How many days to stay? Budapest can be visited in 2-3 days if you prefer time saving visit. More and more of my guests prefer to stay 4-7 days to fully enjoy the place, visiting the Hungarian countryside and fully discover the beauty of the Hungarian culture and everyday life.
When to travel? You can always choose your style. March – May is windy, sunny, blooming spring, moderate weather. May – June is hot summer but sometimes can be rainy. July -August is hot and dry summer. September – October is sunny, colourful autumn. Rainy November. December is in Christmas lights but freezing. January – February? Better go to the Bahamas! Cold, foggy, windy, freezing. Snow? Rarely.
Let’s speak about the money! Hungary has a lower price category over some Western European countries but it has a growing economics and the services are tending towards the European standards. Don’t expect a fully cheap stay, just a better price for value! Our currency is Hungarian Forint (HUF), Euro is accepted only in Budapest because of the increasing tourism. Exchange offices and ATM-s are common in the city center. Never use exchange office at the airport or railway station, they have extremely bad rates.
Be informed and stay safe: TAXI drivers are still a tourist trap, always use official taxi companies – if freelance is written on the door of the car that is usually a 'bad guy' – average rate from the airport is 40 EUR (14 000 HUF) for a car, and 10 EUR (3600 HUF) for a car within the city center. SAFETY in Hungary and Budapest is much above the European standard, it is a very safe country, you can always travel individually, however most of the Hungarians speak only Hungarian - body language can still have some use :) PARTY OVERTOURISM is threatening the downtown of Budapest, please, always be aware of the location of your accommodation. SPA vs. BATHS many times a big surprise for my guests: the Budapest bathhouses are public thermal pools with the possibility of some extra spa services.
How to eat and drink? Budapest downtown is absolutely globalized. Plenty international restaurants and bars can be found. Any diet can be satisfied at any time. The countryside still follows the Hungarian traditions: breakfast at home - restaurants opening for lunch 11.00 – 15.00, 3-course meals for lunch, early dinner – restaurants closing 21.00 or 22.00. In Hungary alcohol consumption is allowed and part of the culture, wine and pálinka culture are more traditional.
Useful info: We use metric system and Celsius degree, we speak Hungarian language – English is common only in the city center of Budapest. Usual opening hours of the shops and museums are: 10.00 -18.00. Time zone: CET. Electricity: 230V, you may need a plug adapter.
Visit EUROPE in 2022!
Travel distances in Europe are not that large, never be afraid to take an international train. Maybe it seems time consuming but at the end of the day it can be the same time like by airplane. If you’d like to travel fast and comfortable, private transfers are the best solution for you.
Forms of payment in Europecan be different. In many countries there is a different official currency (e.g. Hungary – HUF, Checz Republic – CZK, Croatia - HRK). Visa and MasterCard credit cards are mostly accepted in shops and restaurants. PayPal is a beloved online payment way for online service providers and cash in Euro is accepted in every country, USD is not preferred currency in Europe. Tipping in Europe is not a must, many times it is already included in the bill - always ask in the restaurant if service charge is included. When you are satisfied with the service, 10% gratuity will make your service provider shiny happy. Bargaining of the prices is not typical in Europe, don't be surprised if your service provider takes it as an insult when you ask for lower price.
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