Imagine if you could have everything good about Oxford Street, with none of the crowds or traffic. What you’ve got is Váci Street, for some of the most dignified retail therapy in Europe.

Found in Pest, on the flat side of the Danube, Váci Street has an excellent variety of upscale shops, restaurants and cafés. Shopping here is a perfect midday break, with buildings nice enough that you feel cultured walking into them. Shops include both tourist outlets and big international chains.

Despite having a “touristy” reputation, the street manages to maintain an upbeat and authentic vibe. Like so many hotspots in Budapest, it has a whole different feel at night: charming and alive. Highlights include Christmas time, when the Christmas market descends.

Because of the tourist outlets, this is the place to go to buy your souvenirs, or “a place full of Chinese-made tat” in the words of one visitor!