Walking through Vaci street in central Budapest during Christmas time is an event in itself. Many lights and decorations, many people from all over the world shopping. There are not just the many brand shops you can find in any European city, but also many stalls, some of them brightly illuminated. They often offer local specialities and there is an indivual creative touch to the way they have made up their stall. A pity prices are really high.

Vaci Street is a shopping hub in Budapest. Primarily for tourists, this pedestrian-only street is several blocks long consisting of shops, restaurants, cafes, and lots of people. At the one end, the stores are more expensive and exclusive. As you walk from there, the shops become less expensive and more touristy. A great place for people-watching. You are sure to be approached by salespersons trying to attract you to their establishments for the latest deals on perfumes or other products. You may also be surprised by the number of places offering Thai massages. Very interesting place.

Some good shops Zara, H&M etc it’s quite a basic shopping street no options for anyone plus sized. It’s a nice little street to take a walk on if you have some extra time and you want to do a bit of shopping but it won’t blow your mind neither are there tones of shops. Nice buildings a quaint little shopping street.

Pedestrian Vaci Street which runs from Vorosmarty Square to Ferenciek Square has a tremendous history including being the main shopping street in Budapest since the 1800s and a symbol of "Goulash Communism" of the 1960s and 70s during which Hungary had the highest standard of living in the Eastern Bloc and had access to Western products and culture unlike the rest of Eastern Europe. Vaci Street was the first place that you could buy Levi jeans in the Eastern Bloc, and this was the location of the first McDonalds behind the Iron Curtain. However, now it is essentially a modern-day pedestrianized shopping street just like any that you would find in a major European city. It is extremely popular with tourists and enjoyable enough to stroll but really nothing that makes it unique.

I visited during the day and evening, but there were no crowds as I expected. Although when I visited for the first time 7 years ago, the street was crowded with people, but now it is not. This may be due to inflation and rising prices. Vaci is an expensive street, so even before I visited it, I knew that I should not sit here in the restaurants, because unlike other places in the city, it is much more expensive here. Souvenirs and shops are also more expensive, so if you want to buy something, it will be better to do it elsewhere. But you don't have to shop or eat here to visit. You can just walk around and admire the architecture. Everywhere you turn you will see beautiful architecture. Along the street there are several small interesting alleys.