Budapest seems to be the right place for shopping because of all the huge shopping malls that appeared here recently (almost 372 thousand square meters of shopping-center space was built in Budapest since 1996). If you like street-shopping, you can stroll along Váci utca (featuring the global brands) or Nagy körút (the city's larger ring road). You will also see a lot of small shops in side streets that sell local clothing or shoes, or specialize in this or that merchandise.

Prices for most goods are still lower than in Western Europe or North America. Most shops accept credit cards, though it is better to have a reasonable amount in forints, since in smaller shops and markets the vendors take cash only.

Opening hours

Shops in Budapest are normally open from 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 to 13:00 on Saturday. Though, shopping malls and many supermarkets are open till 20:00-22:00. In residential areas or downtown you will also find round-the-clock shops ('non-stop') that sell bread, grocery, dairy, soft drinks, spirits and cigarettes.