Budapest, Hungary
Where to learn in Budapest
* Budapest University of Technology and Economics. B.Sc. and M.Sc. engineering courses available for foreigners in English, French and German language at the International Education Center of the university.
* Eötvös Loránd University. The oldest University in Hungary, B.A, B.Sc., M.A, M.Sc. and Ph.D level programs are available in English language.
* Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, world-famous music academy in the heart of the city.
Work
* Teaching English is a popular profession for travellers and people moving to Budapest.
Where to buy in Budapest
Most of the visitors from far away end up shopping in Pest in the middle of the city: Váci utca and nearby. It is historically the most expensive part of the city. You’ll find Hungarian linens and lace, pottery, and other items, in souvenir shops. You definitely want to visit the Great Market Hall (Nagy Vásárcsarnok) at Fovám tér the recently renovated markethall with essential atmosphere (it’s at the south end of Vaci). The prices aren’t set in stone, so be sure to bargain.
Non-speciality shopping
Also, chain stores can be found along the Váci utca (C&A, H&M, Clinique, Estee Lauder, New Yorker, etc).
The “plazas” are usually good for buying clothes, but prices may vary wildly even in shops next to each other; if you are looking for international clothing shop chains like Mango or Zara, you can find them here. For electronics the cheap supermarkets like Electro World and Media Markt are good targets, but the quality is on par with the prices.
[edit] Eat
Local specialties include paprikás, gulyás, Lake Balaton pike-perch (fogas), pörkölt (a goulash-like stew with lots of onions), halászlé (fishermen’s soup served differently by regions), stuffed cabbage, and liberal use of paprika. There is also a great variety of wonderful pastries, many of which you will recognize if you are familiar with Viennese pastries. As in other spheres, the Hungarian approach to food combines pride in their own traditions with a readiness to accept outside influences. The result is a vibrant restaurant scene where an Asian-Hungarian fusion restaurant may well be of genuine interest.
Coffeehouses
Coffeehouses (kaveház) are a Budapest institution and a visit to one should be on every traveller’s agenda. As the name implies, these are places for a cup of coffee and a delectable pastry, not a full meal.
Restaurants
Budapest has many great places to eat, but an unfortunate number of tourist traps as well. Avoid restaurants in touristy areas like Váci utca, especially if the customers are all foreigners, or you’ll more likely than not be served mediocre food with an exorbitant bill padded with all sorts of bizarre charges. In other restaurants too, note that anything you don’t explicitly ask for, but appears on your table anyway, is likely to be charged for.
Top-notch quality food (1st category restaurants) charge a wide range of prices (from starters around 1000F, main courses around 3.000ft-10.000ft, and menus from 5.000ft). Some of the most famous ones are: Gundel and Mátyás Pince in Pest.
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