If you have planned a visit to Budapest you should know the times for opening and closing of shops or other companies. Today many cities permit purchasing goods on Sunday but are they allowing it in Budapest? Shops opening on Sundays, their working hours and what to expect in Budapest will be discussed in this article so as to give you guidelines on how to make your shopping more fruitful.
Budapest City Sunday Shopping
Altogether, shops in Budapest do not operate on Sundays. Most shops, supermarkets and malls around the country are shut down on Sundays but for a few select outlets. However, there are some types of establishments that are typically open on Sundays, such as:
Convenience stores: Small convenience stores, also known as “ABC” stores has however been discovered to be opened during Sundays. These stores are generally opened for few hours a day, thus if you find yourself make a rush you are advised to find out their working hours beforehand.
Pharmacies: Only several pharmacies in Budapest are open on Sundays, and normally they work with shortened working hours. Another important thing to know in case you need to take any medications or need some medical equipment during your visit, you will be glad to hear that you can find open pharmacies.
Restaurants and cafes: Although there are few shops actually opened on Sunday, most of the restaurants and cafes are available for business. It is especially true if you decide to eat in the areas which attract numerous tourists and visitors – there you can really choose almost anything you want.
Tourist shops: Some shops for tourist products and gifts, home and handicrafts are opened on Sundays. It is usually found in places that tourists are found in plenty and can actually be a hub to find souvenirs to take home.
Malls and Shopping Centers
And if you expected to go shopping in Budapest on a Sunday and get more shops your way, then you should choose one of the many shopping malls of the city. Such premises operate longer than ordinary stores and can remain open 24 hours a day if necessary.
The most popular malls in Budapest include:
WestEnd City Center: Constructed in the Central Europe’s largest city, WestEnd is one of the biggest shopping centers on the territory. It provides over two hundred shops and boutiques, numerous cafés and restaurants, cinema, and much more.
Allee Shopping Center: Allee Shopping is a modern building located in Buda and displaying various shops that are related to fashion, electronics, home decoration and more. There is too a supermarket, restaurants, and a cinema among others.
Arena Mall: Geographically, this shopping center is close to the Puskás Arena and it has a large number of shops – more than 200, entertainment outlets, such as a bowling alley and a children’s play area, etc.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that despite the fact that those malls are on Sundays are open, it is better to check the time from time as the working time may change.
Sunday Activities
As for a number of shops and business establishments are closed early on Sundays which may be bothersome to some – Budapest provides numerous other activities to do on Sundays. Here are a few suggestions:
Visit a local market: Budapest has great markets, which are famous for being busy including the Great Market Hall or Nagyvásárcsarnok. Namely, they provide excellent chance to taste Hungarian food and buy groceries and household necessities.
Explore museums and attractions: Finally, museums and attractions should be visited on Sundays. The majority of Budapest’s museums where the Hungarian National Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts are among the included museums with Sunday night opening.
Stroll through parks and gardens: In Budapest there are many beautiful parks and gardens, which is languid strolling on Sundays. Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Park (Városliget) and Margaret Island (Margitsziget) are preferred addresses where you can breathe fresh air.
Conclusion
In general, most of the shops in Budapest are shut down during a Sunday. But there are always some: for example, small shops for necessities like drugs, fuel, etc., and shops oriented on foreigners that have existed due to tourists alone. Moreover, malls and shopping centers are open far into Sundays giving a better package of shopping experience. If you want to get the most of your Budapest experience you can try several sightseeing options that include the Budapest’s markets, museums and parks and beautiful gardens. Planning ahead and paying particular attention to the opening times of specific businesses and locations will all aid towards making a shopping trip during the traveller’s visit to Budapest as enjoyable as possible.
