The Top 10 Things to Know Before Visiting Budapest, Hungary
Yep, you can’t clink your glasses in a restaurant!
#1 - Paprika Is a Big Deal
Much like in our blog regarding Poland and perogies, we thought that paprika is just a stereotype that isn’t actually a thing in Hungary. Wrong again! Paprika really does dominate Hungarian cuisine, and it’s delicious! It’s quite literally on every savoury dish. Don’t be worried if you don’t like spicy food. It really isn’t that spicy, but it does add flavour. I guess don’t try it if you don’t like great flavourful food! In all seriousness, the food is amazing and may be your new favourite cuisine. The only problem we have is that they don’t seem to have vegetables with their meals, so you will occasionally need to pay for that separately. Amazing culinary experience!
#2 - They Have Their Own Currency
In Hungary, they do not use the Euro. Rather, they use the Hungarian Forint (HUF). As of July 2023, it is 374 HUF to 1 euro. The money is beautiful and colour-coated, so it will be easy to distinguish the different bills. We noticed in some stores and kiosks, they do accept purchases using euros, but you will have to check with the shop owner in advance.
#3 - Uber Does Not Exist
We usually rely on Uber or the train system to take us around the cities we’re visiting just out of convenience. However, we were unable to use Uber here. Uber is banned in Hungary as of 2016 as a way for taxi companies to get more business and ensure safety. However, there are many false taxi companies that will rip you off (I’m talking $50 for 3 blocks), so make sure you hire a reputable company to drive you places. City Taxi is a good company to call in advance, but we found Bolt to be the best and easiest option (and it works just like Uber). We would have used the train system, but it never went to places we wanted to visit, so we can’t speak for the train system on this blog.
#4 - Budapest is Not As Cheap to Visit As it Used to Be
This one was kind of a bummer. We’ve been wanting to travel to Budapest for over a decade after hearing stories of it being so reasonable. Even now, you’ll read blogs about writers remarking of how reasonable a trip is to Budapest and how you’ll really stretch your dollar. Well… that may have been true 5 years ago. We can honestly say that we’ve never burned through so much cash so quickly while here. It’s NOT REASONABLE. We were talking to a local who said Budapest used to be a cheap travel destination about 5 years ago. She said: “For perspective, 5 years ago, a pint of beer cost 1 €. Today, it will cost 5 € for the same beer. This is because everyone is coming here to see Budapest. We’re known now.” Everything seemed above average, which was a shocker for us.
#5 - Budapest is Larger Than You Think
Budapest is technically 2 cities separated by the Danube River. There are several city bridges linking Buda and Pest together - creating the name Budapest. On the map, we were thinking, “ok, we can walk around everywhere and see everything somewhat quickly.” Nope. Everything is very spread out, so it will usually take you some time to get to where you want to go. For example, to walk from the Széchenyi Thermal Bath to Buda, it would take you about 1 hour of consistent walking… just to reach Buda. Margaret Island, one of our fun surprises, is roughly 1 1/2 miles long. This city is bigger than you think.
#6 - You’re Probably Not Saying the Name Correctly
If you’re reading this blog and saying Budapest in your head like “Boo-da-pest,” you’re actually saying the name of the city wrong. It is actually pronounced “Boo-da-pesht.” Some locals may be annoyed if you pronounce the name incorrectly, but you might be surprised by the smiles you get if you pronounce it with the “pesht” tone. Now you know!
#7 - You May Get Some Unpleasant Looks if You Clink Your Glasses
It is considered wrong to clink your glasses together at a restaurant. This has a long history for Hungarians that associate it with the Austrian generals clinking their glasses after executions of the 13 Martyrs of Arad in the mid-1800’s. There was even a ban on clinking glasses in Hungary up until 1999. It is encouraged that visitors respect this difference and do not clink their glasses at the dinner table or bar.
#8 - Tipping Is Common
While in some parts of Europe where tipping not common, it is a practice in Hungary. Unlike in the United States where it is expected to tip between 15-25 percent - in Budapest, it is standard to tip about 10 percent. Just make sure to include that when you pay. We found the service to be hit-or-miss depending on which place you eat at. We actually found the lower-cost restaurants to provide better, nicer service than the fancier, more posh restaurants.
#9 - Hungarian Culture May Feel a Little Cold
Everywhere we went, we felt like a bother. We personally didn’t feel welcome while visiting Budapest, which kind of dampened our experiences of the city. Perhaps we didn’t understand the culture, but we did hear a lot of people, even Hungarians, complaining about how unfriendly the locals were. That’s not to say they’re all mean, however. We met some of the friendliest people we’ve ever met while visiting Budapest. One local was saying that tourists have been flocking to Budapest over the past several years, which has made everything much more expensive - the locals aren’t happy about it. You also can’t go anywhere without visitors snapping photos of everything. We understand their frustrations, as we also live in a touristy area. That could explain how some of them seemed less inclined to help or be friendly.
As a side note, it’s always good etiquette to pause and really take in what you are seeing. Of course we all want photos of the places we’re visiting, but what’s the point if you’re not putting your phone down and enjoying the atmosphere? As a rule of thumb, limit yourself to 5 photos and then enjoy the scenery. Respect the culture.
#10 - The Funicular is a Waste of Time and Money
If you’re dying to try the funicular up the hill, we recommend just going one way to save time and money. It feels like it lasts about 20 seconds and will cost roughly $13. While we were on the funicular, a lot of people were complaining about it feeling like a rip-off and a scam. You can easily walk up the hill in about 5-10 minutes and get a great view as you walk up to Buda Castle. We feel there are other better ways to spend your money and time.
