Budapest may be a tourist attraction where people love to explore, but it is often misunderstood to be less of a shopping spree. People often underestimate the shops of Budapest and go by uninterested in trying to find famous local shops. This is a huge misconception since Budapest has a variety of shops, malls and shopping centers hiding out in the quiet streets. There are many shops worth visiting and shopping at any of the malls here would most certainly not be a waste of time or money.
If you’re looking for the right place to shop and spend your money, when visiting Budapest, this article is here to help you out! Here’s a list of the best shopping places and what exactly you might be able to find there:
Antique Shopping
Budapest is well known for having many antiquities; similarly, there are a number of antique shops where tourists can buy antiques at good prices. These shops are famous for the special items they sell and have beautiful souvenirs as well. If you are looking to go antique shopping in the city of Budapest you have to visit the “Antique Row” on Falk Miksa Street. This is a row of antique shops lined up in the leafy street that is located next to the Parliament Building. If you are a true collector, this is the place to be.
Here you can find all sorts of precious antique silverware, tabletops, porcelain pots, etc. You can even get your hands on some amazing historic paintings and artworks. The shops in the Antique Row are a must-visit and you won’t regret spending money for these “one of a kind” artifacts and antique items.
Flea Markets
Any good history enriched place is bound to have an interesting and valuable flea market where visitors are welcome to indulge in some exciting bargaining over the price of wanted items. Most things in the Budapest flea markets are, however, quite reasonably priced, unless the clever shopkeepers get aware of the rather unaware tourists ready to spend a handful of money on a beautiful piece with a great story behind it, so heads up! But most things that you find in a flea market in Budapest, you probably won’t find anywhere else. The “Ecseri Flea Market” is the city’s most well-known and largest flea market. It is about a half an hour bus ride away from the city center. Here, most shop owners or vendors specialize in beautiful antiques. But it is best to go early in the morning when the sun rises to avoid a heavy crowd of all sorts of people since this is a very busy flea market.
Great Market Hall
The Great Market Hall is, as the name suggests, a huge hall full of vendors selling groceries. It is the city’s greatest grocery shopping center for locals and a beloved tourist attraction as well. It is one of the city’s many local markets and is also known as the Central Market Hall. It is located inside a 19th-century building where many locals come for daily shopping. It is great for buying the different kinds of fruit and vegetables the city offer to see the variety of vendors and to simply watch the people around you, it gives you a very different experience overall. You can buy local seasonal fruits and vegetables, meat and pickles. One of the specialties is the dried strings of paprika hanging around; they are full of flavor and beautiful to look at.
Bookstores
Budapest also has many famous bookstores, so if you are a bookworm, there are a few places you definitely should visit when in the city, oh and keep your wallet with you because you are bound to find more than just one book that you will fall in love with here in the streets of Budapest.
One such bookstore that you should keep on your checklist is “FUGA” also known as the “Budapest Center for Architecture”. It has a small bookstore upfront that is packed with books; you can even find books with English titles here. And in the back and downstairs, there’s a space where architecture-related exhibits are hosted. So this is ideal for bookworms and architecture fanatics as well.
Another dedicated English bookstore is “Bestsellers” which is located at the heart of the city of Budapest. This is another must-visit for all you book lovers out there.
Herend Porcelain
Another famous shop in the city is Herend Porcelain which is definitely worth mentioning here. This shop specializes in porcelain products as the name suggests. Here you can find gorgeous porcelain pottery, plates, decorations pieces, and whatnot. It’s amazing to see the vast variety of intricately detailed porcelain products showcasing the true value of the material. Tourists often visit this shop and are not able to leave empty-handed. The shop has been established since 1826 and is an iconic brand of Hungary. They have premium quality, painted china. The shop is so famous and well on the quality that even Queen Victoria is on the list of its well-known clients.
Szputnyik shop
This shop and its name are typically inspired from a Japanese novel “Sputnik Sweetheart”. This is the place to go if you are interested in buying vintage winter clothes. The shop specializes in unique Hungarian style vintage clothing and has some outstandingly gorgeous pieces that you will not be able to resist. Along with clothing it also sells accessories such as bags, sunglasses, watches, etc. It gives you a complete look in one shop and is easy on the pocket as well. The shop has two outlets in different locations in Budapest.
Fashion Street
As the name suggests, Fashion Street is another prominent shopping option if you are out to get your hands on some stylish clothing and accessories. The shops extend from “Vörösmarty Square to Deák Ferenc Square”. This is one of the most well-known shopping areas in Hungary. This shopping avenue has some of the most exciting souvenir shops while being home to high-end shopping outlets. Once you visit the Fashion Street of Budapest, your perspective about shopping in Hungary will completely change. Every penny you spend here will be worthwhile and you are sure to have a great time while discovering some exciting new shops and exploring different Hungarian fashion trends as well.
Garden Studio
If you simply cannot get your mind off buying the best designer clothes from the city of Budapest, then be sure to pay a visit to the Garden studio. The money and time that you spend here on clothing and accessories are surely not going to be a waste. The Garden Studio is an edgy contemporary Hungarian fashion store that hides in the backstreets near the Andrassy Avenue. You simply must find this store and visit it, you will not leave empty handed that is for sure. They have trendy fashion items and it will be a unique shopping experience, indeed. If you are lucky enough, you might even catch a good sale purchase from the store depending on the time of the year you are visiting in.
Omorovicza
After all the shopping sprees and enthusiasm found in the streets of Budapest, you might be someone who is interested in skincare. Do not worry, you won’t be disappointed here. Budapest not only offers a number of shopping centers and stores with traditional products, antiques, souvenirs, groceries, clothing, and fashion accessories and food but you can also indulge in skincare shopping. That’s right, Budapest not only has skincare shops but these shops specialize in unique local skincare products that you must try out for yourself. You can purchase a large range of skincare products from Omorovicza which is one of the most famous beauty care shops in Hungary. Here, you can find a premium quality skincare line that is not like any other skincare line in the world because it harnesses the supposedly healing powers of the local mineral-rich thermal waters of Budapest. That’s not all; the store also offers relaxing and healing facial massages and mud masks. The brand has spread around over half the world and since it was launched in 2006 but the facial massage services are only offered in their flagship branch right here in Budapest.
acb Art Gallery
If you are an art enthusiast or a collector then this is the place to go. The acb art gallery in Budapest is a famous contemporary art gallery in the city which is dedicated to modern Hungarian artists. The art gallery mainly represents the seminal artists of Hungary. All of this makes it clear that going there is a must but showing up with a full wallet is also highly recommended. Whatever art piece you might end up purchasing from the acb art gallery is going to be one of the most valuable pieces in your collection. Hungarian artists are dedicated and the gallery exhibits unique modern artwork, hence your purchase will not be regretted. The acb gallery is known to have specialized in conceptual Hungarian art from the ’60s and ’70s but there are more recent contemporary works displayed in the gallery as well.
Printa Design Shop
The acb gallery is not where it ends for art and design fanatics. Another interesting shop to visit in Budapest is the Printa Design shop. This shop is full of life and excitement. This is not just for art lovers, but anyone who visits is bound to have a great experience. This place always leaves a mark on the hearts of those who visit, not only tourists but even locals enjoy coming here for a good time and to experience the world of design. The shop is a concept store located in the Jewish Quarter. It combines an aesthetically ambient specialty café with a designer shop and artist’s studio. Here you can purchase designer products and gifts from the shop including T-shirts, posters, Budapest inspired gifts, etc. all while enjoying the sight of an artist’s live work and complete your trip to the store with a nice cup of tea from the in-store café. It offers a delightful experience to enthrall in for sure.
Rozsavolgyi Chocolate
The last store that is going to be mentioned here is not all the least. This is the Rozsavolgyi Chocolate shop. It allows you to indulge in a vast variety of Hungarian chocolate. So if you are willing to reconnect with the inner chocolate-loving child inside you or if you are looking for the perfect gift to take back home to your loved ones, pay this shop a visit and you will not regret it. It is a local chocolate maker run by a local family in Budapest. They prepare world-class varieties of chocolate beautifully assorted for their customers. They import cocoa beans directly from places like Madagascar and Venezuela and then process them here. All varieties are available, so don’t forget to stop by before leaving the city.
Although there are so many more shopping opportunities in Budapest and many other stores as well, the entirety of these places cannot be listed down here so we will have to leave it at the note that the list goes on. However, the places mentioned above prove that other than touring the city around for its famous historical sites and architectural buildings, tourists should also enjoy the various shopping options and experiences that the city has to offer. Shopping in Budapest is an experience of its own and there are a vast variety of high end and traditional shops of all sorts to shop from. The city provides an exciting adventure in the form of absorbing the local traditions through shopping streets, food stalls, shopping malls, and local stores that offer high-quality Hungarian products at reasonable prices. Some shops are easier to locate while some lie hidden in the streets, you just have to be thorough when roaming the roads of Budapest and take out more than just a day or two specifically for shopping. The city culture and traditions are best reflected from its local market and shops and you will be delighted to find many things of interest that you want to purchase and take back with you. Shopping includes experiencing the local food and cafes as well and indulging in the rich Hungarian flavors that Budapest has to offer. So enthrall in the shops of Budapest and cherish the memories made and the things that you buy whether they are art pieces, souvenirs, antiques, clothes or chocolates, you have to take home a piece of the city when it has so much to offer to its visitors.
To top it all off, the shopping spree in Budapest is a highly affordable one because of the currency used in Hungary. Although Hungary is part of the European Union, its currency is not officially Euro. The currency of Hungary and hence Budapest is the Forint. This is why Budapest is less expensive than other European capitals. In case you are wondering, one forint is only 0.0034 US dollars, so you can do the math, that’s not much at all.
Shopping Malls
Budapest, like most other countries, has some amazing and fully functional and stocked shopping malls. In fact there is a variety to choose from and the new mall culture in Budapest is growing fast. The concept of shopping malls fits into the city and there are now around 10 different shopping malls that tourists can visit, explore and purchase from. The venues are extremely busy and full of life during the weekdays and weekends. Day in and day out, the shopping malls are heaving. The Budapest shopping malls are a great place to visit if you are looking for a memorable shopping spree in the city. The malls have so much to offer; here, you can find everything from high-end products and brands, including high street stores all the way to little shops and traditional Hungarian products and clothing as well as Hungarian street food and treats in the food courts of the shopping malls. So if you are ever in town, do visit the malls in the city, they offer many opportunities of bargaining and discounts as well so it is seemingly light on your wallet even though with all the amazing options, you will not regret even a single penny spent here because the tradition, joy, and excitement that these shopping malls and their buying experience bring, is like none other.
