Budapest is the right place for shopping because prices for most goods are still lower than in Western Europe or North America.
Shops in Budapest are normally open from 10 to 18 on weekdays and from 10 to 13 at the weekend. (malls until 9pm daily) Most food-stores operate from 8am to 6 or 7pm. Recently some shops in the center of the city have been staying open later on Saturdays.
The main tourist shopping area is located south from Vörösmarty tér in downtown Pest, in particular in and around the pedestrians Váci utca and Petőfi Sándor utca, which have the biggest concentration of "high end", glamorous and expensive shops. The main streets radiating out from the center - Bajcsy-Zsilinszky, Andrássy and Rákóczi út - are other major shopping avenues that the locals mostly use, as are the two ring boulevards, the Great Boulevard (especially from Margit Bridge to Blaha Lujza tér) and the Kiskörút, while the small streets inside the Nagykörút are also worth exploring. You will also see a lot of interesting small shops in the city.
Budapest's Antiques area is located on Falk Miksa street, at the Pest end of the Margit Bridge, and goes toward the Parliament. The biggest antique market is Ecseri Piac. Take the No.54 bus to the south-eastern suburbs Nagyk?rösi út 156. Open: Mon-Fri 08-16, Sun 08-13
Design, Interior area is located on Andrássy street from Oktogon to Deák square and on Király street, Paulay Ede street near Andrássy.
Markets The Fleamarket & the hungarian design market Wamp are at the weekends in Budapest.
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The most popular souvenirs to bring home are wine, china-porcelain (Zsolnai, Hollóházi), handmade embroidered tablecloths, Halasi laces, national costumes and dolls dressed in such costumes, purses made of stiff leather, T-shirts with certain images, Rubik's Cube and the foodstuff; goose liver, red paprika, Makói onion, Pick salami, Debrecen sausage, sour-cherry bonbons, Unicum liquor, fruit brandy – Pálinka, Tokaji Aszú, Bull's Blood of Eger.
You will find these wares everywhere in the city.