Largely ignored in favour of more illustrious locations, such as Paris and Prague, the Polish capital still slips under the radar when it comes to city breaks. But make no mistake – Warsaw is no Eastern European backwater.
This is a city on the rise, the confident capital of a country that’s now helping to shape the region. It’s also a place eager to share its story, with expansive museums that delve into the harrowing episodes of the 20th century, when Warsaw was almost wiped from the map.
Stroll through Warsaw today and you’ll find a city full of contrasts: colourful Old Town squares rebuilt with painstaking care, riverside paths perfect for an afternoon wander and a skyline dotted with bold modern architecture. One weekend will be enough to see a bit of it all; here’s how to do it.
For further Warsaw inspiration, see our guides to the best hotels, restaurants, nightlife and things to do.
In this guide:
How to spend your weekend
Day one: morning
There’s only one way to start a Saturday in Warsaw, and that’s the Breakfast Market, which fills a stretch of parkland on Aleja Wojska Polskiego in the Żoliborz neighbourhood. Choose from the rows of stalls selling everything from traditional Polish pastries to Afghan rice dishes, then head for the tables and picnic blanket space on the central lawn.
Once you have had your fill, make your way to what some claim is Warsaw’s best museum, the POLIN (Museum of the History of Polish Jews) in the Muranów neighbourhood. This mammoth, architecturally impressive edifice houses a comprehensive exhibition on a millennium of Jewish history in Poland. The superb audio guide takes you around the museum in around two hours. There’s a lot to take in, so get there early.
Afternoon
For lunch, head into the centre for a quintessentially Polish experience: eating at a milk bar. Mostly established during the days of socialism, a bar mleczny is a cheap canteen ladling out the mainstays of Polish cuisine for low prices. Bar Mleczny Gdański is one of the best. It’s a modern take on the Polish milk bar (it has touchscreen terminals for ordering) but still serves classics like stuffed peppers.
For a change of pace from heavy Polish history and workers’ canteens, take a bus to Wilanów, the residence of the Polish kings in the far south of the city. A tour of the noble interiors with their myriad collections is one of the highlights of any Warsaw break, as are the gardens in summer, where a surprisingly wide range of plants grow in a formal setting.
Evening
Open until 8pm, the best way to end the day is to ascend to the top of the Palace of Science and Culture, where you can watch a dramatic sunset over the city from a strategically positioned deckchair. Admire the Stalinist-era interior of the atrium as you wait for the superfast lift to the viewing platform on the 30th floor, which is 114m above street level.
After the day’s exertions, you’ll be ready for dinner and drinks at Bez Gwiazdek, a short taxi ride away, where gourmet regional Polish cuisine is served within contemporary interiors. Book ahead – it’s pretty much essential.
Day two: morning
Start day two with breakfast at one of Warsaw’s excellent bakeries. Those belonging to the local Lubaszka chain are sure-fire bets (there are central branches at aleja Solidarności 119 and Senatorska 28), as are the Lukullus cafés at Chmielna 32 and Rozbrat 22.
From there, make your way to the striking Warsaw Uprising Museum. Through thousands of photographs, artefacts and interactive displays, this detailed museum tells the story of the resistance movement in occupied Warsaw during the Second World War. It is huge, and incredibly engaging; this is another museum where an early start is worth it.
Afternoon
Head towards Łazienki Park, stopping on the way at Bar Mleczny Marszałkowski, an excellent and affordable option for lunch. Choose your dishes, pay at the counter, then queue up at the serving hatch. It’s incredibly popular at lunchtime, but queues are part of the experience.
Afterwards, there’s no better place in Warsaw to spend a lazy afternoon than Łazienki Park. In the summer months, there are free Chopin recitals at the monument dedicated to Poland’s most beloved composer. These have been running for almost seven decades and draw enormous crowds when the sun shines.
At other times, you can stroll this extensive park with its mature trees, rambling paths, historical follies and the odd strutting peacock. It’s also a lovely place to unfurl the picnic blanket or just take a slothful nap on the lawns.
Evening
Heading back into the city centre, the highlight for most visitors to Warsaw is the Old Town on the banks of the River Vistula (Wisła).
Warsaw was almost wiped off the map at the end of the Second World War but from the 1950s to the 1980s, the city authorities undertook a huge rebuilding project here in the Old Town, reinstating most of the historical squares, streets, townhouses and palaces.
Top billing goes to the Royal Castle, which essentially rose from the rubble of the war. The streets around the palace are thronged with restaurants and cafés; one of the most authentic is Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie, where typical Polish countryside fare is washed down with dark beer in a rural-style dining room. It’s an excellent way to end your weekend in the Polish capital.
When to go
Any time is a good time for a city break in Warsaw – just bring the right clothes. At the height of summer, temperatures can approach 40C and locals bail out for the countryside, leaving the city quiet and slightly deserted.
In winter, the mercury can sink well below zero. Arguably the best time to come is autumn, when Warsaw’s countless trees show their colours and the weather still plays ball. Easter and Christmas are best avoided as many businesses close.
Where to stay
Luxury living
A landmark on the city skyline. Hotel Bristol has long played an integral role in Warsaw life, hosting leading figures from the worlds of politics and music to the heads of royal families. Its elegant Art Nouveau interiors house 206 rooms, which are the most luxurious in Poland.
Read our full review here.
Designer digs
The first foray of the Polish hotel group to the capital, Puro Warsaw Centrum is a sleek, design-savvy hotel with 148 rooms, a leafy roof-top terrace and the excellent, Italian-themed Magari Restaurant, which spills outside on sunny days. Popular with a young but discerning crowd.
Read our full review here.
Budget bolthole
The three-star Campanile Warsaw Hotel is a good budget option with a convenient central Warsaw location. The 194 rooms, although small in size, are both comfortable and spotlessly clean. A restaurant serves Polish and international favourites.
Read our full review here.
How to get there and how to get around
Warsaw has two airports: Chopin Airport (WAW) and Modlin Airport (WMI). Chopin is by far the busiest and handles flights from all over the world. The Polish national airline, LOT, and British Airways fly here direct from Heathrow, while Wizz Air flies from Gatwick, Luton, Leeds and Liverpool. Ryanair flies from Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, London Stansted and Manchester to either Chopin or Modlin airports.
Uber is the most convenient way of getting around the capital. Fares are low and cars plentiful. Otherwise, Warsaw has an efficient public transport system with trams, buses and a limited metro network. A day ticket for the whole system costs a very reasonable PLN15 (£3), which includes Chopin Airport. Validate your ticket before you board your first ride. Warsaw’s centre is spread out, which usually makes walking a bad option.
Know before you go
Essential information
Tourist office: Warsaw’s main tourist information office is located at the Palace of Culture & Science. There are more across the city, including at Centralna Train Station and Chopin Airport. You can also find a lot of information online.
Emergencies: 112 (fire and ambulance); 110 (police)
British Embassy: Kawalerii 12; 00 48 22 311 0000; gov.uk
The basics
- Flight time: Around two hours and 15 minutes from London
- Currency: Polish złoty (PLN)
- Time difference: +1 hour
- International dialling code: +48
Local laws and etiquette
- It is polite to say hello (dzień dobry) and goodbye (do widzenia) when entering and leaving shops and restaurants
- Asking for tap water in restaurants will be met with bemused looks
- Try not to jaywalk on Warsaw’s thundering boulevards
Accessibility
Warsaw is still well behind most of Western Europe when it comes to accessibility. However, things are improving, and any new attraction or facility must comply with EU barrier-free regulations.
About our expert
Marc Di Duca
Marc has been in and out of Warsaw for the last two decades, both as a travel guide author and visitor. He returns to the Polish capital for the history, and its enjoyably retro elements, from its socialist-era milk bars to the Stalinist Palace of Culture and Science that still rises above a rapidly modernising capital.