Warsaw, the capital and largest city of Poland, over recent years, has proven to be a fast-growing and vibrant metropolis. With almost 2 million people living in the city, it’s full of opportunities and sights to take in, making Warsaw a fantastic travel destination.
The city doesn’t have one main center but rather almost all parts of the city are unique to their own, therefore be prepared that you may need multiple days to fully explore all that Warsaw has to offer.
Since I’m originally from a country that isn’t that far away, Latvia, during my childhood, I had the impression that Warsaw was just some gray city with few things that were worth visiting but in the past two years I have been to Warsaw three times and with every time I fall in love with the city even more. And compared to my childhood perception, Warsaw isn’t even close to being gray, it’s a very colorful and radiant place. So without any further ado, let’s dive into the 11 places to visit in this amazing city!
Old Town
The old town of Warsaw is the perfect place to enjoy the oldest part of the city with architecture from the 17th and 18th Centuries, visit some notable sights, and enjoy delicious meals or drinks surrounded by the beautiful buildings and streets.
While exploring the old town, make sure to visit the Royal Castle, Presidential Palace, Market Square, King Sigismund’s Column, and the Grand Theater – National Opera building. In the old town, you can spend even a full day walking through the streets and exploring everything it offers, seeing that it’s such an alluring place.
Observation Deck
While exploring the old town, Observation Deck is another stop to not miss for some incredible views of the old town and the city surrounding it. Observation Deck, located by King Sigismund’s Column on the Bell tower of the St. Anne’s Church offers immaculate views for only PLN 10 or around 2 Euros, and only cash is accepted. To get to the top you need to take 150 steps on a spiral staircase but the climb to the top is absolutely worth it.
The opening hours vary between the high season when the tower is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the off-season when it’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. I highly recommend visiting the Observation Deck not only for how cheap it is but for what a great experience and fantastic views it offers in the heart of the old town.
Vistula Boulevard
If you are looking for a peaceful walk along a river, an active bike ride or a jog, or even a great spot to have a magical night out, Vistula Boulevard is the place for that. In the boulevard, by the Vistula River, you can find countless fun things to do and enjoy – you can relax at the small beach it offers or sunbath in one of the many lounges you will find along the way, you can go for a boat or kayak ride and see a spectacular fountain show at late summer evenings. By the boulevard, you will find the Museum of Modern Art, Copernicus Science Centre, Multimedia Fountain Park, and the famous Mermaid’s Statue. Vistula Boulevard is the perfect place to enjoy warm summer days and enjoy a different side of Warsaw.
Warsaw University Library Gardens
My favorite spot in Warsaw is, without a doubt, the University Library rooftop garden. For completely free you can access the gardens in the backyard of the library and go up to the roof where you will find gorgeous views of the city and remarkably beautiful greenery that you can walk in the middle of. The University Library Gardens, created in 2002 by landscape architect Irena Bajerska, is located just a few minutes walk from the Vistula Boulevard and is considered one of the largest roof gardens in Europe. The roof area is open for visitors from April to October but the lower garden is open all year.
If I need to recommend one spot to not miss in Warsaw, this is it. The atmosphere of the gardens is truly a magical one and the whole place is just breathtaking.
The National Museum
The National Museum, which is considered one of the largest museums in Poland and the largest one in Warsaw, is a very popular tourist destination. The museum has bounteous collections of Polish paintings as well as foreign artworks such as German, French, Italian, and many more, a collection of ancient art and very unique collection of Nubian Christian art, the largest collection of Chinese art in Poland as well as gallery of applied arts that display some unique items from 20th Century Poland. In the museum, you can also come across some temporary exhibitions that are only for a limited time there. When I visited the museum, I got a chance to see an exhibition of Polish women sculptors’ work in the 19th Century, along with some new artworks added to the museum’s collection, bought during the years from 2017 to 2022.
In this immense museum, you can spend hours admiring different collections in different galleries, purchase some outstanding books, journals, and postcards, or relax in the museum’s cafe. The museum is open every day, except on Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and till 8 p.m. on Fridays. Adult tickets are PLN 25 or around 5 Euros but on Tuesdays, the permanent gallery entrance is free and on Fridays from 5 p.m. till 8 p.m. the price has a 50% discount.
Royal Lazienki Palace or Palace on the Isle in the Royal Baths Park
One of the most beautiful palaces and parks in Warsaw undoubtedly is the Royal Lazienki Palace in the Royal Baths Park, the largest park in the city. The palace, completed in 1689, originally was created as a bath house for leisure time and resting but in 1764 King Stanislaw August purchased the building and created a summer residence. The palace, designed in classicist architecture, and gardens designed in French and English style, is built on an artificial island, splitting the lake into two parts, creating a dreamy look at the palace and the area around it.
The Royal Baths Park that surrounds the palace is the perfect place to enjoy greenery from the lively city and see a few peacocks that live in the park area and plenty of squirrels. From May 14 until September 24 you can enjoy free live concerts in the park by the Frederic Chopin monument where Polish and foreign pianists perform F. Chopin music every Sunday at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. The experience is truly extraordinary with many people laying in the grass and enjoying wonderful music with warm sun rays, it’s a must-do activity in Warsaw.
Palace of Culture and Science
Poland’s one of the tallest buildings, the Palace of Culture and Science, can be considered as a symbol of modern-day Warsaw. The 44-floor high-rise building, which was finished in 1955, can be noticeable from almost every part of the city and offers a wide variety of entertainment and culture options such as museums, theaters, exhibitions, a cinema, and restaurants and bars.
The most popular tourist destination is the View Terrace which is 114 meters from the ground on the 30th floor of the building and offers spectacular views of the city for only PLN 25 or around 5 Euros per ticket. On the top floor, you can also find a gallery, coffee place, and Gothic Hall to make the visit even more remarkable.
Warsaw Fotoplastikon
Not far from the Palace of Culture and Science, you can find Warsaw Fotoplastikon – a stereoscopic theater that uses a system of rotating stereoscopic images or modern-day 3D images. The Fotoplastikon was opened in 1905 at the same location and is considered the oldest stereoscopic theater in Europe.
You may be wondering, how does it work? There are 24 viewpoints available where you can sit and look at pictures that are being rotated every 15 seconds, accompanied by music suited to the topic. When I visited the museum, an exhibition of Warsaw in the 1930s was displayed by the photographer Henryk Podebski.
For more detailed information about stereoscopic photography, you can check the museum’s website here: https://fotoplastikonwarszawski.pl/#top
The museum is open every day, except on Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the ticket costs PLN 10 or about 2 Euros but on Thursdays, you can enjoy free entry.
Warsaw Rising Museum
The most important and heartbreaking museum in Warsaw is the Rising Museum which is dedicated to the 1944 operation that was led by the Polish underground resistance to free Warsaw from German occupation. The museum is filled with history, items, and equipment from that time, photographs, video materials, and much more. In the multi-story museum, you can spend hours reading and learning about the lives and achievements of Polish people during the war and contemplate how tragic all of that truly was.
The museum is open every day, except on Tuesdays, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on workdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. The ticket costs PLN 30 or around 6 Euros and is worth the historical importance the museum exhibits and how it makes you reflect on people’s lives who were involved in the uprising and even on our own everyday lives.
Neon Museum
Another unique spot in Warsaw is the Neon Museum which displays many historic neon signs and electro-graphic designs from the Cold War era. Upon entering the museum, you can read a short history about how neon signs were invented, what were their evolution and how they came to be on Warsaw’s streets in post-World War II time. After the short history guide, you can wander through the museum and admire the vintage signs where you will find short descriptions about them and where they were displayed back in the time. In one section of the museum, you will also find a short movie screening about neon signs in Europe in both English and Polish.
The museum is open every day from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entrance fee is PLN 16 or around 3 Euros and guided tours with prior reservation are also available. Neon Museum is a unique experience both historically and aesthetically but also since it’s one of the few neon museums in the world, therefore don’t skip this rare opportunity!
Food and coffee
Food and coffee need a separate point on this blog post since Poland is one of the best places in Central Europe to enjoy delicious and cheap meals. Whether you are looking for traditional Polish cuisines or other kinds of foods, you will find plenty of places that offer the tastiest dishes and prices that elsewhere would seem impossible.
Coffee is a passion of mine therefore I am very spoiled in finding a good cup of coffee but Warsaw proved to have many great specialty coffee places that have great and fresh options but also for very affordable prices. Some of my favorite places in Warsaw were Porta 13 Italian cafe, Mr. Bun Vietnamese restaurant, Arirang Korean restaurant, Tre Orsi Pizza – Southern Italian restaurant, Ministry of Coffee and STOR coffee shops.
After multiple visits to the city and the week I spent the last time I visited Warsaw, I still feel like I haven’t seen or experienced even half of the city’s marvelous features. Poland is becoming one of my favorite countries with how diverse and unique it is and let’s not deny how affordable it is to travel there, making this place a heaven for budget travelers. If you are hesitating about visiting Poland and Warsaw, believe me, you will enjoy it so much, just give it a try!
Check out also my other blog posts about Poland here!
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