A comprehensive new study has identified Budapest as the world's dirtiest city, with the Hungarian capital receiving overwhelming criticism for its poor upkeep and rubbish-strewn streets.
The Cleanliness Crisis in Budapest
According to research conducted by Radical Storage, Budapest tops the global list for poor cleanliness, with more than 37.9 per cent of cleanliness-related reviews mentioning dirt or inadequate maintenance. The analysis examined over 70,000 Google reviews of top attractions across 100 cities from Euromonitor's Top City Destinations Index.
Online reports from visitors and tourists consistently describe Budapest as unkempt, with one baffled Reddit user writing: 'Why is there so much rubbish and junk from peoples houses out on the streets of Budapest?!' They added: 'Seems like a free for all! People scavenging for anything and everything. I have never seen this before.'
European Cities Dominate Dirty List
Following Budapest in the rankings, several iconic European destinations appear among the world's dirtiest cities. Rome claimed second place with 35.7 per cent of cleanliness reviews being negative, while Florence ranked fourth with 29.6 per cent negative feedback.
Paris secured the fifth position, as 28.2 per cent of reviews expressed negative opinions about the French capital's cleanliness. The research highlights that Italy faces the most significant cleanliness problem overall, with four of its historic centres - Rome, Florence, Milan and Verona - all ranking within the top ten for negative cleanliness reviews.
Understanding Budapest's Unique Situation
Commenters on social media platforms have attempted to explain Budapest's apparent dirtiness, noting that different city districts have specific dates throughout the year when councils collect unwanted household items. As one user explained: 'In the inner districts where tourists roam, this can be an eyesore.'
Nevertheless, the visual evidence remains compelling. Images circulating online show beer bottles and general rubbish littering the streets, while TripAdvisor reviews echo similar sentiments. One visitor noted: 'Budapest is beautiful but old and kind of dirty!' Another questioned on Quora: 'Why is Budapest so filthy?'
The study methodology involved scanning online reviews from the past twelve months for keywords such as 'clean' and 'dirty' to determine which cities receive the most frequent praise or criticism regarding their cleanliness standards.
