Budapest Guide, Author at Budapest Guide

The best hotels for Christmas market tourists in Budapest.

Posted on December 7, 2022December 7, 2022 by Budapest Guide

November and December are fantastic months to visit Budapest. You don’t have to fear extreme heat, and you can visit the magic Christmas markets the city has to offer. If you haven’t read our guide to the Christmas markets in Budapest already, that is a good place to start. But, maybe you know everything there is to know about the Christmas markets. There is, however, one remaining question – what hotel should you choose for your trip to Budapest?

The most important to know is the location of the Christmas markets. Below we have created a little map showing the locations of the two major Christmas markets in Budapest; Vörösmarty square and Sas square.

It is important to understand that the two locations are close. It only takes 5 minutes to walk from one of the Christmas markets to the other. But, the Christmas market at Vörösmarty square is located at the end of the shopping street Váci utca, making this area better for shopping lovers.

Based on this information, we will recommend a couple of hotels. We will include some recommendations for those who are on a budget and who don’t mind using the metro for a few stops as well. But, the main goal is to recommend a few hotels very close to the Christmas markets, meaning that you can leave the entrance of your hotel and almost start drinking hot wine and eating Hungarian lángos immediately.

Let’s start with the cheapest solutions…

The best hotels for Christmas market tourists in Budapest with a low budget.

We cannot guarantee low prices on these hotels, but they will be cheaper than most central hotels in Budapest. No matter your choice, you can reach the Christmas markets using the subway (metro), and you don’t have to change lines.

Easy Star Hotel (Sziv utca 13, 1063 Budapest)

This is absolutely fitting into the category of a budget three-star hotel in Budapest. It is located 150 meters from the metro stop Kodaly Körönd (yellow line). This is the second oldest metro line in all of Europe, making it an attraction itself. The hotel has breakfast available. It isn’t luxurious at all, but if you just need a place to sleep and eat breakfast (and you’d rather spend your money at the Christmas markets), this is a great option.

How to get to the Christmas market from this hotel?

Walk to the Kodaly Körönd metro stop and travel to the end station of the line (Vörösmarty square). You will immediately be at the biggest and most famous Christmas market in Budapest.

Check the prices and book a room at Easy Star Hotel on booking.com.

This hotel is 2,2km from the Christmas market at Vörösmarty square. It is a very nice walk if you don’t mind using your legs.

Would you like to live a little bit nicer, but you don’t mind using the metro for a few stops? The next hotel is a great pick for you!

Hotel Andrassy (Andrassy ut 111, 1063 Budapest)

Hotel Andrassy is one metro stop further away from the city center than Easy Star Hotel (mentioned above). This hotel has a good reputation in Budapest, and it has been around for a long time. It has four stars, a nice restaurant in the building, and it sure looks nicer than many other hotels in Budapest. In other words, you don’t get the very cheap feeling as you walk around in the building. But it is still cheaper than living at four-star hotels in the very heart of Budapest.

The location is also close to the Heroes Square and the City Park, making it easy to visit this fantastic area where you can find the popular Szechenyi thermal bath, the Zoo, the Vajdahunyad castle, the Heroes square, and several nice museums.

How to get to the Christmas market from this hotel?

Walk 150 meters to the metro stop Bajza utca. From there, travel in the direction of Vörösmarty tér and get off at the end station. You will then be surrounded by stalls and feel the smell of hot wine immediately.

Check the prices and book a room at Hotel Andrassy.

If you don’t mind walking, this hotel is located 2,7km from the Christmas market at the Vörösmarty square by foot. It is a fantastic walk along the beautiful Andrassy Avenue (which has beautiful lights before Christmas). This street is also known as the street for luxury shopping in Budapest (in the area near the Hungarian State Opera).

Have you had enough walking already? Are you coming to Budapest to live in a great location? Don’t you want to spend time and energy buying public transportation tickets or walking a few kilometers to get to the Christmas markets? It is time to come up with some recommendations for you!

The best hotels very close to the Christmas markets in Budapest

Would you like to feel the smell of Hungarian sausage as you leave your hotel? Are you traveling to Budapest to relax, not to mess with public transportation tickets, taxis, and other things that you’d rather avoid? Here you have some hotel recommendations located no more than a few hundred meters from the Christmas markets in Budapest. We have included some cheaper and some extremely elegant solutions to the list.

Hotel Promenade (Váci utca 22, 1052 Budapest)

What should we say about this hotel? It has three stars, and it is located in the shopping street Váci utca. You can easily use this as your base for exploring Budapest and the Christmas markets, but do not expect a lot of extras. The main entrance is located in the shopping street, but it is easy to overlook it at first glance.

WiFi is available to all guests free of charge, and breakfast is available in the hotel. This is perfect if you want to live quite cheap at a very central location in Budapest. Would you rather spend some more and stay in a nicer hotel (with four stars)? Read the two recommendations following this.

Check the prices of Hotel Promenade in Budapest.

Mercure Budapest City Center (Vaci utca 20, 1052 Budapest)

Mercure is a hotel brand that many travelers know. This is something you can trust. The hotel is located in the pedestrian street Váci utca and it is often preferred among travelers who want to live in a four-star hotel without spending all their money paying for accommodation. You can order your room with breakfast if that is preferred, but you can also book without breakfast and just leave the hotel and eat breakfast elsewhere nearby during your stay in Budapest.

As you leave the hotel, you need to walk approximately 250 meters to get to the Christmas market at Vörösmarty square. Some people fear that the hotel is noisy as it is located by the shopping street, but this is seldom causing any trouble.

Check prices and book a room in this hotel.

This is a quite cheap four-star hotel very close to the Christmas market at Vörösmarty square. Would you rather live in a cheap four-star hotel near the Christmas market by St. Stephen’s Basilica? The next recommendation is for you!

Hotel Central Basilica (Hercegprimas utca 8, 1051 Budapest)

This four-star hotel is located almost at the square of the Christmas market by St. Stephen’s Basilica. It isn’t a very luxurious four-star hotel, but it has a great location, and it makes walking back and forth in Budapest easy due to its location. You can easily book your room with breakfast, but due to its location, you can easily book without breakfast as there are plenty of places where you can eat breakfast nearby.

Once again, this is a quite “easy” four-star hotel, but a great choice if you want to live with style without paying a fortune.

Check the prices and book a room in this hotel.

Would you like to live in a five-star hotel instead? Below you can find our final two suggestions!

Kempinski Hotel (Erzsebet ter 7-8, 1051 Budapest)

This is a very nice five-star hotel in Budapest with a great location. It is 150 meters from the Christmas market at Vörösmarty square and 250 meters from the Christmas market by Stephen’s Basilica. You will find lots of great activities available within the walls of the hotel (SPA treatments, restaurants, swimming pools, fitness center, and more), and you will absolutely enjoy how close it is to the Christmas markets. It is also practical that it has its own private parking for guests, making it easy if you arrive in your own car or if a taxi will drop you off at the hotel.

The hotel is located by the square where you can find the famous Budapest Eye. This is a nice activity worth testing, and it looks fantastic at night.

Check the prices of Hotel Kempinski (and maybe book a room)!

This is a typical five-star hotel with gracious rooms and lots of air. In other words, you really get that luxurious feeling as you enter the hotel.

Kempinski is a very nice five-star hotel. Would you like even more luxury and something even more special? Below you can find our final and the most luxurious recommendation.

Aria Hotel (Hercegprimas utca 5, 1051 Budapest)

This hotel is for those who want luxury like nowhere else in Budapest. It is a very expensive hotel and extreme in its level of luxury. The hotel is located less than 50 meters from the Christmas market by St. Stephen’s Basilica. If you want to relax after a tiring day in Budapest, this hotel has a bar at the roof, a spa center with a pool, and free WiFi. This hotel is special because it is built around different music styles. Free wine is available to hotel guests each day between 16.00 and 18.00, combined with a cheese buffet. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the breakfast is amazing. In other words, this is the ultimate place for luxury near the Christmas markets in Budapest.

Check prices and book a room in Hotel Aria.

We have recommended hotels ideal for your trip to Budapest in this article. Some are extremely close to the Christmas markets, while others are further away and require you to walk more than 2km or use public transportation. No matter what you are looking for, we are quite convinced that some of these will suit you and your needs, and let us not forget, your wallet.

If you have further comments or questions, write a comment below!

Frequently asked questions about hotels in Budapest during the Christmas market period.

Is it cheap to book a hotel in Budapest in November and December?

The time before Christmas is supposed to be a “low season” in tourism. But, due to the Christmas markets, it has turned into a high-peak season. As a result, you will most likely find cheaper hotels in the start of November (before the Christmas markets open) than you will in December. Budapest is still a cheap city compared to cities such as Vienna, where you have to pay 2x-3x more for rooms of similar quality and with a similar location in the city compared to Budapest.

How should I travel from the airport to my hotel in Budapest?

There are several options for this. You can arrange the airport transfer directly with your hotel. It is also possible to book an airport transfer in Budapest with us. You can find more about airport transfers in Budapest right here. There is also a bus that connects the airport with the city center. This works well for most of the hotels described in this article, and the price is 1500 HUF per ticket.

Do you have any restaurant recommendations for Budapest in November and December?

Most restaurants operate with normal opening times during this period. But, it is worth noticing that many restaurants have lots of reservations, which means you will often be sent away if you try to just walk by a restaurant in the evening without a reservation. As a result, it is worth reserving a table, at least if you desire to dine in a certain restaurant.

Most restaurants have normal opening times until December 23rd.
On December 24th, 95% of the restaurants in Budapest are closed. As a result, it is hard to find places where you can dine on December 24th. The best is to eat your Christmas dinner in your hotel or book months in advance in restaurants such as Aszu and/or Rezkakas. These restaurants operate with set menus for December 24th, and also for December 31st.
Many restaurants remain closed on December 25th and 26th, but a very popular restaurant like Sir Lancelot is open again on December 25th. Rezkakas and Aszu are open as well on December 25th and December 26th.
Many restaurants are open on December 31st, but most of them have special menus for this evening. These have to be reserved beforehand (in most cases).

To sum it up, book a table in advance if you come to Budapest in this period. Some restaurants that are worth considering are:

Steak restaurants: Pampas Steakhouse.
Fine dining: Aszu, Rezkakas and Gundel
Great experience: Sir Lancelot.

What is the price of eating breakfast in Budapest (not in your hotel)?

This depends on where you eat and what you eat, but a cheap breakfast costs approximately 1200-1800 HUF (3-4 euros), while a more expensive breakfast will cost around 3000 HUF (8 euros).

Will my hotel offer dinner opportunities on December 24th and December 31st?

It is impossible to give a general answer to this question. The wisest thing is to contact the hotel directly to get an answer to this question. Most hotels with a restaurant and with four or five stars will offer their guests dinner on these days, but you should definitely contact them to be sure.

Ordering from Amazon to Hungary – How does it work? VAT? Shipping costs?

Posted on December 6, 2022April 21, 2024 by Budapest Guide

Would you like to order products from Amazon to your address in Hungary? Hungary doesn’t have an Amazon store, so you must choose between Amazon.com, Amazon.de, and Amazon.co.uk. Which is the best for you? Which is the cheapest? Everything you need to know about ordering from Amazon to Hungary.

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, and it is an incredibly successful company. Not only do they sell products made by others, but they also create devices and products themselves, like the Kindle, Fire tablets, and much more. What can you do if you want to order from Amazon? It depends on which product you want to buy.

Order from Amazon to Hungary.

You will find very similar products on Amazon in Germany, the United Kingdom, and in the United States. So, where should you order from? In general, the best and easiest solution is to order from Amazon in Germany. Why is that?

Why is Amazon Germany the best solution for Hungary?

There are several reasons why you should order from Amazon.de if you live in Hungary.

It is the closest location to Hungary. This makes the delivery faster and easier, and often cheaper!
Since Germany is in the European Union, you don’t have to pay additional VAT or other costs as the goods arrive in Hungary.

These are the main reasons why you should order from Amazon.de to Hungary. You might find products cheaper on Amazon.com, but when you add the shipping fees, the VAT, and the waiting time, you will discover that it isn’t worth it.

What about Amazon.co.uk? You could consider it, but seeing the United Kingdom outside the EU and the strong British Pound, you will most likely do much better ordering from Amazon Germany instead.

Do you need to know German to order from Amazon.de? Not at all! You can search in English, and you can set the platform language to English. It will often translate your search request to German, but you will normally see all the necessary information about the products in English.

How much does it cost to ship products from Amazon to Hungary?

For the purpose of this article, I created an order of three products that I want to send to Hungary from Amazon.de. I added a nice Samsung monitor that I can use while writing articles in the Budapest Guide. Even though I am a computer nerd, I need to smell good so I added a bottle of Hugo Boss perfume as well. Since it is important to read, I also added a brand new Kindle from Amazon to my shopping basket.

I was quite lucky with this order because all products are dispatched and sold by Amazon. As a result, they can group all products into one order and package. This makes shipping cheaper.

It is worth noticing that the price of certain products often increases the moment Amazon realizes that it is sent abroad. As a result, the price of the three products suddenly became 291 euros instead of 273 euros when I reached the checkout. Shipping is then added to the order, making the final price 313 euros.

amazon order to hungary — The good thing is that when you see the final price, you know that no more costs will be added. You don’t need to fear hidden costs, nor that your package will be stuck in customs until you pay VAT.

What about products that Amazon doesn’t send to Hungary?

Most products can be sent to Hungary from Amazon in Germany and from Amazon in the United Kingdom and the United States. But, sometimes, there are exceptions. I have often seen that Amazon is unwilling to send its own products, such as Fire tablets, Echo loudspeakers, and the Kindle to other countries. What can you do if you experience that?

There are solutions that you can use to solve such problems as well. It is very easy, and you normally pay only for additional shipping.

Mail forwarding from Germany (Mailboxde).
Mail forward from the UK (Forward2Me)
Mail forwarding from the United States (Shipito).

You can visit any of the three sites above and get a free storage address in the UK, the United States, and in Germany. It is entirely free. You will immediately receive a postal address in that given country. This can be used as you order products from Amazon in that country. Since you are delivering products within the country, you will pay less for the products and for shipping.

As the package arrives to the address, you will receive a notification in email. You can then have the package sent to your home address in Hungary. The cost depends on the site and the weight of the package, but it normally doesn’t cost more than Amazon would make you pay to send the package to Hungary.

Eager to go shopping on Amazon? Use the links below.

Is it worth ordering from Amazon to Hungary?

It is possible to order from Amazon to Hungary, but is it worth it? Many people expect it to be very cheap in Hungary. Some products are cheap, but not all products. You will be surprised if you go to a fashion store and see a price tag with prices in different currencies. What will you discover? The price in Forint is very similar to the Euro price, sometimes identical, sometimes cheaper, and quite often, more expensive. As a result, you don’t find similar products cheaper in Hungary than elsewhere.

If you compare the prices of computers, monitors, and accessories, you will often see that the price are a little bit cheaper in Hungary, but not much. If you want to know for sure, go ahead and compare the prices of an exact product, and you will immediately see whether it is worth it or not.

There are, however, certain products that you cannot buy in Hungary. It is obvious that you order such products from Amazon (if they are available). Examples of such products are Amazon products. You can also find giant discounts on Amazon around Black Friday and Easter, and then it is absolutely worth shopping on the platform.

I hope this article has answered many of your questions about ordering products from Amazon to Hungary. If you have further tips, insight, or questions, use the comment field below.

The Christmas markets in Györ (Hungary) in 2023.

Posted on December 5, 2022November 9, 2023 by Budapest Guide

The city of Györ is approximately 125km from the city center of Budapest. The town is well known for its beauty and being the home of one of the best female handball teams in the world. Many people drive next to it as they come to Budapest from Bratislava or Vienna by car, but few people decide to spend some hours in the city. But, Györ is worth visiting, and here we will give you information about the city’s most important Christmas markets.

As mentioned, Györ is located along the M1 highway connecting Budapest with cities such as Bratislava and Vienna. It takes about 80 minutes to get to the center of Györ from Budapest, and you need almost the same time to travel to Györ from Vienna.

If you want to watch a handball match or a football match in Györ, the football stadium and the handball arena are located next to the road connecting the city center with the highway, so they are both very easy to find.

If you arrive by train, you will find yourself perfectly located immediately, so you are ready to explore the city at once. Those arriving by car will need to find a parking lot somewhere. The city is divided into zones, and the most expensive is priced at 520 HUF per hour. It is free to park in the city on Sundays.

Where are the Christmas markets in Györ located?

Christmas market by the City Hall.

There are three important areas that you need to explore if you want to experience Christmas and the Christmas markets in Györ. The first is located by the railway station. On a nice big square next to Hotel Rába (a nice place to stay while in Györ), you will find this market.

christmas in györ — *Boldog karácsonyt means Merry Christmas.*

Above, you can see an image of the city hall in Györ. This is on the other side of the road from the Christmas markets, and it is located next to the railway station. At this market, you will find quite a lot of souvenirs and handmade artifacts. You will, of course, also find something to drink and eat.

If I had to give a ranking of the three Christmas market options in downtown Györ, this would probably end up as the least interesting. But maybe you will disagree with me on that?

When you are finished looking around at the square, you can easily move on to discover more Christmas markets in the city of Györ. Below you can see a map presenting the three main areas for the Christmas markets in Györ. We have already taken a look at the one opposite the city hall. What about the others?

Christmas market in Baross Gábor út.

If you head to Baross Gábor út (which starts next to the Christmas market we already discussed), you can walk in a very nice pedestrian street. This is nice for shopping all year round but especially nice during the Christmas markets. In this period, stalls are located all along the street, and here you will meet locals and tourists drinking hot wine, eating roasted chestnuts, tasting lángos, and enjoying other sweets.

The street looks nice during the daytime, but like everywhere else, the real Christmas market atmosphere comes when it is dark and the lights are turned on. If you want to grab something to eat very fast (and not eat on the Christmas market), then you can find several bakeries, a Mcdonalds’, and several other options in this street besides what the Christmas market has to offer.

You should absolutely walk here to look around. The street has a friendly atmosphere, and it is lovely to see a mixture of locals and tourists eat, drink, and enjoy life as you walk up and down the street.

Dates for this Christmas market: November 26, 2023 – December 23, 2023.

Christmas market at Szechenyi Square.

If we had to pick one Christmas market in Györ, this would be our favorite. Luckily, we don’t have to choose, meaning we can visit everyone. But this is still the one with the nicest atmosphere and with the “nicest” Christmas atmosphere. There aren’t hundreds of stalls here, but you can buy food, drinks, and handicrafts from approximately 25-30 stalls. Besides this, you have activities and lovely decorations making it a fantastic place to visit.

As you can see from the pictures above, the Christmas market at Szechényi Square is beautifully decorated, and it has effects that wildly cheer up kids coming along. It might be that the decorations will change from year to year, but this is still a place that takes the holiday effects and decorations seriously. Of course, kids always love to meet Santa Claus, and the little railway for children at the square always forces parents to spend more money than initially planned as they visit the square. But that’s what Christmas is all about.

Szechenyi Square Christmas market dates: November 26, 2023 – December 23, 2024

Santa Claus will come to the Santa house on December 6 to give presents to kids in the area. The lights on the advent wreath are lightened every Sunday at 17.00.

Christmas market at Dunakapu Square.

This isn’t even visible on the map above, but it is probably the biggest and most popular location in Györ. Do you know why? Here you will see programs such as fire juggling, there is a Ferris Wheel at the location, you have the chance to use a dodgem, and there is a Merry-Go-Round for kids. Besides this, you have the traditional stuff required for something to be a fantastic Christmas market. In other words, do not miss out on Dunakapu Square if you come to check out the Christmas markets in Györ.

Dunakapu Square Christmas market dates: November 26, 2023 – January 1, 2024

What should you buy at the Christmas markets in Györ?

We have a long and thorough article about the Christmas markets in Budapest here in our Budapest Guide. There you can see a long list of recommendations concerning what to eat and drink and buy at the Christmas markets in the Hungarian capital. The truth is, you will find mostly the same products at the Christmas markets in Györ. In other words, this is a place to taste Hungarian gastronomy and buy handicrafts. You will find more products aimed at tourists in Budapest, while there will be more products aimed at locals in Györ.

chocolate at the christmas markets in gyor

One thing many people buy is sweets of all sorts. There are lots of gingerbread cakes available, decorated with different colors. You can also find handmade chocolate pralines filled with marzipan, cognac, whiskey, rum, nuts, and other delicious stuff. The chocolate pralines in the picture above are quite expensive, but they are still cheaper at the Christmas markets in Györ than they would be if you bought them at the Christmas markets in Budapest.

As mentioned, you will find more products aimed at locals as you visit the Christmas markets in Györ. Above, you can see a picture from a stall selling tea, tea boxes, and tea cups. This is something that locals, as well as tourists, will find tempting. It is a perfect present to buy for someone else, and it might be tempting to bring some bags of tea, combined with a nice box, and a cup for yourself as well. This is especially nice, knowing that these are not mass-produced cups and boxes, meaning that you will have something created by hand someone somewhere in Hungary!

There are also Christmas decorations for sale at the Christmas markets in Györ. Some of these are universal, meaning that they are suitable for Christmas trees all around the world. Some are aimed at locals since the text printed on the objects is Hungarian. No matter what, these are souvenirs that will remind you of Györ and Hungary as you return home, and as you can see above, they are not very expensive either (1200 HUF = 3 Euro, at the time of writing).

Are the Christmas markets in Györ cheaper than the Christmas markets in Budapest?

The general answer to that question is yes. We cannot give an answer promising that everything will be cheaper, but generally, most products are cheaper in Györ than in Budapest. Why is that? The products are similar, but the rental prices are lower for the stalls. Of course, the revenue is much higher in Budapest, but still – you will spend less in Györ.

It is also a major difference that you will meet more locals in Györ than in Budapest. Why is that? The prices at the Christmas markets in Budapest (the two central markets) are so expensive for locals that they don’t really care about them anymore. As a result, you will meet other tourists as you visit them. But, as you visit the Christmas markets in Budapest located outside the main tourist area, you will immediately meet locals again, and that is true about the Christmas markets in Györ as well.

Where to live in Györ?

Would you like to discover Györ and the Christmas markets in quietness and peace without stressing? Then you should spend a night in the city so you can explore everything the city has to offer during daytime and nighttime. The city has a beautiful zoo and lots of attractions worth visiting, so you don’t need to worry that you will be bored. But, where should you live?

Below you can see a map showing the city center of Györ with hotels and apartments. All the accommodation options there are very well located in the city center, meaning you can reach the Christmas markets, the railway station, and all sorts of attractions easily.

The prices are estimations of what it will cost to book a hotel or an apartment in Györ on your selected dates. This will help you find a place to stay that isn’t too expensive and that will let you have money left to spend at the Christmas markets after paying for your hotel or apartment.

Where to eat in Györ?

The obvious answer is that you should eat at the Christmas markets! They have delicious food and you will taste some of the most popular meals in Hungary. You can find lots of warm meals at the Christmas markets, and you can also find sweets to eat for dessert.

But, if you want to dine in a normal restaurant, there are several you can choose from in the vicinity of the Christmas markets in Györ.

Komedias restaurant: This is a trendy restaurant among locals, simply because it has great Hungarian food at prices they can afford. It isn’t a place for a business dinner in a luxurious environment, but if you just want Hungarian food at great prices, this is a good place to go.

Website: http://www.komediasetterem.hu/
Address: Czuczor G. u. 30

Szalai vendeglö: It is very similar to the Komedias restaurant in many ways. Once again, you can eat traditional Hungarian meals, but with some more modern courses available. The price level is quite okay. If you want a nice lunch menu, this is a great place to go between 11.00 and 15.00.

Website: https://szalaivendeglo.hu/index.php/hu/
Address: Kisfaludy u. 34.

Billie Eilish, David Guetta, Florence + the Machine among the artists coming to Sziget in 2023!

Posted on December 2, 2022December 2, 2022 by Budapest Guide

Sziget festival is the biggest festival in Hungary every year. In 2022, Justin Bieber was the biggest name of the festival, and in 2023, the biggest name will be Billie Eilish. The Sziget team released the first group of names of artists and bands coming to Sziget in 2023 on the first day of December 2022, and there are many awesome names on the list already.

We wrote about Sziget in 2023 a few weeks ago. The festival was then supposed to start on August 9th and end on August 14th. But, when they learned that Billie Eilish could come to make a concert, they moved the entire festival one day to make things work out. As a result, the festival will be arranged between August 10th and August 15th in 2023.

Who will come to Sziget in 2023?

The list of artists released on December 1st is just an initial list and more names will be added later. But, we can already see lots of fantastic artists on the list. As a result, you can safely book your flight tickets and buy your Sziget ticket for 2023 already.

Below you can see the list of names released on December 1st.

Billie Eilish, David Guetta, Florence + the Machine, Imagine Dragons, Sam Fender, Niall Horan, YUNGBLUD, Foals, Diplo, Jamie xx, M83, Moderat, Sven Väth, Mimi Webb, Nothing But Thieves, Two Feet, Viagra Boys, Amyl And The Sniffers, 070 Shake, TV Girl, Dixon, Uncle Waffles, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Baby Queen, The Comet Is Coming, Easy Life, Youngr, Los Bitchos, Destroy Boys, Kelly Lee Owens (DJ set), Mall Grab, Partiboi69, Parra For Cuva, Jungle By Night, yuné pinku (DJ set) and Hannah Grae

Can I pay with Euros in Budapest?

Posted on November 23, 2022November 24, 2022 by Budapest Guide

Would you like to pay with Euros in Budapest? Hungary has been a member of the European Union since 2004. Does that mean that the Euro is an official currency for payments in Hungary? No!

When Hungary first joined the European Union in 2004, everyone expected Hungary to quickly introduce the Euro. That didn’t happen. Instead, the economy of the country has become worse and the current politics point more in the direction away from Europe, instead of moving closer and closer to Europe.

What does this mean for you as you come to Budapest? Can you pay with Euros in Budapest?

Is Euro an accepted payment currency in Budapest?

Even though the Hungarian Forint is the official currency of Hungary, most stores and restaurants accept payments by Euro. Many will say that they only accept Euro bills (not coins). But, there are a few things you should be aware of.

If you want to pay in cash.

Euro payments are normally accepted if you pay by cash. This is nice if you have brought Euro bills to Budapest. But, it isn’t always smart to use your Euro bills as you pay with cash in Budapest. Why is that?

Most restaurants and stores calculate with terrible exchange rates. If the real exchange rate of 1 Euro is 410 Forint, you will often see that restaurants and stores calculate with a much lower rate, for example, that 1 Euro is 370 Forint. As a consequence, you will end up paying much more than if you paid with the local currency.

What can you do about this? You can either go to an exchange office and change your Euro to Forint, or you can withdraw Hungarian Forint with an ATM. Would you like to learn more about the Hungarian currency and how you can find the best exchange rates? Click the link.

If you want to pay by card.

If you pay with your VISA or MasterCard, your bank will calculate with the exact exchange rate. But, you better be aware that many terminals will ask you in the payment process whether you want to pay with Euro or with the local currency (HUF). If you get such a question, pay in the local currency because you will end up paying less in this way.

A lot of things have changed in 2022…

The value of the Hungarian Forint has dropped a lot compared to the Euro and the US Dollar in 2022. As a result, prices in Hungary have increased a lot. To secure their income, many tourist companies now fix their prices in Euro instead of having fixed prices in Forint. In such cases, you have to pay the Euro price anyway. But, in most cases, the Forint price is the one that you should be looking for.

You can pay with Euro in Budapest, but you pay less if you use the Hungarian Forint

That is the answer to this question. If you have further comments, or questions, or want to share your experience paying with Euros in Budapest, use the comment field below.

Updated information about river cruises and public transportation in Budapest.

Posted on November 23, 2022November 23, 2022 by Budapest Guide

We love to create new content in our Budapest Guide. But, it is very important to update the content we have written earlier. That is why we have spent quite a lot of time today updating articles we wrote a long time ago. As a result, you can now see the correct prices if you read about the prices for public transportation tickets, and you can also see the new prices of the different river cruises in Budapest.

You probably don’t hear this in the news every single day, but Hungary is one of the countries in Europe that is suffering the hardest due to inflation at the moment. That is why we have seen a drastic increase in the prices of most goods. Not only have the gas prices skyrocketed, but so have the grocery prices. The official number tells us that the prices have increased by about 40% since the start of 2022, but for many products, the reality is much higher. While you could easily buy cheese for 5 Euros per kilo in January, you are now lucky if you find anything cheese costing less than 10 Euros per kilo. That is just one example.

This is a negative spiral because customers have less money to spend, and thus they buy less (but pay more). To earn more, producers ask for more for their products, and the prices increase.

That is why you will see that the prices for the different river cruises in Budapest have increased a lot. The programs are still cheaper than what a similar program would cost in big cities elsewhere in Europe, but seen with the eyes of a local, it all feels very expensive.

Luckily, the prices for public transportation in Budapest haven’t increased a lot, meaning that it still feels cheap to buy a single ticket, a day ticket, or maybe a 3-day pass for public transportation in Budapest.

Would you like to see the updated articles about river cruises and public transportation in Budapest?

We look forward to having you as our guest in Budapest!

Free parking in Budapest

Posted on November 20, 2022September 8, 2023 by Budapest Guide

Are there any free parking spots in Budapest?

Thank you for the question! This is a good question and, at times, a tricky question. The local government has removed more and more free parking spots in Budapest, but there are still some. Here we will write about some of those free parking spots.

First of all, in large parts of the city, it is free parking on Sundays and after 22.00 in the evening (on the other days). However, this is in general, so make sure to check it out as you park your car to know if this is valid for where you would like to park your card as well.

General advice is to never to leave valuables in your car because, as in all other cities, there are people in Budapest as well who like to steal valuables from cars, so if you have lots of valuable stuff in your car, you better go to a secure parking lot instead with guards, to make sure that you, your car and your values stay safe!

Free parking in Budapest

Campona

You must park outside the city center if you want 100% free parking in Budapest. You can park mostly anywhere in the 22nd district of Budapest and in other “outside districts” such as the 4th district, the 17th district, and many others. Still a better option is to park in the giant parking lot by the shopping mall Campona outside the city center of Budapest. From there, you can travel with public transportation buses to Moricz Zsigmond Korter, Bikas, Park, or Ujbuda center, and then you can travel further on with the green metro line to wherever you want to in Budapest

You can type Campona Budapest in your GPS and you will be taken to the mall and its giant parking lot. This is probably the best option right now if you want a 100% free parking in Budapest.

Market Central (Vecsés, Fő út 246-248)

This is a shopping area very close to Budapest Airport. Here you find all sorts of stores, such as Tesco, Praktiker, DM, kik, Deichmann, SportFactory, Lidl, Müller, Burger King, and many others. A large parking lot is in front of the complex, and you can leave your car here for free. From here you can travel by bus 200E towards Köbanya Kispest and travel on the blue metro line from there to the city center of Budapest.

The parking lot along the main road connects the city center with the airport. You should, of course, be careful with leaving valuables in the car, just like you should anywhere else in the city.

P+R parking in Budapest (not free, but very cheap).

It is hard to find free parking in Budapest at central locations, but there are a couple of P+R parking options that will allow you to leave your car at a cheap price and then travel on with public transportation to all of Budapest within a few seconds. These were completely free until July 1st in 2023, but they now require a payment. Luckily, they are still cheap, making them great options!

What is the price of the different P+R parking options in Budapest?

The price is 350 HUF per entrance (valid between 06.00 and 22.00). In other words, if you arrive at 8.00 and leave at 21.50, you only pay 350 HUF (less than 1 euro) for the entire parking time. If you leave your car there for the night, you need to pay 105 HUF per hour between 22.00 and 06.00. If you arrive at 10.00 on a Monday and leave the parking lot at 10.00 on a Wednesday, you will end up paying three-day tickets (3×350) and also 16 night hours (16×105). The end result is then 2730 HUF, approximately 7 euro. The parking lot is guarded, meaning that it should be considered fairly safe to leave your car in this and other P+R locations in Budapest for a couple of days

1) Etele tér P+R (not free, but cheap)

You can type this name into Google Maps, leading you to a big parking lot in Budapest. It is located next to a big shopping mall named Etele Plaza, and from here, you can travel by metro line 4 to Kalvin square and Fövam square which are central locations in Budapest. Be aware that many people use this option on weekdays, meaning it might be hard to find a free parking lot, but if you are patient and lucky, it should work out nicely!

2) Örmezö P+R (not free, but cheap)

This is located close to the first parking lot mentioned (Etele tér P+R), on the other side of the railway lines. It is the perfect place to start your trip to Budapest as you can leave your car for free and travel by metro to downtown. You can buy tickets at the metro station. If you’d rather travel by tram to central Budapest, that can also be done using tram 49.

3) KÖKI Terminál P+R (not free, but cheap)

This isn’t entirely free, but it is quite close to free. It is located next to metro line three (the blue line) and the station named Köbanya Kispest. It is a part of a giant mall, meaning that you can easily shop at this location besides parking your car.

The mall is between the main city center of Budapest and the international airport, making it ideal for those traveling between the city and the airport or who just want a good location for parking their car. It is possible to buy tickets for longer periods of time here, including a ticket valid for 30 days. Such long-term tickets must be bought in the parking office at the -1 level of the mall.

Above you can see the prices and tickets available for parking at Köki Terminal in Budapest.

4) Arena Plaza parking lot (this is not P+R, making it much more expensive than the other options)

The parking lot belonging to the Arena Plaza shopping mall can be used for free. It is not super central, but by walking a bit you can reach the Keleti Palyaudvar, and there you will find two metro lines, making it easy to get on from there in town.

November 2022 update. You can now only park for free for 2 hours in Arena Plaza. After this, all the following hours will cost 300 HUF (appx. 1 Euro). The parking lot is possible to use during the opening times of the Plaza itself.

5) Bikas Park (this is not P+R, so it is more expensive than the other options)

This is not very central, but this location has a metro station, and from here, you can easily travel to central locations using public transportation. It is also nice to know that this entire region has free parking, so if you cannot park at the large parking lot on the Bikas park, then you can also park for free in the streets around the park. Be aware of the fact that it is a local market at Bikas Park every Saturday, so all cars have to be removed from the spot before the market starts (they have to be removed latest on Friday evening before midnight).

This is a great place to leave your car if you come to Budapest by car and want to do a day of sightseeing before traveling in the evening. You can also leave your car here for days, but that isn’t a normal thing to do. If you leave your car here, make sure not to leave it from Friday to Saturday as it will be removed due to the market (a great local market in Budapest).

December 2022 update: The local government just changed its policy about Bikas park. Since December 5th in, 2022, you need to pay a parking fee here of 300 HUF per hour between 8:00 and 18:00 on weekdays. It is still free parking here on Saturdays after the market has finished (around 13.00) and on Sundays.

Take a look at our Budapest calendar.

Posted on November 15, 2022November 15, 2022 by Budapest Guide

Would you like to find out what’s happening in Budapest when you come to visit the city? Or are you looking for a special program and maybe you want to make this event the focus of your trip to Budapest?

If you like to run, then there are several marathons arranged in Budapest every single year. Would you rather drink wine? Then you can come to Budapest for the annual wine festival in the Castle area (in September) or maybe to the Rozalia festival in June?

There are many options. We have just updated our Budapest calendar with information about quite a lot of upcoming events in 2023. In other words, head over to the calendar to find out what’s going on in Budapest!

What’s going on in Budapest?

We hope you will come to Budapest in 2023. And if it is still 2022 when you read this article, do not forget that the fantastic Christmas markets in Budapest have opened already!

Is the Hungarian Parliament far from the City Park in Budapest?

Posted on November 8, 2022April 21, 2024 by Budapest Guide

Before you arrive in Budapest, it is hard to know about the distances between the different attractions. The Hungarian Parliament is one of the most beautiful buildings and attractions in Budapest. But, if you want to do a nice sightseeing walk in Budapest and walk from the Parliament to the City Park, how far will you have to walk?

There are several ways to answer the question. First of all, if you are a tourist, then you want to walk on the most scenic road to the City Park. In other words, you should walk from the Hungarian Parliament to the St. Stephen’s Basilica. From there you should walk along Andrassy avenue until you reach the Heroes Square. And when you have walked across the famous square, you are located in the City Park where you can find the zoo, the Szechenyi bath, the Vajdahunyad castle, and lots of other sights and attractions.

The shortest walking road from the Parliament to the City Park.

The shortest road is exactly three kilometers. But, it is a quite boring road and you will miss all the beautiful attractions, so do not follow the primary suggestion from Google Maps if you are to do this walk.

*Do not walk like this… neither of the recommendations here is recommended.*

If you are in a hurry, these are the fastest tracks, but they are not the best. Instead, follow the path recommendation below. It is approximately one kilometer long, but it is a way nicer path. Along the way, you will walk along the most famous boulevard in Hungary (Andrassy Avenue). There you can see the Hungarian State Opera, lots of fashion stores, and beautiful buildings, and you will also see famous museums such as the Terror House museum, and much more.

walk in budapest — *This is the nicest way to walk from the Parliament to the City Park and the Heroes Square in Budapest.*

I hope these instructions have given you some useful information about how to walk between these popular areas and attractions in Budapest. If you have any similar questions, please use the comment field and I will do my best to answer.

Michelin-star restaurants in Hungary (2022-23).

Posted on November 4, 2022November 4, 2022 by Budapest Guide

Would you like to eat the best possible food in Budapest? As of November 2022, Hungary has seven restaurants with one Michelin star and two restaurants with two Michelin stars. Would you like to book a table in any of these restaurants? In order to get a table, you need to make your reservation months in advance, but if you are late, you can still give it a try.

Many people believe that the best restaurants in Hungary are all located in Budapest. That is almost true, as seven out of the nine restaurants in Hungary with Michelin stars are located in Budapest. But, there are two exceptions, and one of those exceptions has two Michelin stars. In other words, you can find delicious food outside Budapest as well.

Michelin-star restaurants in Budapest.

The seven restaurants with Michelin stars in Budapest are.

Two Michelin stars.

Stand (Chefs: Tamás Szell and Szabina Szulló)

One Michelin star.

Babel (Chef: Kornel Kaszas)
Borkonyha (Chef: Ákos Sarkozy)
Costes (Chef: Levente Koppany)
Essencia (Chef: Tiago Sabarigo)
Rumour (Chef: Jeno Racz)
Salt (Chef: Szilard Toth)

Michelin-star restaurants outside Budapest.

The two restaurants with Michelin stars outside Budapest are.

Two Michelin stars.

Platan Gourmet, Tata (Chef: Istvan Pesti)

One Michelin star.

42, Esztergom (Adam Barna)

Tata and Esztergom are two cities not very far from one another, so you can easily visit both these during a trip to Hungary and to Budapest. Tata is located a 45-minute drive from Budapest, close to the highway in the direction of Györ, Vienna, and Bratislava. Esztergom is a beautiful city next to the Danube, especially known for its fantastic basilica on the top of the hill (the largest church building in Hungary). It is on the border with Slovakia, meaning that you can easily cross the Maria Valeria bridge and also visit Slovakia on your trip (if that sounds interesting).

If you go by car, it should take approximately 60 minutes to drive from Budapest to Esztergom.

Have you been to any of these restaurants? Do you have any comments or thoughts that you would like to share? Write a comment below.