Shopping · Budapest · Hungary
Shopping in Budapest
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Marc Ryckaert ( MJJR ), CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Budapest's best buys are edible — paprika, salami, Tokaji and pálinka — plus Herend and Zsolnay porcelain and Hungarian folk embroidery. Váci utca is the main shopping street, while Andrássy Avenue has the luxury brands. Best souvenirs: Paprika, Tokaji wine and Pálinka.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 4
- Top souvenir
- Paprika
Where to shop
Váci utca
The pedestrian shopping street from Vörösmarty tér to the Great Market Hall, with chains, souvenir shops and folk-art stores.
Andrássy Avenue
Luxury fashion brands in the grand 19th-century buildings between Deák Ferenc tér and the Opera.
Király utca and the Jewish Quarter
Independent designers, vintage shops and design stores among the bars and cafés of District VII.
WestEnd City Center
A large shopping mall next to Nyugati railway station, useful on rainy days.
Markets
Great Market Hall
Paprika, salami, goose liver and Tokaji on the ground floor, and embroidery and souvenirs on the upper gallery.
Ecseri Flea Market
A large flea market on the south-eastern edge of the city selling antiques, militaria and bric-a-brac, liveliest on Saturdays.
Szimpla farmers' market
Local producers selling cheese, honey, bread and preserves inside the ruin bar on Sunday mornings.
Christmas markets
Stalls of crafts, mulled wine and chimney cakes on Vörösmarty tér and in front of St Stephen's Basilica from mid-November.
What to buy
Paprika
Sweet and hot Hungarian paprika from Szeged and Kalocsa, sold in cloth bags and tins at the Great Market Hall.
Tokaji wine
Sweet Tokaji Aszú or dry Furmint from wine shops, which can wrap bottles securely for travel.
Pálinka
Apricot, plum or pear brandy from specialist shops that offer tastings before you buy.
Herend and Zsolnay porcelain
Hand-painted Herend porcelain and Zsolnay ceramics from the brands' own stores in the centre.
Folk embroidery
Colourful Kalocsa and Matyó embroidery on tablecloths, blouses and bookmarks.
Winter salami
Cured, mould-ripened Hungarian salami from the Great Market Hall; check your home country's import rules for meat.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Ferencváros
Great Market Hall
The 1897 Central Market Hall at the Pest end of Liberty Bridge has a roof of coloured Zsolnay tiles and three levels of stalls: paprika, salami, goose liver and pickles on the ground floor, lángos and stuffed-cabbage counters and embroidery stalls on the gallery above, and fish and pickles in the basement.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Kids
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Chimney cake, Dobos torte, Somlói galuska and Pálinka. Street stalls in the centre and the Christmas markets on Vörösmarty tér and in front of St Stephen's Basilica. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Belváros and Lipótváros (District V) | $$$ | The Pest riverfront between the Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica and Váci utca |
| Erzsébetváros (District VII) | $$ | The old Jewish Quarter of synagogues, ruin bars and street food |
| Terézváros (District VI) | $$$ | Andrássy Avenue, the Opera House and café-lined Liszt Ferenc tér |
| Castle District (Várnegyed) | $$$$ | Cobbled medieval lanes on Castle Hill above the Danube |
| Palotanegyed (District VIII) | $$ | The Palace District of 19th-century town mansions behind the National Museum |
| Ferencváros (District IX) | $$ | Ráday utca restaurants, the Great Market Hall and riverside culture |
| Újlipótváros (District XIII) | $$ | 1930s apartment blocks, local cafés and Margaret Island next door |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in HUF. Tip about 10% in restaurants unless a service charge is already on the bill; tell the server the total you want to pay rather than leaving cash on the table, and round up taxi fares.
- Greet with 'Jó napot' in shops and offices; 'Szia' is for friends and younger people.
- Pay in forints and decline offers to charge your card in your home currency at ATMs and card terminals; the conversion rate is poor.
- Use bank-branch ATMs rather than standalone cash machines in tourist areas, which charge high fees.
- Exchange booths on Váci utca advertising 'no commission' often give poor rates; compare before changing cash.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February; the busiest months are July–August.
- April: Budapest Spring Festival — concerts and performances (usually April)
- April: Easter markets (March or April)
- August: Sziget Festival — week-long music festival on Óbuda Island (usually August)
- September: Budapest Wine Festival in Buda Castle (usually September)
- November: Christmas markets on Vörösmarty tér and in front of St Stephen's Basilica (usually from mid-November)
- December: Christmas markets continue (usually until late December or early January)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, shopping and families
Belváros and Lipótváros (District V)
The Pest riverfront between the Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica and Váci utca
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Budapest?
Paprika, Tokaji wine, Pálinka and Herend and Zsolnay porcelain.
+Where is the best shopping in Budapest?
Váci utca: The pedestrian shopping street from Vörösmarty tér to the Great Market Hall, with chains, souvenir shops and folk-art stores.
+What are the best markets in Budapest?
Great Market Hall, Ecseri Flea Market, Szimpla farmers' market and Christmas markets.