Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Váci Utca
Váci utca is quite simply the heart and soul of
Budapest. A street in two parts - the southern end
for shopping and the northern end for drinking and
eating - it buzzes with life day and night, and acts
as the city's commercial and social hub. Although
it is cut in half by the access road to Elizabeth
Bridge, only a part of the street's southern end is
open to trafic. To get a real feel for Budapest,
you should stroll down its full length.
!
Vörösmarty Tér
Metro Station
Thetiledwalls,wooden
boothsandplatformsofthis
immaculate1903station
(above)
areareminderof
whyundergroundrailways
wereconsideredglam-
orous.TheLilliputianyellow
trainsareenchantingtoo.
Top 10 Attractions
1VörösmartyTérMetroStation
2ThePromenade
3GerbeaudCukrászda
4FontanaDepartmentStore
5KlotildPalaces
6ThonetHouse
7HerendiMárkabolt
8StMichael'sCityChurch
9CentralMarketHall
0ClubVerne
Metro station sign
As with any place
that attracts crowds,
beware of pick-
pockets operating the
length of Váci utca, as
well as attractive
blondes who invite
men for a drink in the
evenings
(see p106)
.
Although Gerbeaud
Cukrászda is the
more famous coffee
house, the Taverna
Hotel's own coffee
shop is another great
place to unwind.
@
The Promenade
Walkthefulllength
ofVáciutca
(right)
from
VörösmartytértoVámház
körútandtakeinthe
atmosphere,thebustleand
thestunningarchitecture
ofthestreet'sbuildings.
Youwon'tbealoneduring
thesummer,butthecrowds
areapartoftheappeal.
£
Gerbeaud
Cukrászda
Thisisthemostfamous
coffeehouseinBudapest.
Since1858,Gerbeaud
Cukrászda
(left)
hasbeen
renownedforitsrichly
decoratedinteriorand
immaculateservice.
• Map C5
• Gerbeaud Cukrászda: V,
Vörösmarty tér 7; 429 90
00; Open 9am-9pm
daily; www.gerbeaud.hu
• Taverna Hotel: Váci
utca 20; 485 31 00;
www.taverna.hu
• Fontana Department
Store: Váci utca 16; 266
64 00
• Thonet House: Váci
utca 11
• Herendi Márkabolt: Váci
utca 19-21: 266 63 05;
Open 10am-7pm daily
• Club Verne: Váci utca
60; 318 62 74
$
Fontana
Department Store
TheModernistFontanaStore
(right)
complementsVáciutca'solder
buildings.Builtinthe1980s,it
markedthebeginningofanew
consumeristtrendandnow
housesoutletssuchasC&A,as
wellasfashionlabels,sports
gear,cosmeticsandacafé.
14
