Warsaw Travel Guide
Overview
Warsaw, Poland is a vibrant city with a tragic past that underwent a rebirth after being completely destroyed in WWII. It is a city that mixes history, beauty, and modern architecture.
In this Travel Guide to Warsaw you will find all the information you need to start planning your trip to this fast growing city.
Facts & Figures:
Population: 1.765 million (2017).
Language: Polish, but basic English gets you by.
Suggested Length of Stay: 2 full days
Why should you visit?
Warsaw. One city, two faces
Each city has a place that is its showcase and a must-see on any trip. In Warsaw, it’s the Old Town, entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List – it’s where the city’s heart has been beating for centuries. However, when you cross the Vistula River and look at the Old Town from a distance, you are struck by how unusual the panorama of the city is – skyscrapers rise above the red roofs of the Old Town. Historical buildings blend in harmoniously with modern architecture, and the city surprises us by revealing its second face.
Although Warsaw is one of the most rapidly developing cities in Europe with huge potential and extraordinary energy, its residents like to look back on its history and are able to skilfully combine tradition and modernity. When you look around the city, you will see that both of its sides permeate at every step in a surprising and unique way.
This city along with Krakow, is a must see city.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Warsaw is between June and August. Although these months constitute Warsaw’s peak season, summer’s pleasant temperatures (which hover in the 60s F and 70s F / 15 degrees C and 20 degrees C ) and ample seasonal activities make up for dealing with larger crowds at attractions.
Getting around Warsaw
The best way to get around Warsaw is on foot or using public transport – a fast and inexpensive way to travel. You can choose among buses, trams and the metro. We found the best way to get around is to buy a 72 hour pass from any of the red ticket machines and use google maps to find times and locations.
1 PLN = 0.22 EURO / 0.26 USD / 0.19 GBP
10 PLN = 2.20 EURO / 2.60 USD / 1.90 GBP
Tickets:
The Warsaw metropolitan area is divided into urban zone “1” (within the city boundary) and suburban area “2”.
Ticket prices – zone 1:
• 75 minute ticket – 4,40 PLN, discount – 2,20 PLN
• 75-minute group ticket (entitles a group of up to 10 people to an unlimited number of rides for up to 75 minutes from the moment of validating the ticket): 22 PLN
• One-day ticket (valid 24h from the moment of validating the ticket): standard – 15,00 PLN, discount – 7,50 PLN
• Three-day ticket: standard – 36,00 PLN, discount – 18,00 PLN
Ticket prices – zone 1 and 2:
• 20 minute ticket – 3,40 PLN, discount – 1,70 PLN
• 90 minute ticket – 7,00 PLN, discount – 3,50 PLN
• One-day ticket (valid 24h from the moment of validating the ticket): standard – 26,00 PLN, discount – 13,00 PLN
• Weekend ticket (entitles to unlimited number of rides from 7.00 p.m. on Friday to 8.00 a.m. on Monday): standard – 24,00 PLN, discount – 12,00 PLN
• Group weekend ticket (entitles a group of up to 5 people to unlimited travel from 7.00 p.m. on Friday to 8:00 a.m. on Monday): 40,00 PLN
• Three-day ticket: standard – 57,00 PLN, discount – 28,50 PLN
Tickets must be validated immediately after boarding a bus or tram, or at the gates leading to metro platforms.
Validated tickets entitle the holder to an unlimited number of journeys within the time indicated on the ticket from the moment of validation or until arrival by public transport to the last stop or station on the route.
You can buy public transport tickets at news-stands, Passenger Service Centres and ticket machines, which you will find on most buses, in the new trams, at underground stations and near stops. In the ticket machines, which support five languages (Polish, English, German, Russian and Ukrainian), you can pay for your ticket with coins or a card. Tickets can also be purchased using a mobile phone.
Detailed information at www.wtp.waw.pl or jakdojade.pl app.
Good to know
Bus no. 180 – a regular bus line that takes you to most of the best tourist destinations in Warsaw along the Royal Route to Wilanów. The whole route takes about 60-70 minutes.
At night it is worth taking the metro, which runs until midnight on weekdays and to 3.00 am at weekends. Or take night buses marked with the letter “N”, which run from 11.15 pm to 04.45 pm.
Luggage and animals can be taken on public transport free of charge.
If you use public transportation without a valid ticket, you risk a 266 PLN fine. If you are handed a fine, you can pay it on the spot (always get proof of payment from the ticket controller). Fines can be reduced by 30%, if they are paid no later than seven days after being issued.
Public transport is free of charge for:
– children from birth until 30 September in the calendar year in which they turn 7 years old
– students of elementary schools operating in the area of Warsaw and students of elementary schools living in the area of Warsaw
– persons over 70 years of age (on the basis of a document with a photograph, containing the date of birth)
Children from the 1st of October of the calendar year in which they turn 7 until they turn 16 and students of foreign schools holding an ISIC (International Student Identity Card) until they turn 26 are entitled to half-fare travel on condition that they hold a photo-document confirming their birth date.
Detailed information about ticket prices and discount entitlements
Things to see and do
There are so many amazing things to do in Warsaw like visiting some of Warsaw’s interesting museums or enjoying panoramic viewpoints of Warsaw.
Most of the things to see in Warsaw are found in the historic center and in the old Jewish quarter. During World War II, the old town of Warsaw was completely destroyed and it was after that respecting its previous aspect was repaired until it was completely restored. Today the Stare Miasto in Warsaw is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Royal Castle
With its characteristic shape and distinct colour, you will not mistake this building for any other. The Royal Castle is the former seat of the rulers of Poland. Go inside and look at the royal apartments and the Throne Room. Pay attention to original paintings by Rembrandt and the canvases of Bernardo Bellotto, known as Canaletto, which were used during the reconstruction of Warsaw after it was destroyed in World War II. The Senator’s Hall, in which in 1791 the 3rd May Constitution was passed – the first constitution in Europe and the second in the world.
At the end of your castle experience, enter the beautifully reconstructed gardens: the upper garden situated on the castle slope and the lower one at its feet where the river used to flow in the seventeenth century. Carefully recreated in the style of the 1920s and 1930s, it not only complements the residence but it is also an ideal place to relax. The huge lawn, flower beds, fountains and mazes created from several-metre high hedges will give you a boost of energy for further sightseeing. If you have more time, stay a bit longer to see the charm of the garden in the glow of the illuminations after dark.
Ticket prices:
1 PLN = 0.22 EURO / 0.26 USD / 0.19 GBP
10 PLN = 2.20 EURO / 2.60 USD / 1.90 GBP
The Castle Route and the Gallery of Paintings: regular 30 PLN*, reduced 20 PLN*, kids 7–16 years old – 1 PLN
The Castle Route, the Gallery of Paintings and one temporary exhibition: regular 35 PLN*, reduced 25 PLN*, kids 7–16 years old – 2 PLN
The Castle Route, the Gallery of Paintings and two temporary exhibitions: regular 40 PLN*, reduced 30 PLN*, kids 7–16 years old – 3 PLN
*ticket price including an audioguide
On Wednesday admission free based on a registrar ticket available at the Ticket Office
Tickets can be purchased online here
Bell Tower at St Anne’s Church
Across the square is St. Anne’s Church, which has the Old Town Observation Terrace in its bell tower. You will walk up a narrow winding staircase to an amazing view of the whole city.
This is the viewing platform where you will take that iconic photo of Warsaw Old Town.
Price:
May – October: 10am – 9pm on weekdays and 11am – 10pm on weekends
October – May: 10am – 6pm on weekdays and 11am – 6pm on weekends
Ticket prices are 6 PLN (£1.20/$1.60) per adult and 5 PLN (£1/$1.30) for students, seniors and children under 4. Under 4’s go free.
Old Market Square
All the architecture and buildings in the market square are vibrant and colourful. Each little narrow cobbled street has shops, houses or hidden gems to explore.
Horse-drawn carriages are driven in the square and street performers entertain you. It’s like a fairy tale city.
There are plenty of restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops with competitive prices and street food vendors to grab some cheap eats.
This market square is the main draw of tourists who are heading to the capital and in the summer months can be extremely busy. Beat the crowds by getting there early in the morning.
The Warsaw Uprising Museum
If you’re in Warsaw, you really cannot say you’ve visited until you’ve understood its complex history.
The Warsaw Rising in 1944 saw the deaths of nearly a quarter of Warsaw’s population at the time. This museum is a memorial and tribute to the brave Polish souls who fought to free Warsaw from German occupation.
You can watch movies, hear stories, collect map pieces etc. For 20 Zloty (£4), it’s a great place to visit and explore history.
Purchase tickets via our recommended partner:
Wilanów Palace
This beautiful palace is a little further out than the central tourist attractions in Warsaw, but is well worth a visit if you have the time.
Originally constructed as a pleasure palace in 1677 for King Jan Sobieski III, today it’s a museum which is open for tourists to explore.
You can wander around the baroque rooms and be transported back in time to a land of royalty!
Throughout the ages, it holds the title for Warsaw’s first museum and exposition for the arts since 1805, so it houses a fine gallery of portraits and antiques.
The great thing is you can just pay to go inside the gardens and skip the palace if you’re on a budget.
The palace ticket is 20 Zloty (£4) but the park and gardens is only 5 Zl (£1), bargain.
Getting here is easy, simply catch the 519 bus from Warszawa Centrum!
Tickets can be bought online so you don’t have to queue for one. Click here
Palace of culture and science
This art deco building was Stalin’s “gift” to Warsaw and is focal high rise building which can be seen from all over the city. Fact: Polish people don’t actually like the building!
The Palace of culture and science houses a plethora of businesses, tourist information, sports clubs, theatres, a cinema and more.
Beyond having a peak inside and going up to the viewing platform, it’s a really pleasant place to come and have a walk around in the gardens outside.
Make sure you buy your 360 degree view ticket below for an amazing view of the city.
Ticket price – 60 Zloty / £11 / $15
Neon Museum
This unique museum is located at Soho Factory, the fashionable, post-industrial space in which the ‘Pocisk’ ammunition factory was located, and later the ‘Osa’ scooter factory.
You will see over 200 neon signs, iconic inscriptions and fascinating stories – this museum is a must-visit for any street art lover. Neon signs which – after having had their best years in the communist era – have fallen into oblivion, regain a second life at the museum. Renovated and colourful, their unusual designs are eye-catching and bring a touch of nostalgia.
Ticket Price: 15 zloty / £2.80 / $3.80 / €3.40
Address:
Soho Factory, Building 55
25 Minska Street
03-808 Warsaw Praga
Poland
Website: http://www.neonmuzeum.org/english
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
An unusual museum in a unique location. One thousand years of history is told in a symbolic place in the centre of Warsaw – in the pre-war district inhabited mainly by Jews, and during the war transformed by the Germans into a ghetto. The museum restores the memory of their rich culture and heritage.
There is no need to buy tickets online as it will not be overly busy.
Tickets are 15 Zloty / £2.80 / $3.80 / €3.40
The museum is free on a Thursday
Address:
6 Mordechaja Anielewicza St.
00-157 Warsaw, Poland
Purchase tickets via our partner:
Krasinski Square and the Warsaw Uprising Monument
Head to Krasiński Square to find the Uprising Monument. At one side of the square is the grand Krasinski Palace. On the other side of the square is the Warsaw Uprising Monument.
Visit the emotional Warsaw Uprising Monument dedicated to fighters who lost their lives during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 that lasted 63 days.
The monument consists of two parts, the first represents the insurgents leaving between the pillars of a bridge, and the second shows them when they enter the canal system.
University of Warsaw Library
The popular library is one of the most interesting buildings in Poland. The combination of raw concrete, green glass and lush vegetation growing on the facade of the library makes a great impression.
The biggest attraction is the impressive roof garden, one of the largest and most beautiful of its kind in Europe. The university garden is available from spring to autumn. From the bridges and observation deck you will not only see the breath-taking panorama of Warsaw, but you will also get a bird’s eye view of the interior of the library.
This is a must visit, and its free!
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a monument in Warsaw, Poland, dedicated to the unknown soldiers who have given their lives for Poland. It is one of many such national tombs of unknowns that were erected after World War I, and the most important such monument in Poland.
Watch the changing of the guard, which takes place on the hour of every hour daily.
Other things to do
Book Tours and Purchase Tickets
Where to eat
Where to stay
When we visited Warsaw we stayed at Novotel hotel.
This hotel was within walking distance of the Palace of Culture and Science and other historical sites. There is also a tram stop just outside for easy transport links.
Our favourite features:
- Fantastic value
- Friendly staff
- Large rooms
- Access to transport link
- Mini-mart in underground walk-through
Book here (add booking.com link)
Other Hotels
There a lot’s of choices of where to stay in every budget for Warsaw but we would personally recommend the Hotel Rialto. (add link)
It’s an Art Deco style hotel which had a beautiful setting and is in a quiet part of town.
Final thoughts
So, that’s the end of our Warsaw travel guide for the capital of Poland. As you can see, there is plenty to do to keep you occupied!
Enough to justify staying for at least a couple of days if you find yourself in this friendly, vibrant, capital city.
Don’t skip travelling to Waraw, stay a while and enjoy it!
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Other Poland Related Guides
Be sure to check out our other exciting guides related to Poland:
We love Warsaw! Make sure it’s on your list.
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