-known ones are Arena Plaza, Mammut, and WestEnd City Center, although there are many more around Budapest.
Arena Plaza is the largest shopping centre in Budapest. It covers 200,000 square metres on a former horse-racing track and is filled with shops, cinemas, and restaurants. It’s ideal for shopping because you can find everything at all sorts of prices, from the cheapest to the most exclusive items.
Another of the most popular shopping centres in Budapest is the WestEnd City Center: 400 shops of all the well-known brands, cinemas, and restaurants located at the Western train station. Before the Arena Plaza, it was the largest in the city.
The Mammut is more than just a gigantic space full of shops where you can buy clothes, shoes, perfumes, and decorative items, among other things. Located in the Buda part of the city, it also has a bowling alley, cinemas, and even a nightclub that guarantees plenty of entertainment.
You can also visit the Bálna Budapest, Padthai Wokbar, or Duna Plaza, among others.
Where to stay in Budapest
The best way to stay in a city that oozes history from every corner of its narrow streets is to look for something central and exclusive that also allows you to enjoy the nightlife. The Hungarian capital is a city that never sleeps and the Barceló Budapest is an incredible option so that you don’t miss a single thing. It’s surrounded by museums, art galleries, cafés, restaurants, and is located very close to some of the most popular shopping areas, such as the luxurious and exclusive Andrássy Avenue or the Jewish quarter.
