Gifts you buy when traveling in Budapest (Hungary)
Of course, the memories of the trip cannot be replaced by anything. Spending our vacation in the capital of Hungary – Budapest, we do our best to capture this trip, buying gifts for ourselves and our loved ones.
This article will help travelers on their upcoming vacation, or perhaps encourage them to buy a national good. All these things inspire the desire to explore the world again.
Goods that will make you dream of your future vacation in Budapest
Porcelain
Porcelain products by Hungarian craftsmen are hundreds of years old. The famous Herend brand is considered royal porcelain as it was ordered for the imperial houses from Austria to South America. The beauty of the sets and figurines attracted the British Queen Victoria so much that she ordered them for her palace. Today, Herend still manufactures its famous products in a small factory in the Hungarian countryside. In production, a special recipe for pottery clay is used from a mixture of quartz, kaolin, and feldspar. Porcelain is fired at high heat and then manually painted by a master.
You can buy one-off items: coffee cups, tureens, plates, and bowls decorated with patterns of leaves, birds, and flowers, as well as tea or table sets for several people. Herend also makes beautiful porcelain figurines – exquisite hand-painted figurines. Herend porcelain is expensive, ranging from $ 75 to $ 300.
Please note that there are many Herend fakes on sale in Budapest due to the popularity of the brand. The best place to buy Herend porcelain is at one of the company’s showrooms throughout the city, such as the Herend Porcelain store at Szentharomsag utca 5, Budapest, Hungary. They are open every day from 10:00 to 19:00 and their staff speaks good English.
Crystal from Ajka factory
The Ajka Crystal Factory was founded in 1897 and is known all over the world for its handmade crystal products. Dishes and decor items are presented in 20 colors, which are packed in beautiful gift boxes.
You can order a personal driver in Budapest to visit the Ajka factory and brand shop located outside the city. There are also grocery stores at 10 Kossuth Utca and 7 Jozsef Attila Street. The store at Szent Istvan Korter 18 is particularly good and offers a fine selection of Ajka products. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.
National Hungarian doll
Traditional Hungarian dolls can be seen in exhibitions in famous museums around the world. The dolls are dressed in national Hungarian costumes, fully detailed to match the real ones – decorated with sewing and beads. Their delicate, hand-painted porcelain faces are admired wherever they are presented. Hungarian dolls are a wonderful souvenir that can be bought as a gift or for collection.
The smallest dolls are around $ 6.50, the medium ones are around $ 35, and the beautiful large dolls can cost over $ 150. The craft and gift shop at 32 Váci Street is a real treasure trove of dolls, embroidered shirts, and traditional Hungarian handicrafts. The staff speaks English and the prices are quite reasonable. They are open every day from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Tokaji wine
Mentioned in the national anthem of Hungary, Tokaji wine has been a Hungarian treasure for centuries. The Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph himself sent her Tokaj wine on Queen Victoria’s birthday – one bottle for every month of her life. When traveling in Budapest, buy Tokaji for your friends and loved ones.
Wine prices range from $ 7 to $ 25. Tokaji is easy to buy at the Bacchus Borkereskedés liquor store located at Vaci Utca 23. Right in the center of Budapest’s largest shopping street, a great store at reasonable prices and very friendly staff who speak some English. Open every day from 10:00 to 20:00.
Palinka
Palinka is copyrighted and can only be produced in Hungary. Therefore, Budapest is the perfect place to buy this delicious liqueur. Palinka is a popular traditional drink in Hungary. Go to any bar or restaurant in Budapest and Palinka will be on the menu. Palinka is a very strong drink, with an alcohol content of 37.5% to 86% and a fruity taste. The most common palinka is distilled from plums. Other fruits are also used in production: apricot, pear, peach, apple, cherry. The fruits are ground, and then the fermentation process begins.
A nice gift set, consisting of different flavors, costs about $ 25, and individual bottles – from $ 15 to $ 20. You can buy palinka all over the city, including the Bacchus Borkereskedes store at 23 Vaci Street. They have a wide selection of different flavors and types of palinka. They are open every day from 10:00 to 20:00.
Rubik’s Cube
Everyone has solved this colorful puzzle at least once in his life. The Rubik’s Cube Robina is in Hungary. Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture, Erno Rubik, invented this game in 1974 while working at the Academy of Applied Arts and Crafts in Budapest.
You can buy this modern symbol of Hungary in any toy store throughout Budapest, or in the West End shopping center. The shopping center is located in the heart of Nyugati Square. On the ground floor, it is worth visiting the Bambini Jatek (Children’s Toys) if you are traveling with small children or are a child at heart yourself. The store is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 20:00.
Zwack Unicum
Unicum is a beautiful, dark, bitter herbal liqueur made with over 40 spices in a recipe that has remained a secret for centuries! The amber color comes from oak barrels aged at the Zwack plant in Budapest. The drink is poured into beautiful green bottles.
A unique one with a history almost as fascinating as its striking taste is best bought at the Zwack Unicum Heritage Tourist Center in Budapest. Stop by the gift shop to buy something for yourself. Prices range from $ 5 for a tiny flask to $ 115 for a giant bottle. The museum and gift shop are located at Dandár utca, 1. The museum is open from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Paprika
After tasting the famous Hungarian dish – chicken and paprika, you will want to get your hands on this great spice. Paprika can be of different strength, taste, and varieties, including special quality, delicate, refined delicate, spicy refined delicate, pink, noble sweet, semi-sweet.
While you can buy paprika at the grocery store, lovely gift sets are sold in many shops on Vaci Street. Prices range from $ 6 to $ 14, depending on the size of the bags and whether you want wooden serving spoons included. The best place to buy pepper is the Central Market at Vámház krt., 1-3.
