Experience beautiful Warsaw

Warsaw surprised me in so many ways and it’s a city I would definitely recommend everyone to visit. Its history, culture and people will leave no one indifferent. This town of nearly 2 million people, once known as ‘Paris of the North’ because of its beauty, was almost completely devastated in the Second World War. Nowadays, rebuilt practically from the scratch, it’s a modern, dynamic, European town, the center of the business trade, culture and travel industry. The reconstructed Old Town in its colorful, traditional architecture is preserving memory of the past times. The business part of the town with numerous skyscrapers is showing its modern and contemporary side. In my opinion, that very combination is providing Warsaw a really specific charm.

Beautiful viewpoint of the Old Town, Castle Square (Plac Zamkowy)  from the Bell Tower of St. Anna’s Church.

Photo credit: Putopis. 

I spent six days in this great city, which was enough for exploring it but I wouldn’t mind at all to have had just a couple of days more. I arrived to Warsaw from Zagreb, Croatia. The flight connection is in fact great, direct flight from Zagreb lasts just an hour and 20 minutes so I hope I’ll have the chance to return and explore some more.  Their currency is Polish Zloty.

TIP: Local people recommended changing Euros to Zlotys in the post office, where you’ll get the best value for money.

Here are just some of the city spots I visited and really loved. I hope it will inspire you to visit this wonderful city or help you in planning your stay there. Some of the places I explored with my colleague Domagoj, and some of the spots were part of the special Photo – Instagram tour provided by Warsaw Tourist Office. We had accommodation near the city center so all of these locations were accessible by foot, metro or by tram.

Old Town and Old Town Market

The historic Old Town with its Castle Square and Old Town Market (at the UNESCO World Heritage list) are good starting points for exploring Warsaw. I would also call them ‘the heart’ of the city. King Sigismund III Vasa column decorates the center of the square, standing just the opposite of the reconstructed Royal Castle (Castle Museum). The Royal Castle or Palace is open for visitors and there you can see one of the most beautiful rooms in the palace – the Ballroom (Assembly Room).

 

Photo credit: Putopis

While strolling the city, I especially loved colorful historic houses, charming narrow streets, the Mermaid statue, which is the symbol and the guardian of the town, as well as numerous cafes and restaurants.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwC-pyQlkk7/

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

We visited the Museum of Warsaw, situated in the Old Town Market. It displays over 7.000 objects – works if art, ceremonial items, mementos of people and events, ordinary items from everyday life who tell an extraordinary story about the history and people of Warsaw. The museum even has a saucer with Pablo Picasso’s autograph.

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

TIP: Don’t forget to enjoy the wonderful view of the Old Town Market from the fifth floor of the museum.

The view of the Old Town Market from the Museum of Warsaw.

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

When planning your tour, don’t miss the birth house (now a museum) of the famous Maria Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in two categories – physics and chemistry. Maria Curie Museum is situated near the New Town Market square, which you can reach easily from the Museum of Warsaw and Old Town Market. For more information about the museum and this exceptional and inspiring woman visit Maria Curie Museum

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. Maria Curie

Skyscrapers and viewpoints

After exploring the Old Town, just one look at all those modern buildings striving to the sky will give you a completely different impression of Warsaw. While in the old part of the town you’ll experience a ‘spirit’ of history, in the business part of the town you’ll get that feeling of the big, modern and busy city.

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

The Palace of  Culture and Science is the highest building in Warsaw and in Poland. 237 meters high, it’s among 10 tallest buildings in the European union. It was a gift from Stallin and Soviet people to Poland. The building was considered to be a symbol of socialist power because many conventions of the Polish United Workers’ Party took place there. Today it’s a place where you can find many theaters, museums, cinemas, pubs but also an office complex. On the 30th floor there is an observation deck and a viewpoint. There you can admire the panorama of the town even at night. In the winter time, the area around the palace turns into an ice skating rink. You can find more information at the Palace of Culture and Science.

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

Where to stay?

I especially loved the view of the town from the presidential suite and terrace of our Hotel Warszawa .

Hotel Warszawa is situated in the Prudential Building which has a very interesting history. First put in use in 1934, it was the tallest building in Poland and the second tallest in Europe. In 1936, a large antenna was constructed on the roof and the first European television broadcasts started from Prudential Building. This building soon became a trademark of modern Warsaw. During the Second World War, it was one of the main targets of the German artillery, but the strong construction survived all the attacks. Ever since, it has been the symbol of Warsaw Uprising. Nowadays the building is home to Hotel Warszawa.

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

This modern, luxury 5* hotel is situated close to the city center. It’s perfect for all the business people coming to town, since many business are located in the vicinity. It’s also a great choice for travelers eager to explore the city. The Museum of Fryderyk Chopin is just a 10 minutes walk from the hotel. Hotel Warszawa has spacious rooms that are also suitable for families.

 Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

Photo credit: Putopis

Breakfast has always been the most important meal of the day for me, so I was looking forward to having breakfast every morning during my stay there, and this is why …

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

The hotel has a really cozy and modern interior. In the evening, you can relax in the spa or in the bar.

 Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Putopis

TIP: I would also recommend using the hotel transfer service. I used it from and to the airport and I was very satisfied. Since our flight was delayed I didn’t have to worry about finding a taxi when I arrived. You can find all the information about this beautiful hotel at  Warszawa Hotel .

Chopin bench – music all over the city

As I am a music lover, these Chopin musical benches really delighted me. They were installed in 2010 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth. By pressing the button on them you can listen to a sequence of his famous compositions. They are situated all over the city – close to historical buildings, on squares, along streets and in two public parks (Saxon Garden and Royal Baths Park), as well as next to Chopin’s monuments in Warsaw. And they are amazing addition to the Fryderyk Chopin Museum that is also not to be missed if you are a music lover.

TIP: The entrance to the museum on Wednesdays is free. The number of places is limited to 70 people per hour so if you want to be sure you can book your place by phone or email. You can find more info about the museum at Chopin Museum

If you pass by those musical benches while visiting Warsaw, don’t hesitate to press the button on them and enjoy Chopin’s marvelous music for a moment.

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

Photo credit: Putopis

Instagram – photo points

Warsaw Tourist Office was kind to organize a special Photo-Instagram tour for us. That tour, besides important city landmarks, included a visit to some, maybe less known but very interesting photo spots. Here are just some of them, presenting this city in a new light. I hope you’ll like it :-)

Gdansk bridge with its nutshell staircase

Photo credit: Putopis

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwzopSBA5st/

Apartment building Kamienica pod Zegarem

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

Warsaw Technical University – the main building (built in 1897 – 1899  by architects Stefan Szyller and Bronislaw Rogoyski).

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

Warsaw Spire building at Europejski square – a business center but also a new meeting point and venue for art events like exhibitions and concerts, and of course a photo point with ‘I love Warsaw’ sign.

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

Food markets, restaurants and cooking classes

You can find many great restaurants and food bars in the city of Warsaw. I would recommend trying their traditional cuisine. One of their authentic meals is called dumplings (pierogi). It’s a pastry with all kinds of different fillings like meat, cheese, spinach etc. often dressed with, for example, fried onions and bacon. I tried various kinds several times and I really liked them.

Photo credit: Putopis

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

One thing that I would warmly recommend is a cooking class. I had a wonderful experience of attending one in Warsaw and learning how to prepare traditional Polish dumplings. It was so much fun and you can read more about it at Polish your cooking in Warsaw

Besides many restaurants, Warsaw has many food markets. Some traditional ones with shops, and some modern ones. We visited Hala Koszyki  a big modern hall full of restaurants, food shops and cooking studios where cooking classes are held. It’s also a place where different kinds of events are held such as photo exhibitions and music performances.  Hala Koszyki is definitely a place worth visiting.

 

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

Photo credit: Domagoj Sever

Photo credit: Putopis

TIP: When visiting a food market be sure to check if there is a happy hour. Usually there is one in the afternoon, at least there was a happy hour in Hala Koszyki when we visited it and we had a lunch menu with the discount.

 

At the end of a tour, I think it’s a good idea to relax in a good company with a little bit of something sweet. Our guide took us to a hipster cafe called Charlotte on Zbawiciela square and it was the perfect ending of a great day. I hope you’ll have the chance to visit Warsaw and experience it in all its beauty.

Cheers :-)

 

Jasminka Đaković

 

This blog was done in partnership with  Warszawa Hotel and Warsaw Tourist Office.

All stated opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.