9 Best Places to Shop in Belvaros (Inner City), Budapest

Want to make a positive impact when buying your souvenirs? This socially conscious design gift shop sells ethical, sustainable, natural goods made by social enterprises and NGOs from all over Hungary. You'll find everything from artisan chocolate to handmade candles, along with some of Pest's friendliest shopkeepers.

Located within an ornate 19th century building centered around a charming courtyard, Paloma brings together a collective of local designers to showcase their handicrafts. The small boutiques are run by the designers themselves and sell all manner of creative designs, including handbags, ceramics, jewelry, stationery, and children's toys. The space also hosts regular contemporary art exhibitions.

Open since 1997, this charming little stationery store sells hand-bound notebooks, diaries, postcards, writing utensils, wrapping paper, and more. The attractive, often Budapest-related graphical designs make them perfect souvenirs or gifts. There's a second and equally lovely Bomo Art store almost directly across the river by Várkert Bazár.

Master wood craftsman László Holló has resurrected traditional motifs and styles of earlier centuries to create the beautiful handicrafts on sale in this shop. You'll find lovely hope chests, chairs, jewelry boxes, candlesticks, Easter eggs, and more—all hand-carved and hand-painted with cheery folk motifs (most commonly birds and flowers in reds, blues, and greens).

Part designer boutique, part artisan coffee shop, the flagship outlet of this high-end Hungarian fashion brand is well worth a look. Founded by London College of Fashion graduate Sandra Sandor (whose nickname is Nanushka), it has gained a loyal international following for its stylish, feminine, but functional designs. The clothes aren't cheap, but you'll get more bang for your buck than at the big-name luxury brands on nearby Fashion Street. The coffee is fantastic, too.

This quirky art and design store is a browser's paradise, with a variety of eye-catching artwork on sale, including original paintings, prints, photos, posters, and postcards. But that's just the start: shoppers can also pick up original clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, homeware, toys, books, and even foodstuffs. The store is located in a passageway between Semmelweis utca and Károly körút (and accessible from both).

This boutique Belváros chocolate shop has a tempting selection of artisan bars and truffles, many with unusual flavor combinations, and the sweet treats are wrapped in lovely, arty packaging.

Marzipan has always been a favorite in Central Europe, and this well-loved confectioner has spent more than 75 years mastering the art. The store has always been most famous for its marzipan cookies, cakes, and candies, as well as its edible marzipan roses, but today just as many people come for the ice cream.

If you are looking for a really luxurious indulgence, why not consider a pair of handmade leather shoes, specifically measured to your feet? You can choose from a variety of traditional styles, from cordovan to nubuck. Though wildly expensive when compared to the cost of ready-made shoes, prices are still very competitive with bespoke shoes elsewhere in Europe and the United States. There's a small selection of ready-to-wear shoes available as well.