Warsaw

Poland

Warsaw (Polish: Warszawa) is Poland's capital and largest city, with 1.7 million inhabitants. It is on the Vistula River (Polish: Wisła) in the middle of the country.

Warsaw's history of rapid development after many wars that ravaged and destroyed the city has earned it a reputation as a "phoenix city", able to recreate itself from the ruins and regain its erstwhile glory every time. During the Second World War, it suffered a fate similar to Rotterdam and Dresden in that it was almost completely razed, although in the case of Warsaw it was a much more tragic story of successive destruction and defeat. Due to the great efforts of its surviving inhabitants and, indeed the entire nation, it was rebuilt from a field of rubble, with its historic core recreated, but much of its heritage was lost. Warsaw also had one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe, which for the most part perished during the war, making Warsaw an important place of Holocaust remembrance.

Today, Warsaw is a bustling metropolis and one of the European Union's fastest-developing capitals and the Union's ninth most populous urban centre. It has a mixture of new and old in its eclectic architectural mix, and is constantly changing. While sprawling, it is quite easy to navigate for tourists thanks to a good public transit system, and most important sights are quite close to each other. There is no shortage of accommodation options and a wide choice of restaurants and bars. Warsaw's nightlife is also on the rebound, and a reborn cafe culture has taken over the city. There is a large variety of museums, galleries and other tourist attractions, and there is always something happening throughout the year.

Present-day Warsaw is a mixture of the new and old

There are records of human settlements and economic activity in the area of what is now Warsaw from the 9th century onwards, but it wasn't until the 13th century that Warsaw was founded by the Dukes of Mazovia. While developing as an administrative and economic centre, it played second fiddle to Płock within Mazovia until the 15th century, and was by no means a match for Poland's former capital, Kraków. It gained growing importance due to its economic might and strategically important central location in Poland, cemented when the Polish Sejm (parliament of nobles) relocated there permanently in the 16th century, and it became the site of royal elections.

In 1596, it became the de facto capital of the country when King Sigismund III Vasa decided to permanently relocate to what is now the Royal Castle in Warsaw. The city started to develop rapidly beyond the what is now the Old and New Town, as noblemen started moving in and building mansions and palaces around town. In the 17th century, Praga, on the right-hand side of the river Vistula, was incorporated as a separate town (and did not become a part of Warsaw until the 19th century).

While ravaged by wars and natural disasters as many other European cities in this period, Warsaw continued to grow and modernize, with baroque residences, including Wilanów being built in the 17th century, and the Saxon kings initiating first large-scale urban planning projects in the early 1700s. The last king of independent Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski, has further modernized the city following the ideals of Enlightenment in the second half of the 18th century.

At the end of 18th century, the weakened Republic of Poland was partitioned, through a period of forced diplomacy, military actions and uprisings, and Warsaw first fell into the Prussian rule, losing most of its importance. As the French emperor Napoleon marched eastwards with his army, he reestablished a small Polish state known as the Duchy of Warsaw, after its eponymous capital, but it was short-lived and was absorbed by the Russian empire in 1815, after Napoleon's defeat.

Warsaw remained a capital city under the Russian rule, as the Kingdom of Poland was reestablished, although with Russian tsars as hereditary kings and not much political independence. Warsaw was then the westernmost of major cities of the Russian empire and enjoyed economic growth as a commercial and industrial centre. While repeated uprisings and attempts to regain independence failed, Warsaw was still enriched with the creation of many cultural and educational institutions, many surviving to this day.

Warsaw's growth was curbed by a double line of military forts, protecting the strategically important Russian outpost, which by the second half of the 19th century made Warsaw one of the most dense and overpopulated cities of its time. To aid the failing hygiene, the authorities started constructing the pioneering Warsaw waterworks (led by William Lindley), and first district heating and warm water installations were laid.

At the turn of the century, Warsaw was electrified, gaining its first electric power plant, electric tramways, and a telephone network. At the start of the First World War, Warsaw was bustling, modern city of almost 1 million inhabitants, rife with opulent, belle-epoque architecture adapted to its density.

As Poland regained independence, Warsaw became the capital city of an independent country again. It suffered heavily during the war, and was soon threatened by the advancing Soviet forces, who were only repelled at the borders in the 1920 Battle of Warsaw. While political instability and struggles ensued, Poland enjoyed economic growth, optimism and proper attention to planning and urbanism in that period, and Warsaw benefited from that greatly, especially under its last interwar President, Stefan Starzyński.

Warsaw gained a state-of-the-art airport in Okęcie, a central railway through station connecting all major railway links that used to go through or terminate in the city, and an experimental TV broadcasting station. Modern and attractive planned residential districts were created outside of the historic forts line, most notably northwards in Żoliborz and Bielany. Warsaw continued to mix the new and old and many modern buildings filled in gaps between or replaced older buildings across the city, providing for the eclectic look Warsaw for which is known today.

The developments of that time, while later destroyed to a large extent in the Second World War, were instrumental to shaping Warsaw in many ways to how it was known today. Most were either rebuilt verbatim or in a similar form and place, while some survived.

For most of the Second World War, Warsaw was occupied by Nazi Germany, but it did not surrender without major fights that affected the city – over 10% of the buildings were destroyed, with the infrastructure and many other buildings damaged. The German authorities treated Warsaw as expendable and had grand plans of totally rebuilding it as a planned city, with Germanic and Nazi symbolism replacing all of the Polish heritage. This did not come into fruition, but explained why little heed was paid to preserving the city, which was also periodically bombed by the Soviet forces after 1941.

It was an especially tragic period for the Jewish population of Warsaw, which had been a significant part of the general population over pretty much all of Warsaw's history. The Nazi forces confined Jews to the Warsaw Ghetto, sprawling over much of the Western Śródmieście and the district of Wola, and proceeded with their plans to annihilate them. In 1942 the Germans carried out the Grossaktion Warschau, when more than 250,000 Jewish people were taken to the death camp in Treblinka. The minority of Jews that stayed in the Ghetto eventually carried out the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943.

In the final period of the war, the dramatic and tragic Warsaw Uprising took place in 1944. (The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 and the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 are entirely separate historic events.) It led to the destruction of most of the remaining buildings in Warsaw and further staggering loss of life, while not achieving its goal of liberating Warsaw from the German forces before the Soviets marched in. The Red Army then captured the crippled and all but razed city, cementing Poland's fate as a communist satellite state of the Soviet Union.

By 1945, Warsaw was almost completely destroyed. It is estimated that over 80% of the city was destroyed, including almost the entire city centre and most historic and significant buildings. Of almost 1.4 million inhabitants, half died during the war (including the vast majority of the Jewish population), others were forcibly removed or escaped voluntarily, and only about 10% of the initial population was found inhabiting the ruins of the city.

To rebuild the city was thus an enormous task, but there was no hesitation in the resolve to achieve it. A special committee of architects and urban planners conducted the efforts. Their paradigms shaped the city as it is known today. On the one hand, there was meticulous effort to restore the oldest and most important historic buildings using extant documentation, but also old photos and even paintings. On the other, the communist ideology ran very much against the character of pre-war Warsaw, and practical reasons and urban planning opportunities dictated planning on a larger scale, envisaging an expansive, much lower-density city.

Most architects and historians held much the late 19th century architecture in low regard and thus many of the historic buildings and areas were rebuilt to resemble their shape in the 18th century or earlier, while ideological and practical reasons limited the restoration of ornamentation to less important buildings, and centralized urban planning provided for a much more harmonious look of the rebuilt historic sections of the city than could be witnessed from before the war. The restoration was mostly completed in the 1940s and early 1950s, but it took until the 1974 to rebuild the Royal Castle. After the Royal Castle, not many other buildings were restored – among notable exceptions are the buildings of the northern side of Plac Teatralny, only recreated in late 1990s.

Apart from historic restoration, in the 1950s Warsaw has also gained a fair share of socialist-realistic architecture, which was all about monumentalism and ideologically-themed decoration. Its most prominent example is the controversial Palace of Culture and Science, which grew to become one of Warsaw's symbols. The emphasis, however, was on housing the returning and rapidly growing population, and thus Warsaw also gained many nondescript, gray residential buildings. As population continued to grow and means were scarce in the centrally-planned socialist economy, the authorities turned to prefabricated concerte, creating sprawling Plattenbau estates around Warsaw.

Since the fall of communism in 1989, Warsaw has been developing much more rapidly than Poland as a whole. It's hard to recognize the city if you saw it ten years ago, and more changes are constantly taking place. Warsaw has long been the easiest place in Poland to find employment, and for this reason many of the Polish inhabitants of the city are first or second generation, originating from all over the country. Even though much of Warsaw seems to imitate western cities, there are many peculiarities to be found here that you will not find in western capitals. Examples include the communist-era bar mleczny (lit. 'milk bar') that remain in operation (essentially cheap cafeterias for no-frills, working-class traditional Polish dining, which have remained incredibly popular in the face of westernization). Europe's largest outdoor marketplace, once around the old stadium, has disappeared as the new National Stadium was built for the Euro 2012 football championships.

Summers in Warsaw can vary from mild to exhaustingly hot. In most residences and some hotels, there is no air conditioning, which means the days and nights can be hot to the point of interrupting one's sleep. Travelers should bring light, summer clothes for the day, but bring an extra jacket for evenings, which can sometimes get a little chilly.

Winters, on the other hand, can get very cold (sometimes as low as -20 °C). Weather can often force the city to come to a standstill. When it snows, it may take up to an hour's time just to travel a few city blocks with traffic at a standstill and road crews seemingly caught off guard (despite warnings from meteorologists in several days in advance). Public transportation will also be utter chaos with buses and trams running late. On the first day of snow in 2010, it took upwards of three hours to travel from Wola to the northern tip of Mokotów; a trip that usually takes no more than 30–45 minutes. Bring heavy, water-resistant shoes when traveling in Poland in late autumn to early spring.

The Warsaw Tourist Office (Stołeczne Biuro Turystyki) is the official tourist information agency in Warsaw and can provide visitors with information regarding attractions, transport and events. They also have free maps and brochures for travelers. They operate four locations in Warsaw:

The City of Warsaw has a lot of useful information on its website. A popular source of practical tips, contacts, and current event information is the Warsaw Insider, available at every concierge, tourist information centre and larger newsagents. The Warsaw Voice is the city's most popular English-language weekly, and maintains a good calendar of events. Destination Warsaw has some useful information, but you need to be aware that it is run by Warsaw Destination Alliance, whose members are some of the tourist-related businesses in Warsaw, so the website obviously serves their promotional needs. Its main goal is the promotion of Warsaw as a destination abroad.

As is the case with most major cities, Warsaw is situated on a river. The Vistula river (Polish: Wisła) crosses the city on a north-south axis, dividing it into two parts. The western part is usually referred to as the left bank (Polish: lewy brzeg adj. lewobrzeżna Warszawa) and the eastern part as the right bank (Polish: prawy brzeg adj. prawobrzeżna Warszawa). Warsaw was founded on the left bank, while the right bank was a separate municipality, called Praga, which was incorporated into Warsaw in the 19th century. Therefore, many would refer to the right bank as "Praga", even if Praga proper is only two districts of the right bank.

Vistula in Warsaw is a broad, sprawling and partly unregulated river, which flooded the surrounding areas often in the past and continues to be somewhat of a threat today. Therefore, Warsaw is not really on the river in the sense many cities like London or Paris are, but rather near to the river, as Vienna is. The historic parts of left-bank Warsaw are a certain distance apart from the river, on an elevation called Warsaw escarpment. The part of left-bank Warsaw closer to the river (and less elevated with regard to it) called Powiśle was, until recently, of rather secondary importance and stature. The right bank is less elevated and most of the development there is separated from the river by a wide belt of shrubbery and natural beaches, allowing for flooding in periods of high tide. It is therefore visually and physically removed from the left bank. Nine bridges cross the Vistula within the boundaries of Warsaw. They are, starting from south:

  • Siekierkowski
  • Łazienkowski
  • Poniatowskiego
  • Średnicowy (railway bridge only)
  • Świętokrzyski
  • Śląsko-Dąbrowski
  • Gdański
  • Grota-Roweckiego
  • Skłodowskiej-Curie

Siekierkowski

Łazienkowski

Poniatowskiego

Średnicowy (railway bridge only)

Świętokrzyski

Śląsko-Dąbrowski

Gdański

Grota-Roweckiego

Skłodowskiej-Curie

Warsaw's left bank, or western part of the city is the dominant part, and the part deemed the city centre lies therein.

The right bank was the first one to become populated, during the 9th or 10th century. However, Warsaw's left bank or the western part of the city is the dominant one, and the present city's central district, called Śródmieście lies on the left bank. The Old Town is fully contained within the borders of the city center.

The central point of the city is at the intersection of Al. Jerozolimskie and ul. Marszałkowska, near the entrance to the Metro Centrum subway station. The main railway station, Warszawa Centralna, is also close by. It is good to know that the Palace of Culture is a landmark visible from almost any location in Warsaw. Should you ever get lost in the city, just walk toward the Palace of Culture and Science.

Traditionally, streets parallel with Vistula are numbered along the river current, i.e. the buildings with the lowest numbers are the southernmost. Streets roughly perpendicular to the Vistula are numbered from the river upwards, i.e. the lowest numbers are the closest to the river. One side of the street always has even numbers, while the other has odd ones (so if you are looking for number 8 and you see number 7, look at the opposite side of the street). There are several exceptions to those rules, e.g. the Puławska street in southern Warsaw has building numbers starting from the north, while some housing estates have sprawling areas with buildings sharing the same street name, with building numbers assigned in various ways.

The City Information System (MSI – Miejski System Informacji) can be of further aid to visitors to Warsaw. The MSI divides every district into several neighbourhoods (with informative purposes, no administrative or other role), with the neighbourhoods indicated in red on signage throughout the city. You can find the name of the MSI neighbourhood you are in on the red stripes of the building number and street signs. They are also indicated in red on directional signage, showing the way to get to a given neighbourhood. A rundown of the MSI neighbourhoods and helpful schematic maps can be found here: (the website is in Polish, but the schematics are of universal informative value, just click on the district for the rundown of the areas therein)

The districts as such are indicated on signposts with white background, while streets and other POIs with blue background, except for the Old Town and Royal Road areas, where the background is brown and a different font is used to indicate their historic character. The building number signs also often feature a small arrow pointing to the direction the building numbers in a street ascend. Street signs at intersection indicate the building numbers to be found within the block it is in (i.e. until the next intersection). On some signposts you can also find small signs showing the relation of the street they're on to the Vistula.

Other elements that can be of interest to visitors are pylons with neighbourhood maps and transparent boards on historic and significant buildings, which explain briefly their history and significance. Similar boards under street signs explain the origin of the name of the street - in case of streets named after people, they contain a short bio and usually a small portrait. An increasing number of those boards contain descriptions in both Polish and English, while others are in Polish only.

This is the city of Frederic Chopin, Maria Skłodowska-Curie, Władysław Szpilman and Pola Negri. Warsaw Old Town is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Take a walk and explore the streets and squares which have been painstakingly rebuilt after last war. Check out tumultuous history of the metropolis on the both sides of Vistula river. Explore special places and associated with the uprisings, especially one, which took place in the Ghetto and second, which happened in 1944. Book guided city walk across the city and discover how it has changed since the fall of communism. Most of the major sightseeing attractions are concentrated in Śródmieście, with some more in surrounding districts, the exception park and palace in Wilanów. Check the attractions of the Vistula river banks. That said, every district has something to offer if you have the time and want to research more, so do refer to district articles for details.

That said, most tourists will probably:

Visit the Old and New Town, the (recreated) oldest part of the city of Warsaw with the Royal Castle

From there, stroll down Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat streets (parts of the "Royal Route")

Travel along the Royal Route (Trakt Królewski) linking the Royal Castle to the Royal Palace in [[Warsaw/Wilanow|Wilanów]] (Pałac Królewski w Wilanowie), some 10 kilometers farther

See Łazienki Park with the Chopin Monument (and attend one of the free open-air concerts in the summertime)

Take the elevator to the top of Palace of Culture and Science for a panoramic view of the city, or at least take a photo of this modern-day symbol of Warsaw

Visit the most important museums – Warsaw Uprising Museum, National Museum and the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Relax on the Vistula Boulevards (Bulwary Wiślane), spreading out over 6 km of the Vistula banks

The Castle Square (pl. Zamkowy) in the Old Town (Stare Miasto)

Go on a tour of Warsaw – the Old Town and surrounding districts are sufficiently compact to allow a number of excellent walking tours through its history-filled streets. You'll see amazing things you would otherwise miss. Details are usually available from the reception desks of hostels and hotels.

Warsaw is home to several professional musical and play companies. Being the capital city means the Polish National Opera and the Warsaw Philharmonic (also, National Philharmonic) call Warsaw home. There are a number of other companies, including play companies and theaters that will likely be of interest to travellers.

  • The Cross-Culture Warsaw Festival. World music festival. Concerts and music workshops, documentary screenings, exhibitions.
  • Jewish Culture Festival – The Singer's Warsaw. August.
  • Warsaw Film Festival. October.
  • Planete+ Doc Film Festival. Documentary films. May.
  • Burn Selector Festival. Electronic & alternative music festival. September. 250 zł for two-day pass.
  • Orange Warsaw Festival. Big pop music festival on the Horse Racetrack Służewiec. May. 300 – 1000 zł for two-day pass.
  • Warsaw Summer Jazz Days. July.
  • Warsaw Autumn. International festival of contemporary music. September.
  • Long Night of Museums. A great opportunity to wander around with your date or friends and grab an ice cream cone from one of the many cafes that stay open late. Most museums and galleries will stay open past midnight. Noc Muzeów usually occurs around mid-May. Free.

If you are coming to Warsaw for a major football match, chances are it will be at the Stadion Narodowy

The Cross-Culture Warsaw Festival. World music festival. Concerts and music workshops, documentary screenings, exhibitions.

Jewish Culture Festival – The Singer's Warsaw. August.

Warsaw Film Festival. October.

Planete+ Doc Film Festival. Documentary films. May.

Burn Selector Festival. Electronic & alternative music festival. September. 250 zł for two-day pass.

Orange Warsaw Festival. Big pop music festival on the Horse Racetrack Służewiec. May. 300 – 1000 zł for two-day pass.

Warsaw Summer Jazz Days. July.

Warsaw Autumn. International festival of contemporary music. September.

Long Night of Museums. A great opportunity to wander around with your date or friends and grab an ice cream cone from one of the many cafes that stay open late. Most museums and galleries will stay open past midnight. Noc Muzeów usually occurs around mid-May. Free.

  • Watch football (soccer). The leading club is Legia Warszawa, who play in Ekstraklasa, the top tier of Polish football. Their home ground is the Piłsudski Stadium (or "Polish Army Stadium"), capacity 31,800. It's at 3 Łazienkowska St., 2 km southeast of city centre.

National games are played at Stadion Narodowy (National Stadium), a multi-purpose arena on the river's right bank, 3 km east of city centre.

  • Warsaw Eagles play American football, at the American Football Field, Tobruk Ave, 5 km north of city centre.

Watch football (soccer). The leading club is Legia Warszawa, who play in Ekstraklasa, the top tier of Polish football. Their home ground is the Piłsudski Stadium (or "Polish Army Stadium"), capacity 31,800. It's at 3 Łazienkowska St., 2 km southeast of city centre.

ATMs (Polish: bankomat) are plentiful around Warsaw. Visa, MasterCard, Visa Electron, and Maestro are widely accepted at most establishments. AmEx and Diners' Club are not as commonly accepted.

Indoor shopping malls (Polish: centrum handlowe pl. centra ~, often abbreviated CH) are also plentiful in Warsaw. Usually open 08:00—22:00, most malls will have a food court, restaurants, cinema, and some may have a sports hall with billiards tables or a bowling alley.

Tesco and Carrefour are the largest supermarkets in Europe, and they are also present in Poland, offering just about everything, including groceries, at low prices. The biggest supermarket chain is Biedronka. In 2019 a new law was passed that does not allow most of the shops to open on Sundays. If you find yourself in need of shopping on Sunday, you have to count on some smaller shops where the owners work themselves.

Warsaw is not globally renowned for its culinary scene, but it lacks nothing compared to other European capitals with regard to it. There is a wide choice of eateries from the most basic and cheapest to very sophisticated, and many different types of food are available throughout the city. Finding a unique dining experience is feasible daily.

For those on a budget, there are many kebab shops sprinkled around Warsaw, especially in Śródmieście, which offer decent food and portions for the fair price of 7-13 zł a kebab. Other cheap alternatives are milk bars, which are discussed later in the section, and Vietnamese restaurants.

If you are looking for a premium dining experience, your best chances are in Śródmieście, but away from the Royal Route. In Praga, head for Saska Kępa, and you will also find a fair share of upscale restaurants in Wilanów. New and innovative places crop up in the most unexpected locations, so do acquaint yourself with the district guides for the latest tips.

Warsaw is home to both Polish restaurants that hold Michelin stars:

  • Atelier Amaro, ul. Agrykola 1 (entrance from plac Na Rozdrożu square, +48 (22) 628 57 47, +48 607 970 000. Author's cuisine restaurant of chef Wojciech Modest Amaro. The restaurant does not offer à la carte dishes, in fact it doesn't have a fixed menu at all. Smart casual dress code is expected. Menus from 260 zł.
  • Senses, ul. Bielańska 12, +48 (22) 331 96 97. A "private dining" restaurant, author's cuisine of chef Andrea Camastra. Reservation required. From 170 zł.

Atelier Amaro, ul. Agrykola 1 (entrance from plac Na Rozdrożu square, +48 (22) 628 57 47, +48 607 970 000. Author's cuisine restaurant of chef Wojciech Modest Amaro. The restaurant does not offer à la carte dishes, in fact it doesn't have a fixed menu at all. Smart casual dress code is expected. Menus from 260 zł.

Senses, ul. Bielańska 12, +48 (22) 331 96 97. A "private dining" restaurant, author's cuisine of chef Andrea Camastra. Reservation required. From 170 zł.

The new trend in Warsaw are food fairs, where fresh foodstuffs can be bought directly from producers, both for further processing and preparation at home and as ready dishes for consumption on site. Usually, some space for communal meals is provided. This can be a very nice option for breakfast or lunch. Some of the options are:

  • Targ Śniadaniowy, al. Wojska Polskiego 1; Skwer Grupy AK Granat and other places. Sa 09:00—16:00. Organised every weekend in various parts of town, usually

Targ Śniadaniowy, al. Wojska Polskiego 1; Skwer Grupy AK Granat and other places. Sa 09:00—16:00. Organised every weekend in various parts of town, usually

Tourists will be happy to know there's no shortage of fast food in Warsaw. The city is rife with McDonald's and Subway outlets, there are also many KFCs and Pizza Huts, and a growing number of Burger King restaurants (the latter mostly in shopping centres). For a quick bite, chain cafés that are around every corner in the city centre, the shopping centres and many office buildings will offer you pre-made sandwiches and salads. Some more sophisticated cafés will make salads, ciabattas and sandwiches on site.

There is no particular Polish kind of fast food, as the traditional Polish cuisine does not really lend itself well to quick preparation or quick eating. Therefore, apart from the above international chain places, that niche in Warsaw is filled with kebab places and cheap pizzerias, similar to ones that you would find in most other European cities. Pizzerias are often chain places as well, and many do telephone deliveries, takeaways as well as offer tables to eat on the premises. Kebabs can often only do takeaway, and are often open all night long, much to the delight of taxi drivers and partygoers.

Remnant of the communist era, milk bars (Polish: bar mleczny, bary mleczne) were created in the 1960s to serve cheap meals based on milk products. After the fall of communism, most of them closed down but some survived and still bear the climate from the old days. Almost everything inside looks, feels and smells like in the 1980s. Milk bars attract students and senior citizens, because of the low prices (soup and the main course together may cost as little as 10 zł). The food served by milk bars can actually be quite palatable. Even if you can afford more expensive meals, milk bars are interesting because they offer somewhat a view of life before democratization in Poland. Nowadays they became even that popular, that new chains and milk bars are recreated.

Old Town and areas like pl. Trzech Krzyży, ul. Nowy Świat, ul. Chmielna, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście in Śródmieście are saturated with cafés. Coffee typically costs about 10-15 zł. Beer can cost 5-15 zł for half a liter (the supermarket price being 2.50-3 zł). Drink prices in clubs can go up to 50 zł. Drinking alcoholic beverages in public places is prohibited, but there are several places chosen by the local government where it can be possible.

Clubs are plentiful in Warsaw and are a very popular way to spend nearly every night out.

The most popular nice and chic clubs are on ul. Mazowiecka in Śródmieście. You will be denied entrance if you wear sport shoes, no matter how expensive they are. Inconspicuous black shoes will normally do the trick.

Student clubs are popular and usually moderately priced, but can be hit or miss. Normally, the centrally located Hybrydy is a good option for night out. Other student clubs, like Stodoła or Remont in Śródmieście, and Park in Mokotów, are less predictable and quality isn't necessarily a concern for these clubs' patrons. If the point is to get drunk, then these are the place to go for a cheap drink.

Beware of certain bouncers (for example in Park), they are not the talkative kind if they suspect you of something.

In addition, there are clubs in Wola and Mokotów as well as several popular and down-to-earth clubs in the Praga districts.

Warsaw's music scene can sometimes be disappointing, but it's a matter of knowing where to look because Warsaw has an abundance of musical delights, they just need to be ferreted out. Headline acts perform at the Bemowo airport in the Bemowo district and at the Stadion Narodowy (National Stadium) in the Praga Południe district of Warsaw. Smaller acts are hosted at clubs and concert halls around the city, but primarily in the center of Warsaw.

Throw stereotypes out the door. For Poles, one of the most important staples to quench their thirst is not wódka or beer, but rather tea and coffee. As such, you're likely come across dozens and dozens of cafés. Chain-wise, Coffee Heaven and W Biegu Cafe are the big players. Starbucks is also in Warsaw. The real treat of Warsaw, however, are small cafés that are littered about Warsaw. For the most part, a good cup of tea or coffee can be had for 5-10 zł a cup. A small tea kettle is between 20-30 zł.

  • Central Post Office, ul. Świętokrzyska 31/33. Open 24/7.

Central Post Office, ul. Świętokrzyska 31/33. Open 24/7.

Free wi-fi is widespread in Warsaw. Municipal hot-spots (freewifi.waw.pl) are free of charge and available in over 150 localities throughout the city. Those include the Old Town, most of public parks, major city squares, the vicinity of most public buildings and museums. They are all marked by blue or purple "HOT SPOT UM-Warszawa" plaques hanging on street lamps. It is also available in over 300 city buses and some tramways (marked with a white and blue wi-fi icon at the doors).

Most restaurants and cafes also offer access to free wi-fi. The networks are usually either open, or require a password (usually available at the bar) or accepting the regulations (usually in Polish).

Internet cafés (Polish: kawiarenka internetowa) are rare in Warsaw.

  • Tourist Information Center. You can use the computers with Internet for 30 minutes for free.
  • Arena, Booth 2001D, Centrum metro station building (500m north from Central Train Station at ul. Marszałkowska, across hotel Novotel, +48 22 620 80 32. 07:00-00:00. Over 20 machines. 5 zł/hour, pay as you go.
  • Cafe Net, Booth 2010C, Centrum metro station building (500 m north from Central Train Station at ul. Marszałkowska, across hotel Novotel. 07:00-00:00. Over 20 machines. 6 zł/hour, prepay.
  • Verso, Freta 17 (Stare Miasto – Old Town. Photo and printing shop in which there are 3 computers for public Internet access. 5 zł/hour; 1 zł/5 minutes.

Tourist Information Center. You can use the computers with Internet for 30 minutes for free.

Arena, Booth 2001D, Centrum metro station building (500m north from Central Train Station at ul. Marszałkowska, across hotel Novotel, +48 22 620 80 32. 07:00-00:00. Over 20 machines. 5 zł/hour, pay as you go.

Cafe Net, Booth 2010C, Centrum metro station building (500 m north from Central Train Station at ul. Marszałkowska, across hotel Novotel. 07:00-00:00. Over 20 machines. 6 zł/hour, prepay.

Verso, Freta 17 (Stare Miasto – Old Town. Photo and printing shop in which there are 3 computers for public Internet access. 5 zł/hour; 1 zł/5 minutes.

The area code for Warsaw is 22, and it must be dialed even when making local calls (however, it will almost always be already included in the number). Don't use "0" at the beginning of the number. When calling internationally to Poland, dial the country code, +48 (or 0048), followed by the rest of the number.

Pay phones are very rare, and it is therefore best to rely on other means of communication. Pay phones are only operable using calling cards that can be bought at post offices.

Pre-paid SIM cards with Polish phone numbers cost as little as 5 zł and can be purchased from just about any major carrier. Many kiosks sell them.

Warsaw is a safe city overall. The city center has a strong police presence and is generally a very safe area. The Praga districts used to be dangerous, but this is generally more hype than reality. Of course, it would be wise to exercise a little extra caution if you're in an area you do not know well. The bus and rail stations can be a magnet for homeless and drunkards, who, for the most part, will leave you alone.

Some areas south of the Palace of Culture and Science and the train station have a rather seedy feel to them, especially at night. Same goes for much of the neighborhoods immediately surrounding Warsaw-Chopin airport.

Though nowhere nearly as prevalent as in other major cities, pickpockets can sometimes be a problem and you should be careful to hold onto your belongings when in a large crowd or on buses (Number 175, which runs from the airport to city center, is reportedly infamous for pickpockets). At bars and clubs, a good rule of thumb is the cheaper the door entry and the laxer the bouncers are about letting people in, the more likely you're going to want to keep extra care of your wallet, passport, cell phone, and camera.

Violent behavior is extremely rare and if it occurs it is most likely alcohol-related. While pubs and clubs are generally very safe, nearby streets may be scenes of brawls, especially late at night. Try to avoid confrontations. Women and girls are generally less likely to be confronted or harassed since the Polish code of conduct strictly prohibits any type of violence (physical or verbal) against women.

Visitors not knowing Polish may also be the target of "bar girls," especially in Underground off of ul. Mazowiecka on days where there isn't a cover charge. Be cautious if you encounter a girl speaking English who will offer you a drink or a cigarette. She will then ask you to walk her to her car parked outside of the club and then explain how her friend still inside of the club has her car keys. Then she will ask if you would like to share a cab back to her place for 70 zł and then go back to the club. Doing so puts yourself in danger because it isn't known where she lives and you could be setting yourself up for possible harm or other scams.

Just like in any other major European city, football hooligans can be a problem before or after large football events. Naturally, it's best to avoid them, because they might be violent. At the same time, all major sport events are monitored and controlled by special police units, so unless you find yourself in the middle of the confrontation between hooligans and the police, you should be fine.

In case of emergencies, call emergency services. The number for the police: 997, firefighters: 998, Ambulance: 999. The common European emergency number 112 works too.

  • St Paul's English Speaking Catholic Parish of Warsaw, al. Solidarności 90 (Metro: Ratusz Arsenał, then walk west along al. Solidarności for 600 m; tram/bus: Kino Femina, +48 22 826 73 95. Warsaw's only English-language Catholic Masses are held here, with services at 12:00 and 19:30 every Sunday. The congregation mostly consists of resident foreigners, including many members of the local Filipino community, as well as some locals.
  • International Christian Fellowship, ul. Puławska 326 (Corner of ul. Puławska and ul. Płaskowickiej. In the Ursynów district, +48 607 309 490. Service is held every Sunday at 10:30. This is a non-denominational church with Protestant leanings. Anyone and everyone is welcome and if you're a newcomer you're likely to be greeted by people who notice a new face in the crowd. You may even be invited for coffee after the service. The congregation is made of Brits, Germans, Poles, Americans, and Aussies, and other nationalities.
  • Nożyk Synagogue, ul. Twarda 6, +48 22 652 28 05. Erev Shabbat services begin 15 minutes before sunset. Shabbat morning services begin at 09:30. This is Warsaw's only Orthodox Jewish synagogue that is still in operation.
  • Warsaw International Church, ul. Miodowa 21b (Metro: Ratusz Arsenał, +48 22 842 23 51. Worship service and Sunday School every Sunday at 11:00.
  • Islamic Center of Warsaw, ul. Wiertnicza 103, +48 22 88 56 276.
  • Sikh Temple Warsaw, ul. Na Skraju 56, Raszyn, +48 22 86 84 541.

St Paul's English Speaking Catholic Parish of Warsaw, al. Solidarności 90 (Metro: Ratusz Arsenał, then walk west along al. Solidarności for 600 m; tram/bus: Kino Femina, +48 22 826 73 95. Warsaw's only English-language Catholic Masses are held here, with services at 12:00 and 19:30 every Sunday. The congregation mostly consists of resident foreigners, including many members of the local Filipino community, as well as some locals.

International Christian Fellowship, ul. Puławska 326 (Corner of ul. Puławska and ul. Płaskowickiej. In the Ursynów district, +48 607 309 490. Service is held every Sunday at 10:30. This is a non-denominational church with Protestant leanings. Anyone and everyone is welcome and if you're a newcomer you're likely to be greeted by people who notice a new face in the crowd. You may even be invited for coffee after the service. The congregation is made of Brits, Germans, Poles, Americans, and Aussies, and other nationalities.

Nożyk Synagogue, ul. Twarda 6, +48 22 652 28 05. Erev Shabbat services begin 15 minutes before sunset. Shabbat morning services begin at 09:30. This is Warsaw's only Orthodox Jewish synagogue that is still in operation.

Warsaw International Church, ul. Miodowa 21b (Metro: Ratusz Arsenał, +48 22 842 23 51. Worship service and Sunday School every Sunday at 11:00.

Islamic Center of Warsaw, ul. Wiertnicza 103, +48 22 88 56 276.

Sikh Temple Warsaw, ul. Na Skraju 56, Raszyn, +48 22 86 84 541.

Most hotels and hostels either offer laundry services or have washers and dryers available for use by guests. Additional fees may be incurred for use of these services or machines. Otherwise, you can find a full-service laundry shop at just about any mall, however, these might be expensive. There are self-service laundromats in Warsaw:

  • Blanc Lys Laundry, ul. Księcia Janusza 23, +48 508 162 810. 08:00-20:00.

Blanc Lys Laundry, ul. Księcia Janusza 23, +48 508 162 810. 08:00-20:00.

  • Belarus Belarus, ul Wiertnicza 58, +48 22 742 0990. M-F 08:00—16:15.
  • Bulgaria Bulgaria, al Ujazdowskie 33/35, +48 629 40 71-75.
  • Canada Canada, ul Jana Matejki 1/5, +48 22 584 3100.
  • Czech Republic Czech Republic, ul Koszykowa 18, +48 22 525 1850.
  • Denmark Denmark, ul. Marszałkowska 142, +48 22 565 29 00.
  • Finland Finland, Ul. Fr. Chopina 4/8, 00-559 Warszawa, +48 22 598 9500. M-F 09:00-12:00.
  • Georgia Georgia, N6 Berneńska Str., +48 22 616 62 21, +48 22 616 62 22, +48 22 616 62 25.
  • Germany Germany, ul. Jazdów 12, +48 22 58 41 700.
  • Greece Greece, Górnośląska 35, +48 22 622 9460, +48 22 622 9461.
  • Hungary Hungary, ul Fryderyka Chopina 2, +48 22 628 4451.
  • Ireland Ireland, ul Mysia 5, 6F, +48 22 849 6633. 09:00—13:00 and 14:00—17:00.
  • Japan Japan, ul Szwoleżerów 8, +48 22 696 5000.
  • Norway Norway, ul Chopina 2A, +48 22 696 40 30.
  • Philippines Philippines, ul. Stanisława Lentza 11, +48 22 490 2025.
  • Romania Romania, ul. Fryderyka Chopina 10, +48 22 621 5983. M-F 08:30—17:00.
  • Russia Russia, ul Belwederska 49, +48 22 621 3453.
  • Spain Spain, ul Myśliwiecka 4, +48 22 583 4000.
  • Sweden Sweden, Ul. Bagatela 3, +48 22 640 89 00.
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom, ul Emilii Plater 28 (Inside the Warsaw Corporate Centre, +48 22 311 0000. M Tu Th-F 08:30—14:00; W 08:30—12:00.
  • United States United States, Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, +48 22 504 2000. If you have an emergency outside of normal embassy business hours, dial the first phone number and ask to speak with an Embassy Duty Officer.
  • Ukraine Ukraine, Al. J.Ch. Szucha 7, +48 22 629-34-46, +48 22 622-15-49, +48 22 622-47-97, +48 22 629-05-79.

Belarus Belarus, ul Wiertnicza 58, +48 22 742 0990. M-F 08:00—16:15.

Bulgaria Bulgaria, al Ujazdowskie 33/35, +48 629 40 71-75.

Canada Canada, ul Jana Matejki 1/5, +48 22 584 3100.

Czech Republic Czech Republic, ul Koszykowa 18, +48 22 525 1850.

Denmark Denmark, ul. Marszałkowska 142, +48 22 565 29 00.

Finland Finland, Ul. Fr. Chopina 4/8, 00-559 Warszawa, +48 22 598 9500. M-F 09:00-12:00.

Georgia Georgia, N6 Berneńska Str., +48 22 616 62 21, +48 22 616 62 22, +48 22 616 62 25.

Germany Germany, ul. Jazdów 12, +48 22 58 41 700.

Greece Greece, Górnośląska 35, +48 22 622 9460, +48 22 622 9461.

Hungary Hungary, ul Fryderyka Chopina 2, +48 22 628 4451.

Ireland Ireland, ul Mysia 5, 6F, +48 22 849 6633. 09:00—13:00 and 14:00—17:00.

Japan Japan, ul Szwoleżerów 8, +48 22 696 5000.

Norway Norway, ul Chopina 2A, +48 22 696 40 30.

Philippines Philippines, ul. Stanisława Lentza 11, +48 22 490 2025.

Romania Romania, ul. Fryderyka Chopina 10, +48 22 621 5983. M-F 08:30—17:00.

Russia Russia, ul Belwederska 49, +48 22 621 3453.

Spain Spain, ul Myśliwiecka 4, +48 22 583 4000.

Sweden Sweden, Ul. Bagatela 3, +48 22 640 89 00.

United Kingdom United Kingdom, ul Emilii Plater 28 (Inside the Warsaw Corporate Centre, +48 22 311 0000. M Tu Th-F 08:30—14:00; W 08:30—12:00.

United States United States, Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, +48 22 504 2000. If you have an emergency outside of normal embassy business hours, dial the first phone number and ask to speak with an Embassy Duty Officer.

Ukraine Ukraine, Al. J.Ch. Szucha 7, +48 22 629-34-46, +48 22 622-15-49, +48 22 622-47-97, +48 22 629-05-79.

Chopin's mansion in Żelazowa Wola

  • Kampinos Forest (~15 km, take the 708 bus from Młociny underground station) – A wild and beautiful primeval forest, often called the green lungs of Warsaw, and an ideal choice for a day off from the noise of the city
  • Konstancin-Jeziorna (~20 km, take the 700 bus) – A spa town with a spacious park. Famous for its clean air and high housing prices.
  • Kraków (~300 km, in just under 3 hours by hourly IC/Ex trains) – The former capital of Poland, this was the European City of Culture in 2000.
  • Lublin (~200 km) – A medieval city with a well preserved old town, it is now the largest city and main tourist attraction in eastern Poland.
  • Kazimierz Dolny (~150 km, less than two hours by TLK train to Puławy, then half an hour by bus) – A Renaissance town with a picturesque marketplace, it is a hub for painters and Boheme.
  • Żelazowa Wola (~50 km) – The birthplace of Frédéric Chopin.
  • Brest, 200 km away in Belarus, on the border with Poland and rich with history from both the Soviet times and before. The Brest Hero Fortress is perhaps the most impressive Soviet monument ever built, and there's the train museum, and its incredible collection of Soviet-time locomotives,as well. You can go there by train (one train a day, that 4-5 hrs). Same visa regulations as rest of Belarus; the new visa-free regulations for citizens of 80 countries since 2017 is not eligible when coming/leaving by train.