Must See in Budapest: Váci Street

One of the Best Pedestrian Streets in the World

Váci Street in downtown Budapest is one of the world’s most attractive pedestrian shopping streets not only according to Hungarians.

Pest’s famous Váci utca reached the 7th spot among 16 pedestrian shopping streets in a contest, the aim of which was to rank the streets by comparing several factors including:

• atmosphere,
• attractiveness,
• cleanliness,
• customer service in shops.

The street received 76 points out of 100, outrunning well-known pedestrian streets of Paris, Amsterdam, and Milan. So if you visit Budapest do take a walk along this famous downtown street. I always joke about it to our offline customers in Intuita Shop, comparing our Váci street to the famous Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills :) The truth is, I think the similarities end at both being pedestrian shopping streets :)

Getting to Váci Street

The street starts at Vörösmarty Square and ends opposite the Central Market Hall at the Pest end of Liberty Bridge.

You have several options to access the street, especially if you stay at one of the city center hotels.

Since Váci stretches parallel with the Danube, you can reach the river side through small side streets.

At Vörösmarty square there’s

• the M1 underground (yellow line) station, but
• the street is not far from Deák tér (M1 M2 M3 metros) or
• from Ferenciek tere (M3 blue metro line) either.
• The tram 2 line along the Danube is also a good way of getting there if you stay a bit far from downtown Budapest.

TIP: Besides window shopping, try to glance upwards occasionally to admire the artistic facades of the buildings.

For example, the building at at No. 9 was an inn that József Hild, the renowned architect of the era, rebuilt, and where the 11-year old Mozart gave a concert.

How to Explore Váci Street?

The esplanade is a bit long from end to end but it’s broken up by tiny squares (Kristóf tér, Szervita tér), and small passages.

The northern part of the street is the more touristy part which is teeming with people during summer, and before Christmas during the Christmas fair on Vörösmarty Square.

In early spring or late autumn the street is more peaceful.

I recommend to start from Vörösmarty tér, and walk down to the Central Market Hall.

Before starting your exploration you can have a cup of cafe with a slice of cake in the famous Gerbeaud Confectionery on Vörösmarty tér.

Just a few steps from the white marble statue of poet Mihály Vörösmarty you’ll be among promenading tourists on Váci utca.

Terraced cafes line both sides of the street and you will find Intuita and Intuita 2 just a few minutes (a few hundred meters) before reaching the Central Market Hall!

I hope that next time you visit Hungary, you will drop by at our stores! They are mini-galleries of modern arts - we gathered more than 120 artists' works to showcase and sell to those enthusiasts for unique, unrepeatable souvenirs.

I hope you enjoyed finding out a little bit more about Budapest!

By purchasing from us you support local artists mainly from the countryside of Hungary who otherwise might not get a chance to sell their beautiful treasures online and/or offline!

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