Yes. After sightseeing shopping is one of the most popular activities when visiting a city. Next to food discoveries of course. Therefore I will introduce two of the most popular shopping streets in Budapest. Of course, if you know other important streets I am very open to your suggestions.
The Vaci Utca – the ultimate
The Vaci utca is probably the most popular shopping street among tourists. Therefore I do not want to leave it unmentioned. It starts at the Grand Market Hall and goes all the way to the center of Budapest – the Vörösmarty ter. It is divided into two major parts that are separated from each other by a busy street close to Erszebet hid and is quasi parallel to the danube.
The first part features less shops than the second part. And, at least when I was there in February, many restaurants were closed. I am not sure yet whether it is a corona issue or a season issue as February is just not the season for tourists. But I noticed at another street where there were many restaurants, the Raday utca close to the Grand Market Hall, many restaurants that I liked to visit were closed too. So I am wondering whether it is really a corona thing.
On the vaci utca you will also find your typical tourist restaurants. I ate once at one and I mean the food was not bad but certainly the prices were adapted to tourist standards. I also know the Cafe Anna there, one of which is at the beginning and the other one at the end of the Vaci utca. It always comes in pairs with Burger King. The cafe(s) serve decent food but you pay double for a beer for example. I liked going there because they have good internet and I could do my work when there was still no internet available in all the hotels. At the end of the first part of the Vaci utca you can find one of those architectural jewels that make Budapest the grand city that it is – the Parisi Udvar.
The Parisi Udvar
It is one of those jewels in Budapest that was neglected for a long time. The Parisi Udvar might be one of those landmarks that is responsible that Budapest got the title of being the Paris of the East – although I don’t like these comparisons. I can remember when it was still abandoned and next to it they opened the Buddha Bar Hotel. Now the Buddha Bar Hotel is closed and the Parisi Udvar is renovated and a fancy schmancy place. So if you want to go for some fancy schmancy you might want to take a look. It is not directly on Vaci utca but when crossing the street to get to the second part of the Vaci utca you cannot miss it.
At the end of the Vaci utca is the Vörösmarty tér where you can find the famous Gerbeaud cafe and the first stop of the yellow metro line – the M1. Like the Vaci utca the Vörösmarty tér is a pedestrian zone and therefore a perfect location for Christmas markets and other events.
By crossing the Deák Ferenc tér you can reach the Andrássy útca the other important shopping street.
Andrássy útca – for the rich and the famous
Also called the Champs-Élysées of Budapest the Andrássy útca is the shopping street for all those international luxury brands and labels. Here you can find anything – from a rolex watch to a Gucci handbag. But the Andrássy útca is also home to some of the more serious stuff. First it is the location of the Budapest Opera House and then you can find a museum called the house of terror.
The House of Terror
The House of Terror is a museum that exhibits pieces related to both the facist and the communist regime in Hungary. It is certainly worth a visit. Although it caused some controversy I think it is still important to have a museum like that at such a prominent location.
At the end of the Andrássy útca visitors can find the Heroes‘ Square (Hősök tere). Behind the Hősök tere you can find the city park with its castle and the world famous Széchenyi Bath. I really like the city park but this is the topic for another story.
