Budapest’s tourist trap market could face major changes
Budapest’s iconic Great Market Hall, a must-visit for tourists and a daily stop for locals, could soon undergo major changes. Once celebrated as a jewel of the city, the market has increasingly been criticised as a tired tourist trap. However, fresh plans are being put forward to restore its reputation and transform it into a true showcase of Budapest’s culture and quality.
Major change ahead?
According to a recent Facebook post by Dávid Vitézy, a former mayoral candidate, Budapest’s tourist trap market could face major changes. In his statement, Vitézy expressed concern over the current state of the Great Market Hall at Fővám Square, one of the city’s most famous landmarks. While the market remains a must-see for tourists and a regular shopping spot for locals, he noted that it had become more synonymous with overcrowded discount chains and overpriced tourist trinkets than with authentic Hungarian produce or craftsmanship.
A hollow tourist trap
Vitézy pointed out that despite the presence of many honest and hardworking vendors, the overall management and appearance of the market seem stuck in the 1980s. Visitors are often greeted by chaotic signage, an incoherent mix of advertisements, and a worrying abundance of cheaply made souvenirs, rather than the high-quality, culturally significant goods that should define such a historic venue. Overpriced street food such as Nutella lángos, he argued, only adds to the sense that the market has strayed far from its original purpose, becoming a hollow tourist trap rather than a genuine Budapest experience.
Great Market Hall has real potential
As the Great Market Hall is owned and maintained by the capital, Vitézy believes there is a real opportunity — and indeed, an urgent need — to reform the space. He stressed that Budapest deserves a market that not only serves the everyday needs of its residents but also presents an authentic and proud image of Hungary to the world. By rethinking the current product offerings, improving services, and revitalising its appearance, the hall could once again become one of Budapest’s premier attractions rather than a cautionary tale.
Proposing a motion
To start this process, Vitézy, alongside Anna Szilágyi from the Podmaniczky Movement, plans to propose a motion at the upcoming Budapest City Assembly meeting. They aim to initiate a thorough survey of the present condition, including an assessment of shop occupancy, rental rates, and financial performance. This first step would lay the groundwork for developing a new strategy and model for the future of the Great Market Hall, ensuring it becomes a true source of pride for Budapest.
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– Demographical CHANGE.
– Covid.
– In pre Covid and post Covid – the opening of numbers of Aldi, SPA and Ledil & “other” like “smallish” Asian Supermarkets.
– Rental Costs for Stall Holders.
– continual RISING costs on Stall Holders in the FRESH Food / Fresh Produce – vegetables & Fruit – Poultry being cost on them to buy, transport – and “sell on” a return of PROFITABILITY to them – from there RESPECTIVE stalls.
– the EROSION – through the on-going DECLINE of the Hungarian Economy – citizens DECLINE of SPENDING Power – is NOT helpful to the Market Hall operations.
Hungary – truth is truth – we are into an “abyss” of a new DARK age – that THREATENS deeply the FUTURE of the subject of this article – Market Halls.
Hold Street – FELL.
Rakoczi Market Hall – a “shadow” barely existing, without a SPA Supermarket, as have “others” in Budapest, that are the DRAW Card – to bring PEOPLE, the COMMUNITY into them and NOT to PURCHASE spend there Forints on FRESH Market Produce.
Lehel Market Hall – a “shadow” of what it once represented – that the FRESH Produce vendors just operate from Wednesday through to Saturday.
Hungary – we are a DECLINING in number – AGEING – POPULATION.
“Pick it up on the way home” – from the Supermarket rather than, bought about by the PACE of life in these times, needs of working parenthood, the “mums” at home THING – thing of the “way” past and will NEVER return – additions of WHY our Market Halls have and continue to be PRESSURIZED in there community, there PURPOSE and need of the districts – population PURPOSE.
The MAGNIFICENT exhilarating atmosphere of an OPEN – Market Hall – its Purpose and FUNCTIONALITY the reason of THEM – they have been DESCIMATED for reason(s) referred to above.
The “experts” no DOUBT – will make further ADDITIONS – why we continue to witness in Budapest, an horrific decline the disability to SHOP – obtain produce – FRESH Produce inclusive of Butchery’s and Poultry Shops – under the OPERATION of a Market Hall.
We travel.
We take apartments and “search” out Market Halls because we LOVE – choice and FRESH produce.
Metz in France, Padua in Italy, Zaragoza in Spain – just (3) of mention – we in the past (12) twelve months JOYED at shoping – for FRESH Produce, fish, poultry and from a Butchery.
We live central district v – in Budapest.
The “Great Market Hall” – our “local” that we adore, the splendour, the magnificence, the appeal, of its architecture, its HISTORY – that our, below ground Butchery operates, the FRESH Produce stall holder number CONTINUES to Disappear.
It’s a tourist “driven, being ground floor and 1st floor – Trinket World, dominated by IMPORTERED into Hungary merchandise, mainly Asian produced – that is – DROSS.
WHEN the “River Ships” are in, and the Tourist Coaches are in, and the Sun shines in Budapest, Hungary – the “Trinket World” takes 95% over, plus the OVERPRICED “supposed” Hungarian Food eateries on the 1st Floor, of the Great Market Hall, which is from an historical perspective, not forgetting it is 2025 – reflective of disappointment for what Community / District Market Halls were CONSTRUCTED for and the role, purpose of there establishment, construction – in being a NEED of the people of a COMMUNITY.
Idiotic – to THINK increased TOURISM – will SAVE our MARKET Halls.
Plans for the roof-top at Blaha Lujza ter – the “Time Out Market” set up, which we HAVE x2 visited and eaten at, just the choice, the variety of FISH amazing, this “plan” at Blaha Lujza ter, remember, repeat REMEMBER – it ain’t Lisbon, Portugal – that its a Tourist and “locals” being Portuguese – being a “Mecca” to THEM.
I really like the Bosnyak teri piac.
I do too. I am there every Saturday 😀
I wish they will leave this market in peace