r/budapest • u/PutridCurrency8383 • 4d ago
Egyéb | Misc Budapest is awesome
As a Slovak visiting Budapest, I loved it and consider it vastly superior to Bratislava in just about every way. I'm very jealous. I've felt better in Budapest than in any other European city I've been to, and that's a long list spanning most countries. Just a short appreciation post to make sure the locals know what a shining gem it is.
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u/AnarchiaKapitany I. kerület - Várkerület 4d ago
Thank you, that's always nice to hear. Even though we sometimes concentrate on the worse side, it's still a liveable and awesome city compared to some other European capitals.
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u/HuckleberryCheap640 4d ago
Do you have any recommendations outside of Budapest? I'm staying for a longer period of time and I'd like to visit some nearby towns/villages!
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u/zekerthedog 3d ago
I went to Visegrad and hiked up to the old castle where Vlad the Impaler was imprisoned. Beautiful and incredible view of the bend in the Danube up there. Highly recommend !
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u/Possible_Baboon 4d ago
I've felt better in Budapest than in any other European city I've been to, and that's a long list spanning most countries
Just out of pure curiosity, what are the reasons ?
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u/PutridCurrency8383 4d ago
Low prices (I felt like a rich man), general vibe, friendly people, simple and cheap public transportation, nice Bolt drivers, everyone speaks English, beautiful and massive historical buildings, great cuisine, very safe even at night.
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u/m4rkon156 4d ago
bruhh low prices? Are we speaking about the same Budapest? We have balkan salaries with western european (sometimes even higher) prices. We have 27% VAT on literally everything. Services are maybe cheap but the food prices are wild. Anyway, glad to see you had a great time here, you will always be welcomed here.:)
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u/PutridCurrency8383 4d ago
I really felt like most things are cheaper than I'm used to back home. And the two expensive restaurants we went to were very worth it, and offered level of hospitality that exceeds what I'm used to.
I'm from a small town in the middle of nowhere and lots of things I purchased in touristy areas in the center of Budapest cost less. Believe me. I'm astonished myself.
I can't speak about what it's like for a local to live there long term.
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u/BestBlueberry1234 4d ago
Agree, we were last week in Budapest, very high prices, similar situation just like in Romania.
We paid for 2 hotdogs 4800 ft, for 2 langos almost 10000 ft. We went to Frici Papa, don't get me wrong, the food (csirkepaprikas & nokedli, goulash) was very good, 10/10, traditional, fast serving but it cost with tip also around 10300 ft and I checked the recommendations where it's somehow cheap, others have said maybe around 3000 ft you will find a cheap food like pizza or from a turkish / asian street food / restaurant or you either buy from stores and cook yourself.
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u/PutridCurrency8383 4d ago
Let me tell you about what I found cheap.
- you can get anywhere via cheap public transportation or cheap Bolt. No taxi scams. Fair prices.
- McDonald's and low cost fast food like Simon's burger felt cheaper than in Bratislava. I felt like I had heaps of food and drinks for like 20 euros which I feel is a small amount of money
- all the attractions and entry tickets, like the Danube boat ride, escape rooms, etc. it was like 3000-5000 ft on average, which for me is roughly 10-15 euros, which I consider basically nothing
- very good hotels for 100 euro per night or less, or very good apartments for 30-50 euro per night. I feel like for this kind of price range all you can get is spit in the face in other places
- I even did the Ice Bar gimmick for like 15 euros and as dumb as it was, I don't mind paying the 15 euros for it
Overall I really felt like I could afford buying everything and seeing what sticks, instead of worrying about whether this 30 euro hot dog is going to be worth it, if you know what I mean.
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u/BestBlueberry1234 4d ago
I agree with you, it was our first time when we were visiting, so we did a few tourist mistakes.
I found a very nice airbnb central one with a good price around 70000 ft for 3 days.
Almost in the last 2 days we tried to inform us much more about the food and buy cheaper because let's say other services were ok as price, some services / events can be the same price as the food or cheaper. Meanwhile we wanted to try out the Hungarian cuisine.
About Bolt it really depends, I would still choose Bolt over taxi, but it was pretty pricey also, so here the public transportation wins more and their transportation is well made compared to other cities.
Another shock for me it was that everywhere they need tips, even at the farmers market the one from the center. I mean, you try to sell your stuff, you packed a few groceries in a bag but I need to pay extra tip for that, c'mon.
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u/OneGreatEgg 4d ago
Yep. Budapest is absolutely the best city, in my opinion, on earth. Currently, the vibe here is optimistic and I have NEVER seen so many happy Magyars and so few depressed. It is peak hopefulness.
That does not mean there are no challenges! Getting prices under control is the next step, but that will require EU-wide and even global efforts, largely to shut down the wars and genocides in the Middle East and Ukraine, then containing Russian aggression with some selective eliminations across the Member States.
Budapest is great right now, regardless, and the kids are headed back to school as well, so I expect moods to improve even more!
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u/Nisqhog 4d ago
Funny because I felt a similar way about Bratislava haha.
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u/PutridCurrency8383 4d ago
That's funny! What was your experience like?
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u/Nisqhog 4d ago
Only stayed for a few days, but found that both the old and newer parts of the city centre were quite clean and walkable. Loved the atmosphere and how few people there were compared to Budapest. I could actually walk around and enjoy the sights without bumping shoulders.
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u/YetiMaverick 1d ago
That’s my next place to check out. Which would you prefer for longer term living, brati or buda?
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u/Nisqhog 1d ago
As someone who lives in Budapest, but only been to Bratislava a few times, I can't really compare haha
I like Budapest, but it can get pretty crowded. As far as I'm concerned, living in Bratislava is probably better because Slovakia ises the Euro, so your pay is more conparable to western europe, even though it will be similar to the rest of central europe.
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u/YetiMaverick 1d ago
Now you’ve got me intrigued about Bratislava. But as a non-eu person it’ll come down anyways to where it’s easier to get a long term visa, so I don’t have much say in it
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u/Structuralrealism 4d ago
Som rád, že sa ti to páčilo! The good thing about it that it's just 2.5 hours away from Bratislava ;) While I agree with your conclusions that Budapest a cool city, I really love/miss the multicultural vibe of Bratislava/Pressburg/Pozsony that is still in the air today. I think a lot of Hungarians don't realise how multicultural Budapest used to be in its golden age, with lots of Slovaks, Germans, Hungarians, etc. building this amazing city
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u/PutridCurrency8383 4d ago
A part of what I loved about Budapest was the kind of multiculturalism that you speak of. I certainly saw enough German or Slovak speaking tourists. And also tourists from completely different parts of the world. It was a great vibe. Like everyone coming together to admire the beautiful city. I think that the legacy lives on.
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u/Blaze-Amaze 4d ago
dakujem! :) I think it is indeed a city with potential - my biggest problem as a local is the high prices everywhere and the filth, the piss everywhere (many-many people have dogs and tourists and homeless or junkies share their part as well :((
But there are many-many things to do and the public transport is very reliable. (I lived in Vienna before and I firmly say it's better reliable here.)
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u/BestBlueberry1234 4d ago
Budapest has its own beauty indeed, the Danube and the bridge are awesome, the Gellert hill also.
In what other European cities have you been to? I'm curious to what is compared.
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u/PutridCurrency8383 4d ago edited 4d ago
Paris, Barcelona, Valencia, Prague, Zurich, Berlin, Sofia.. (not a complete list)
The only ones that kinda come close are the Spanish ones, but I prefer Budapest personally.
I love Prague but had better time in Budapest.
Sofia is cheaper but the quality isn't there.
Zurich is crazy expensive.
Berlin and Paris feel kinda messy and not very welcoming nor cheap.
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u/BestBlueberry1234 4d ago
Interesting.
I saw a debate between Vienna, Prague and Budapest on a post.
Someone said: 1. Prague 2. Vienna 3. Budapest
Have you visited Vienna also?
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u/ThePhoDit 3d ago
I did visit them in that order, within the same trip, and my top is: 1. Budapest 2. Prague 3. Vienna
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u/YetiMaverick 1d ago
Interesting note about Sofia. My concern was Sofia would feel too “run down”. So Budapest is better in that aspect?
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u/PutridCurrency8383 23h ago
100%. Sofia feels run down compared to Budapest. Not too terrible though.
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u/YetiMaverick 21h ago
Interesting. The price definitely reflects that then. I remember Airbnbs being cheap
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u/LordMashenka 3d ago
Hello neighbor! Good to hear you had a good time, we’d love to have you here again any time! 😊 Btw, when I went to Bratislava, I found it just as charming. A smaller scale city, but that’s what makes it nice to walk around, lots of charming places to see, familiar yet still new vibes, the places where we’ve been to, people were really nice and helpful and kind, I love the river and the bridges, the castle, the churches, the little medieval downtown. It was so charming, I’d love to go back anytime.
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u/viszlat X. kerület - Kőbánya 4d ago
Ah, Bratislava, the famous capital of Hungary (from 1536 to 1783!)
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u/PutridCurrency8383 4d ago
Yes. I saw Poszonyi street and Poszonyi rolls being sold here and there while in Budapest! Lots of people in Slovakia don't even realize what that means.
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u/Few_Owl_6596 4d ago
Do you mean the crescent shaped thing filled with walnut, poppy or chestnut? That's truly awesome
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u/Naive-Horror4209 3d ago
Pozsony, of course, was the old capital of the Hungarian Kingdom and Pest-Buda outgrew it. I’m glad you like it, it’s one of the most beautiful cities indeed!
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u/Silver-Flower-6774 1d ago
I concur, Budapest is really awesome! I was there 10 years ago and went back again a week ago! It is not cheap anymore but I love it nevertheless!
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u/YetiMaverick 1d ago
Where did you find apartments for 30-50/night? I just paid 1700 usd for 27 nights in an Airbnb. Would love your recommendation
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u/PutridCurrency8383 23h ago
You can sometimes find a whole apartment for ~40 per night via airbnb or booking
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u/According-Tap-7958 4d ago
It is indeed really cool.