Visiting the Central Market hall Budapest is a must activity, even if you are on a single day trip in 2024. What to buy in Budapest central market?Are there souvenirs in great market hall Budapest? What are Budapest central market stores? Is Central Market the only Budapest paprika market? are come of the questions we will try to answer.
The market hall of Budapest is a historical building, operational since 1897.It is considered one of the best market in Budapest for buying souvenirs and handmade goods.
It is one of the many market halls available in Budapest for buying fresh food items.
Staying near Great Market hall in Budapest is a good idea,as its closer to major attractions.
If you are looking for shopping at Vaci Street in Budapest and plan to stay in historic 5 star hotels nearby, do check the following.
A key differentiator of the great market hall is the huge number of souvenir shops, which are not available in other market halls.
You just can’t go away without admiring the architectural brilliance behind the hall that was designed around 100 years ago.
The main attraction here is the architecture of the Budapest Market Hall, and shops from local vendors selling all sorts of items from dairy,meat,souvenirs,gifts and Hungarian spices.
You can buy vegetables, fruits, sausages, spices, milk products and fish as well from the market hall of Budapest.
Central Market Hall Budapest names
Sometimes, people confuse the Central market hall Budapest with the great market hall.
In reality, both names are associated with the same building, which is the biggest and central location for the local farmers market.
Although every district in Budapest has their own Market Hall, but the most famous among the tourist is Budapest Central Market Hall.
Following names are also associated with Budapest Market Hall.
- Central Market Hall
- Central Market Budapest
- Budapest Market Hall
- Great Market Hall Budapest
- Market Hall Budapest
- Budapest Central Market
- Central Market Hall Budapest
- City Market Hall Budapest
- The Great Market Hall
- Main Market Budapest
- Fovam Ter Market
- Grand Bazaar Budapest
- Great Hall Market
- Budapest Grand Market Hall
- Budapest Main Market
- Old Market Hall Budapest
- Nagycsarnok Budapest
Central Market Hall Budapest is also named as “Nagycsarnok” or “Vasarcsarnok”.
Nagy Csarnok can be read as “Naw-j chaar-nok” meaning great hall.
Vasar Csarnok can be read as “Vaw-shaar chaar-nok”meaning market hall.
Why is Budapest Market hall a must-visit
Visiting the central market hall Budapest, you can experience the buying etiquette of local Hungarians.
It is one of the places in Budapest, where you will find native Hungarians coming from far places to buy daily stuff.
Budapest central market hours stay quite consistent throughout the year,i.e.it opens at 6 AM whereas the closure times are different based upon the day of the week.
In the morning time, you will see a lot of old people dropping off from the Trams at Fovam ter and going to the market hall to do grocery.
This is one of the places in Hungary where the commercialization of big stores is hardly seen.There are shops from individuals who are selling and packing the stuff for you.
Even in 2024, you might also get tricked into buying rotten fruits and vegetables if the shopkeeper is packing stuff for you.So, try to buy from places where you can handpick the items in case of vegetables and fruits.
If you are looking for shopping at Great Market Hall and the main shopping street in Budapest,i.e. Vaci Street, we recommend to stay in a historic 5 star hotel nearby, Parisi Udvar.
Great Market hall, Budapest tickets
You do not need any tickets to enter the Great Market Hall in Budapest.
Entry to Central Market Hall is free as it is a common marketplace for grocery and other items. You will find locals as well as visitors entering the front,back and side doors of Budapest Market Hall,without any check.
You can visit all parts of the fővám tér market on your own without paying any fees,of course the shopping inside.
Either you are visiting the souvenir,spice shops,t-shirts,magnets and gift shops on the ground floor, or buying vegetables,and fruits on the other side of the great hall, there is no ticket needed to enter the Budapest Main Market.
Similarly, If you want to buy meat,milk products or eat food in central market hall Budapest, there are no ticket required.
Budapest Market Tour
To enter City Market Hall Budapest , you do not need to pay anyone or buy any ticket. You can simply enter the market hall and explore on your own. However, if you are interested in a guided tour, here are the top guided tours which can be of interest to you.
- Budapest: Hungarian Cuisine Tasting Experience is the best Market Hall Tour we can find,as it goes beyond the typical items that you hear about Hungarian food on different forums.Not only you will be learning about the history of Hungarian cuisines but tasting the
- Budapest Food and Wine Tasting Tour will guide you through the Great Market Hall. You will also get to know the key ingredients of Hungarian cooking.You will be tasting some special Hungarian foods and drinks.Later on you will have the opportunity to visit 4 to 5 additional traditional food venues. You can also take pictures during the tour.
- Budapest: Urban Feast Food Tour with Wine Tasting & Dessert cover the Central Market Hall and and its history. You will also be tasting Hungarian Wines,pickles,sausages. The tour also includes lunch and visit to traditional Hungarian bakeries for sweet cakes.The tour starts at Kalvin Square which is 5 mins walk from the Market Hall.
- Budapest: Private Food Tour – 10 Tastings with Locals is a famous well rated food tour that also covers the Budapest Great Market Hall.You will be offered around 10 best foods from Hungary. Some of these are KurtosKalacs and Langos.The guided tour will also take you to the Great Synagogue and Szimpla Kert,hence, involves a lot of walking,therefore make sure to have comfortable shoes.
The market hall is a huge one and can take around 1 hour or more to fully explore it.
If you plan to have breakfast or lunch at a great market hall, add 1 hour in addition to the 1 hour for exploration.
There are multiple entries to the great market hall.
One of the unique sweets in to try in Budapest Market Hall is the Hungarian Chimney cake. You should definitely try it at Market Hall.In addition you can attend a Hungarian Chimney cake baking workshop.
Central Market Hall Budapest Address
Budapest central market hall is located at vámház körút Hungary, and its exact address is 1093 Budapest,Vámház körút 1-3.The contact number is +3613663300, you must be lucky if you get an answer in English.
The Great Market hall of Budapest is accessible easily with the Budapest public transport at the stop Fovam Ter.
Tram 2 goes along the Danube, you have to take the escalators and walk for 1 minute to reach the Budapest Market Hall from Parliament.
Trams 47,48,and 49 have tram stops right in front of the Great Hall Market.
Buses: 15, 115, 83 stops right next to the City Market Hall Budapest.
Metro M4 stops at Fovam ter, but you have to take a lot of escalators or lifts to get to the ground level.
You can directly reach Great Market hall from Budapest Nepliget Bus Station by using Budapest metro M3, dropping at Kalvin ter and walk for 3 minutes towards the Market Hall.
One beautiful hotel located a 5-min walking distance from Market Hall is Rum Hotel with great proximity and vibrant atmosphere.
Car park central market
If you are coming by car and plan to park on the street next to the great market hall.
Keep in mind, there are very limited public parking places on street close to the great market hall.There is no parking place in front of the central market hall.On other 3 sides of Market Hall, there are some parking places but they are mostly crowded.
The closest Central market car park is located on the back side of the market hall and it charges around 1.7 USD per hour.
Central market hall Budapest opening hours 2024
It is always a great idea to check the opening times of any destination in Budapest,as every attraction,even free,has specific opening times. You must also check the days when is it open and what are central market hall Budapest hours.
Despite being a famous tourist attraction, the great market hall Budapest opening hours are not so long. The great market hall opens quite early at 6 AM, when all the local Hungarians come from far to buy fruits and vegetables.
Budapest market hall closes early even in the summers around 17:00 and 18:00 on work days,while the sunset time during summers is around 21:00.
The market hall Budapest hours in 2024 during the week are
Monday 06:00 – 17:00
Tuesday to Fridays 06:00 – 18:00
Saturday 06:00 – 15:00
Sunday Closed
The market hall is closed on Sundays as well as on public holidays.
Best time to visit market hall Budapest in 2024
Anytime around the year is good to visit the central market hall of Budapest. As the timings of Budapest central market remain same throughout the year, it may trick some visitors to believe that there will be different opening and closing times of the market.
Just keep in mind that closure times in summer times may seem early as sun sets around 8 30 and market closes between 3 to 6 pm depending upon the day of the week. Hence, in winter times, the market will be open even at sunset time, while it will closer early during the summers where there are 3 hours left for the sunset.
If you are visiting in winter season,make sure to wear good jackets and hats as there is no heating arrangement in the central market. On the other hand, there are no air conditioners in the Budapest Main market,hence it may be hot and humid in July and August.
However, if you want to eat in the Great market hall, then, morning times are crowded as there are a lot of people having breakfast.
Similarly, if you are willing to watch how locals shop and want to buy fresh exotic fruits and vegetables, going early can be a good option.
You must visit the Great Market hall in Budapest, irrespective of which time of the year you are traveling.
It is a good piece of information to know that Budapest Central market hall has many great walks from Budapest city center and even if you are looking at top hotels near city center, you will enjoy the walk from your hotel to great hall.
What to do in Budapest Central Market
You can enjoy the following activities while at the Central Market Hall Budapest.
- Buying fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers
- Taking pictures with a colorful background.
- Buying fresh paprika and Hungarian spices.
- Buying souvenirs and gifts at reasonable prices
- Trying the Hungarian street food
- Enjoy festivals representing different cultures and nationalities
- Experience how the locals do grocery in Budapest
- Wooden toys for kids
What can you buy at Great Market Hall Budapest?
You can buy all sorts of stuff from the Budapest Great Market Hall.
With a huge variety of shops from different vendors, its a complete package for tourists to explore the way Hungarians shop.
You can buy fresh vegetables,milk products,all sorts of meat,fish, all varieties of Budapest souvenirs including shirts,magnets,jerseys,paprika powder, wooden crafts.
In addition to buying above stuff, there is a food court where there is a great variety to serve your hunger.
Budapest Market Hall Map
Since Budapest Market Hall is one of the biggest markets in Budapest.It can take around 2 hours minimum to explore the hall.
Hence, it is essential that if you are short of time, but would like to buy certain stuff from the hall, you must be familiar with the map of Budapest Market Hall.
Stores in Budapest Market Hall
The Central market hall of Budapest consists of 3 levels. Underground,Ground and first level.
Each level has different grouping of shops.
You will find following shops in the city market hall Budapest
- Sea Food Shops in the Fish Market Section
- Dairy Products Shops on the front end door
- Meat Shops in the central passage of the hall
- Vegetable Shops on the eastern side of Market
- Fruit Shops on the eastern side of Hall
- Hungarian spice and gift shops on the western side
Fish Market in Budapest Market Hall
On the underground level of Market Hall, there is a fish market.
In the fish market of Great Market Hall, you can buy a huge variety of fresh fish and seafood.
All the items are displayed with the prices in the fish market. At the Market Hall Budapest fish market section, you can find Salmon,Cat Fish,Butter Fish, Tuna, lobsters and all major variety of sea food.
As it serves seafood, there will be typical smell that you may have experienced in other fish markets.However,the fish stores in City hall are well clean and maintained.
Budapest Central Market Fruits and Vegetable Shops
The ground level of the Central market hall can be divided into two halves based upon the type of shops.
Entering from the main gate, the extreme left part consists of vegetable and fruit shops.
You can buy a vast variety of the local and imported fruits in the market hall.
Prices for certain fruits and vegetables in the central hall may be high for certain items compared to TESCO, SPAR,ALDI or LIDL prices.
If you plan to buy any fruits and vegetables from the Main market, make sure to select the items yourself,as some vendors may include rotten fruits in your bag.
Also the prices of same fruits and vegetables may be different from different vendors, and you should explore more shops to find the optimum deal.Looking to explore the Food and Wine tasting options in Budapest,Check out the best tour in Budapest Market hall
Dairy Shops in Budapest Market Hall
The central part of the hall has a wide pathway with fruits and dairy shops on the western side.
It also has a mix of shops selling dairy products, including cheese, milk varieties and bakery items.
You can buy a big variety of pickles from a lot of vegetables and a number of types of salads.
The Central Eastern path has more shops related to meat and spices.
The pathway used to be full of temporary stalls for festivals from diverse cultures during the summer.
There used to be dance performances in the main part of the hall.
Meat Shops Budapest City hall
On the eastern part of Ground level of the market hall, you will find mostly the meat shops.
There are many meat shops selling pork,beef,sausages,various meat parts of animal.
You can also buy traditional Hungarian specialties like Mangalica and libamáj from the market hall meat shops in Budapest.
Market Hall Souvenirs Shops
One of the key specialty of city market hall of Budapest are the souvenir shops. Around 70 percent of the first level of the market is full of shops selling souvenirs and gifts.
Many souvenir shops in Fovam ter market are selling magnets, mugs, plates, t-shirts, traditional Hungarian dresses and all the variety out there for souvenirs.
Some parts of the the Big Hall Budapest have shops selling handmade stuff, leather goods and art work.
Food Market Hall Budapest
Great market hall is one of the place in Budapest to eat street food at a reasonable price.
It is the southern eastern part of central market hall Budapest where you can eat a good variety of food.
The southern eastern part on the first level of the market hall has a lot of restaurants where you can try Hungarian foods at a decent price.
When at central market hall Budapest, goulash and Langosh is a must-try.
Monuments near Central Market Hall Budapest
Once you have spent some time at the Central Market Hall, there are numerous important attractions that can be visited.
Balna
Balna is a huge whale shaped café facing the Danube on the pest side.
It is a 9 minutes walk from the market hall.
You can have quality time sitting in the cafe while watching the beauty of Budapest.
Freedom Bridge
This is the green bridge right next to the great market hall.
It’s a great place to enjoy the sunset and spend lively evenings on the green bridge.
Crossing the green freedom bridge will bring you to the start of hiking towards the Gellert hill.
Vaci Utca
Vaci utca is the street starting right in front of the great market hall.
There are restaurants, souvenir shops and tourist attractions until you walk to the vorosmarty ter.
Raday Utca :
Raday Utca is a street full of a variety of restaurants and food options.
As this is slightly away from the city center, many tourists just don’t notice the vast variety of food options here.
Raday utca is a 10-min walk from the great market hall (around 800 meters) if you walk towards the Ferenciek tere.
The prices at Raday utca are quite nominal, specially during the lunchtime there are menus available.
Restaurant closer to Great market hall
The closest fast food restaurant to Budapest Great Market hall is Burger king.
Burger king in Budapest has chicken and beef burger options. There are options for vegetarian plant based beef burgers too.
You can buy ice cream as well as smoothies.
It has a good capacity for visitors and has bathrooms available too.
