Budapest

Euros can be used for the major tourist attractions in Budapest, but Forints are needed for the smaller shops and roadside eateries. Credit Cards such as Visa, Master Card and American Express are widely accepted at most restaurants and shopping centers, however, you need to carry cash to smaller markets. Most pubs also need you to pay in cash.

One of the main shopping street is the Vˆci utca, possibly the most famous in Budapest. Andrˆssy Avenue is another shopping area, famous for having some of the most chic stores. If you are visiting Budapest around the Christmas season you are sure to come across the Christmas Markets. These have a large number of cute little stores where you can buy souvenirs to take back along with exceptional mulled wine and great Hungarian street good. Budapest also has the best collection of wine which is a famous souvenir. Hungarian sweet wine is to die for.

One of the places cited for its great nightlife, Budapest is also called the party capital of Hungary. The city gets into its party mode from Wednesday through Saturday. Budapest has plenty of bars and clubs spread over the entire city. There are also plenty of clubs where you can let loose your hair and enjoy on the dance floor. Most of these are open till late in the night. Some Budapest specific patry options are the ruin pubs, spa parties, night party on the Danube. The ruin pubs have been opened in some old buildings and factroy outlets on the brink of destruction. The spa parties are hosted at the thermal baths only during summers and have great light shows.

There is evidence of people living on both sides of the river Danube in the Stone Age. Around the 5th BC, the Hun tribe under Atila the Hun, conquered Hungary and settled around the modern day Budapest. Around the first millenium AD, the king of Hungary established the feudal structure prevalent in the rest of Europe, and developed Buda and Pest. The city was later conquered by the Turks, who converted churches into mosques and established various water-baths. The city suffered heavy damage during the second world war, when it was a front-line town. Post war, Budapest was controlled by the Soviet Union right up to the fall of the union in 1991. Since then a lot of modern development has been done in the city, and it is now a major financial hub of central Europe.

Religion in hungary is mostly different forms of Christianity. Budapest is home to the larget Christian community in Central Europe

It has been realised that Budapest is a bargain as compared to the other cities in Europe. Budget Travel: £25 - £35 Comfortable Travel: £50 - £60 Luxury Travel: £100 - £125

There are many options of exchanging currencies in Budapest. Many currency exchange kiosks can be found in the tourist areas and near shopping centers, usually offer the best exchange rates. Money can be exchanged at banks at a surcharge. ATMs are easily found in Budapest, these dispense money at your bank's daily exchange rate. Currency exchange at airports is possible at at a significant surcharge of about 10% - 15%. CorrectChange and Northline are two of the popular currency exchange booths, current exchange rates are published online along with the loccation of these booths in Budapest.

The Hungarians pride themselves on their ability to eat spicy food. A lot of the local Hungarian dishes are heavy on paprika. Budapest has a number of cafes and restaurants of all price ranges. Among Hungarian street food the most popoular dish is the langos, which in its most basic form is a fried bread with garlic and cream. They have also borrowed from their neighbouring country, Greece, its gyros which is ubiquitous on the streets of Budapest. A unique dish of Hungary is a kind of cold fruit soup. Other popular dishes include Chicken Paprikash (roast chicken in red pepper sauce with homemade noodles), goulash (stew of meat and vegetable seasoned with paprika) and kurtoskalacs (chimney cake). They also love their desserts and a popular ingredient in most of these desserts is poppy seeds. Hungarians love a glass of wine along with all their meals. Palinka is a special alcochol in Hungary which is essentially a very strong fruit brandy. These are not to be mixed with any other drink and to be had bottoms up!
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The top places near to Budapest are Vienna which is 214 km from Budapest, Krakow which is located 293 km from Budapest, Auschwitz which is located 282 km from Budapest, Venice which is located 563 km from Budapest, Munich which is located 561 km from Budapest

The top things to do in Budapest are Walking tours, Thermal Baths, Szechenyi Chain Bridge, Buda Castle, Margaret Island, Szimpla Kert. You can see all the places to visit in Budapest here

There are 4751 in Budapest which can be booked through Holidify. The most popular hotels in Budapest are Apartment L&A, Apartment 43, Classic Central Apartment, Broadway Residence, Erzsebet Boulevard Apartment, Katy Apartment. You can see all the hotels in Budapest here

The packages for Budapest start at INR 47593 which can be further customized based on number of people, days, hotel category, vehicle type and customizations. You can have a look at all packages here

The best time to visit Budapest is during Spring or Autumn. The crowds are minimal and the prices are within budget. Moreover, the city springs to life and offers a colourful and magical vibe. The pleasant weather conditions also make it an ideal time to explore the city on foot and to take part in outdoor activities. The summer months from June to August, see a surge in tourism. The heat combined with the excessive crowds makes for an uncomfortable trip. If you do plan to visit Budapest in the summer, then it is recommended to make your bookings well in advance. The winter months witness the least amount of tourist crowds. The weather conditions can get quite chilly and most attractions and public places remain shut throughout this season. You can consider a trip during winter if you wish to indulge in a cold and quiet city atmosphere. Apart from the seasons, Budapest hosts a ton of exciting events and activities that should make it to your to-do list.
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