Budapest is one of the friendliest and most welcoming cities to visit for a foreigner no matter where you are from.
Known to be one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe, Budapest is long recognized for its amazing historical legacy, architecture, cuisine and of course culture of the Hungarian people.
For some reason, however, travels to the city seem to be quite intimidating and unwelcome for most tourists as the country is deemed to be too foreign for westerners.
However, this is simply not true. Budapest is one of the friendliest and most welcoming cities to visit for a foreigner no matter where you are from.
No matter what you’re looking for, we guarantee you’ll find it there and learn about the city from local tour guides in Budapest.
Regardless of when you’re visiting the city, it’s helpful to know a few casual tips before heading out there.
It’s one of the safest cities in Europe
Many Hungarian frankly find the stereotypes about their capital being full of scammers and people trying to rip off visitors quite offensive. Quite on the contrary, it's considered to be one of the safest cities in Europe, period.
While you should take general precautions like avoiding shadier places in the city, this pretty much applies for every country in Europe, period.
Still, you shouldn’t worry as it's generally very safe.
Importance of metro
As a visitor, you’ll probably want to have a means of transportation when you’re visiting the city. Budapest is known to have one of the best metro networks in the world which will help you to casually reach any point of the city you want.
However, a common advice we can give you is to always mark your ticket when on a metro, since the inspection is pretty strict here. It only takes a few seconds to do so and you will of course avoid any chance of getting fined for not abiding rules.
It’s english friendly
Another thing we don’t agree with is that Hungarians don’t like speaking English. This is another myth that must be discussed further, since it's simply not true. Quite the contrary actually, most locals will gladly help visitors trying to get around Budapest.
This especially applies for the younger generation, since they are much more open to having huge English knowledge. So, you definitely won’t get lost on the streets or the shops, or when trying to order some food at the restaurant.
Of course, you can always learn a few phrases in Hungarian, just to please the locals.
Always tip
Tipping culture is very strong in Hungary as it is starting to be across many other European countries and cities. To sum it up, a 10 percent tip is a very common thing to do in restaurants. So don’t be greedy and repay the service with a hefty tip.
Avoid taxis from the street
One stereotype we do agree with, however, is taxi drivers trying to exploit naive tourists. This is very much true in Budapest, as this typically happens when you hail taxis from the streets.
It’s generally agreed upon that it's much easier to order a taxi by calling or via an app to get the fair rates that you actually deserve and not to spend too much money.
All in all
Budapest is a dream city for many tourists. A great way to experience the culture and fascinating people is to just simply visit the city. While there are some things to be aware of, it's just like any other city in Europe in terms of safety and tourist attractions.
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