Warsaw, the capital city of Poland was the most hit city during world war. The old town today is not the same as before.
Post-devastating war, it took a large effort to rebuild the Poles (People in Poland). Hence the city has its nickname – Phoenix city, rising from the ashes.
You start digging into the history and at óne point, I am sure that you will stop just to realize how much this country had gone through. With such a bad history and reputation, I set myself to see what the city looks like now.
Mermaid is the city’s symbol and one can find it in many places throughout the city. This Warsaw travel guide provides you with the 9 top attractions to see in Warsaw.
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Polish Zloty
The official currency is Polish złoty (Pz) and 1 Euro ~ 4.3 Pz. Compared to its Western neighbors, the city is quite cheap.
Places to see in Warsaw
1. Old town
No European city is complete without an old town and Warsaw has more to offer. Ironic to its name, the old town is only 50 years old. The Poles completely rebuilt post-war. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980, the old town dates back to the 13th century. The old town is one of the best places to see in Warsaw.
Restaurants, ice cream shops, currency exchange centers, and local markets fill up the streets of the old town.
We started the day off with a free walking tour of the old town. Since the square was not flooded with tourists, we didn’t book in advance.
This tour is available every day and look for the timings on the website. Your guide will be waiting at this location, just beside the Royal castle. Make sure that you show up on time.
The tour lasted for about 2 hours and the guide made the most of our time by taking us to every possible historic place. As a sign of gratitude, please don’t forget to tip the guide at the end of the tour.
Tip: Remember that the walking tour takes you to the spots and gives a brief history. They don’t pay entry fees to the sites. Post-tour, it’s up to you to choose which sites to enter.
2. The Royal castle
Standing majestic amidst the historic old town is the Royal castle. As a residence for the King of Poland, Sigmund III, this castle is the pride of Warsaw. Made into a museum today, it is an important monument displaying Polish culture and Heritage. You should include the castle in your Warsaw sightseeing list.
The entry price and opening hours are available on the official website. Since our time in Warsaw was limited, we couldn’t visit inside. But if you are in Warsaw, this place is a must-visit.
Beside the castle is the Vistula River. You can have a calm walk or cycle ride along the river to breathe some fresh air.
3. Warsaw Barbican
This medieval defensive wall once protected the Northern entrance of the city. It was demolished during the 18th century.
Post-war it was restored once again. The walk around the premises gives you a medieval feel. The walking tour gives a brief introduction to these historic sites.
4. The Royal Route
Beginning at the Royal Castle, this route includes the most important attractions coverable for a tourist in 30 minutes. The main places to see on this route are St. Anna’s church, Carmelite church, the Presidential palace, Adam Mickiewicz Monument, etc.
Walk through the two main streets of Warsaw – Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat to enjoy the magnificence of the Royal route.
5. Royal Łazienki Park
Parks, green squares, and lush greenery wrap up almost a quarter of Warsaw’s total area.
Among them, this vast park offers beautiful nature and stunning architecture to admire. It also has an amphitheater, court theatre, the Museum of Hunting and Horse-riding, standing sculptures and much more.
Open-air Choplin concert on Sunday afternoons is a treat for classical music lovers. If you want a quick break from the bustling day, this park is a perfect choice.
6. Palace of Culture and Science
This 231 meters tall skyscraper is Poland’s highest building. Built by the Russian workers, this palace is a ‘gift of the Soviet people for the Poles’.
Currently, the palace hosts a variety of activities such as cinemas, theatres, pubs, tourist info points, etc. The observation deck on the 30th floor gives a panoramic view of Warsaw at an altitude of 114 meters.
7. Guard change at Tomb of the Unknown soldier
Many soldiers lost their lives during the defense of their homeland. This place is dedicated to these unknown soldiers. It is one among many tombs erected post-World War.
Established in 1925 at Marshal Jozef Pilsudski Square, two guards assist the constantly lit eternal flame in the tomb.
The change in guards happens every hour and 365 days a year. Click pictures, but make sure to disturb their marching paths.
8. Polin Museum
Any museum lover will have a good time. The museum describes the history of the Poles from the middle ages to the present day. Due to high visitor traffic, I recommend buying tickets online.
9. Mały Powstaniec
This little statue stands in the memory of child soldiers who died in the war for their nation. The image in the statue is said to be a 13-year-old insurgent who went to war and lost his life.
We rented a car for 4 days and paid only 60€. This is quite economical as we were a group of 5.
The Warsaw tourist information center will help you with maps and travel tips.
Reaching Warsaw
Our eyes lit up when Skyscanner showed the air price to Warsaw was 10€ from Germany. Without wasting any time, my friend booked tickets right away on Ryanair’s official website. Our onward journey was from Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden airport at 9 am.
Usually hosting low-cost airlines, this small airport is located in the Southwestern part of Germany. The airport hosts many cheap flights all around Europe. If you want to know how to do this, read my blog on ‘How to find cheap flights in Skyscanner‘
We landed at Warsaw Modlin airport and rented the pre-booked car for 4 days. The rent was 60€ in total. From the airport, we drove directly to the old town. The airport is 40 km North-west of the Warsaw city center.
Unlike Germany, Poland had too many speed restrictions that slowed down our entire road trip.
Parking issues
Finding a parking space is time-consuming. After searching for almost 20 minutes, we sneaked into a narrow street and parked the car about 800m from the city center.
As my lists suggest, there are quite a lot of places to see in Warsaw. Overall, a day well spent in the country’s capital. We continued our road trip and the next stop was Krakow, Poland’s best city.
Time of visit: May 2018
“A little step may be the beginning of a great journey” – Anonymous