See The Wonders Of Warsaw: A City Reborn

Warsaw has quickly become one of our favorite European cities. It is the perfect combination of history and modernity. 

Approximately 85% of Warsaw was destroyed by the Nazis, so the majority of the city is brand new. On the one hand, you will find a hip, contemporary city with wide streets/sidewalks, glass-covered skyscrapers, efficient public transport, and gourmet restaurants. On the other hand, you will find an authentic, charming old town. The city’s historic core was completely rebuilt after WWII. The replicas of its medieval buildings, city walls, and cobblestone streets are practically identical to the originals. In fact, Warsaw’s entire old town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The city is incredibly clean, safe, and easy to navigate. The Polish people are friendly (and most speak impressive English). Warsaw is full of attractions for tourists, but is also very livable. 

• Restaurants in the city serve every type of cuisine you can think of. 
• Its airport has direct flights to many European cities, as well as far-away destinations such as Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv. 
• Grocery stores carry a range of local and international products. For example, we bought mortadella ham from Italy, truffles from Paris, cheddar from Ireland, and boxed mac & cheese from America all from the same store. 
• Warsaw is very pet-friendly. We took our pup on trams/buses, inside restaurants, and even into museums!

We highly recommend traveling to the Polish capital! Whether you are a history buff, music lover, foodie, or something else, you will find lots to do in Warsaw. Here are some must-see attractions to get you started:

This interactive museum, housed in a former tram power plant, traces the history of Warsaw’s heroic (but doomed) uprising against Nazi occupation in 1944. 

You will find five levels of exhibits, including at least 1500 photographs, films and sound recordings. The museum houses life-sized replicas of a B-24 Liberator bomber aircraft, a 1940s style café, a print shop, and a section of the sewer system used by the insurgents to move around the city. It also contains touching personal accounts that will help you truly appreciate the traumatic events. 

For ticket prices, opening times, and other visitor information, please go to the Warsaw Rising Museum webpage.

If the museum inspires you to learn more about Poland’s World War Two history, you should also see the Warsaw Uprising Monument (pictured here), examine what remains of the Warsaw Ghetto wall, and visit the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. 

This remarkable copy of Warsaw’s castle was built based on 18th-century paintings by Bernardo Bellotto (known in Poland as Canaletto). The castle is filled with lavish period furniture and original works of art. You can tour the royal apartments as they appeared during the reign of Poland’s last monarch, King Stanisław August Poniatowski (1764–1795). One of the most impressive rooms is the grand Throne Room, with its gilding, crimson velvet fabrics, and 86 silver-embroidered eagles. Another must-see area is The Gallery of Masterpieces, which houses the Lanckoroński art collection (including two Rembrandt paintings). 

For more information, please consult The Royal Castle in Warsaw website.

If the castle piqued your interest in Polish kings and queens, we recommend traveling 10km south of the city center to King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów. It is a magnificent Baroque palace that survived WWII almost unscathed. It features plush furnishings, coffered ceilings, 17th-century frescoes, and perfectly-manicured gardens. 

For classical music fans, visiting the Chopin Museum is a must! Situated inside the Baroque Ostrogski Palace, the museum explores Chopin’s life and works. Its collection includes printed copies of his musical compositions, portraits and busts of the composer, and personal memorabilia. One of the most important Chopin artifacts in the museum is the Pleyel grand piano the musician owned in the last years of his life. 

If you are interested in learning more about Frédéric Chopin, start by going to the Fryderyk Chopin Museum homepage. Music lovers may also want to hunt for Warsaw’s “Chopin Benches” (special park benches scattered throughout the city that play his music).

Warsaw boasts Europe’s first (and only) museum dedicated to the preservation of Cold War era neon signs. This quirky tourist attraction allows visitors to appreciate the cultural significance and artistic merit of light advertisements. Almost 100 neon signs are on display, some of which were designed by famous artists and graphic designers. We particularly enjoyed the museum because it welcomes pets! For more details, go to the Neon Museum website.

No visit to Warsaw is complete without tasting Polish vodka! Vodka is a key part of Polish celebrations, and the spirit has a long history. The Polish Vodka Museum is located in a gothic-style building that once housed the Koneser Vodka Distillery. The museum introduces visitors to Polish vodka brands such as Luksusowa and Wyborowa, and familiarizes visitors with the raw material, distilling process, and flavor profiles of Polish vodkas. Fortunately, after an informative tour, you will have the opportunity to taste some local vodka. To plan your tour and tasting, please refer to The Polish Vodka Museum site.

We have provided a mere glimpse into the wonders of Warsaw. The city has so much to offer visitors. If you get the opportunity to explore Poland’s capital, please do so!

If you are looking for other city-specific travel tips, check out our articles Basque Beauty: Best of Bilbao and Best of Vienna in Only 24 Hours.