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Welcome to BUDAPEST an extra service of European City Guide / ECG
Information about BUDAPEST
Budapest is the capital of Hungary and with a population of 2 million citizens by far the largest city in the country. The city is often referred as the Paris of the east, and deserves this name. The picturesque setting on two sides of the Danube, the nine connecting bridges and the villa's and public buildings from the fin-de-siecle era really make Budapest one of the most enjoyable cities in Europe.
Budapest is composed of two cities: the small Buda, on the west side of the river looking over the much larger Pest on the opposite side. The two parts developed seperately as the bourgois Buda with it's palaces and spas and the more commercial Pest. At first, the hills of Buda were the safe core of the twin cities, but as Buda and Pest were united with Óbuda (Ancient Buda) the plains of Pest became the centre of the growing metropolis.
Today, the most famous landmark of Budapest is the Parliament building on the banks of the Danube. Budapest has some very good museums as well, The National Museum, the Jewish Museum and the Historical Museum of Budapest being the best.
Budapest has developed to become a very lively city. By day, you can roam the city, visit a museum, take a look around churches, make your choise from the dozen or so types of coffee in one of the cafes. By night you can have dinner at a cheap or a fancy eating out, go to the opera, and afterwards dance the night away.
General Information Capital: Budapest Area: 93,030 km (35,919 sq miles).2 Population: 10,031,208 (January 1, 2009). Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are used. IDD: +36 Emergency number: 07 Timezone: GMT +1 Hr (+2 Hrs MAR-OCT)
Language Language: 94% Hungarian (official). Other.
Government Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Religion Religion: 52% Roman Catholic , 16% Calvinist , 3% Lutheran and religious denominations
Health Health: The following vaccinations are recommended: Tetanus.
Currency Currency: Forint (HUF) 1.00 = 100 Fillers
Exchange Rate Exchange Rate:
Business Hours Business Hours: Mon-Fri: 08.00-14.00
Alcohol Limit Alcohol Limit: 0,0 ‰
Speed Limit Speed Limit: Cities: 50 km/h , Outside cities: 80 km/h , Carriageways: 100 km/h , Motorways: 120 km/h
Traffic Traffic: Traffic drives on the right. Driving on dipped head-lights during the day and wearing seat belts is compulsory.
Driving License Driving License: Pink format EU licences are accepted but an International Driving Permit is required if an EU licence is not held.
National Holidays National holidays: Jan 1 Mar 15 May 1 Aug 20 Oct 23 Dec 25 Dec 26
Climate Climate: Temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Temperatures Temperatures: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec A -1 1 6 12 17 20 22 21 17 11 6 2 P 37 44 38 45 72 69 56 47 33 57 70 46 S 2 3 5 7 8 9 10 9 7 5 2 1 A=Aver. Daily Temp. (°C)
Mobile Network Mobile Network: GSM 900 / 1800 / 3G 2100
GPS GPS: 47 26 N, 19 15 E
Shopping Hours Shopping Hours: Mon-Fri: 07.00-19.00 Sat: 07.00-14.00
