Budapest is hardly a shopping Mecca, but being a European capital it has its share of malls and streets to shop at.
Locals prefer shopping in malls conveniently scattered around the city, but visitors to Budapest like to combine sightseeing with buying a thing or two, and this is where shopping streets come handy.
Budapest is a relatively young city, and its downtown area was meticulously planned using the skills of the best architects and advanced technologies.
Many of its turn-of-the-century buildings are true gems, and one can spend hours admiring and deciphering rich façade decorations. Take a look at some notable buildings in the central fifth district of Budapest.
Parisian Arcade (Párisi udvar) located at Petőfi Sándor utca 2 is one of the most impressive buildings the Hungarian capital is so famous for.
Jewish Quarter of Budapest, the 7th district stretching between Rákóczi út and Andrássy út is probably most famous for the Great Synagogue, the largest synagogue of Europe, and the second largest one in the world.
But there is much more to this most densely populated district of Budapest that used to be mostly Jewish before WWII and is predominantly Gypsy residential area today.
The 180-year-old Botanical Garden in Vácrátót is a natural preserve and the richest scientific plant collection of Hungary. The 27-hectare park is home to many plants from all over the world including species from Russian steppes, Central-Asian mountains, trees and shrubs from the Far East, and unique collection of cactuses.
Boat service run by Budapest public transport company during summer months might be a good alternative to costly tourist boats.
Though you do not have a guide on board talking about Budapest, you can still enjoy the city views and the flow of the Danube.
Whether caused by melting snow or excessive raining, flood comes to Budapest almost every year.
Nightmare for city budget and motorists, it is a spectacular event both for locals and tourists who come to the Danube embankment to gasp at the power of river and to take photos.
The botanical garden of Eötvös University (Fűvészkert) is the oldest botanical garden in Hungary and home to many trees from all over the world, including tropical species in its octagonal Palm House, sakuras, bonsai trees and many conifers. Rich in colours, scents and textures it is a peaceful source of inspiration.
