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Hello to all travelers. This is Mark from Walt World. Today we are back in Budapest and we will talk about the things that annoy tourists when they come here. I want to say that this city is fantastic, and most tourists will not have any problems during their stay here. Starting with visiting the castle, eating with all that paprika, and all the other incredible activities that can be found here. From exploring caves to visiting museums, churches, or contemplating the hand of St. Stephen. It is simply a fantastic place to visit. But there is something that tourists do n't like very much. What worries me the most is the controllers on public transport.
Listen, when you come here, just buy a 24- hour or 72- hour ticket, it will make your life a lot easier, because they check for tickets here. Whether you're taking the metro, tram or bus, make sure you have a valid ticket, as you will be fined on the spot, and it will be a considerable amount. So please, please, please, just buy your ticket, download it to your phone. You will already have it. You don't have to worry, because otherwise you will learn about the least pleasant service in Hungary- people who will say: " Listen, it's not my fault that you didn't validate your ticket." Okay, pay the fine. Of course? So just
go to BKK. You will see them there. You can buy tickets there. Go online, download to your phone. And you are ready to go. But just be careful. This is one of the things that tourists often " get caught" on and they do n't like it. I got caught once myself. So now, like someone who has been burned with an iron, I am extremely cautious. I will never do that again Agreed? I don't want this to happen to you. The second thing that tourists don't like when they come here is the problems with currency. When I talk about currency problems, I mean a few things. First of all, this is not the euro zone, okay? Forints are used here. And the thing is, with forints
you get a currency that you're not used to using. Sometimes you can get a little confused about currency exchange, bills, and things like that. And this sometimes confuses tourists. In addition, this means that sometimes some unscrupulous people can slip in another currency, miscalculate the change, or do something similar. So it's hard to keep track when you're not sure about the currency. But perhaps the most difficult thing that tourists dislike is the math that needs to be done when converting foreign currency into euros or dollars. We're talking about, I don't know, a rate of 300 or 400 to one. Yes, you can count four to one or three to one, but 350 to one-it's confusing, and sometimes difficult, like when you're withdrawing money from an ATM or
trying to figure out, "Is this food expensive or not?" So that can be inconvenient, right? Continuing the topic of currency problems, it is worth mentioning exchange points. Yes, some of them are completely normal. Some work well. They offer a good rate, no commission, and everything will be fine. Some promise a favorable exchange rate. But they charge crazy fees or offer a very unfavorable exchange rate. Therefore, it is very important to compare conditions. I recommend it if you are going to get local currency, which you will probably need a few times, for example for a public toilet or a small purchase at a store. Or if you are at the market and want to buy something, although you
can almost always pay by card here. This is not a problem. Visa and Mastercard are accepted, but it's a little more complicated with American Express. Discover is even more difficult to use here. But I will say something about cash withdrawals. Go to an ATM and withdraw local currency there. Remember, never, never, never agree to a conversion. Withdraw money and choose the "no conversion" option. Thank you. The thing is, the ATMs here will ask you twice because they really want to make money off of you. So be careful with this.
Another thing that tourists often mention as something difficult to master when coming to Budapest is the Hungarian language. I mean, it's one of the most difficult languages to learn in the world. And the locals know that you don't speak Hungarian. But let me tell you, when you try and make mistakes, they are still so happy. thank you". People will be so happy. It's like you're saying, "Hey, you said thank you." And I say, "Hey, no problem." And " hello" or "greetings " is "szia", that's what you can use. People will say that " sziastok" is also a very good option. And also " jónapot", which is another way of saying " good afternoon". And I'll tell you, if you want to please the locals, say "jónapot" when
you come in, or "szia" when you come in, or " köszönöm" when you leave. They really appreciate it, and it can help with service, because, frankly, one of the things tourists don't like about Budapest is the service. Although you can get very friendly service when you are here. This is not necessarily a problem. The problem is calling the waiter to your table, giving them a signal, getting the bill or another glass of wine. Maybe a bottle of wine or brandy, things like that. It's quite difficult to get the staff to approach you. So you'll have to be a little more proactive in seeking service. I must say that the level of service in Budapest has improved significantly since we
started filming 20 years ago. But the thing is, it's still one of those things where you have to be patient and a little more proactive. If you want another soda, more wine, or the bill, just let us know. Oh, and don't forget that it's customary to leave a tip here. You just tell them the percentage. For example, when calculating, say, "Add 10%," and they will add it. And everything will be fine. Of course, they prefer cash, but you can also pay by card. No problems. One of the great things about Budapest is that it is still a very accessible and interesting city to visit. However, I will tell you this. Some tourists mentioned walking along Vaci Street, the city's main tourist street. Prices in restaurants, souvenir shops, and stores there seem a bit
high. Here's a tip: if you want to eat, shop, or buy souvenirs, move further away from that place and you'll get significant discounts and better deals. I won't say the food is better there, but you'll get it for a better price elsewhere. So keep that in mind. In addition, you will notice that locals don't eat there very often. This is a sure sign that the prices may not be what locals usually pay, so you shouldn't either. Now let's move on to the traditional things that no one likes in any city. Typical scams that happen here, because Budapest is a wonderful city where tourists come all year round. This is a very popular place for bachelor parties, cultural tours, school groups and all other visitors. I brought students here. I saw people coming here for bachelor
parties. I myself have come here for bachelor parties. This is truly a fantastic place to visit. And when you have such a popular place with a lot of tourists, it means that there will be the usual scammers. Pickpockets. You know, if you're in Pest, be careful near St. Stephen's Basilica and other popular places. It is worth being careful in the Castle area when there are many tourists there. Be vigilant. There are also many good street musicians here. If you are focused on your performance, it is easier for you to put your hand in your pocket. So be careful. The situation here is not terrible, but I want you to be careful.
Also standard caveats. Don't leave anything in your car when you park. You know, you can never win at three-card draw They always win. The only one who wins is their accomplice when they organize these street games. But, to be honest, there are two types of fraud that are often mentioned. I've seen it with my own eyes, and people really don't like it. First: always check your bill at a restaurant to see if there is extra palinka or paprikash, such as chicken paprikash that you didn't order. You want to be sure that everything is honest and transparent.
Anything happens. You know, they might accidentally add something there. But it's one of those things: you can order something, they don't bring it, and it's still on the menu or on the bill. You should check it out, or if they added something extra-it's worth checking out. But I really, it's not so much restaurants, it's if you go to clubs, you know? When you go to clubs and they overcharge you or don't show you the menu before you order-look: you should see the menu in bars before you order. Because you're just ordering a beer; you don't know what kind of beer you'll get or how much it will cost. So make sure you check it out. This is a kind of "menu scam" for tourists. This is something they really don't like. The second thing is the taxi here. And
frankly, you can use car sharing apps while you're here. This may not be the app you use at home, so do some research. But I would recommend using a rideshare to get around because then you know where you will be picked up, where you will be dropped off, and how much you will pay. Everything is already set up there. So it's much more convenient and I recommend it instead of a taxi. Of course, some taxi drivers were very nice. But to be honest, I've been to Budapest five times. This is my sixth visit here. And the other five times taxi drivers tried to scam us. So just keep that in mind. And it's not just me. Many tourists mentioned this.
Another thing that tourists may say they don't like is when you go to the thermal baths. And no, it's not about the baths themselves, because you want to visit the thermal baths while you're here. They are fantastic. When you come and just enjoy the water or get a massage, it's just an incredible experience. I remember the first time I came here in 1997. I fell in love with the massage there. They just "fix" you, and you're like, "Oh, that's so nice." You feel like a new person after them. But also the baths themselves are wonderful and can be enjoyed all year round. Okay. something like light snow, and then hot springs and thermal baths. They are fantastic. However, one of the things that tourists don't like is that, well, you have to take a
swimsuit, but that's completely normal. But you'll still need slippers when you're there, and it's worth bringing your own towel. They can be rented on site, but people think, " Wait, for the rental price I could just buy them." So keep that in mind. If you're going to go, just throw slippers, a swimsuit, and a small towel in your bag. And everything will be fine. OK. Oh, yes. Regarding slippers: firstly, it's slippery there when you walk, and secondly, the tiles get very hot in the summer, so they'll be useful, although you can buy them on site. So you can buy them. That's it. But yeah, be prepared for that. The next thing tourists mention-I mentioned money earlier-is public toilets, or rather, the lack of them. So you might have to stop for a coffee to
use the restroom, and if you find a public one, it requires coins. There's no guarantee that they're clean, but just know that it can happen, because I've been through this myself a few times. So I always have coins just in case. We understand that. You love paprika. I'll be honest, paprika is very tasty, but it can be overused, because it's literally in every dish over and over again. And it is extremely delicious. But soups, appetizers, and main courses with it are too much. And paprika is not only found in food. You will notice that paprika is also depicted everywhere on souvenirs. And you will even see it in the decor. Yes, paprika will be there too. So be aware that this much paprika can make you a little tired. Although, if you love her, you'll
really like it here. And I have to mention this for those who come here for the nightlife. One of the main complaints people have is the intrusive callers in clubs and bars. Women coming up to you asking if you want to go to a club with them, or to a club that operates somewhere there, can be a bit annoying, especially in the evening when you're walking back to your hotel and thinking, "I just want to get to my hotel." Like: " Come on, we have a club, it'll be fun, let's go" or "Hi, handsome, how are you ?" You know, this happens again, again, again, and again, and it really ruins the beauty of the city when you have to deal with it all the time in the evenings. Of course, this is not always the case and not everywhere; It's just, you know,
where there are a lot of tourists, these kinds of things happen. That's why it's partly related to bar scams and billing, which I really want you to think about, because they're actually scamming you or luring you into these establishments. So be careful with this. OK. So, what didn't you like about your visit to Budapest? Let us know in the comments below, because I'll be honest: I've been happily coming here for over 30 years because this city is fantastic. So please come. Don't let me scare you, these are just things you should know before you travel so you don't get a ticket on the subway or overpay for a club bill. Well, have a nice rest. If you want to know about the good things about visiting Budapest, don't worry. We have a
video about what tourists admire when they come here, to Budapest. In any case, I wish you all the best. I say goodbye to you here, from Budapest, Hungary.
