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While convenience, price and the wide
range of goods on offer all play a part in making department stores and malls popular with
the locals, visitors to Budapest often find that a more rewarding (and personalised)
shopping experience can be found at smaller shops selling traditional Hungarian
merchandise.
The main difficulty here is making yourself understood in English. That said,
many younger Hungarians usually know a little, while older people often speak some German. Of
course, a few words of Hungarian or a phrasebook are both useful, as are a pen and paper for noting
down prices.
Tourist shops are crammed full of goods that Hungarians believe a visitor
would most like to buy as a souvenir of their time in Budapest, namely porcelain (Herend and
Zsolnay), embroidery, cut glass and crystal. The following list represents some of Budapest's
gift/souvenir shops, each offering quality merchandise, competitive prices and high levels of
customer service.
V. József Attila u. 7, Tel: 1/317-8133, E-mail: ajkacrystal@mail.datanet.hu (central
factory address), Website: www.ajka-crystal.hu,
Individual store opening hours vary, Metro: M1 Vörösmarty
tér
Founded in 1878, Hungary's most famous crystal maker operates a number of retail
stores in Budapest, of which the other most centrally located outlet (aside from József
Attila u. 7 listed above) can be found at Kígyó u. 4, Tel: 318 3712. Coloured designs
feature prominently these days (along the same lines as lead crystal you'll find in
Prague), although Ajka Crystal also produces much simpler glasses, bowls, jugs and
decanters.
Haas és Czjzek
VI. Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 23, Tel: 311 4094, Website: www.haasczjzek.cz, Metro: M3 Arany János u.
Famous Czech porcelain maker which, as well as stocking its own attractive range of
dinner sets, vases and ornamental pieces, carries Hungarian Herend, Zsolnay and Hollóháza
products.
II. Lövőház utca 2-6, Tel: 345 3196, Websites: www.happybox.hu and www.mammut.hu, Open: Mon-Fri 10-9pm and
Sat-Sun 10am-6pm, Metro: M2 Moszkva tér
Okay, so we admit there's nothing really traditional about Happy Box's range of soft
toys, clothing and kiddie's play things. However, they do make nice, inexpensive gifts
with plenty of cutesy characters and brightly coloured designs. Especially good for
younger children, as any gift purchased here should keep them happy for hours (even on a
long flight home!)
Herend Porcelain Shops
Website: www.herend.com. See Herend website for
details of official stockists in Budapest
Downtown shops stocking individual ornaments and dinner services from one of the most
famous (and expensive) porcelain factories in the world.
XIII. Váci út 1-3, WestEnd Center, Open: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun
11am-6pm, Metro: M2 Nyugati pu.
Although Hungarians rate Hollóháza less highly than Herend and Zsolnay porcelain, the
factory nonetheless produces elegant (and well-priced) dinner, coffee and tea sets as well
as individual figurines. Very pretty, traditional designs.
I. Fortuna Passage, Hess András tér 4, Open: 10am-5pm daily, Metro: M2 Moszkva tér
then Várbusz to Castle Hill
Snazzy glass shop in the Castle District, favouring contemporary and Art Nouveau designs.
V. Kígyó utca 4 and V. Ferenciek tere 11, Website: www.zsolnay.hu, Open: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm,
Sat-Sun 10am-1pm, Metro: M3 Ferenciek tere
A good selection of distinctive and elegant porcelain from Hungary's second finest factory
- Zsolnay.
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