Shopping in Budapest

Whether you are looking for gifts to take home from Budapest, or just want to do some shopping, there are plenty of opportunities to indulge yourself in the pleasure of money-spending. Shopping in Budapest is quirky. It defies expectation. Things tend to be dispersed, so similar shops most often don't cluster in a single neighbourhood. Even stores often stock random associations of goods - down comforters and used books. Other places stock very narrow arrays. You frequently can't tell exactly what a store is selling by looking in its windows. Shopping in Budapest has never been better and tourists are in for local souvenir treats. Folk art products are very typical of Hungary. They are handmade by the locals. The most popular folklore products are: embroidered cloths, pillowcases, dolls dressed in Hungarian folklore costumes, dresses, pottery, and porcelain. Food stores are open from 6.00 or 7.00 to 18.00, 19.00, Monday to Friday, on Saturdays from 6.00 or 7.00 to 13.00. Other Budapest shops are open Monday to Friday from 10.00 to 18.00, on Saturdays from 10.00 to 13.00. The large supermarkets have longer opening hours and are open on Sunday. Some of them, like Tesco are open 24 hours. In the centre, mainly in Pest, you'll find several non-stop, 24-hour shops. They sell cigarettes, alcohol, soft drinks and snacks, and other foodstuff, usually at a higher price. During the heart of the summer in Budapest, in July and August, a number of the smaller shops close for this entire period. Budapest is a city of market halls, shops, and markets.

Art in Hungary

You can get a real flavour of Hungary past and present by tasting the culture in its galleries and museums. Furthermore, there are clues all around in the country’s architecture. A single street can take you on a journey through several centuries; Hungary contains examples from a host of architectural periods, including Roman ruins, medieval castles, Baroque palaces, Art-Nouveau mansions and cutting-edge contemporary buildings. There are the remains of ancient castles and centuries-old country houses all over the country, and over 50 of these have been converted into elegant hotels where you can enjoy historic charm and aristocratic luxury while making use of the facilities and comforts you’d expect from 21st-century accommodation. Roman, Gothic, Baroque influenced the Hungarian art and architecture and Art Nouveau styles. The musical tradition of the country is also remarkable, famous works are the rhapsodies of Ferenc Liszt, the operas of Ferenc Erkel, the folk-music and gypsy music. Music enthusiasts should coincide their visit with one of several international cultural and music festivals. Lovers of opera and classical music are particularly well catered for – the capital’s beautiful State Opera House is world class, and there are many concert venues around the country hosting high-quality performances by famous Hungarian and international artists.

Hungarian Culture

When most people think of the European country of Hungary, the first things that may come to mind are Hungarian cuisine (particularly paprika), the capital Budapest, horse riding and perhaps a tradition for romantic literature and renaissance architecture. Of course, these alone are good reasons to visit Hungary. However, modern Hungary is a country with so much more than these famous cultural and historic staples. Everyday Hungarian life is still rich and varied, but perhaps doesn’t adhere to the more cultural stereotypes as much as one might expect. If you have plans to visit Hungary, it’s always a good idea to familiarise yourself with Hungarian culture and etiquette before you depart, whether visiting for business or pleasure. Hungary is very diverse. Hungarians are humanistic thinkers and people-oriented, yet free-spirited, stubborn individualists. Hungarians respect people who know what they’re doing, but reject authoritarian rule. Hospitality entails an extraordinary effort to feed and care for guests. Guests are always encouraged to step into one's home first.

Sights and Sounds of Budapest

Budapest is a city once again at the heart of Europe, a booming cultural metropolis where history and the contemporary blend with cosmopolitan flair. With architectural wealth and natural beauty that can rival any city on the continent, Budapest ranks next to Paris, Rome and Prague as one of the great European capitals. It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the 'must-sees' and 'must-dos' in Budapest. Budapest is a "walking city" and there are plenty of walking tours that will allow you to see many of the city's attractions at once, such as the Castle Hill Walking Tour, or the Jewish Quarter Tour. If you don't want to make the trek you can always make use of the city's excellent transportation system. Although it’s easy to discover Budapest on your own there are also plenty of guided tours available that will help you to explore the many faces of the city. Budapest has re energized it self so much since the  war, the cafes, the places to see, the cuisine. If these myriad reasons aren’t enough to get you on the next Budapest-bound flight, don’t forget that the Hungarian capital is also a spa town, and a great place to relax in hot sulphur baths or to get massaged beneath art deco murals in grand hotels. Hungarian itself may be impenetrably foreign, but even if you don’t speak a word you’ll soon feel at home here.

Beautiful Budapest

Budapest is the capital of Hungary, also its largest city filled with green parks, inspiring museums and pulsating night life. It is the country’s political, cultural, industrial, commercial and transportation centre. There is a magnetic quality to Budapest. Peaceful and bustling, huge metropolis yet friendly, treasuring the old and embracing the new. A booming cultural metropolis where history and the contemporary blend with cosmopolitan flair. It is one of the most delightful and enjoyable cities of Europe. The Danube flows through the city and the city is rightly also known as “The Pearl of the Danube”. Actually the city is a combination of 2 cities, Buda on the west bank of Danube and Pest on the east bank of the river. It is an architectural gem, with enough baroque, neoclassical, Eclectic and art nouveau (or Secessionist) buildings to satisfy anyone’s appetite. The food and wine are excellent, cheap and in abundance and the nightlife is hot. Indeed, in recent years, Budapest has taken on the role of the region’s party town, especially in the warmer months when outdoor entertainment areas called kertek - gardens heave with party makers. Its World Heritage Sites include the banks of Danube, The Buda Castle Quarter, Heroes’ Square,  Andrássy Avenue and the Millennium Underground Railway, the second oldest in the world. The city has 80 geothermal springs, the world’s largest water cave system, second largest synagogue and the third largest Parliament building.

Surviving Czech Republic

You will find that the people of the Czech Republic can be conservative, but they are very friendly and polite, so follow their lead and be friendly and polite in return. In the Czech Republic, greeting people is very important. If you're at a pub and some people join your table, say hello, or "Dobrý den ", which means "Good day " in Czech. If you're in an elevator and there already people inside, say "Dobrý den". Upon entering a store, say "Dobrý den!". Before you know it, it will become second nature and you'll be saying hello to everyone, even after you go home. The people of the Czech Republic are very proud of their heritage, language, and rich history. Most of the bigger cities are used to seeing tourists, but in order to respect them and not stand out as a foreigner, remember the following don’ts. Below are some tips on Czech etiquette to take with you on your trip to the Czech Republic.

A Taste of Czech Republic

Traditional Czech food is not exactly what one would call dietary, however it perfectly goes with the flavourful Czech beer. Most Czechs enjoy their food very much and mealtimes are special occasions. Czech food is rich and hearty, but if you've never tried it, there are a few things worth knowing. It mostly consists of pork or beef meat with sauce and a side dish, the most common and liked being dumplings. The knedlík or dumplings is the most common side dish made from wheat or potato flour, boiled in water as a roll and then sliced and served hot with gravy. Other side dishes are: rice, potatoes (boiled, baked or fried). Get ready to eat lots of potatoes. Czech people love Svičková (read “svitch-co-va”) or Rajská (read “raiska”), a somehow interesting combination of meat with sauce and whipped cream. "Svíčková" is the national dish. Most dishes are pork, or beef, but chicken, turkey, fresh-water fish, duck, lamb and rabbit are common, too. On menus you often see the word "Medallions": it just means a piece of meat, sliced flat, like a medal. A "spis" is like a shish-kebab, grilled meat and vegetables on a spear. A good choice can be the Guláš (read like in English, “goulash“), even though it basically belongs to traditional Hungarian cuisine.

Prague Shopping Guide

The main Prague shopping area runs down Wenceslas Square, along Na Prikope and into Republic Square. Parizska Street has luxury international boutique shops. While the Old Town Square and the Lesser Town (Mala Strana) have small shops & art galleries. The quantity and quality of products available in the Czech Republic has improved dramatically since the early 1990s. The most prominent changes are noticeable in Prague where many new hypermarkets and shopping malls have appeared in the last several years. The increased competition and consumer demand have resulted in a better selection, improving customer service and lower prices, making shopping a more enjoyable activity. Prague is a great place to shop for Czech souvenirs. The center of Prague is filled with souvenir shops offering all kinds of typical Czech products, from wooden toys to jewellery to expensive cut crystal and glass items. There are a number of regional associations of regional artists and craftspeople along with some excellent shops of glass and crystal. Other shopping choices include pottery (particularly from Straznice and Kolovec), geyser stone carvings from Karlovy Vary, needle embroidery and delicate lace work from many Moravian towns, as well as china ornaments, semi-precious stones from Bohemia and blood-red garnets. The Bazaars are fascinating to wander around, and you never know what one-of-a-kind treasures you may find. However, you must allow plenty of time as they are not always very well organized. Before setting off on your day shopping in Prague, it is advised to ensure that you have thoroughly researched their times of operation.

Arts in Czech Republic

The territory of the Czech Republic traditionally has been between the German and Slav lands, and Czech cultural traditions are a mixture of both. Influences from farther afield also have been strong. Visually the most striking influences are Italian—in Renaissance and Baroque architecture, for instance—while literature, music, the visual arts, and popular culture also are indebted to a variety of external influences. Most of the Western cultural influences on the Czech Lands have passed through a German filter, and for this reason Czech traditions in popular culture are marked by a strong sense of national identity. The Czech Republic ranks among the most attractive tourist destinations in all of Europe thanks to numerous monuments which display a rich variety of artistic styles, combined with high preservation standards. After the fall of the Great Moravian Empire (905), which was artistically influenced by Byzantium, Czech art developed within the scope of West European artistic styles, though these styles were often adapted in unique ways. Czech Gothic painting in particular developed its own distincive style (anonymous Master of the Vyssi Brod Altar, Master Theodoricus etc.).