10 Best Markets in Budapest

Great Market Hall (sometimes referred to as Central Market Hall) is first up on many Budapest tourist itineraries, and for good reason. Inaugurated in 1897, the impressive market spans 3 floors and 10,000 square metres. On the basement floor, you’ll find fish and meat. The ground floor has your usual groceries, along with pastries, sweets, spices, and spirits. On the second mezzanine floor, you can sit down and eat the local street food at one of the eateries or grab some souvenirs.

Just a 2-minute walk from Fővám tér subway station, you’ll be able to spot the Great Market Hall by its unique, station-like architecture that uses Zsolnay tiles for the roofing.

Rákóczi Square Market’s high ceilings and spacious blue-yellow hall make for a delightful grocery shop in Budapest. Here, you’ll find fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as speciality meats, cheese, and wines.

Many of the vendors have been selling at this historic venue for decades, passing down the stalls through generations. The market hall itself has been open since 1897 but was renovated in 1991. You can find Rákóczi Square Market (or Rákóczi Tér Market) opposite the Rákóczi Tér subway station.

Lehel Market is a popular place to shop for fresh groceries and tasty treats in Budapest. Its colourful and funky design caused some debate among the locals, but it certainly makes the market hard to miss. Across its 2 floors, you’ll find honey, wines, and spices alongside fresh fruit and vegetables. Also, make sure to try lángos, a moreish snack made of fried dough.

The market is next to the Lehel tér subway station and a 10-minute walk from Nyugati pályaudvar (Western Railway Station).

The Szimpla Sunday Farmer’s Market takes place in the oldest ruin pub in Budapest. On Sundays, locals come here to buy honey, vegetables, spices, and specialities straight from the producers. You can also enjoy music by live bands during your visit. The atmosphere is cosy and kid-friendly, often with arts and crafts activities to keep the little ones busy.

You can get on a bus to the Uránia stop or the 74 trolleybus to Nagy Diófa. From there, it takes between 3 and 5 minutes on foot to the Szimpla Sunday Farmer’s Market.

The Fény Street Market is more like a plaza or shopping centre, but with the charm of a local market. You can get almost anything here, from teas and spices to leather goods and electronics.

There are plenty of restaurants and food stalls around the market. It's a great spot to get the famous lángos (flatbread) with toppings piled high or a scoop of ice cream. The Fény Street Market is served by several bus and tram stops. It's only 2 minutes from the Széll Kálmán tér metro station.

The Vörösmarty Square Christmas Market is exactly what you might imagine when someone says “Christmas Market”. Expect dozens of warmly lit wooden stalls, the smell of mulled wine and cinnamon pastries, and a comforting choir performance during your visit. 

There are all kinds of handmade items and festive snacks to get you in  the festive spirit, but without the tat and exaggeration of more modern and commercialised Christmas markets elsewhere. Light painting shows and family events make it a market to remember.

The Gouba Gozsdu Bazaar is where you can find rare antiques and local art alongside live music in Budapest. It’s a compact and cosy street, but packed with items you won’t find elsewhere. 

After eyeing antique artworks, one-of-a-kind pottery pieces, or delicate tablecloths, you can take a breather at one of the nearby restaurants or cafés. The Gouba Gozsdu Bazaar is well worth a stop if you’re in the area. It's just south of St. Stephen's Basilica, while the Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út subway station is just a 5-minute walk away.

The Esceri Flea Market hosts some of the city's best antique shop owners and smaller-scale entrepreneurs, all under one roof. If you’re looking for unique memorabilia bursting with character, this is the place to go in Budapest.

You’ll find an array of antiques, from watches to furniture. It’s almost unheard of to buy at the asking price, so make sure you practise your bartering skills to get the best deal. You’ll need to take a bus to the Használtcikk piac stop, but it’s well worth the journey.

Hunyadi Square Market is listed as a national treasure of Budapest. Located very close to the Grand Boulevard, it's split into an indoor market hall and an outdoor farmers’ market.

You’ll feel like a local when you visit Hunyadi Square Market, thanks to the cosy atmosphere and excellent array of local produce. From artisan yoghurts to moist cakes, the market makes the most of its space. It’s easily accessible given its very central location, just 3 minutes from the Vörösmarty utca subway station.

LemezPiac is not your average market for many reasons. Instead of fruit and vegetables, you'll find plenty of vinyl records for sale at this venue. The fair only takes place every month, so make sure not to miss it if you’re in town for it. Keep an eye on their Facebook page to find the exact date.

With more than 80 sellers setting up stalls at each event, there are tons of pieces to dig through. The sellers are often more than happy to tell you more about the records, too. The vinyl record market is held on the ELTE Lágymányosi campus and can be reached by bus.