Budapest is not a shopping paradise. After the fall of Communism all the famous Western products have quickly found their way to the newly built shopping malls but the prices are rather steep, probably because Hungarians are still willing to pay a premium price for the things that they couldn't get during the previous regime. Váci utca and Andrássy út are both lined-up with luxury fashion and designer stores but when you start comparing prices with the prices in Western-European cities you realise that when it comes to shopping in Budapest it is best to limit yourself on buying a souvenir or two.
If you can't or don't want to skip shopping in Budapest, you will have the best chance of getting rid of your bucks here:
Váci utca
The prestigious pedestrian Váci utca is lined up with souvenir shops and international fashion labels such as C&A, Zara, Mango, Promod, Wolford, H&M, Humanic... If you would like to stay near all the shopping places, check Mercure City Center hotel – the only hotel on Váci utca which is also near the Danube, the Chain Bridge and the Central Market Hall.
Location: Pest V. Transport: metro M1 (Vörösmarty tér), M3 (Ferenciek tere), M2 (Deák Ferenc ter).
Shopping malls
West-End City Center
West-End City Center is the second largest shopping mall in Budapest.
It houses more than 400 shops including Mediamarkt (electronics), Match
(supermarket), fast-food restaurants and a multiplex (Palace Cinemas).
There are only three narrow and very long levels in West-End City Center
so be prepared to walk a lot.
Get out of West-End City Center in the basement to experience one of the strongest contrasts of rich and poor Budapest. West-End is quite modern, clean, full of expensive shops and rich Budapesters while the underpass in front of it is gloomy, smelly, full of drunkards, homeless and lined up with shops selling fake cosmetics and cheap, low quality clothes.
The building of West-End City Center also houses hotel Hilton Budapest West-End which is, due to its convenient location and comfort, one of the preferred hotels in Budapest among business travellers.
Location: Pest XIII, VI. Váci út 1-3. Transport: metro M3 (Nyugati pályaudvar), tram 4, 6 (Nyugati pályaudvar). Attention: Váci út is NOT the same as Váci utca! Web: www.westend.hu
Mammut I and Mammut II
The two shopping centres Mammut I and Mammut II near Moszkva tér and the
Castle Hill offer more pleasant shopping experience than West-End City
Center, especially the newer Mammut II. The two Mammuts are connected
with a 2-levels bridge. The array of shops is similar than the one in
other shopping malls in Budapest, but the design is somehow more appealing.
There is Match supermarket in the basement of Mammut I and Saturn (electronics)
store in the basement of Mammut II. There are cinemas, restaurants and
a handful of popular bars and nightclubs in Mammut I and II as well.
Location: Buda II. Lövöház utca 2-6. Transport: metro M2 (Moszkva tér), tram 4, 6 (Széna tér). Web: www.mammut.hu
Arena Plaza
Arena Plaza is one of the largest shopping malls in Central Europe with
the surface of 180.000 square metres. It houses 200 shops, many restaurants,
a parking place for 2.800 cars, Tesco supermarket and Electro World (electronics
store). There is also a 20 screen cinema and the first IMAX cinema in
Hungary.
Location: Pest VIII, Kerepesí ut 9-11. Transport: metro M2 (Keleti Pályaudvar or Stadionok). Web: www.arenaplaza.hu
Other shopping malls
Apart from the shopping malls mentioned above there are several others
in Budapest, but they are lett convenient for tourists without their own
transportation
- Árkád (Pest X, Őrs vezér tere 25, last station
of metro M2)
- Campona (Pest XXII, XXII. Campona Bevásárlóközpont,
Nagytétényi út 37-45, bus No. 3 (Nagytétény), www.campona.hu)
- Duna Plaza (Pest XIII, Váci út 178, metro
M3 (Gyöngyösi út), www.dunaplaza.net)
- Europark (Pest XIX, Üllöi út 201, metro M3
(Hátár út), www.europark.hu)
- Mom Park (Buda XII, Alkotás út 53, tram 59,
61, www.mompark.hu)
- Pólus Center (Pest XV, Szentmihályi út 131,
"Pólus-Busz" from Keleti railway station, www.polus.com)
Ikea
If you have just moved to Budapest and need to furnish your new flat without burning a hole in your pocket, consider shopping at Ikea. There are two Ikeas in Budapest. One is in Budaörs, the suburbs of Budapest not easily accessible without you own wheels. The other is at Örs vezér tére (final station of metro M2). You will spot the blue Ikea building right upon exiting the station. It's to the left of Árkád shopping mall.
Wine shops
There are several wine shops on Váci utca, but they keep the prices of wines considerably higher than in other parts of Budapest. If you have time on your hands and don't mind an extra walk, consider visiting the following (cheaper) wine shops with even larger selection of Hungarian wines than you will find on Váci utca:
Bortársaság
Bortársaság wine shops are well stocked with reasonably priced Hungarian
wines. They also carry a limited selection of foreign wines, but the latter
are rather expensive. Bortársaság wine shop at Batthyány u. 59 organises
free wine tastings every Saturday between 2pm and 5pm. Shop assistants
speak English. We went to the wine tasting several times but got the impression
that they open the wines that don't sell well as we tasted a wine which
was good enough that we actually bought it afterwards only once. It's
best that you visit the wine tasting yourself and decide. The shop is
conveniently located near the major sights of the Castle Hill. There is
another shop next to the basilica.
For other locations and opening times check Bortársaság website www.bortarsasag.hu.
In vino veritas
Wine shop In vino veritas near the luxurious New
York Palace hotel is well stocked with Hungarian wines. Their prices
are much lower compared to the wine shops in tourist areas.
Location: Pest VII, Dohány u. 58-62. Web: www.borkereskedes.hu
Borház
Borház wine shop is much smaller than Bortársaság and In vino vertas,
but it carries a good selection of Hungarian wines and is conveniently
located near the Opera House
and Liszt Ferenc tér. The prices are a little bit higher but considering
the convenient location of the shop still acceptable.
Location: Pest VI, Jókai tér t. Transport: metro M1 (Oktogon or Opera), tram 4, 6 (Oktogon).