Page 214 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Budapest

212  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

What to Buy in Budapest markets and in delicatessens
like Memories of Hungary.
Despite price rises since the return to a free-market economy, Hungary’s national beverage is
many Hungarian goods are still great bargains. Embroidered wine (see pp194–5) and there are
peasant blouses and wooden carvings make unique souvenirs, various top-quality bottles to
as does the distinctive porcelain produced at the world- look out for. These include fine
dessert wines from the Tokaji
famous Zsolnay and Herend factories. Cheap, good quality region, Muscats from Kiskunhalas
CDs and records are widely available, and Hungarian wines, on the central plain, and
salamis and other foodstuffs can be bought in the city’s many Chardonnays from Mátraalja.
lively markets. Clothes and shoes made to your specifications Also popular are the herbal
represent one of the city’s most luxurious bargains. liqueur Unicum, and the strong,
fiery pálinka, which is made
from plums, cherries or apricots.
Wines and spirits are available in
Folk Art
on many of the city’s notable supermarkets and in specialist
Hungarian folk culture is still alive buildings. Second-hand shops such as Borház and
and well in many parts of rural porcelain can be bought in House of Hungarian Pálinka.
Hungary. You can buy textiles, antiques shops and markets.
ceramics and woodwork from flea Both companies have shops Music
markets (see p211) and from folk selling new pieces.
art and souvenir shops around Hungary’s rich folk and classical
Váci utca and in the Castle District music traditions make low-
(see pp73–89). Folk art shops such Clothes and Shoes priced CDs, tapes and vinyl a
as Tekla Folklór, sell machine- Made-to-measure clothes tempting purchase in Budapest.
made products, and, for genuine and shoes, and ready-made For Hungarian folk music, from
Transylvanian textiles there is the designer clothes offer some traditional Roma (Gypsy) music
Korona Folklór hand-made shop. of the best deals to be had by to recordings of village folk
For the cheapest authentic folk visitors to Budapest. Many music, the old-style Rózsavölgyi
costumes, head for the Central people have clothes made up Zeneműbolt is a good choice.
Market Hall (Nagy Vásárcsarnok). in their choice of fabric by a Many record shops now operate
To buy folk, modern art, souvenirs local tailor – who is likely to online only, but most book shops
and Hungarian delicacies, or just be happy to oblige for a fairly and second hand book shops
look at the unique whale-shaped modest fee. At the smart end still sell CDs and music DVDs.
building on the bank of the of the market, there is Náray
Danube, visit Bálna, which has Tamás Atelier, the showcase for Books
several such shops and a market. one of the most famous fashion
designers in Hungary. Orex is For illustrated books and English-
one of the country’s most language guide-books, try the
Antiques
exclusive jewellers. Shoemakers Litea Bookstore and Café,
Dominated by 18th- and in Budapest tend to make only where you can browse while
19th-century pieces in the men’s shoes. Vass will make enjoying coffee and cakes at
Habsburg style, the Budapest a one-off pair of dress shoes tables set among the shelves.
antiques scene is concentrated in about a month for around Bookstation stocks new and
in the Castle District, around 200,000 Hungarian forints. secondhand books, as well as
Falk Miksa utca and on Váci utca many books in English. A range
(Váci Street, see p131). Moró of English-language newspapers,
Antik is a tiny shop specializing Food and Drink magazines and novels are
in 18th-century weapons, while Food and wine in Hungary available at Bestsellers. Írók
the huge Nagyházi Gallery are great value and make Boltja sells art books and some
sells everything from jewellery excellent souvenirs. Sausage English-language books.
to furniture. The Ecseri Flea is a national passion and can Librotrade-Kodex stocks books
Market (see p211) is also a good be bought in shops and in English, French and German.
place for antiques. markets all over the city. Some For antique books, etchings
of the most popular types and maps a good place to
include spicy sausages from try is Központi Antikvárium.
Porcelain Debrecen, smoked sausages Famulus Foreign Language
There are two major porcelain from Gyulai and a whole range Bookshop has English literature
manufacturers in Hungary, of world-famous salamis. Also and books about Hungary, as
Herend and Zsolnay. Herend worth bringing home are dried well as dictionaries and books
enjoys a reputation as the mushrooms, paté de foie gras, for language learners. Libri,
producer of the country’s a string of paprika or some Alexandra and Líra are three
finest porcelain, while Zsolnay’s fresh sheep’s cheese. All these bookstore chains that can be
brightly glazed tiles can be seen can be bought in Budapest’s found in most malls in the city.

212-213_EW_Budapest.indd 212 15/09/16 10:33 am