Budapest Archives - Page 2 of 50

New rules for entering Hungary (valid from July 15th)

Posted on July 13, 2020July 13, 2020 by Budapest Guide

We had a little break from the coronavirus topics in the newspapers for some week, but now they are returning once again. Due to the raising number of cases worldwide, and also in Europe, Hungary has decided to alter the rules and regulations related to who can enter Hungary.

Based on the new rules, valid from July 15th in 2020, the world is divided into three zones.

The Green Zone

EU countries not mentioned in the yellow zone.

People from these countries can freely enter and enjoy their summer in Budapest and in Hungary. There is no need to enter a quarantine after arrival.

The Yellow Zone

UK, US, Serbia, Romania, Sweden, Portugal, Bulgaria, Norway, Russia, China and Japan.

For people from these nations to come to Hungary, they will need to have two tests made within the last five days to confirm that they are well. If not, they will have to enter a 14-day quarantine upon arrival to Budapest.

The Red Zone

Albania, Bosnia, Belarus, Kosovo, North-Macedonia, Moldovia, Montenegro, Ukraine, and all other countries of the world not mentioned elsewhere in the other zones.

People from these countries are not allowed to enter Hungary at all.

Make sure to stay up to date before coming to Budapest, because things change very quickly!

EU Members: Welcome to Budapest!

Posted on June 18, 2020August 2, 2022 by Budapest Guide

From June 19th, it will be free for EU members to visit Hungary. That is, if you live in an EU country, you can freely travel to Hungary and enjoy your summer holiday eating Goulash soup in Budapest, or swimming in the beautiful Lake Balaton.

Budapest Coronavirus — Welcome to Budapest – Source: Pixabay

This is fantastic news and something we have been waiting for a long time.

A frequently asked question has been about the UK. Are people in England part of the European Union, or are they not? Can people from the UK come to Hungary? According to official sources, people form the UK are still not allowed to enter Hungary. You can read more here and here.

But, what about Norway? What about Iceland? And what about Switzerland?

Those countries are no exception, meaning that people from these countries are also allowed to enter Hungary from June 19th. As a result, you can book your flight tickets, get in your car, and be ready to come and visit Budapest and Hungary once again. If you come from one of these countries, you will not need to enter a quarantine after your arrival to Budapest.

Let us hope it will remain like this for a long time. But, if a second wave will come this autumn, the borders will most likely close again. You can find updates and more information at www.budapestguide.org.

Budapest is opening again!

Posted on June 3, 2020June 3, 2020 by Budapest Guide

Budapest is opening to tourists once again. As a result, you can once again enjoy a boat trip on the Danube, and you can once again visit all your favorite restaurants in Budapest.

This is good news for everyone who would like to come and visit Budapest in the coming week and months. We have recently received news from many restaurants, and they are all telling us that they are opening once again. They are following all rules and regulations, meaning that waiters’ were masks and gloves (often), and they have also made changes in order for the guests to keep the distance needed.

If you want to enjoy a boat trip on the Danube with food, that can also be fixed. Are you looking for an airport transfer, we are already doing that. So, if you need a taxi driver to pick you up at Budapest airport and drive you to the hotel, just let us know.

Not everyone is welcome to Budapest

Before you come to Budapest, make sure to check the regulations when it comes to arriving at Budapest from your country. If you live in Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, or in the Czech Republic, you can easily visit Budapest, and you do not even need to go into a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

But, if you live in Sweden and want to come to Budapest, or maybe somewhere else, a quarantine is what you can expect, and that will ruin your holiday. In other words, make sure to check whether or not you are allowed to visit Budapest before you come.

If you have any comments or questions or need help to find out about what regulations are valid for you, write a comment!

Flights to and from Budapest during the coronavirus

Posted on April 3, 2020April 3, 2020 by Budapest Guide

While more than 50,000 flights were flying above Europe every day one year ago, that number of flights has been lowered to almost 10% because of the coronavirus. But, there are still 5000 flights in the air daily, and some of them fly to and from Budapest.

Before you read on, do not forget that only Hungarians and people with a work permit in Hungary are allowed to enter the country. So, even though there is a flight to Budapest from your city, you will not actually be allowed to enter the country, unless you are a Hungarian citizen with a Hungarian passport, or if you have a residence permit/work permit in Hungary.

But, which are those flights and cities still connected with Budapest?

Based on information on the website of Budapest Airport, there are still daily flights connecting Budapest with the following cities:

Minsk (Belavia Airlines)
Stockholm (Wizz Air)
Basel (Wizz Air)
Eindhoven (Wizz Air)
London (Wizz Air)
Dortmund (Wizz Air)
Barcelona (Wizz Air)
Warsaw (LOT)

People who come to Hungary from abroad are to stay in a 14-day quarantine after arrival to Budapest and Hungary.

If you want more information about the coronavirus in Budapest, check this article. Would you rather see some pictures of empty tourist attractions in Budapest? Find all the information you need here at hungarybudapestguide.com.

No spring fair in Budapest in 2020

Posted on March 22, 2020March 22, 2020 by Budapest Guide

We were all looking forward to the spring fair in Budapest in 2020. But, because of the coronavirus, we can now forget all about it, and instead, hope that the virus will stop joking around soon, and thus, we can at least prepare for the Christmas markets which should open in November.

Yes, the spring fair was supposed to open in April 2020 and remain open for three weeks. But, the way things are today, this is not even something to think about. Why not?

The people of Hungary are still allowed to be outdoor and walk the streets of Budapest. But, the fair is even more for tourists. But, considering that tourists are not allowed to enter the country, the main source of visitors and income for the market is not even present, and thus, there is no need to keep the market open. And even more important, such an event will make you meet lots of other people, eat together, and it is a perfect place for the coronavirus to spread. As a result, the latter is most likely the main reason why the spring fair isn’t going to be arranged in 2020.

Want to know more about other events in Budapest? Check our Budapest calendar.

Empty shelves in many Budapest stores

Posted on March 12, 2020March 12, 2020 by Budapest Guide

After the announcement made by Gergely Gulyas yesterday, people flocked to the stores to purchase groceries, flour, and other articles in Budapest. The announcement was about closing universities, and also about not allowing anyone to visit Hungary from Italy, China, South Korea, or from Iran.

His announcement worked as a catalyst, and a few hours later, people started to report about the most important goods to be impossible to find on the shelves of many stores.

Find out daily updates about the coronavirus in Hungary here.

But, are people starting to store up for the coming weeks? We paid a visit to a local Aldi store in Budapest this morning at seven o’clock. That is just after opening, and we expected the shelves to be packed with ingredients and ready for a new day. What is the truth?

Here you can see what met us.

Some milk for long storage could be found…

If you want to buy chocolate, orange juice, or maybe some cucumbers, you wouldn’t have trouble doing so. But, if you went to the store looking for flour, tomato sauce, spaghetti, pasta, rice, and all sorts of meat, you will soon find it harder to shop with success. And let us not forget, this was early in the morning when the shelves were supposed to be full.

We had a similar incident with empty shelves a few weeks ago, but then things turned quieter, and all products slowly returned to the shelves. Let us hope the same will happen once again. But, if there will come more critical announcements, or if we will start to see people infected in larger numbers, this might get worse!

Some pictures from the Spring fair in Budapest

Posted on February 19, 2020December 6, 2022 by Budapest Guide

We have just released our article about the upcoming Spring fair in Budapest containing the dates for the market, and all the other information you need.

But, do you still lack inspiration? Don’t feel sure about whether it is worth coming to Budapest for the spring markets or not? Take a look at the following images, and you will get your stuff together and order your plane ticket quickly.

If you have ordered your flight ticket to Budapest, why not take a look at our list presenting some of the best hotels in Budapest to find the best solution for you, no matter if you are on a budget or want the maximum level of luxury?

More information (dates, location and general information) about the Spring market can be found here.

What to expect if you come for the spring fair in Budapest?

Take a look at the following pictures, and you will get a good feeling about what to expect! All the pictures are made by BFTK, the organizers of the Spring fair!

Buy som handmade wooden products at the Spring market!

Would you like to know more about what’s going on in Budapest? Click the link to find out!

Budapest and the Fishermen’s Bastion as Windows startup picture!

Posted on December 11, 2019December 11, 2019 by Budapest Guide

If you run a Windows computer, you might see different pictures from all across the world whenever your computer starts up. Yesterday, a picture from Budapest suddenly showed up, portraying the amazing Fishermen’s bastion.

The Windows opening picture as of December 11th, 2019

The text in the picture says as follows:

Why this building is called a bastion, no one really knows – it never actually defended the great city below.
It’s probably just a fish story.
Windows startup picture, December 11th – 2019

It is a great joy to see Budapest getting some attention from Microsoft and the world, and maybe this will attract some more visitors to Budapest.

But, what is the truth behind the Fishermen’s Bastion? Well, the name comes because of the look. It is true that is has never actually defended the city, but it was built as an attraction and was named after the fishermen who guarded that part of the wall surrounding the castle several hundred years ago.

In other words, there is no big mystery related to the actual Fishermen’s Bastion. So, come and check it out for yourself and enjoy Budapest with all its magnificent attractions, amazing food, and interesting programs.

For inspiration and ideas, look around here at www.hungarybudapestguide.com.

Pictures from the Christmas markets in Budapest in 2019

Posted on December 6, 2019December 6, 2019 by Budapest Guide

Are you coming to Budapest to visit the Christmas markets this year? Or are you sad that you cannot visit the Christmas markets in 2019? Take a look at these pictures from the Christmas markets and get a taste of the atmosphere.

The Christmas markets will remain open until January 1st. The market at the Vörösmarty square is amazing, and so is the market in front of the Stephen’s Basilica.

Are you getting eager to visit the Christmas markets yourself? That is easy to understand.

Do not forget to plan your stay in Budapest! There are lots of tourists coming, meaning that many restaurants are fully booked, and we are doing more guided tours in December than any other month of the year. In other words, if you want to enjoy a guided tour, an airport transfer, a winetasting, or maybe a dinner in a brewery, book it as quickly as possible!

Merry Christmas to everyone from Budapest!

Pictures from the Christmas markets at Vorosmarty square in Budapest in 2019

Posted on November 11, 2019November 11, 2019 by Budapest Guide

November 8th was the opening day for the Christmas market at Vorosmarty square in Budapest in 2019. We were there on the opening day to take some pictures, and here you can take a look at them.

Christmas tree at Vorosmarty square. — They weren’t completely finished with the preparations yet as we visited the Christmas market on November 8th.

The Christmas market at the Vorosmarty square is the most famous in Budapest. In 2019, it seems to be a bit smaller than it normally is, due to works currently happening at the square. In the last years, all the food establishments have been located in the middle of the square, and this area has been surrounded by places where you can buy all sorts of products. This year, the food stalls are located on one side of the square, and on the other side of the square, you can purchase all sorts of products and handmade art. In other words, by the time of the opening of the Christmas market, it was only half the amount of normal stalls from which you can purchase products compared to the previous years. However, the quality of the products available was very high, so you have a lot to look forward to, no matter what!

Shopping at the Christmas market in budapest — Shopping at the Christmas market in Budapest

You probably know that the annual Christmas markets are about eating just as much as shopping. So, there will be a lot of delicious food waiting for you as you visit the Christmas market in Budapest at the Vorosmarty square. Beneath, you can see a picture showing the traditional Langos, one of the finest meals in Hungary, at least at festivals and at markets like this one.

You can eat Langos at the Christmas market on the Vorosmarty square.

Do not miss out on the Fashion Street

When you visit the Christmas market at the Vorosmarty square, make sure to walk along the Fashion street as well. This is a very nicely decorated street, and in the end (as you reach the Deak square), you will find one more market (much smaller) that is still worth visiting.

A picture from the Fashion street in Budapest

I guess you need no more proof… Budapest is beautiful before Christmas, and you have plenty of reasons to visit the city in 2019.

If you want more information about airport transfers in Budapest, book a wine dinner, or maybe arrange with a river cruise in Budapest before your arrival, read on here in the Budapest Guide at www.hungarybudapestguide.com.