Nowadays Budapest is once again becoming known to visitors as much for being a mecca for shoppers - a reputation which last held true a century ago - as for being a country that for half of that century had been held in the ruthless grip of Communism. Whilst from the 1950's onwards there was never any shortage of basic foods, generations of locals and visitors alike were denied the finer things in life. Nowadays there are two trends discernable amongst retailers in Budapest: 'big is beautiful' and 'small is beautiful'. That is to say that there are now a host of huge shopping malls which have revolutionized people's approach to shopping. The biggest, and from an architectural point of view perhaps the most interesting, is the West End City Centre, situated between Nyugati and Lehel Squares in Pest. But perhaps surprisingly, the number of smaller outlets offering 'luxury' goods and services has also mushroomed. There are now, for example, places where one can buy traditional style building materials, where one can have pictures framed, or buy fine cheeses, pipes and tobacco, books from the time of Newton, bakelite records, Wagner manuscripts and antique clocks. Two elements of the Budapest shopping experience that really should not be missed out on are a visit to one of the market halls and a trip out to the Ecseri Flea Market. But then there is also much to be discovered by taking a walk down Falk Miksa utca. This Pest Street, like certain areas in Paris and Rome, has become a centre for antique shops.

MARKET HALLS
Central Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok - V. Vámház körút 1-3.) In olden times this most famous of market halls was connected to the River Danube by tunnels so that goods could be directly offloaded from barges and taken inside to the stalls for sale. Upstairs is a stunning - although sometimes pricey - range of folk art inspired goods.

Hold utca Market (V. Hold utca 13.) Like a jewel in the centre of Pest, quite close to the Parliament.

Rákóczi tér Market (VIII. Rákóczi tér 7-9.) There's only a small area of private vendors; the rest of the hall is filled with retail booths. It represents the everyday Budapest but rarely frequented by tourists.

Hunyadi tér Market (VI. Hunyadi tér) Dating from 1897, this is the only one that has not been renovated since the political changes in 1990. There is a good delicatessen.

Klauzál tér Market (VII. Klauzál tér) This is in the centre of the old Jewish Quarter.

Batthyány tér Market (I. Batthyány tér 5.) This, the only one in Buda, was lovingly restored in 2003. Upstairs are shops, a nice café and a fantastic view over one of the city's finest squares and across the River Danube towards the Parliament.

FLEA MARKETS, ANTIQUES & SECOND HAND BOOKS
Ecseri Flea Market (1194 Nagykőrösi út 156.) A visit to this long-established traditional flea market is a great day out for both Hungarians and foreign visitors. It has since the middle of the nineteenth century been held in various locations, always slightly further out from the city centre. Since the 1960's it has not even been on Ecseri út although it is still known by that name. Perhaps confusingly, it is also sometimes known as 'Tangó'.
The market is over four acres big, and since nearly all of it is under cover it is still comfortable to visit and browse around in inclement weather. Open: Monday to Friday, 8.0 am-4.0 pm.; Saturday, 6.0 am.-3.0 pm.; Sunday, 8.0 am.-1.0 pm. The serious bargain hunters will be found there first thing on a Saturday morning, before most tourists have even risen from their bed! Public transport: No. 54 bus from Boráros tér; average off-peak journey time 22 minutes.

Budapest Flea Market - outside the Petőfi Hall (1146 Zichy Mihály út 14.)
Saturdays and Sundays, from 8.0 a.m. until 2.0 p.m. Here there are few genuine tradesmen, the majority of the several hundred vendors being ordinary people selling just bits and pieces for a few forint. Some are visibly very poor indeed, and thus a visit to the Market gives an insight into an aspect of Hungary most tourists do not see. Which is not to say that amongst the flotsam and jetsam there are not also sometimes some real bargains to be found. (www.bolhapiac.com)

Pintér (V. Falk Miksa utca 10.) This is one of the most interesting premises on Falk Miksa utca. Behind its unassuming two-window frontage lies a 20,000 square foot Aladdin's Cave of furniture, paintings and chandeliers. (www.pinterantik.hu)

Nagyházi Gallery (V. Budapest, Balaton utca 8., corner of Falk Miksa utca.) Another large antique shop specializing in furniture, paintings and folk hand-weavings, and also holding auctions. (www.nagyhazi.hu)

Múzeum körút - Centre for antiquarian booksellers (V. Múzeum körút, from Astoria to Kálvin tér.) Over a dozen antiquarian booksellers stocking everything from second hand modern books to valuable rarities, including incunabula, manuscripts and postcards. Opening hours vary, but are usually from around 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.