Warsaw In Your Pocket City Guide _ Winter 2021

Maps

Events

Sightseeing

Restaurants

Warsaw

Nightlife

SINCE 1992

No. 120, Winter 2021/2022

City Guide

Warsaw Winter Wonderland

p.10

Festive Flavours at Browary

p.14

Jewish Heritage Tourism

p.48

Shopping

STORES IN WARSAW: Złote Tarasy, Złota 59.

Westfield Arkadia, Al. Jana Pawła II 82.

victoriassecret.pl

Contents

Warsaw Feature

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Holiday decorations on ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście.

Foreword p.6 Features

Warsaw for the Holidays ���������������������������������������� p.10 What’s Brewing at Browary: Holiday Edition �����p.14 Traditional Polish Dishes ���������������������������������������� p.68

Events What’s On in Warsaw: Winter 2021/2022 ������������p.16 Such a Landscape: Wilhelm Sasnal at POLIN �����p.19

Transport p.20 Sightseeing

Essential Warsaw ������������������������������������������������������ p.22 Old Town Walking Tour ������������������������������������������� p.24 The Royal Route ������������������������������������������������������� p.30 Łazienki Park ��������������������������������������������������������������� p.35 Wilanów ���������������������������������������������������������������������� p.38 Powiśle ������������������������������������������������������������������������� p.40 Praga ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� p.46 Jewish Warsaw ���������������������������������������������������������� p.48 Warsaw Uprising ������������������������������������������������������ p.52 Museums �������������������������������������������������������������������� p.54

Activities & Experiences p.58 Kids & Families ����������������������������������������������������������� p.60 4

Day Trips from Warsaw p.62 Breakfast & Brunch p.64 Restaurants New & Featured �������������������������������������������������������� p.68 Fine Dining ���������������������������������������������������������������� p.70 Casual Dining �������������������������������������������������������������p.74 Food Markets ������������������������������������������������������������ p.78

Nightlife

New & Featured �������������������������������������������������������� p.80 Bars ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� p.82 Clubs ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� p.86 Adult Entertainment ���������������������������������������������� p.89

Shopping p.90 Maps

City Centre Map ����������������������������������������������������p.7 City Map �����������������������������������������������������������������p.8 Old Town Map ��������������������������������������������������� p.25 Royal Route Map ����������������������������������������������� p.31 Łazienki Map ������������������������������������������������������� p.37 Wilanów Map ����������������������������������������������������� p.39 Powiśle Map �������������������������������������������������������� p.41 Praga Map ����������������������������������������������������������� p.46

Foreword The precious guide you hold in your hands is the landmark, milestone, marquee 120th EDITION of Warsaw In Your Pocket! [We hope you have a second mint copy vacuum-sealed and stored away safely.]

Published every two months, junior mathematicians will quickly deduce that this gallant guidebook has been directing readers to the best of the Polish capital for nigh on 20 years now - a major accomplishment when you consider how much society, technology and the publishing industry have changed since 2001.

Through two decades WIYP has been constant (even outlasting the War in Afghanistan!), but no challenge has been as great as the last two years. COVID-19 has not been kind to our industry, and the fact that we are sending another edition of Warsaw’s best guidebook to the printer is testament to our absolutely incredible staff and sales team (Jarek Śliwiński, take a bow), and the awesome clients who believe in what we do and support our efforts. So with thanks, appreciation and hope for the future, from all of us here at Poland In Your Pocket to you: Happy Holidays, Merry New Year, and we look forward to being with you in 2022. Cue the fireworks and pop the champagne!

A native of Bucks County, PA, Garrett Van Reed has been living in Poland for 15 years. He believes in good writing, local insight, and that giving travellers the offline tools to explore destinations independently is the best way to beat the bots and create meaningful connections between people and places.

Toruń

Lublin

6

Cover Story Warsaw’s most iconic building, the Palace of Culture & Science was built under Stalin’s directive after WWII to be the ‘Soviet Empire State Building’ (p.23). Get this high for stunning views from the 30th floor terrace. Photo by Konrad Kotowski; on Instagram @podniebny_kot

Publisher & Staff Publisher IYP City Guides Sp. z o.o. Sp.k. ul. Karmelicka 46/51, 31-128 Kraków iyp.com.pl poland@inyourpocket.com Circulation 15,000 copies published every 2 months Writer & Editor: Garrett Van Reed Sales Consultant: Jarek Śliwiński (+48) 606 749 643 Events & Marketing: Monika Boguszewska-Stopka (+48) 728 879 494 Research: Klaudia Lancewicz Layout & Maps: Tomáš Haman Copyright Notice Content and photos copyright IYP City Guides Sp. Z o.o Sp.k. unless otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The brand name In Your Pocket and maps are used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Bernardinu 9-4, Vilnius, LT, tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76).

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Warsaw for the Holidays Holiday magic on the Old Town Market Square.

Warsaw is hardly the first city that springs to mind when it comes to festive holiday cheer. The city’s modern skyscrapers and austere socialist architecture don’t exactly inspire visions of sugarplums or fit in amongst the gumdrop-gabled gingerbread villages of the Hallmark imagination. With climate change dimming the chances of snow, things must be more dreary than ever in December and January…

Okay, let’s slap that notion right out of your head (whap!). In fact, Warsaw is arguably its best self during the holiday season, when decorative lights illuminate the main thoroughfares, open-air holiday markets spring up across town, families and friends come together over well-loved traditions, comfort food feeds the bellies, and the entire city seems to be giddy with mulled wine and glowing with good will.

For visitors who may not be intimate participants in all of the season’s predominantly Catholic customs and traditions, there is still much to experience and enjoy, so let’s run you through the highlights.

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Holiday Illuminations It seems that the capital is keenly aware of its reputation as a cold slab of grey post-communist humbug because every December and January it goes to great lengths to brighten itself up. What lengths exactly? Almost 700km according to the city’s own estimation of how far its holiday decorations would stretch if laid out in a line (basically all the way to Vienna!). Around Warsaw they cover about 20km of the city’s streets, illuminating the Old Town and the major thoroughfares of ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście, ul. Nowy Świat and ul. Marszałkowska. As such, the Old Town (p.24), the Royal Route (p.30) and Wilanów (keep reading) are the best places to really soak up Warsaw’s winter magic, where the decorations go beyond simple lights on strings but include entire illuminated installations along the way. Best of all, Warsaw keeps its lights on well past Christmas and all throughout January to keep its cold, grey reputation from creeping in until February 15th.

Warsaw for the Holidays

Wilanów Royal Garden of Light Each year the gardens around Wilanów Palace (p.38) also become a colourful and festive wonderland of lights, as literally thousands of tiny LEDs trace the baroque contours of the sculptures, gardens and plants. One of Warsaw’s most beloved holiday traditions, almost every local family turns out at some point during the long festive season to see these impressive illuminations, and you should too. Some areas of the garden are even programmed to change their lighting in sync with the sounds of Chopin and other music every 15-30mins. Note that the last entrance to the gardens is at 20:30.

In addition to the illuminated gardens, custom animations are projected on the facade of the palace using 3D mapping technology on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings only at exactly 17:30, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30 and 20:30. Each show incorporates art, light and enchanting Baroque music with bits of history and whimsy, and each 15min show is different; that is to say that if you stay all night freezing your extremities, you’ll be rewarded with five different animations.Qwww.wilanow-palac.pl. Open 16:00-21:00 (last entrance 20:30). Tickets Mon-Thu 20/5zł, Fri-Sun 40/10zł; children under 7 free.

Old Town Christmas Market & Ice Rink In contrast to most Polish cities, which turn their market squares into crammed Christmas fairs this time of year, Warsaw flexes its capital city credentials by turning practically its entire Old Town district into a winter wonderland of festive sights, sounds and smells, illuminated with thousands of decorative lights. Arguably the most magical Christmas market in Poland, the handsome wooden huts of Warsaw’s holiday fair stretch from Plac Zamkowy (F-4, p.25), along ul. Podwale and the city’s old defensive walls, all the way to the Barbican, and then onto the Old Town Square (p.27), which also hosts market stalls and an ice rink around the Warsaw Mermaid. That’s quite a lot of ground to cover, and along the way you’ll find plenty of unique propositions for presents and gifts, from holiday decorations and handicrafts to toys, sweets and local food products. Also don’t miss trying some traditional Polish dishes, served hot around the market - oscypek (smoked cheese), kiełbasa and kaszanka (black pudding) to name a few, and make sure you treat yourself to some grzaniec (hot mulled wine) or miód pitny (mead). Once you’ve exhausted yourself walking around the market stalls, lace up your skates and try to impress the busty onlooker at centre ice.QOpen until January 6, 11:00-21:00. Admission free.

Skate rental 10zł/hr.

3D mapping projections on the facade of Wilanów Palace | Photo by Marcin Mastykarz.

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Warsaw Winter Wonderland

Multimedia Fountain Park

New Year’s Eve 2021

A short walk north of the Old Town you’ll find Multimedia Fountain Park, whose main attraction is - can you guess?

- a spectacular fountain that can spray 800 cubic metres of water 25m into the air as part of a stunning show combining light, sound, water and lasers. The achieved visual effects include Warsaw’s iconic Syrena (mermaid) moving through a curtain of water. In winter these free shows are set to holiday music and take place on-the-hour from 16:00 to 20:00 (last show) until the end of January. Super popular, get there early to enjoy the beautifully decorated park, which includes a light maze, and stake out a seat.QF-3, Skwer im. I Dywizji Pancernej, www.park-fontann.pl.

If you’re in Warsaw for New Year’s Eve and looking for a raucous night to remember forever, COVID-bedamned, you’ll be happy to know that all bets are still on. Known locally as ‘Sylwester’ (like the cat, or the Stallone if you prefer), on the last night of the year every bar, club, restaurant and hotel in town will be hosting a private all-night New Year’s Eve bash. These events are typically ticketed and very expensive, and current restrictions in place mean all events will theoretically be limited to 100 people max, so make sure you’ve planned in advance or you might not get that midnight kiss from a stranger. Your celebratory options are literally limitless, and you can find a list of parties online at warsawnow.pl/sylwester-wwarszawie-2021-22.

City Centre Skiing Poles are crazy about winter sports, but you may have observed that Warsaw is a bit flat. No bother, if you haven’t got a hill, build one! That’s certainly the case with Górka Szczęsliwicka (Szczęśliwicka Hill) which started out as a dumping ground for rubble after World War II, and was later used as a general refuse dump. It was only in the late 1960s that the rubbish was covered with earth and turned into a park, and it’s featured a ski centre since the 1980s. Located in the Ochota district, just 5km southwest of the train station, this is the tallest hill in Warsaw, and measures 152m.

Modernised in 2020, it features rental facilities, ski lifts and you can even take skiing/snowboarding lessons.

Qul. Drawska 22, www.gorka-szczesliwicka.com.

Behold, ‘tis Melchior! Three Kings Day parade.

Photo by Mat Fahrenholz.

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In most years the city would provide you with the exciting fallback plan of joining tens of thousands of people on Plac Bankowy, for Warsaw’s New Year’s Eve gala. Involving an unbelievably complex stage set-up and short sets by the biggest national pop stars, the event is otherwise known as the ‘Polish Super Bowl Halftime show,’ but for the past two years it has been canceled due to the pandemic. As for fireworks, it’s not clear if the city will invest in a big showcase this year, so it may be on you to bring the sparklers.

Three Kings Day Parade 2022 Despite a damper being thrown on mass nondenominational mayhem, Catholic traditions must go forward. Three Kings Day, known as ‘Epiphany’ in most of the west, is observed on January 6th and marks the end of the holiday season in Poland (though carolling continues, and decorations generally stay up until February). A national bank holiday, Three Kings is celebrated with colourful and grand processions in most major Polish cities, in which the three wise men - Kaspar (aka Casper), Melchior and Balthazar make their way to the nativity to see the baby Jesus.

Warsaw, being the capital of course, has the largest Three Kings procession in the world (according to the organisers), and it is indeed something to behold. Although this year may not play entirely to type due to the pandemic, the procession generally involves the three wise men riding on camelback amidst colourfully costumed courtiers as carols are sung by a massive crowd wearing paper crowns. Plac Zamkowy (F-4) is ground zero for the procession which begins at 12:00 and winds down Krakowskie Przedmieście to Plac Piłsudskiego (F-6), where there is a live nativity and more singing and festivities.

Warsaw Winter Wonderland

What’s Brewing at Browary Holiday Edition

For festive fun head to Browary Warszawskie this winter.

Browary Warszawskie (Warsaw Breweries) is the capital’s latest urban renewal achievement - a 4.5-hectare area in the heart of Wola that has been transformed from a forgotten industrial plot into a vibrant microcosm of culture, gastronomy and nightlife. Formerly the site of the once-prestigious Haberbusch & Schiele Brewery, which shut down in 2004, the results of massive investment can be experienced in all aspects of this ambitious redevelopment project today. The revamped Browary complex beautifully mixes bold modern architecture with historic brick buildings, industrial-chic interiors with green commons, and commercial spaces with residential comforts, including the capital’s first ‘woonerf’ and five public squares.

Something for Everyone From a visitor’s perspective, it’s more than an intriguing urban planning triumph, but a bona fide destination for drinks and dining. Throughout the area you’ll find top tastes in inspiring interiors from some of the capital’s most creative culinary influencers. Home to its own food market in the former beer cellars, Food Hall Browary offers a casual space to try twelve contemporary food concepts from around the 14

world. Elsewhere, the international options range from Mediterranean (Mykonos, Olivos) to Spanish (Sobremesa Tapas Bar), Balkan (Munja) and Japanese (Japonka) - to name just a few. In addition to proper meals, there are several gourmet delicatessens, cafes and sweet shops, including Good Lood ice cream, Dobro & Dobro coffeeshop and the excellent Bakery Browary Warszawskie with its amazing pastries (that’s a ‘proper meal’ to us).

Freshly Plated Some of the Breweries’ most anticipated establishments have recently opened, offering new and exciting reasons to visit. Foremost among them is the revamped Browar Warszawski (Warsaw Brewery) at the very heart of the complex’s historical legacy and modern revival. Occupying a large space over several levels, this flagship brewpub offers 18 varieties of excellent craft beer brewed in plain view and a full card of food, from grilled meats to fresh seafood.

Sharing platters and beer tasting sets make it a great place to gather with friends. Under the same roof is the cheerful family eatery Pizza Lecentano, and there’s even an upscale whisky bar on site ready to heed the call of your cocktail challenge.

Browary Warszawskie The historic Malthouse is now home to Nine’s Restaurant & Sports Bar - named after Polish footballer and co-owner, Robert Lewandowski. Over four levels you won’t find a seat without a view of the match, but the sophisticated menu sets Nine’s apart from other sports venues, with its fusion of American, Asian and health food influences. They even make their own soft pretzels and fresh-pressed almond milk on site.

Lastly, if you’re looking for entertainment, Baila Show & Dining promises to deliver delicious Latin American dishes, eye-pleasing stage shows and an unforgettable evening for anyone who makes the required reservation. Dripping with intrigue, Baila adheres to a ‘what happens in Vegas’ philosophy and the less you know, the better the payoff.

Winter Wonderland Thanks to its compact design, Browary convincingly transforms itself into an intimate Christmas village throughout the holiday period. Iilluminated with decorative lights, glowing gnomes (find ‘em all!) and unique festive ‘photo spots’ also dot the area.

The authentic scent of pine comes courtesy of the Christmas tree market in front of the Malthouse part of the Browary Holiday Fair taking place until December 23rd. Among the fair’s market stalls, you’ll find beautiful handcrafted gifts and holiday decorations, plus traditional tastes of the season like hot chocolate and spiced wine.

Getting there Browary Warszawskie can be found in Warsaw’s Wola district, just west of the city centre between Grzybowska, Wronia and Krochmalna streets. The official address is ul. Grzybowska 58.

Underground parking is available and the area is easily accessible by tram, bus and metro. Use warszawa.jakdojade.pl to find the best route from your location and get up-to-date public transport times. offer traditional holiday dishes from their respective regions, Munja will be serving Montenegrin ‘kwaśnica’ (pickled cabbage soup), and Browar Warszawski will unveil their special ‘szuba’ - a herring salad with smoked butter, caviar and Lithuanian bread. Not to be outdone, drop in Gastronomja to try their modern twists on ‘śledź’ (pickled herring) - a traditional Polish Christmas Eve dish. Deseo Patisserie & Chocolaterie will have special Christmas cookies, cakes and desserts, and Nine’s will offer a range of holiday drinks, from Christmas tea to Winter Cookie Almond Milk and their own take on mulled wine.

Whatever your taste, be it traditional or inquisitive, Browary has much to offer throughout the holiday season. So don’t be a Scrooge, give this snowglobe a shake and soak up the magic.

Festive Flavours In keeping with the core concept of Browary Warszawskie, this holiday fair is unlike other Christmas markets in that its primary focus is actually on gastronomy. Handsome wooden huts offer a rotating array of special holiday tastes and products from Browary’s restaurants, cafes and delicatessens. Each week is different and will include Christmas appetisers with a Spanish twist from Sobremesa Tapas Bar, as well as ‘joie de noel’ from Le Paradox wine bar in the form of oysters, ‘chaud vin’ (a chance for hot white wine!) and more. Browar Warszawski has prepared mulled beer, winter teas, warming soups and fried pierogi filled with duck, plus gourmet pate, smalec (lard) and hummus to take home. In front of Food Hall Browary you can enjoy special winter cocktails and iconic hot dogs by Szymon Czerwiński.

Beyond the holiday fair Browary’s restaurants will also be embracing the holiday spirit inside where you can warm up with exclusive menu items until December 24th. The chefs of Food Hall Browary will 15

Events | Winter 2021/2022

What's On in Warsaw “The Time Of Caravaggio In The Collection Of Robert Longhi” at the Royal Castle in Warsaw

Exhibitions UNTIL 30.01 » Sayam Ghosh: Jak powraca las Focusing on creating a new space for young artists who are tackling big topics in their works, Galeria Rynek 30’s inaugural exhibiton is Sayam Ghosh: Jak powraca las (ENG: How the forest returns by Sayam Ghosh). Born and raised in Calcutta, Ghosh has been living in Poland for eight years and has chosen Warsaw and its surroundings as the theme of his photographic work. In this exhibition, his focus has turned to the activities of the Kampinos Forest, north of the city, that has undergone significant ecological change over the last 60 years. Ghosh’s recreation of the forest on this exceptional scale is the result of in-depth research and a close collaboration between the artist and scientists from Kampinos National Park. The perspective of change is also assisted in the first part of the exhibition by the archival photos of Roman Kobenda, the initiator of KPN. The second part is a spatial installation combining a musical piece based on field recordings in the Forest and visualisations of scientific research on the current state of the forest.QGallery Rynek 30, Rynek 32, www.muzeumwarszawy.pl. Open 11:00 – 18:00; Thu, Sat 11:00 – 20:00. Closed Mon. Tickets 1zł.

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UNTIL 16.01 » Tomasz Ciecierski: What do pictures want?

Named after a book by American academic W.J.T. Mitchell (What Do Pictures Want? The Lives and Loves of Images), this exhibition showcases little-known and low-key works by contemporary Polish artist Tomasz Ciecierski. Ciecierski, a graduate of (and former lecturer at) the Warsaw Academy of Fine Art, is primarily known for his abstract, colourful and geometric paintings, some comprising many small canvases which have been glued together. At Teatr Studio, you can see the artist’s less painterly side, such as his intriguing collages.QF‑8, Teatr Studio, Plac Defilad 1, MCentrum, tel. +48 22 656 69 41, Tickets 3/1,5zł, www.teatrstudio.pl.

Open 11:00-19:00. Closed Mon.

UNTIL 13.03 » Between Collectivism and Individualism — JAPANESE AVANT-GARDE IN THE 1950S AND THE 1960S Realized in cooperation with three Japanese museums, this is a rare exhibition of avant-garde art from postWWII Japan. The displayed works of art, stemming from a time of political turbulence and rapid change, include paintings by so-called reportage painters (avantgarde realists), photographs from the Vivo collective, and works by members of art groups such as Jikken

Winter 2021/2022 | Events Kōbō, the Democratic Artists Association, the Gutai Art Association and Kyūshū-ha.QF‑6, Zachęta - National Gallery of Art, Pl. Małachowskiego 3, MNowy ŚwiatUniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 556 96 00, Admission 20/10zł, family ticket 25zł, students 2zł. Thu free., www.zacheta. art.pl. Open 12:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon.

UNTIL 10.02 » The Time Of Caravaggio In The Collection Of Robert Longhi Marvel at Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s famed and quite creepy painting Boy Bitten by a Lizard and some forty other masterpieces from the collection of art historian Robert Longhi, including works by Lorenzo Lotto, Battista del Moro, Domenico Fetti, Dirck van Baburen, Matthias Stomer and Jusepe de Ribera. All this without making the trip to Florence, the usual home of Longhi’s Caravaggio & Caravaggisti art treasure trove.QG‑4, Royal Castle, Pl. Zamkowy 4, tel. (+48) 22 355 51 70, Admission 30/20zł with audioguide; after 15:30 25/15zł without audioguide; kids and students with valid ID, 1zł; Wed free., www.zamek-krolewski.pl.

UNTIL 20.02 » Marta Krzeslak Moving Things True to the name, this exhibition by young Polish artist Marta Krzeslak is indeed filled with moving things: both images and objects. These pieces of kinetic art include vortexes, a Sun-like object making its rounds around the exhibition space and a poetic light projection that morphes from the Universe to a desert lanscape to morning dew. At the same time, the exhibits are meant to be moving in a metaphorical sense, eliciting contemplation and feelings of wonder from the audience. QF‑6, Zachęta - National Gallery of Art, Pl. Małachowskiego 3, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 556 96 00, Admission 20/10zł, family ticket 25zł, students 2zł. Thu free., www.zacheta.art.pl. Open 12:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon.

UNTIL 27.02 » Cranach.

Nature and the Sacred With Christmas and Three Kings Day approaching in this Catholic country, it’s only fitting that some museums strike a more religious note. This temporary exhibition focuses on the work of German Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Elder, whose life spanned much of the 15th and 16th centuries.

The stars of the show are the paintings Virgin and Child under the Fir Trees from the Archdiocese Museum in Wrocław and Adam and Eve from the National Museum in Warsaw, which happen to be the two most important paintings by Cranach kept in Polish collections. In addition, you can view prints by Albrecht Dürer, Albrecht Altdorfer and Augustin Hirschvogel, as well as drawings from the Danube school.QH‑8, Warsaw National Museum, Al. Jerozolimskie 3, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 621 10 31, Admission 20/10zł for the permanent gallery. Tue free. Children and students up to 26 years of age pay 1zł. Purchased tickets 50/35 zł (can be used twice within 7 days)., www.mnw.art.pl. Open 10:00 18:00, Fri 10:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon.

UNTIL 20.03 » Invisible.

Stories of Warsaw Servants This exhibition tells the story of Warsaw’s domestic servants, who made up nearly 20% of the city’s workforce at the end of the 19th century. Largely invisible to both their contemporaries and, later, historians, these women were nevertheless a key social group and an indespensible part of many middle- and upper-class households of yesteryear.

The Museum of Warsaw is now seeking to tell their story though a collection of 400 objects from the 19th and early 20th century, in addition to materials from communist times, when having a servant became a huge no-no, and more contemporary works of art.

QF‑4, Museum of Warsaw, Main Branch, Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42, tel. (+48) 22 277 44 02, Admission 12/7 zł, www.muzeumwarszawy.pl. Open 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon.

UNTIL 27.02 » Nikifor: A Painter Unlike Any Other

Nikifor: A Painter Unlike Any Other

Nikifor Krynicki (born Epifaniy Drovnyak in 1895), better known as simply ‘Nikifor,’ was a Lemko painter of the naïve artistic style, hugely influential within Poland and further abroad. This exhibition presents 135 of his works from the collection of the National Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw, featuring the artist’s paperbased medium that used a range of techniques, including watercolor, gouache, pencils and crayons.

Equally varied is the presentation of themes that were explored by the painter in his works: landscapes, urban 17

Events | Winter 2021/2022 and fantasy architecture, railway stations, interiors of temples and shops, and depictions of the saints.

Throughout this exhibition, one can clearly sense the atmosphere of Greek Catholicism, the environment in which Nikofor was raised, in addition to many aspects of Lemko culture and the atmosphere of his small hometown of Krynica Zdrój. The exhibition also plays an educational role by introducing everyone to the phenomenal talent of a man many considered to be mentally disabled (due to a speech impediment) and who unexpectedly changed the world of naïve art with a wealth of colours, expression and an incredible awareness of his surroundings.QF‑6, National Ethnographic Museum, ul. Kredytowa 1, MNowy ŚwiatUniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 827 76 41, Tickets 14/7zł, Thu free, www.ethnomuseum.pl. Open 10:00 - 17:00, Wed 11:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 12:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon.

UNTIL 16.01 » Political Art This large, provocative and controversial exhibit delivers on its simple statement of presenting ‘political art’ from a wide variety of artists, from a wide variety of countries, touching on a wide variety of issues. Although some would argue that all art is political, these works are overtly so, which challenges the viewer to contemplate when freedom of expression and the tools of dissent ascend to the status of ‘art.’ The works on display conspicuously lack adequate context for the uneducated viewer to understand the politics underlying them. This may allow their artisitic merit to be considered more fairly,

Young Talented Sexy | The Pathology of Normality

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but it also exposes the audience to views that some have accused of being racist, fascist, homophobic or propagating disinformation. Although it serves the age-old question of ‘what is art,’ is it justified?QI‑10, Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, ul.

Jazdów 2, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 22 628 12 71, Admission 16/8zł to all exhibitions, for two exhibitions 12/6zł, for one exhibition 10/5zł, entrance to project room 5zł, students up to 26 years of age 1zł. Thu free., www.u-jazdowski.pl. Open 12:00 - 19:00, Thu 12:00 21:00. Closed Mon.

UNTIL 02.01 » Young Talented Sexy | The Pathology of Normality Young Talented Sexy (Młodzi Zdolni Seksowni) is an art collective founded by college-aged artists, mostly students of the Poznań University of the Arts: Anna Kossyk, Allen Mack, Julia Olszewska, Amadeusz Robaszkiewicz and Magda Sokołowska. These young folks focus on the reality faced by Millenials and Zoomers, with musings on corpo jobs, consumerism, the virtual world and the boring bits of everyday existence, from sipping a Starbucks latte to scanning an app at the Żabka convenience store.QI‑10, Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, ul. Jazdów 2, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 22 628 12 71, Admission 16/8zł to all exhibitions, for two exhibitions 12/6zł, for one exhibition 10/5zł, entrance to project room 5zł, students up to 26 years of age 1zł. Thu free., www.u-jazdowski.pl. Open 12:00 - 19:00, Thu 12:00 21:00. Closed Mon.

Winter 2021/2022 | Events

‘Such a Landscape’ Wilhelm Sasnal exhibition at POLIN ‘Kraków – Warszawa,’ Wilhelm Sasnal, 2006.

UNTIL 10.01 Born in Tarnów in 1972, Wilhelm Sasnal is Poland’s most successful contemporary visual artist. A painter, illustrator, photographer and filmmaker, Sasnal’s work is included in some of the most important art collections in the world - NYC’s MOMA and Guggenheim, London’s Tate Modern, Paris’ Pompidou. Despite the international acclaim, Sasnal’s work has been rarely shown in his home country; astonishingly, this major exhibition at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews (p.49) is the first exhibit of Sasnal’s work in Poland since 2007. As such, it is significant that it touches on Jewish issues - a subject that his art has subtly touched upon, but never been known for. This exhibit teases it out.

Growing up in the Polish Catholic tradition at the end of the communist period, Sasnal began studying architecture and then art in Kraków just after the fall of the Berlin wall, and his oeuvre has often explored how the spectre of the communist era remains in the imagination of post-communist society, haunting it with an almost oppressive banality. In this new exhibit collecting work from the past two decades, it is the shadow of the Holocaust - as endemic to Polish identity as the communist era - that stubbornly stands in the corners of the collective Polish consciousness.

Drawing inspiration from sources as varied and poignant as a solitary drive past a concentration camp, Art Spiegelman’s depiction of Poles as anthropomorphic pigs in his graphic novel Maus, and the establishment outrage over the Jan Gross’s book about Polish antisemiticism after the Holocaust (Fear), Sasnal observes the mundanity, irony and sensitivity of Polish-Jewish relations in the everyday landscapes - terrestrial, digital and subconscious - of Poland.

Although they remain open to interpretation, these works address the formation of a nation’s identity and the politics of memory, demonstrating to the audience that each of us can create our own reality in this regard.

Don’t miss the artist sketchbook that accompanies the exhibition - an essential companion for exploring and understanding the paintings. Found on a rack at the entrance of the exhibit, Sasnal’s notes on each pencil drawing provide a lot of important insight, invaluable for unlocking the meaning and inspirations behind his work.

A full schedule of special tours, talks, workshops and other October events organised around the exhibition can also be found online. The exhibition runs until January 10, 2022.QD‑4, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, ul. Anielewicza 6, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 471 03 01, Admission 20/15zł, www.polin.pl. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Wed, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Tue.

‘Untitled,’ Wilhelm Sasnal, 2016.

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Transport

Transport

Warsaw is Poland’s most navigable city by far. | Photo by Adam Borkowski.

Warsaw Metro Tentative construction on a metro system in Warsaw first began in 1938, but World War II stopped its progress and created other priorities for post-war communist authorities Although over 700 metres of tunnels had been carved by 1953, the death of Comrade Stalin saw all works again abandoned. In 1995 - almost 60 years since work first began - the north-south M1 line finally opened, and has steadily grown to 21 stations. The east-west M2 line, intersecting the M1 at Metro Świętokrzyska, opened in 2015 and now consists of 13 stations, with plans for 21 by 2022.

Tickets for the Metro are the same as for trams and buses, and can be bought from automated machines outside each station. To reach the platform you must pass through the gates; enter your ticket into the gate to validate it and hang on to the returned ticket until you leave the underground. Q www.metro.waw.pl.

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Travelling around Warsaw by bus, metro and tram is efficient, fast and cheap; driving a car through the centre, on the other hand, can be confusing indeed, and the capital is best negotiated on foot, by public transport or taxi. For detailed information about Warsaw’s airports and train stations, visit our website: iyp.me/26ch

Public Transport Warsaw has an extensive bus and tram system, as well as a good metro system with the M1 line running north-south and M2 running east-west. Over 1,500 buses operate in and around the city, and run 05:0023:00. After that night buses run on most routes twice every hour. All night buses display the letter N. ‘Fast buses’ (marked with red digits) skip the smaller stops.

Standardised tickets are valid for use on the metro, buses and trams, and can be bought from machines with instructions in English at all metro stations, and some bus and tram stops. Tickets can also be purchased from machines on the actual buses and trams, where you can pay by card, or using exact change only.

A standard single fare costs 4.40zł, or 3.40zł for a 20min ticket. If you’re travelling to the further reaches of Warsaw you’ll need a 7zł ticket that covers both zones 1 and 2 (note that the airport is still in Zone 1).

Tickets valid for 24 hours, 3 days and a special ‘weekend’ ticket might also be worth considering. Those over 70 ride for free, as do children up until the end

Transport of September of the year they turn 7, but you must have photo ID (those who ride free still need a ticket/’wejściówka’ to get through the gates of the metro - find dispensers next to the gates). Everyone else pays full fare, unless you have an ISIC card which entitles you to a reduced fare (‘ulgowy’ ticket).

Once you’re through the electronic gates of the metro, you’re ready to ride. For buses and trams, however, there’s one extra step - validating your ticket immediately once you’re on board in the small ‘kasownik’ boxes on trams and buses. Plain clothes ticket inspectors stalk the lines, dishing out hefty fines for those without valid tickets. They often don’t look very official and you are within your rights to request identification.Qwww.ztm.waw.pl.

Private Transport Skutery Centrum Motor Scooter Rental Due to Warsaw’s spread-out nature, getting around is definitely challenge we all have to confront, and renting a scooter (the motorbike kind, think Vespa) is certainly a more fun, stylish and convenient option than the bus, tram or searching for car parking.

Skutery Centrum are located just minutes from the train station and offer a large selection of sporty and stylish rides, all of which can accommodate two people and come with two helmets. You don’t need a special license or instruction and you can rent a scooter for as few as 3hrs, by the week, or even buy one for keeps. In the off-season it’s best to book in advance and secure a pickup time as they might be out of the office (call the listed number).QG‑8, ul.

Nowogrodzka 22, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 690 99 77 60, www.skutery-centrum.pl. Open 07:30-19:30.

Traficar Car Share Want your own car, but just for a short while?

Download the Traficar app, find an empty vehicle, scan the QR code, and you’re in. You can leave the car in any legal parking space within their service zone, and you don’t have to pay for gas! Everything is done through their easy-to-use app (in Polish only).

In terms of cost versus a taxi, it comes out about the same, but as an alternative to car rental, Traficar is a wonder. You can rent a vehicle for 24 hours for only 59zł and even drop it off in another city where Traficar operates. As such, this is a great option for day and weekend trips, big shopping trips, or simply picking up friends at the airport. Note that you need to have a valid driver’s license that is recognised in PL.Qwww. traficar.pl. Prices are calculated as 0.50zł/min (0.10zł/ min when parked) + 0.80zł/km.

Useful Transport Tools e-podroznik.pl Travelling around Poland is becoming easier! With a host of services available to ease your travel woes, one of the best is e-podroznik (e-traveller). This is your one stop shop for planning and buying tickets for all major cross-country travel in Poland whether it be by bus or train. You can search timetables and buy tickets online by visiting en.e-podroznik.pl or download their app.

Jakdojade Warsaw’s metro, bus and tram network is incredibly easy to use; and it’s made easier with the skeleton key to unlocking public transport: the Warszawa.jakdojade.pl site and app. The former is a great tool for advance planning, but the app is more practical for figuring out how to get from A to B once you’re out in town. Just type in your starting address (the app does this automatically), destination, departure time, and Jakdojade magically churns out the best method for you to get there.

Scooter Rental Love them or loathe them, motorised scooters are everywhere across Warsaw, even if the service providers don’t necessarily play by the rules and inform city authorities of their arrival. Now that they’re here, scooters are offered by Bird.co, CityBee.pl, RideHive.com and Li.me, and all you need to do is download their apps, register your personal data and payment details, find their locations via the app, scan the QR code and away you go. Each company has its own pricing policies, so best check their sites for more information. Wherever you go with your scooter, don’t be that guy weaving between people and cars saying ‘sorry, dude!’ to everyone. Once done, park neatly to avoid angering locals.

Uber If you’re already an Uber user (uber.com), you’ll find that the alternative taxi service - whose free mobile app offers cheap one-tap, no cash, no tip rides from local drivers - has good coverage across Warsaw and all of Poland, however there are some drawbacks. Specifically, Uber drivers don’t have the same permissions as regular cabbies and may not be able to take you as close to your destination, or get you there as directly; such is the trade-off for slightly cheaper rates.

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Sightseeing | Essential Warsaw

Think it looks gloomy now? You should have seen it in ‘44...

Warsaw Sightseeing In the not-too-distant past, Warsaw was a sea of ruins. From the ashes it arose once more, and being compared to a Phoenix is highly appropriate. Today, Warsaw is a vibrant city, inevitably conscious of its tragic past, but buzzing with confidence, looking to the future. There’s plenty to discover here, so read on to find out more...

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Essential Warsaw | Sightseeing

9 Essential Sights 1

Old Town Square

A window into the ‘once-upon-a-time’ of Warsaw’s golden days, the Old Town is also symbolic of Warsaw’s rise from the ruins of WWII. See p. 27.

2

Plac Zamkowy

More of a triangle than a square, and home to the Royal Castle, this popular plac is where modern Warsaw meets the Old Town. See p. 25.

3

Łazienki Park

Full of incredible art and architecture this massive park and palace complex offers spectacular opportunities for sightseeing or simply relaxing. See p. 35.

4

Wilanów Palace

The ‘Polish Versailles’ is just one of the many fitting monikers applied to this splendid late 17th-century royal palace 10km to the south. See p. 38.

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5

POLIN

1000 years of Jewish history in Poland is chronicled in this excellent museum where the Jewish Ghetto stood during WWII. See p. 49.

6

Copernicus Science Centre

One of the city’s top attractions, this fun family science centre is bursting with interactive exhibits and includes a state-of-the-art planetarium. See p. 44.

7

Vistula Boulevards

Warsaw's left-bank boulevards are a favourite haunt of the locals - go and see why - walk, ride, or just chill on the riverside steps. Wow. See p. 44.

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Warsaw Rising Museum

Chronicling the heroism and tragedy of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, this modern museum packed with multimedia displays is one of the best in PL. See p. 53.

Palace of Culture & Science

Originally commissioned by Stalin as a ‘gift from the Soviet people’, this 237 metre structure takes its inspiration from the capitalist world, namely the Empire State Building. Over 5,000 workers were ferried in from the Soviet states and housed in a purpose-built village in Jelonki during its construction. Working around the clock, it took just three years to finish the Palace in 1955.

Despite this Olympian effort, Stalin didn’t live to see his pet project completed.

Built using an estimated 40 million bricks and housing 3,288 rooms, the Palace’s purpose was to serve as not just party headquarters but also as ‘The People’s Castle.’ Regardless, the building became a local object of hatred and was seen as no more than a symbol of Russian hegemony.

In addition to the theatres, bars and museums on the ground level, visitors can tour the building, or head straight to the viewing terrace on the 30th floor. To get there you’ll need a ticket, which gets you a ride in a small old-school lift, complete with attendant.QE‑8, Pl. Defilad 1, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 656 76 00, www.pkin.pl.

Open 10:00-19:00. Viewing terrace open 10:00-20:00; terrace admission 20/15zł; tickets can be purchased online. U 23

Sightseeing | Old Town Walking Tour

The Old Town Plac Zamkowy wearing its holiday best. Photo by Ewelina Lach.

A labyrinth of winding cobblestone streets, ornate tenement facades and picturesque plazas, it’s easy to understand why the Old Town is Warsaw’s top tourist area. A window into the ‘once-upon-a-time’ of Warsaw’s golden days when it was one of Europe’s architectural pearls, Warsaw’s Old Town was actually entirely rebuilt after WWII. In the devastating aftermath of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 (p.52), 85% of Warsaw’s left bank lay in ruin and half of its population had perished. The Old Town was hit with particular Nazi efficiency, and by the time the Red Army rolled across the river it was little more than a smouldering wasteland. To their credit the Capital Reconstruction Bureau immediately started carefully reconstructing the historic centre using pre-war sketches, paintings and photographs - a painstaking process that would last until 1962. Although what you see in Warsaw’s Old Town today is not strictly ‘original’ per say, the district is a stunning testament of the city’s rise from the ruins of WWII and of Varsovians’ great pride in their city.

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WALKING TOUR IYP’s Old Town Walking Tour leads you in and around the oldest part of the city, showing you its most important and interesting points, beginning and ending near Plac Zamkowy (Castle Square) - the traditional entrance to the district. The prescribed route covers only about 1.5km. If you’re only interested in the exercise, it could take less than 30mins, but we reckon for most, an exploration of Warsaw’s Old Town will take several hours ‘if done correctly’ - that is, with a couple of short culture, food and coffee/beer breaks. If you have only one day in Warsaw, this is how you should spend it. Make sure you’ve got a full charge on your smartphone or camera, some comfy shoes and off you go.

Full contents online: warsaw.inyourpocket.com

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More a palace than a castle, this building is the pride of Warsaw, reconstructed from a pile of rubble at incredible cost between 1971 and 1984. Much of the furniture was donated by now deceased commie buddies such as the GDR and USSR, and much of the money came via generous donations from exiled Poles. Dating back to the 14th century, the castle has been the residence of Polish kings, presidents and the seat of parliament. Some of the halls are reputed to be intermittently haunted by a ‘white lady,’ whose appearance portends disaster, according to legend.

Those who plonk down for admission will have plenty to see, and although the route is regularly updated, there are core elements that are always available, beginning with the Kings’ apartments and chambers, heavily adorned with paintings of famous Polish moments and maps from the days when the kingdom stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. The apartments of Prince Józef Poniatowski (aka ‘the Tin-Roofed Palace’) are also open to the public, though a separate ticket is required (15/10zł, open Wed, Sat, Sun from 10:00), and a chapel boasts an urn containing the heart of Polish hero and freedom fighter Tadeusz Kościuszko. The Houses of Parliament can also be seen, as can the opulent Great Assembly Hall. The free basement exhibition ‘From Destruction to Reconstruction’ details the castle’s resurrection after World

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Maria Skłodowska Curie Museum St. Hyacinth

King Sigismund’s Column

Built in honour of the man who moved the Polish capital from Kraków to Warsaw - King Sigismund III Vasa - this 22m column was erected back in 1664 by his son, Władysław IV. Local legend asserts that Sigismund rattles his sabre whenever Warsaw is in trouble, an occurrence first reported during the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising and again during WWII. With the Warsaw Uprising in full swing the column took a direct hit from a tank shell and came crashing down. Amazingly Sigismund survived, losing only his sword, and was returned to his new perch in 1949. The remains of the original column can be seen nearby beside the Royal Castle.QF‑4, Pl. Zamkowy.

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Most visits to the Old Town begin on Plac Zamkowy under King Sigismund’s Column. More of a triangle than a square, there isn’t a more popular meeting place in the city, and not a minute of the day when the steps to the statue aren’t besieged by dating couples, school kids and skateboarders. As you face ahead, the Royal Castle looms to your right and the old defensive city walls of Podwale to the left. A lot happens here, whether it’s a steady flow of locals and tourists out for a walk, protest marches starting or ending, or street performers plying their trade.QF‑4.

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Old Town Walking Tour | Sightseeing

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War II rendered the place a pile of rubble, while the eastwing also contains the Gallery of Paintings, Sculpture & the Decorative Arts, which has works by Rembrandt.

Lastly, the newly renovated 2.5h French Baroque Royal Gardens (open daily until 20:00) are also very much worth seeing behind the castle.QG‑4, Pl. Zamkowy 4, tel. (+48) 22 355 51 70, www.zamek-krolewski.pl. Open 10:00-17:00; closed Mon. Admission 30/20zł with audioguide; after 15:30 25/15zł without audioguide; kids and students with valid ID 1zł; Wed free. U

The ‘Grand Apartment’ of the Royal Castle.

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Sightseeing | Old Town Walking Tour 4

St. John the Baptist Cathedral

Originally built in the 14th century, St John’s is steeped in history. The last king of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski, was crowned and eventually buried here, and in 1791 he also declared the May 3rd Constitution inside the building. The crypt holds the bodies of Henryk Sienkiewicz (writer), Gabriel Narutowicz (Poland’s first president) and various Mazovian knights. As with most major landmarks, it was the scene of heavy fighting during the Warsaw Uprising and was subsequently left in a heap of ruins before being rebuilt in pseudo-gothic style. On the external wall by the main entrance are fragments of a Borgward IV - a remote-controlled ordnance transporter used by the German army. It’s possible to visit the cathedral crypts Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00 and Sun 15:00-17:00 at a cost of 3/5zł (closed during mass).QF‑4, ul. Świętojańska 8, tel. (+48) 22 831 02 89, www.katedra.mkw.pl. Open 06:00-22:00; Sun 07:00-22:00.

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Jesuit Church

Built at the behest of King Sigismund III Vasa’s confessor, Piotr Skarga, this lovely little Renaissance church was constructed between 1609 and 1626 for the city’s Jesuit community. Possessing a varied and colourful history, it suffered at the hands of the Swedes in the latter half of the 17th century, who looted its entire contents, and it even spent time as a storehouse during the Partitions.

Also known as the Holy Mother of Grace Church after the city’s patron saint, the church was returned to the Jesuits at the end of WWI only to be destroyed by the Germans in 1944. Rebuilt after the war, the church has a few remaining original interior parts - of particular interest is the 17th-century picture of the Holy Mother herself. Resisting the draw of the market square for the time being, instead head down the side alley to ul.

Piwna for a glimpse of St. Martin’s Church.QF‑4, ul. Świętojańska 10, tel. (+48) 22 831 16 75, www.laskawa.pl.

Open 09:00-15:30; Sun 14:00-15:30.

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St. Martin’s Church

Founded in 1356 by the Duke of Mazovia Ziemowit and his wife Euphemia, St. Martin’s has been repeatedly reconstructed in the Baroque style.

However, following destruction in 1944, the Baroque interior was not rebuilt and now it is largely modern, with the only surviving original element being the partially burned crucifix in the main nave. The church played a part in the resistance movement of the 1970s and 80s where opposition members would gather for meetings, or run for refuge following police actions to disperse protestors.

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ul. Piwna

As you explore the area, the real beauty of ul. Piwna - aptly named ‘Beer Street’ after the 15th century breweries that once operated here - lies in the details.

Check out the elaborate motifs and gargoyles that peer from the facades, including a flock of pigeons on the portal of number 6. Stay on the left flank of the Old Town to check out the area around ul. Piekarska and ul. Rycerska, once home to a small square used for executions. Nicknamed ‘Piekarka,’ this is where witches and other ne’er-do-wells were burned at the stake, hanged or beheaded.QF‑4, Ul. Piwna 9-11.

7

Jan Kiliński Monument

This huge monument honours Jan Kiliński, a Warsaw cobbler who became the unlikely hero of the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising. Despite being wounded twice, Kiliński and his troop of peasants captured the Russian Ambassador’s Warsaw residence; an action that ultimately led to his imprisonment in St. Petersburg. Said to embody the Polish virtues of bravery and patriotism, his statue was erected in 1936 and originally located on Plac Krasińskich. In reprisal for an attack on the Copernicus Monument, Nazi troops hid Kiliński inside the vaults of the National Museum. Within days, boy scouts had daubed the museum with the graffiti ‘People of Warsaw! I am here, Jan Kiliński.’ After the war the cobbler was returned to his rightful place, before being relocated here in 1959. Kiliński’s comrade and superior Tadeusz Kościuszko himself once lived nearby at Szeroki Dunaj 5; this wide street was formerly home to Warsaw’s fish market, while the narrow street running at a 90-degree angle, Wąski Dunaj, was the town’s Jewish Quarter during the Middle Ages.QF‑4, ul. Podwale.

Old Town Walking Tour | Sightseeing 8

The Little Insurgent Monument

The communist authorities continually thwarted efforts to commemorate the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, though by the early 80s cracks in their resolve were beginning to show. In 1983, this most poignant of all Uprising monuments was unveiled by the walls of the Barbican. Designed by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz and funded by collections undertaken by scouts, the bronze installation shows the figure of a boy soldier clutching a Sten gun and weighed down by an adult-sized helmet. Commemorating the children who served as messengers and frontline troops, the figure is inspired by the story of 13 year old corporal Antek, himself killed in action close to the scene on August 8, 1944.QF‑4, ul. Podwale.

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Warsaw Barbican

Crowning the set of the medieval defensive walls which once protected the northern entrance to the city, this fearsome rotund structure dates from 1548, built by architect Giovanni Battista Venetian on the site of an earlier gate. Despite its intended use, the Barbican was only ever used in one fighting action when in 1656, during the Swedish deluge, Polish troops attacked to retake the city. In the 18th century, the Barbican was partially demolished with the remains being incorporated into new apartment buildings. It was during the interwar period that restoration work began to return the Barbican to its former glory, but alas, World War II put a hold to works, with it being completely destroyed. Along with the Old Town reconstruction, the fortified wall and Barbican were restored. Today, it serves as a bridge between the Old and New Town, and is also the hangout of choice for teenage drinkers, buskers and ‘artists’ selling their wares. At this point you’ll find your nose pointing straight down ul. Nowomiejska, which will finally lead you to the heart of the Old Town.QF‑4, Between ul. Rycerska and ul. Podwale.

Warsaw's 'Syrenka' - centrepiece of the Old Town Square.

alefbet26/Adobe Stock

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A snow-dusted Barbican. Photo by Lenorlux / Canva Pro

Old Town Square

Measuring 90 by 73 metres Warsaw’s O ​ ld Town Square (Rynek Starego Miasta) is Warsaw’s defining highlight, lined with richly decorated burgher houses and filled with al fresco diners in the warmer months. Among them you’ll find Warsaw’s oldest restaurant - 11 U Fukiera (Rynek 27, p.73) - which dates back to 1810, and is one of the most exclusive addresses in town.

During the 15th century the Old Town Square was home to Warsaw’s Town Hall, though this was pulled down in 1817 and never replaced. Today you’ll find a couple of water pumps dating from the 19th century, as well as Warsaw’s best loved monument - Syrenka.

QF‑4, Rynek Starego Miasta.

‘Syrenka’ - Warsaw Mermaid

The most famous Warsaw mermaid statue, or at least the one which gets the most daily eyeballs on it, is the sculpture on Warsaw’s Old Town Square. This iconic ‘syrenka’ (Polish for mermaid) was designed by Varsovian sculptor Konstanty Hegel and the original sculpture stood sentry on the square from 18551928 and then again from 2000-2008 before it had to be removed due to its poor condition. The repaired original was transferred to the Museum of Warsaw and replaced with a copy made by the Jacek Guzera foundry near Kielce.QF‑4, Rynek Starego Miasta.

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Sightseeing | Old Town Walking Tour

Christmas market and ice rink on the Old Town Square.

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Museum of Warsaw, Main Branch

Found inside a collection of 11 Old Town tenements, this revamped museum’s stored permanent collection (300,000 items total) consists of three new curated sections: The Things of Warsaw, The Data of Warsaw and The History of the Old Town Houses.

All museum items and exhibits are displayed over 21 thematic rooms. Every item has been carefully chosen and many played starring roles in the city’s storied history; also, the majority of the collection was gifted by the citizens of Warsaw after World War 2, hoping to preserve the cultural history of the city. Without doubt, there is plenty here to see and enjoy. The very buildings the museum is located in are a sight to behold. Interestingly, despite severe damage during the war, many of the original aspects of the architecture remained intact and can be viewed during your visit. The museum is a truly amazing and kinaesthetic way of experiencing the events and understanding the processes that formed Warsaw as we know it today. Note, a ticket here also grants entry into the Praga District Museum.QF‑4, Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42, tel. (+48) 22 277 44 02, www. muzeumwarszawy.pl/en/. Open 11:00-18:00; Thu, Sat 11:00-20:00; closed Mon. Admission to permanent exhibit 20/15zł; temporary exhibit 12/7zł; all exhibits 25/18zł; Thu free. U­6 14

Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature

Find out about the smart alec who inspired Romanticism in Poland. As well as having a number of manuscripts and historical artefacts connected 28

with Mickiewicz, the museum also has exhibits connected with other leading Polish writers.QF‑4, Rynek Starego Miasta 20, tel. (+48) 22 831 76 91, www. muzeumliteratury.pl. Open 11:00-16:00; Thu 16:0020:00; Sat, Sun 11:00-18:00; closed Mon, Tue. Admission to the permanent exhibit 6/5zł; kids and students up to 26, 1zł; Sun free. Temporary exhibit 12/6zł. N 15

World of Illusion

An altogether different museum in the Old Town Market Square (p.27), the World of Illusion is precisely that - a visually exciting and educational experience.

Enter the Matrix, a mirror room, a vortex, the room of shadows - it all sounds out-of-this world, and in a sense, it is! There are some outstanding photo opportunities to be had inside, perfect for Instagramers or anyone curious about the extent to which the mind can be tricked by the eye.QF‑4, Rynek Starego Miasta 21, tel. (+48) 501 80 80 06, www.swiatiluzji.pl. Open 09:00-20:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-21:00. Admission 35/27zł. 6 16

Old Town Heritage Interpretation Centre

This branch of the Warsaw Museum focuses on the architectural history of the Old Town, its destruction during World War II and the rebuilding efforts thereafter. The museum includes some great interactive multimedia pieces as you walk through the old basements of the building.QF‑4, ul. Brzozowa 11/13, tel. (+48) 22 635 34 02, www.ciz. muzeumwarszawy.pl/en/. Open 11:00-18:00; Thu, Sat 11:00-20:00; closed Mon. Admission 10/7zł; Thu free. U

Old Town Walking Tour | Sightseeing 17

Gnojna Góra

Demonstrating how every word sounds exotic when you don’t know the language, Gnojna Góra may sound like a charming end to your walking tour of the Old Town.

And it is, for the views of the River Vistula and the Praga district beyond, but not for the name, which literally translates as Shit Hill (Dung Hill, if you wish to be more polite). For centuries, this was the dumping ground for all of the Old Town’s waste - chamber pots and buckets of rubbish, ahoy! As you can imagine, it grew over time and the distinctive shape can best be seen from the bottom. At one stage it was actually renowned for its healing properties - people with obscene amounts of money would come here to be buried up to their necks in rubbish in a supposed cure for syphilis (doesn’t work, we’ve tried). From here head back towards the Old Town by walking towards ul. Dawna, whose trademark blue archway is one of the most picturesque sights in the city. Finally, conclude your epic walking tour by swerving onto ul. Kanonia.QG‑4, ul. Brzozowa.

The colourful ul. Dawna (G-4) near Gnojna Góra in Old Town 18

Ul. Kanonia Wishing Bell

Once a graveyard, this little square features a cracked cathedral bell dating back to 1646, cast by artisan Daniel Tym (who also made the statue of King Sigismund III atop the famed column). The bell never rang at the cathedral next to it, but it has developed its own legend: touch the top of the bell and walk its circumference and your wish will come true. Across from the bell is one of the world’s most narrow houses at number 20/22.

Also note the covered walkway nearby, which links the Cathedral to the Royal Castle. This was built after a failed assassination attempt on Sigismund III. The King escaped unharmed, but the hapless hitman, Michał Piekarski, found himself skinned alive, stretched by four horses and then chopped into pieces with an axe! You yourself are now within horse-stretching distance of your starting point on Plac Zamkowy. Point your fatigued figure in the direction of Krakowskie Przedmieście and take the path of Kings along The Royal Route next. Cue fanfare!QG‑4, ul. Kanonia.

Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum

Born in Warsaw on November 7, 1867, local lass Maria Skłodowska would become better known to the world as Madame Marie Curie. Located in the recently-renovated building she was born in, this charming museum pays homage to the life and work of the famous two-time Nobel Prizewinning physicist and chemist, whose many accomplishments include the discovery of the chemical element polonium (named after the country of her birth).

One of the museum’s five rooms is a recreation of Marie and Pierre Curie’s Parisian laboratory, while another focuses on the Skłodowska family, giving visitors a glimpse into her early life. Among the displays are many personal effects that show a more intimate side of the scienticist, including her private letters, a small collection of her scientific instruments, and the black georgette coat worn during her last stay in Poland in 1932.

Of particular interest is an elephant, gifted by US President Herbert Hoover, which Skłodowska-Curie received during her 1929 visit to the White House - the purpose of which was to secure $50,000 for the purchase of a gram of radium for the fledgling Radium Institute in Warsaw.

Guides are on hand for tours in English (150zł) and Polish (100zł), and the museum also functions as a cultural institute, organising temporary exhibitions, lectures, meetings with authors and other events; check their online calendar for the latest information.QF‑3, ul. Freta 16, tel. (+48) 22 831 80 92, www.mmsc.waw.pl.

Open 12:00-18:00; closed Mon, Sun. Admission 11/6zł, Tue free. U 29

Sightseeing | The Royal Route

The Royal Route Holiday lights line the Royal Route on ul. Nowy Świat. | Photo by Ewelina Lach.

Warsaw’s famed ‘Royal Route’ links the city’s three Royal residences, starting from the Royal Castle (p.25) on Plac Zamkowy, via Łazienki Park’s Palace on the Island (p.36), en route to Wilanów Palace (p.38) in the district of the same name. Officially covering 11km in length, this main artery through the city takes in a great many of Warsaw’s historical buildings, parks and monuments along the way, making a trip down at least part of the ‘path of the kings’ - be it on foot, by bike, or motorised scooter - a fine opportunity to see the heart and soul of the capital.

WALKING TOUR In lieu of the full 11km traverse, this walking tour picks up at the end of the Old Town Walking Tour (p.24) on Plac Zamkowy and guides you gently down Warsaw’s two main high streets - ul. Krakowskie Przedmiejście and ul. Nowy Świat - to the ironic/iconic Palm Tree fittingly at the intersection of Al. Jerozolimskie (Jerusalem Street). An easy 2km, along the way or very nearby you’ll find many wonderful restaurants, cafes, bars and shops, so use the rest of our guide to plan your pit stops. In the ‘Further On’ section at the end of the tour (p.34) you’ll find info on how to continue on the Royal Route to Łazienki and Wilanów (while resting your feet), should you choose to.

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1

St. Anne’s Church

St Anne’s survived WWII with only a collapsed roof, but what the Nazis failed to destroy was nearly demolished in 1949 when the careless construction of the Trasa W-Z tunnel nearby led to several landslides and huge cracks in the floor of the church, which very nearly crashed to the ground. It took a team of 400 people two weeks of tireless work to stabilise the building and shore up the foundations. Not the first time St Anne’s had survived vicious conflict to find disaster around the corner, it escaped destruction during the war with Sweden (1650-1655) only to be gutted by fire two years later, apparently the victim of an arson attack.

The classicist façade dates from 1788 and is the design of the royal architect Piotr Aigner. The interior holds even more classicist and rococo details. The viewing tower is one of the best in Warsaw and worth the 147step climb.

One other point of interest concerns a simple wooden cross you will see inside. These two planks of wood became the focus of a battle that threatened to divide the country in the summer of 2010. To learn more about the Presidential Cross, head online: iyp.me/71061.QG‑4, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 68, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 826 89 91, www.swanna. waw.pl. Open 09:00-15:00; Sun 10:00-19:00.

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His defining masterpiece, Pan Tadeusz, is a beautifully written epic portraying Polish society in the 19th century. His statue dominates ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście, and traces of bullet holes dating from WWII are still visible on the monument.QG‑5, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 21-23, MNowy ŚwiatUniwersytet.

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Much mystery surrounds his life; his role as a national cultural icon meaning that much of the seamier side of his life has been covered up, including his involvement in strange cults and alleged womanising. To this day, even his birthplace remains a hot source of argument.

Some say Nowogródek (Lithuania), others say the nearby Zavosse (Zaosie). A champion of freedom, he died during a cholera outbreak in Turkey, 1855, while recruiting a Polish legion to fight the Russians in the Crimea. Originally buried in Paris, Mickiewicz’s body now lies in Wawel Cathedral, Kraków.

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Patriot, poet and the man who inspired Romanticism in Poland, Mickiewicz stands out as Poland’s greatest literary figure - as well as a figure of hope during a bleak age of Russian oppression. His involvement in politics saw him exiled east in 1824 by the ruling Russians, before finally heading to western Europe in 1829. A bid to return to his homeland in 1830 was thwarted at the border, and he never saw his native Poland again.

9 VITKAC

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Zamoyski Palace

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Sightseeing | The Royal Route

A dashing statue of Stanisław II August Poniatowski outside the Presidential Palace.

3

Presidential Palace

Of all the landmarks that line Krakowskie Przedmieście, none is more important than the Presidential Palace - that mysterious fenced building guarded by stone lions and stern soldiers. Construction began in 1643 at the behest of Stanisław Koniecpolski, though was only completed after his death. It then passed into the hands of various aristocratic families, becoming famed for its banquets in the 18th century - the most extravagant of which marked the coronation of Stanisław II August Poniatowski in 1789; over 2 million PLN was spent entertaining the 4,000 guests.

is why you’ll find streams of limos heading in and out, and square-jawed soldiers pointing their weapons at anyone who strays too close. Current President Andrzej Duda presently resides in the Palace with his family.QG‑5, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 46/48, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet.

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Church of the Nuns of the Visitation

Poniatowski was to prove one of the nation’s finest monarchs and the Constitution of May 3, 1791, signed on these very grounds, is recognised as Europe’s first such document, and only the second in the world. After 1818 the Palace became the seat of the Viceroy of the Polish Kingdom, entertaining many a visiting Tsar before burning down in 1852.

Visit the church that Fryderyk Chopin attended in his youth by popping into this Baroque beauty. Pride of place goes to the original organ which our man himself played during a part-time stint as a school organist. A plaque outside confirms the connection: ‘In honour of Fryderyk Chopin, who played on the organ in this church as a pupil of the Warsaw High School in the years 1825-1826.’QG‑6, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 34, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 692 42 25, www.wizytki.waw.pl. Open 08:30-17:00, Sat 08:30-13:45, 14:30-16:00, Sun 13:00-17:00.

Extensively remodelled throughout the course of its history, one of its biggest revamps came at the beginning of the 20th century when one wing was demolished to make way for the Hotel Bristol. When Poland regained its independence in 1918 the Palace was commandeered to serve as home for the Prime Minister, and it amazingly survived both the 1939 Siege of Warsaw and the Warsaw Uprising five years later. It saw more momentous events in 1955 when the Warsaw Pact - the Soviet Union’s answer to NATO - was ratified within its walls. Since 1994 it has served as the official home of the Polish president, which

Going further, why all of a sudden do you see young, fresh faced kids? Well, you’re in Warsaw Universityland. The Uni’s main campus lies behind the grand gateway at ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28.

Dating from the 17th century the main building, known as ‘Villa Regia,’ was remodelled and renovated several times before Warsaw U was established here in 1816. Chopin even lived here, with plaques found at the entrance to the campus - look up at the building behind you to see another location he lived in! The

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The University of Warsaw

The Royal Route | Sightseeing uni had a tough time under Russian rule; closed in retaliation for the 1830-31 Uprising the university continued to operate underground, though by 1859 the Tsar calmed down enough to rubber stamp the creation of a School of Medicine. Today, with some 48,000 students on the roll call, the university stands out as the largest and arguably best in Poland.

Notable alumni include former Israeli premier Yitzhak Shamir, writer Witold Gombrowicz, award-winning travel writer Ryszard Kapuściński, the late president Lech Kaczyński and the poet Julian Tuwim.QG‑6, Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28, MNowy ŚwiatUniwersytet, www.en.uw.edu.pl.

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Holy Cross Church

No Chopinologist can leave Warsaw without first visiting the final resting place of his heart. Added to the church in 1882 his heart was sealed in an urn and then placed behind a tablet bearing his likeness specially carved by Leonardo Marconi.

Although this serves as the church’s key draw there are several other features of note to tempt the visitor inside this astonishing Baroque creation. The church’s history originally dates from the 15th century when a small wooden chapel stood on the site. Destroyed during the Swedish Deluge of the 1650s, the church was rebuilt in 1682, with the cornerstone being ceremoniously laid by Prince Jakub, son of King Jan III Sobieski. Designed by the royal architect, Jakub Bellotti, it was completed in 1696 though over time would see numerous additions to its shape. The most notable of these would come in the following century when Józef Fontana added two Baroque crowns to the square-cut twin towers. His son Jakub would later extensively refurbish the façade with Jan Jerzy Plersch adding elaborate decorative touches to the interior.

Throughout history the church has played its role in Warsaw’s glories and calamities. It was here that the last Polish King forged the Order of the Knights of St Stanislaus, and it was directly outside in 1861 that Russian troops brutally suppressed a patriotic protest. It was this bloodbath that lit the touchpaper for the January Uprising of that year. Devastated during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 the church was painstakingly rebuilt at the end of the war and is today a feast for the heart, eyes and soul. The organ (built in Salzburg in 1925) is the largest in Warsaw, and other points of note include an urn with the remains of Nobel Prize winning author Władysław Reymont, and tablets honouring various Polish icons including poet Juliusz Słowacki and WWII hero Władysław Sikorski.

QG‑6, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 3, MNowy ŚwiatUniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 826 89 10, www.swkrzyz.pl.

Open 10:00-11:00, 13:00-16:00; Sun 14:00-16:00.

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Sightseeing | The Royal Route 7

Nicolaus Copernicus Monument

The founder of modern astronomy, Copernicus made his observations a century before the invention of the telescope. His book De Revolutionibus (1543) posited that the earth rotated on its axis once a day, travelled around the sun once a year, and that man’s place in the cosmos was peripheral. This may seem obvious today, but it was an utterly radical idea at the time. Although astronomers who propagated his ideas were burned at the stake and the Catholic church still had De Revolutionibus on its list of banned books almost 300 years later, there was no turning back progress. The modern cosmological view - that our galaxy is one of billions in a vast universe - is this man’s legacy.

The statue itself was unveiled in 1830 and has seen its fair share of adventure. During WWII the Nazis placed a bronze plaque insinuating that the great man was in fact - gasp! - a German. In 1942, boy scout Alek Dawidowski became a folk hero when he ducked the guards and removed the plaque. Boiling with fury, the Nazis dismantled the statue and dynamited a few other monuments for good measure. The statue was recovered in Silesia after the war.QG‑6, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet.

Further On From Rondo de Gaulle’a, Warsaw’s ‘Royal Route’ continues to Plac Trzech Krzyży (H‑8), then down Al. Ujazdowskie past the Ujazdowski and Łazienki Parks (H‑10/I-11), ul. Belwederska (I‑13), ul.

Sobieskiego (J‑15) and Al. Wilanowska to ultimately end at Wilanów Palace - the 17th century residence of King Jan III Sobieski. While a walking tour of the remaining 10km isn’t realistic or especially rewarding, Łazienki (p.35) and Wilanów (p.38) are both required for getting a broader sense of Warsaw’s former glory as the grand capital of a vast and wealthy commonwealth stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea. You can easily continue your tour to either from the Foksal 01 bus stop on ul.

Nowy Świat. To get to Łazienki, simply hop on bus numbers 116 or 180 and get off three stops later at ‘Łazienki Królewskie.’ For Wilanów, take the same numbers, or catch the direct E-2 bus; get off at ‘Wilanów.’ Use warsaw.jakdojade.pl for live public transit connections.

Alternatively, head east on foot towards the river from here to explore the trendy Powiśle district (p.40), or west to the Palace of Science & Culture (p.23), 15mins away.

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ul. Nowy Świat

Nip across the ul. Świętokrzyska intersection and Krakowskie Przedmieście suddenly becomes the New World! Nowy Świat (New World Street) dates back to medieval times when it was traversed by Kings on their way between Warsaw and Kraków, with the first settlements appearing here in the 17th century.

Levelled during WWII, the street was rebuilt in uniform neo-classical style, as returning it to its Art Nouveau pre-war style was unfeasible. Nowy Świat, along with its little off-shoot streets, has long been one of THE places to be seen and is home to numerous shops, bars and eateries - ideal pitstops before shoving off to snap a pic of the former home of writer Joseph Conrad at no. 45. Drop into the renowned Café Blikle (no. 33), famous for serving doughnuts to a young Charles de Gaulle. Just across the street you will find super trendy ul. Foksal for more gastronomic and drinking opportunities; follow it to its end to see Zamoyski Palace (ul. Foksal 1/2/4), a neo-renaissance pearl that was the scene of a botched assassination attempt on the Russian governor in 1863. Infuriated Cossack troops reacted by launching a piano once tickled by Chopin out the window.QH‑8, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet.

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The Palm Tree

Wondering what a giant palm tree doing in the middle of this roundabout? Modern art, my friends. In this case, a project called ‘Greetings from Jerusalem’ by Polish artist Joanna Rajkowska, who, during a trip to Israel, was struck by the brainwave of sticking a palm tree in the Polish capital to give it some sunny cheer (in the most ironic way possible). The palm tree is actually a steel column covered with natural bark and leaves made from polyethylene. Quite popular, the permanent installation reminds us of all the beautiful and exotic places we could be instead.QG‑8, Rondo de Gaulle’a, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet.

Warsaw’s famed Palm Tree!

Łazienki Park | Sightseeing

Łazienki Park The centrepiece of the Royal Baths: the Palace on the Island.

Anyone who still thinks that Warsaw is a city of cement and concrete has clearly never been to the city’s incomparable Łazienki Park. This glorious 74-hectare green space is one of Warsaw’s unparalleled highlights, adored by locals and visitors alike. In the summer months, seemingly the entire city flocks here on Sundays (don’t worry, it’s so vast it never feels crowded) and in the autumn and winter it becomes an evocative backdrop for twilight trysts with monumental architecture peeking out if the mists. Łazienki is a wonderful place to escape the capital’s modern-day gloom and get lost in its nostalgic past.

The full/proper name of today’s park is ‘Łazienki Królewskie,’ which means ‘Royal Baths’ and is derived from the park’s centrepiece and best-known attraction, the Palace on the Island (p.36). The palace was originally built in the 17th century as a private bathhouse for Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski, owner of the adjacent Ujazdowski Castle and much of the surrounding land (and much of Poland, come to mention it). The bathhouse was bought by the last king of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski, in 1772 and converted into a private residence (thus taking the name Palace on the Island). It was at this time that the grounds were formally laid out as a private garden, most of the landscaping being carried out to the designs of Karol Ludwig Agricola and Karol

Schultz. Perfect for romantic strolls, family picnics or cultural outings, today the park is packed with gorgeous sculptures, palatial architecture, historical buildings, monuments, museums, bridges, ponds, cafes, restaurants and more. With so much to see and explore, don’t be surprised to find yourself spending the better part of a day here.

Tickets & Info While the park is free to wander and enjoy, Łazienki’s cultural attractions and indoor exhibits require a ticket. To ensure that your pockets don’t fill with litter, there is now only one ticket, available at each site, which provides entry to almost all of the park’s paid sites, currently the Palace on the Island, Old Orangery, Myślewicki Palace and Officer Cadets School. The details of that ticket are listed below and all of those listed sites also have the same opening hours. [Note that the Museum of Hunting & Horsemanship also has the same hours, but a separate ticket is required.]

Q J‑11, ul. Agrykola 1, [M] Politechnika, tel. (+48) 22 506 00 28, www.lazienki-krolewskie.pl. Park open 05:00-22:00. Indoor exhibits open 10:00-16:00; Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00-18:00; closed Mon. Combined ticket for attractions, 40/20zł; kids under 7 free; students under 26, 4zł; Fri free. Audioguide 3zł. Guided tours in English 160zł per groups of up to 10 people.

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Sightseeing | Łazienki Park

What to See Belvedere Palace

Łazienki’s iconic Chopin monument.

Photo by Marcin Chodorowski.

Getting To & Around Łazienki Any number of buses stop in front of the park’s three main entrances on ‘Al. Ujazdowskie’, including numbers 116, 222 and 503 from the Old Town/Nowy Świat. Bus 108 takes you from ‘Plac Trzech Krzyży’ to stop ‘Agrykola’ on the park’s eastern edge - bus 162 gets you to the same location but from the Praga disctrict at stop Dw. Wileński. From the city centre the easiest way of reaching Łazienki is to take trams 18 and 35 from ‘Centrum’ (or 4 and 10 from ‘Dw. Centralny’) to ‘Pl. Unii Lubelskiej,’ and walk 300 metres along ul. Bagatela to the park’s southern entrance, in front of the Belvedere Palace.

Accurate times and routes can be checked online at warsaw.jakdojade.pl.

Orientation around the park is relatively easy given the prominent placement of maps and signs - in Polish and English - in key locations.

There is also a very good Łazienki complex map (again, in Polish and English) which can be picked up for free from the Palace on the Island.

If you enter the park via any of the western entrances on Al. Ujazdowskie, chances are you will end up, willingly or not, via some surprisingly hilly paths set with tall trees, at the vast artificial lake in the park’s centre, straddled by the magnificent Palace on the Island. In doing so however, you risk missing out on a few treasures, such as the Museum of Hunting & Horsemanship, so try to circumnavigate the park instead.

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The Belvedere Palace was the residence of Polish presidents from 1918 to 1995 and then once again during the presidency of Bronisław Komorowski from 2010-2015 (Presidents Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Lech Kaczyński and current president Andrzej Duda opted to live in the Presidential Palace on ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście (p.32). Built in 1694 and thoroughly remodelled in 1818, the building is off-limits to visitors but an eyeful to behold. For the best views of the palace and some outstanding photo opportunities you should look at it from Al. Ujazdowskie: it is a wonder of Neo-Classical design, complete with tympanium and oversized Corinthian columns.

QH‑12, ul. Belwederska 56.

Chopin Monument & Temple of Sibyl Sculpted by Wacław Szymanowski and unveiled in 1926, this iconic munment depicts Chopin sitting right here in Łazienki, next to a willow tree. The original sculpture was destroyed during WWII, and the one we admire today went up in 1958.

Almost hidden in the trees a few metres from Chopin is the astonishing Temple of Sibyl (closed to the public), an 1820s replica Greek Temple built entirely of wood. Look out too for a gaggle of other little buildings near here such as the Hermitage, the Egyptian Temple and the Water Tower.QI‑12.

Palace on the Island The Palace on the Island is Łazienki’s raison d’etre.

The palace - completed in 1683 to designs by Tylman Gamerski - was originally a bathhouse, and converted into a residence in the late 1700s by Stanisław August Poniatowski. The palace is built on an artificial island that divides the lake into two parts, and is connected to the surrounding park by two colonnaded bridges. The façades are unified by giant Corinthian pilasters that link its two floors and are crowned by a balustrade that bears statues of mythological figures. Today a museum, almost all of the palace can be visited, including the main reception room, Solomon’s Hall, decorated in extravagant of Baroque paintings depicting the History of Solomon. They were executed for King Stanisław Augustus in 1791–93 by Marcello Bacciarelli and depicted the monarch himself as the biblical king. Many of the king’s personal rooms are also open to the public, set in their original context.QI‑11.

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Very much as advertised, this museum will appeal to avid hunters and horse lovers, though the latter may have some trouble with all the trophies. If so, you can skip the the former Cantonists’ Barracks - built in 1826–1828 and full of hunting arms and taxidermied animals - and head straight to the Kubicki Stables, built 1825–1826 and home to an interesting exhibit about the rather esteemed and successful history of horse breeding in Poland. We enjoyed them both.

QJ‑12, ul. Szwoleżerów 9. Admission 16/8zł; kids under 7 free; students under 26, 1zł; Fri free.

Sielecka

In the eastern section of Łazienki near the Palace on the Island stands a large, classical building constructed in a horseshoe plan. Built by King Stanisław Poniatowski as a kitchen, the building was expanded in 1778 (it was deemed too small to serve the king’s need) and eventually morphed into the Infantry Officer Cadets School in 1822. On November 29th 1830, second lieutenant Piotr Wysocki led an uprising, aided by the young men of the school, which led to the November Uprising, a nationwide uprising at the time. Today, there’s little to see inside the building other than the ticket office to visit the park’s other attractions.QJ‑11.

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Łazienki Park | Sightseeing

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Myślewicki Palace When in Łazienki Park, make sure you have time for a guided tour of the magnificent, semi-circular and recently restored Myślewicki Palace.

The tour lasts about 30 minutes. The palace was the official residence of the king’s nephew, Józef Poniatowski, and is very much ‘as was’ - complete with original murals, furniture and art.

QJ‑11. Łazienki is loaded with Baroque sculptures.

37

Sightseeing | Wilanów

Wilanów

Every winter Wilanów’s gardens are illuminated with thousands of lights. See p.11.

It's very easy to visit Warsaw and imagine its history stretches no further than WWII, when the city was effectively wiped from the map of Europe. But that would be to only understand a small part of this city’s history. The nation’s capital has been in Warsaw since the late 16th century and at one time was the centre of the vast Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, a union which lasted over 200 years, stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea (incorporating much of modern day Poland, Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic States). With so much of pre-war Warsaw destroyed there are few places to experience what this must have been like more than at Wilanow’s palace and gardens.

The ‘Polish Versailles’ is just one of the many fitting monikers applied to this splendid late 17th-century palace which can be found in the Warsaw district of Wilanów, 10km south of the centre. Essential visiting for all who come to soak up the capital’s culture and wish to understand a little more about ancient Poland, Wilanów is more than just a palace – it represents an era from which much has been lost. The palace, park and surrounding ensemble of buildings (45 hectares) represent the height of Polish Baroque and is one of Poland’s greatest national treasures. If the weather’s good and you’ve got time to spare, it’s easy to spend an entire and thoroughly rewarding day here.

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Wilanów Park & Gardens The 45 hectares that make up Wilanów Park developed over the centuries according to the particular fancies of its owners. The park’s present form dates from the extensive and mostly faithful renovations made during the 1950s. Comprising a two-level Baroque garden, a NeoRenaissance rose garden, a classical English landscape park and the so-called English-Chinese landscape park, recent revitalisation works and archaeological digs discovered several artefacts, including ceramics dating from the 12th century.QP‑2, ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 10/16, tel. (+48) 22 544 27 00, www.wilanow-palac.pl.

Open 09:00-18:00. Admission 7/4zł, Thu free. Note that an obligatory 0zł ticket is still required on Thursdays. Really.

Photo by Natalia K, pixabay

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Housed inside the Wilanów Palace’s former indoor riding area, the Poster Museum features two large halls full of wonderful posters from all over the world. At almost 60,000 pieces, this is reportedly the largest poster collection to be found anywhere. The museum focuses on the artistic merits of the posters rather than their documentary value and plays host to a cycle of temporary events and exhibitions.QP‑2, ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 10/16, tel. (+48) 22 842 48 48, www.postermuseum.pl. Open 10:00-16:00; closed Mon, Sat, Sun. Admission 12/8zł.

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Next you’ll find yourself downstairs in the Wilanów Palace Residence, featuring residential rooms, suits of armour, Etruscan vases, magnificent frescoes and even a private chapel. Most impressive are the private apartments of King Jan III Sobieski and his wife, while the wings house the apartments of the subsequent owners of the palace. Visit the Wilanów Palace website for info about current temporary exhibits and to buy tickets.QP‑2, ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 10/16, tel. (+48) 22 544 27 00, www.wilanow-palac. art.pl. Open 10:00-16:00; closed Tue, Wed. Admission 35/25zł; Thu free, but the number of visitors is limited (first come, first served). U

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Closed to the public from December 20th, 2021 to January 6th, 2022. The first museum at Wilanów was opened in 1805 by the palace’s owner at the time, Stanisław Kostka Potocki. The current museum, which takes up a substantial portion of the palace’s interior, comes in two parts. The first is the upstairs Polish Portrait Gallery - comprising room after room of portraits of the rich and the powerful from the 1619th century. If portraits are your thing you will find this very interesting, though the lack of descriptions is frustrating.

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Located about 10km south of the city centre, Wilanów is best reached by bus or taxi, though the latter costs 35-40zł and essentially takes the same amount of time: 25-35mins. All buses stop directly outside the palace gates at the ‘Wilanów’ stop. From Plac Zamkowy (F-4), Pl. Trzech Krzyży (H-8) or Łazienki Park (H-11) take buses 116 or 180. From Warszawa Centralna train station (E-8) take bus 519. For exact times and routes, check warsaw.jakdojade.pl.

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St. Anne’s Church A church has stood on this site since the 14th century, when the wooden church of St. Leonard was built here, followed by a wooden Gothic version in the 16th century that stood throughout Sobieski’s day. In 1772 the new brick Church of St. Anne was founded by Prince August Adam Czartoryski based on a design by Jan Kotelnicki. Czartoryski’s granddaughter, Aleksandra Lubomirska Potocka, decorated the church with art in the period 1799-1831, the most precious of which is the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary in the main altar. From 1857-1870, Aleksandra’s son August and his wife extended the church based on a Neo-Renaissance design by Henri Marconi, including adding the marvellous dome. In the surrounding gardens you will find terracotta shrines marking the fourteen Stations of the Cross, while the crypt houses the tombs of the Potocki family. The church suffered damage during both world wars and was even used as an internment camp by the Nazis, who looted and damaged it. The church bells dating from 1723 and 1777 survived thanks to the bravery of the local people who hid them; today they are housed in the newly built Third Millennium Tower.QO‑2, ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 18, tel. (+48) 22 842 18 01, www.parafiawilanow.pl. Open 08:00-17:00; Sat 08:0012:00; Sun 13:00-17:00.

39

Sightseeing | Powiśle

Powiśle: Warsaw’s Riverside District Funky forms in Powiśle’s cultural zone; photos by Mat Fahrenholz. Above: Museum on the Vistula (p.45).

It might seem like quite a stretch to refer to any part of Warsaw as a hot spot, particularly in winter, but the city’s riverside Powiśle district has been blipping on the radar for quite some time. In recent years its rapid transformation hasn’t escaped the notice of travel writers eager to identify the next urban gem (ourselves included). Once a fairly mundane area full of apartment blocks, factories/warehouses and workshops (often dilapidated), Powile was even avoided by many locals as there was simply nothing interesting to see or do here that warranted rolling down the hill. Fast-forward to today and this is one of the most intriguing parts of Warsaw, containing some fantastic museums, the modernised riverside boulevards, a revamped power station (Elektrownia Powiśle), photo-friendly uni gardens (open from April until end of October), an iconic train station bar (Warszawa Powiśle) unique shops, and of course, a gastro and social scene hotbed!

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It’s time for an explanation for this mish-mash through a brief history lesson (don’t yawn, it’s worth it!).

Warsaw University got the ball rolling by relocating its library to its current location on ul. Dobra 56/66 in 1999 and subsequently adding the now popular gardens (including rooftop garden with viewing platform) in 2002. The intelligentsia had officially moved in. But Powiśle was still seen as an area of little interest, the most interesting point being the left-bank riverside boulevards, which were merely cracked concrete slabs covered in weeds, the remnants of a pre-war effort to build a promenade, and subsequently became a favourite haunt of local drunks. Oh, dear. But once city centre rents began sky rocketing, the vanquished found their new home here. Local artists, small cafe and restaurant owners, shop owners, even activists, looking for a near-thecentre area to relocate saw the potential in the leafy riverside district.

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Royal And so things plodded along for a while, the blips ski zka Castle ąbrow ląsko-D on the radar getting louder with some outstanding Most Ś Scale 1:15 000 gastro venues and nightlife spots popping up; one 1 cm = 150 m of the most iconic bars in Warsaw opened here in Źró 0 100 200 m dło wa Rynek 2009, the former ticket office of the still functioning Mariensztacki Chopin train station Warszawa Powiśle - the distinctive Point MARIENSZTAT modernist shape and its more than Spartan Bednarska approach to drink/food struck a chord with locals and its popularity continues to this day. And then exciting new plans to build the Copernicus Science Center were announced, resulting in an official a Karow opening in 2010. This was followed by the opening 4 Karowa of the new east-west M2 Metro line in 2015, which Warsaw University plonked a stop in the heart of the district next to Library the museum - Centrum Nauki Kopernik! All good & Gardens Gęsta and done, but arguably the biggest boost to the Wiślana area’s accessibility was the project to revamp the 6 Warsaw Lipowa Vistulan Boulevards - the 1st section nearest University the Old Town was completed in 2015, with the Powiśle Radna section opened in 2017. It was at this same time the Obo 5 Copernicus Leszczyńska źna Museum of Modern Art on the Vistula moved in Science Centre to its new location on the river! Now the area was 2 no longer a little known place to stumble into, but a Drewniana Elektrownia rzyski więtok Bar Powiśle unique destination in its own right, easily accessible Most Ś tosz ew 3 i by metro, full of world class museums, and leisurely Zajęcza M2 opportunities on the boulevards for walkers, cyclists, Centrum Nauki Kopernik runners and families with kids. What more could a Ordyna be 1 Tam Tamk cka ka POWIŚLE needed? A power station. Yup. Chopin Chopin Museum Mural

The district had enough energy to power its Szczygla Ateneum popularity, but with all up-and-coming districts, za there is always the threat of gentrification, c a Foksand r al Zamoyski Ja Palace plans were set in motion to revamp the former power station Elektrownia Powiśle. The 100+ year Warszawa old building functioned right up until its closure Smolnin Powiśle a 2001, lying in a sorry state until it was bought up by AL. JEROZOLI investor Tristan Capital Partners with a plan to turn MSKIE Al. 3 Maja it into a multifunctional centre with shops, gastro Polish Army Museum points and event space, to name a few. The big National Museum opening occurred in May 2020 and is settling in nicely as part of the district’s unique atmosphere.

Whereas the alternative Praga district across the river is also slowly being gentrified, there are enough local shops and initiatives in both districts to maintain a truly local vibe, despite being coupled next to luxury apartments and investments. The hope is the cultural venues, the public spaces and unique gastro and nightlife venues will hopefully continue to provide an organic atmosphere to Copernicus Science Centre (p.44). the area.

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Sightseeing | Powiśle

Where to Eat & Drink When it’s time for a rest or a feed, Powiśle is one of the best areas to find yourself in. There are many worthy venues on and around ul.

Solec as well as numerous food trucks and barges moored up along the river, particularly in summer. Of course Elektrownia Powiśle has its own food hall (p.78) featuring dozens of stalls and standalone restaurants, so you can’t go wrong. Here are a few other notable venues in the neighbourhood:

The Cool Cat: Exuding cool and all over the latest trends, this Asian-influenced bistro does everything from brunch, bao and ramen, to cocktails and natural wines.QI-7, ul. Solec 38.

LAS: Lush but refined, this ‘forest’ uses local, seasonal ingredients to create contemporary incarnations of Polish classics, plus unusual cocktails.QI-7, ul. Solec 44.

Nadwiślańskie Świt: A cult restobar in the former lobby of a 1960s hotel near the river, serving modern European dishes, lunch specials, craft beer, cocktails and retro vibes.QI-6, Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 31/33.

What to See 1

Fryderyk Chopin Museum

Touted as one of the most high-tech in Europe, this museum was opened in 2010 - the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth. Over four floors of interactive exhibits, the entire life of Chopin is covered in every aspect.

Exhibits include a recreation of his Paris drawing room, the last letter he wrote to his family, dried flowers from his deathbed, his death mask, and even an intriguing section on the women who made the man! In addition to the avalanche of touchscreen multimedia, the museum allows visitors to ‘adapt their trip to their particular circumstances’ by personalising their own route. Your e-card ticket can be swiped at interactive exhibits, allowing you to hear music, stories or watch videos. The number of visitors is restricted, so we suggest reserving tickets in advance via the website.

Located in Ostrogski Palace, the building itself is a Warsaw landmark. Originally designed by Tylman van Gameren, in the past it was home to a Napoleonic military hospital, and its catacombs are said to be home of the legendary Golden Duck - a princess charmed by the devil before being transformed.

QH‑7, ul. Okólnik 1, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 441 62 51, www.muzeum.nifc.pl.

Open 11:00-19:00; closed Mon. Admission 23/14zł; Wed free. Guided tours available by prior arrangement (in English 120zł, Polish 100zł). U

The Chopin Museum, located in a Baroque palace in the midst of the modern capital.

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Powiśle | Sightseeing

2

Elektrownia Powiśle

When plans for the new Elektrownia Powiśle all-inone complex were announced a few years ago, we hoped this wouldn’t be another copy+paste effort.

When it finally opened in May 2020 after a COVID-19 delay, we can only say we were impressed. The exterior, as impressive as it looks, doesn’t look all too big, which is the first surprise you receive once you go inside - it’s much bigger than you’d ever expect!

So what’s here? Imagine this as a multifunctional centre, including sooped up shops completely new to Poland (nay, in Central and Eastern Europe even!) such as Urban Outfitters, Marc O’Polo Denim and Converse (to name a few), plenty more boutiques, beauty salons, a top floor event space, as well as 17 ‘gastronomic concepts’ in their street food market and restaurants, and also 3 bars: Kandela, Centrala and Elektryk! You can shop until you drop, then pick yourself up with some great food, all the while being delighted with the look and feel of the place too.

It’s all fairly exciting stuff, but it’s time for a bit of a history lesson to allow you to appreciate the site’s past, and concept of the present and future! Ooh. Elektrownia Powiśle has been around since 1904, its original role being a power station. Things plodded along swimmingly until World War 2 when the

station saw heavy fighting during the Warsaw Uprising (p.52) between local insurgents and the Germans due to its strategic advantage. During the Communist era, the power station even had a special unit (which you can see today) that helped power the Palace of Culture and Science (p.23). And so this all lasted until 2001 when the power station was closed, laying empty for years before receiving its new lease of life...

What you can experience in Elektrownia Powiśle today has taken 4 years to come to fruition, with original power station elements visible throughout the modernisation. Anyone that loves old post-industrial sites will love the original architectural features on display, but that, of course, is not the sole reason to visit. Remember, the entire site is not yet complete, with luxury apartments and a boutique hotel still being constructed, but it’s quite clear Elektrownia has already become the epicentre of cool in the Powiśle district. We wholly recommend visiting and likewise keeping an eye on any upcoming events via their Facebook profile.

Head back over to the boulevards and continue walking south until you pass under the nearby Świętokrzyski Bridge.QH/I‑6, ul. Dobra 42, MCentrum Nauki Kopernik, tel. (+48) 22 128 56 00, www.elektrowniapowisle.com.

Open 10:00-21:00. T­U­6­K­H 43

Sightseeing | Powiśle

Learn more about Syrenka, the symbol of Warsaw: iyp.me/71466f

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‘Syrenka’ - Powiśle Warsaw Mermaid

Possibly the second most famous statue of the city’s symbol. This 2.75m tall bronze monument was created by sculptor Ludwika Nitschowa and unveiled on June 29, 1939. Her model was 23-year-old poet and ethnography student, Krystyna Krahelska, but allegedly Ludwika changed her face slightly because she didn’t want Krystyna to feel intimidated.

Considering Warsaw’s wartime destruction, it’s quite remarkable that the Powiśle Mermaid made it through with only minor damage, perhaps owing to its riverside location.QI‑6, Bulwar Bohdana GrzymałySiedleckiego (near Most Świętokrzyski), MCentrum Nauki Kopernik.

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Vistula River Boulevards

Once you’re down by the river, you’ll notice that Warsaw has modernised and improved its riverside dramatically in the last decade. The boulevards in this section of Powiśle leading north to the Old Town have seen the most development and are now not only a popular thoroughfare for walking, running, cycling and skating, but also brimming with bars, cafes and restaurants - particularly in the warmer months - plus playgrounds, parks and leisure spaces.

The area has also become a cultural corridor and tourist lure thanks to a clutch of top attractions: the Copernicus Science Centre, Museum on the Vistula and the University Library Gardens (open April to October), as well as the Multimedia Fountain Park further north (F-3). It’s fair to say that Warsaw’s river 44

boulevards are now among the best in Europe and as endemic to the identity and character of the capital as those in London or Paris, so don’t miss having a short stroll along the water while in town.

One thing that makes Warsaw’s riverside especially unique is that while the boulevards of the left bank consist of concrete retaining walls, the entire breadth of the opposite shore has been left completely wild and undeveloped, making for a stark, fascinating and unusual contrast.QH‑5, Generała George’a Smitha Pattona, MCentrum Nauki Kopernik.

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Copernicus Science Centre

A rare example of EU funding being used in a genuinely visionary way, the CSC is the very best science centre in Europe, and one of Warsaw’s top tourist attractions. Not only will you learn an awful lot, but you’ll have a blast doing so. The fun starts as soon as you encounter the museum’s very own ‘Robothespian’ - an interactive humanoid robot - at the front doors, before exploring several hundred hands-on exhibits across two floors that will have you actively pressing buttons, answering quizzes, and even exerting yourself physically. In addition to temporary exhibits and the all-ages ‘Experiment Zone,’ there are zones specially designed for the youngest visitors up to teens and adults. Take part in special workshops, check out the free rooftop garden, and don’t miss the Planetarium (separate opening hours and ticket required), which immerses visitors in 20 million stars, and screens films about natural science and the origins of life on earth.

Powiśle | Sightseeing Finishing up, as you head over to Elektrownia Powiśle - the capital’s new epicentre of cool - check out the former Nazi machine gun post (in good condition) on the corner of Wyb. Kościuszkowskie and ul. Leszczyńska.QI‑6, ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, MCentrum Nauki Kopernik, tel. (+48) 22 596 41 00, www.kopernik.org.pl. Open 09:00-18:00; Fri 09:00-20:00; Sat, Sun 09:00-19:00; closed Mon. The Planetarium: Tue, Wed 09:00-15:30; Thu 09:00-19:30; Fri, Sat 10:00-20:30; Sun 10:00-19:30. Admission 31/21zł; Sat, Sun 33/22zł; planetarium 22/16zł. U 6

Mariensztat

Museum on the Vistula

The Museum on the Vistula is a branch of the Warsaw Museum of Modern Art, and the current site of all the institution’s exhibitions while their new headquarters is being built on Plac Defilad (scheduled to open in 2023). Located on top of the Wisła’s riverside terraces, the eye-catching large white box of a building is actually a pavilion that was designed

by Austrian architect Adolf Krischanitz and housed the Kunsthalle in Berlin from 2008-10. In 2017 it arrived in Warsaw with the caveat that the exterior be covered in artwork. Sławomir Pawszak won the contest for decorating the facade, and his colourful scribblings have adorned it since it opened. Inside you’ll find provocative exhibitions by international artists that challenge our notions on the nature of art (currently a controversial one about the fight over women’s reproductive rights), as well as the Paloma cafe/ bistro and a bookstore. Check out MoMA’s website for current/future exhibitions.QH‑5, ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 22, MCentrum Nauki Kopernik, tel. (+48) 22 596 40 10, www.artmuseum.pl. Open 12:0019:00; Fri 12:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-20:00; Sun 11:00-18:00; closed Mon. Admission 10/5zł, children under 7 free.

Prepare yourself for when these guys take over by visiting Copernicus Science Centre.

Cut off from the rest of the Old Town by the intersecting Trasa W-Z, the Mariensztat area - the northern-most part of Powiśle, has its origins in the 18th century when nobleman Eustachy Potocki married Maria Kątska and received the land as part of Maria’s dowry. The area was built in 1762 and named after his wife, with the latter part of the name ‘stadt’ (changed to ‘sztat’ after World War II) being added to appease the Saxon king of Poland at the time, King Augustus III. Completely destroyed during the Warsaw Uprising, it was rebuilt after the war using a totally different street plan; the architectural design aimed to evoke a look mixed between 18th century buildings in the Praga district while also incorporating a socialist realist element. Unveiled in 1949, it was the first housing complex to be completed in post-war Warsaw. Lying between ul. Bednarska and ul.

Dobra, the picturesque neighbourhood is full of small parks and winding streets and provides a leafy retreat from the crowds just a short distance away from the heart of the Old Town.

In previous centuries, Mariensztat was notorious for its bordellos and bare-knuckle boxing matches, and its main square (Rynek Mariensztacki) was once the home of a bustling market - a role today commemorated by a statue of a woman with a chicken and basket of goods, found on ul. Sowa 4. Today, though it looks a little sleepy, Mariensztat ranks as one of Warsaw’s most engaging districts.

The main square contains a fountain, and in the corner, a colourful mosiac with a clock.QG‑4/5, ul.

Mariensztat, MRatusz Arsenał.

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Sightseeing | Praga

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Praga | Sightseeing Gritty. Bo-ho. There are a lot of terms being tossed around to describe Praga, the eastern district of Warsaw that hugs the Vistula River. Once regarded as off-limits thanks to its criminal underclass and imposing tower blocks, today an urban revival makes Praga worth emphasising – especially if you’re interested in getting away from the well-trodden tourist paths of the Old Town and seeing the city’s artsy underbelly.

Praga is still years away from becoming hipster-soaked Brooklyn or boho Montmartre, but that’s exactly why now is the time for exploration, before gentrification engulfs the area. The current standard-bearer for cool, folks around here prefer their fun improvised and their bars dark (most of which can be found on or near the district’s main street, ul. Ząbkowska). Filled with murals and hip places to hang out, visitors can easily spend a day checking out the atmosphere and attractions of this alternative district across the river from the Old Town.

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Praga Museum of Warsaw

Located in the heart of Praga this relatively small museum has stikes the right chord with its interesting and impressive permanent exhibition, which not only covers the complex history of Warsaw’s right bank settlement, but also captures the colourful district in several interactive multimedia exhibits. We recommend exploring every corner of this great museum and it will inevitably encourage you to head out the door and explore Praga itself. For more info about events and upcoming exhibitions, log onto their website.QJ‑3, ul. Targowa 50/52, MDworzec Wileński, tel. (+48) 22 518 34 30, www.muzeumpragi.pl/en/. Open 11:0018:00; Thu, Sat 11:00-20:00; closed Mon. Admission for both permanent and temporary exhibitions 12/8zł, permanent alone 10/7zł, temporary exhibitions 5/3zł.

Thu free for permanent exhibition. U 2

Praga Koneser Center

Located in what was once the legendary Koneser Vodka Factory (1897-2007), this industrial site lay derelict for years before getting a major revamp.

Today the complex consists of 18 buildings over 5 hectares, which includes the Polish Vodka Museum, bars, restaurants, apartments, office and commercial spaces, and even the Warsaw HQ of Uncle Google (he knows everything!). The old brick buildings have been scrubbed up nicely, and mix well with the modern architecture. Well worth exploring.QK‑2, Plac Konesera 2, MDworzec Wileński, www.koneser.eu. Open 12:00-20:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-20:00.

Praga’s shining beacon - the PGE National Stadium.

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Polish Vodka Museum

Located in a former vodka factory, this multimedia museum is now the mainstay of the redeveloped Praga Koneser Centre. Visitied with a live tour guide or audio guide, the experience takes you from the origins of vodka to modern day production methods, showing you plenty of paraphernalia and treating you to a tasting of this strong spirit so deeply tied to Polish history. Polish tours begin on the hour and 20 mins after; English tours are 40 mins after the hour; French, German, Russian and Spanish tours are available by booking in advance. The final tours of the day begin at 19:00 Sun-Thu and 20:00 Fri-Sat. QK‑2/3, Pl. Konesera 1, MDworzec Wileński, tel. (+48) 22 419 31 50, www.muzeumpolskiejwodki.pl.

Open 12:00-20:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-21:00; closed Mon. Audio guides/standard tours 40zł. L­6 4

Neon Museum

Yet another old industrial space turned cultural hub is Soho Factory, the biggest draw of which is no doubt the illuminating (non-pun intended) Neon Museum.

The passionate curators of this private museum have collected hundreds of Communist-era neon signs, saving them from oblivion in the process. One of Warsaw’s most photogenic places.QM‑4, ul. Mińska 25, Soho Factory, Building 55, MStadion Narodowy, tel. (+48) 665 71 16 35, www.neonmuzeum.org. Open 12:00-18:00; Sun 11:00-17:00; closed Wed. Admission 16/13zł. U

Getting to Praga By far the easiest way to get to Praga is to take the M2 Metro to Dworzec Wileński (eastbound to ‘Trocka’), and you’ll be in the heart of the district. From Warszawa Centralna the 160 bus will take you across the river to the Park Praski stop. If you’re in the Old Town simply walk down the steps near the Royal Castle to Al. Solidarności and the Stare Miasto stop, taking buses 160 and 190 or trams 13, 20, 23 and 26 to Park Praski. These same buses/trams will return you to Stare Miasto.QI‑3.

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Sightseeing | Jewish Warsaw

Jewish Warsaw The spectacular wooden synagogue installation at POLIN.

At the time Hitler chose to expand Germany’s territories under the odious excuse of providing ‘living space’ for the German people, Warsaw’s Jewish population numbered 350,000. Neither pogroms nor the occasional boycott of Jewish businesses deterred Jews from settling in the Polish capital and only New York could boast a larger community. Yet within six years Warsaw’s thriving Jewish scene was all but wiped out, with over 90% perishing either in the Warsaw Ghetto or the gas chambers of Treblinka extermination camp. It is estimated that some 15,000 Jews survived the war hiding out on the Aryan side.

Although anti-Semitism was by no means rare, Poland had been seen as a relative safe haven, and it drew settlers forced into flight by more discriminatory regimes elsewhere. By the inter-war years the Jewish population had made significant contributions to the social, political and cultural fabric of Poland. Following World War 2, much of the remaining Jewish population chose to emigrate to the U.S., British mandate of Palestine (taking an active part in the creation of Israel) and other parts of the world. Some that remained would be forced out in the 1968 political crisis, the local community bearing the brunt of fallout in relations between Israel and the Soviet Union over the 1967 Six-Day War, and 48

as a result of internal struggles amongst factions of the Polish Communist Party. Today, Warsaw’s Jewish population is estimated to stand around 2,000, however, efforts have been put into honouring the city’s Jewish heritage and reintroducing Jewish culture - most notably the opening of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in 2014. Here we list some places connected to the current day community and places worth visiting.

Jewish Historical Institute A chilling recollection of Polish Jewry. This amazing building (which survived the war, but still bears the scars) houses exhibits relating to secular and religious Jewish life in the country from its beginnings to annihilation during WWII and beyond.

As well as an excellent bookshop, the institute’s museum, opened in 1948, features temporary exhibitions and a particularly moving permanent exhibition titled ‘What we were unable to shout out to the world’, dedicated to the underground archive of the Warsaw Ghetto and its creators, the Oneg Shabbat group. This is their record. A must see.QE‑5, ul. Tłomackie 3/5, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 827 92 21, www.jhi.pl. Open 09:00-18:00; Tue 09:00-20:00; Fri 09:00-16:00; Sun 10:00-18:00; closed Sat. Admission 15/10zł. Mon free.

Jewish Warsaw | Sightseeing Nożyk Synagogue Built between 1898 and 1902 in a neo-Romanesque style, this was the only Warsaw synagogue to survive the ravages of war. It was fully restored between 1977 and 1983, and is still used by Warsaw’s Jewish community today. You can visit Sun-Thu 11:00-13:00, 14:00-17:00; Fri 11:00-14:00; on Sat, on Shabbat and other Jewish holidays, the synagogue is closed to visitors.QE‑7, ul. Twarda 6, MRondo ONZ, tel. (+48) 22 620 43 24, www.warszawa.jewish.org.pl. Admission 10zł. N

POLIN

Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery A beautiful and poignant place to visit. The cemetery was originally founded in 1806 and currently houses around 250,000 tombs. Amongst those buried here are Ludwik Zamenhof, inventor of the international language Esperanto.QB‑5, ul. Okopowa 49/51, tel. (+48) 22 838 26 22, www.cemetery.jewish.org.pl. Open 10:0017:00; Fri 10:00-15:00; closed Sat. Admission 10zł. N

Plac Grzybowski This delightful square connects the city’s past to its present and unites the worlds of commerce, religion, entertainment and art. The main attraction is the 19th century Renaissance All Saints’ Church. Heavily damaged during the start of WWII, from 1941 it was inside the Warsaw Ghetto. The Parish Priest Fr. Monsignor Marceli Godlewski helped to house Jews in the rectory and assisted several to escape. Joining the square is ul. Próżna, the only full street that survived the Jewish Ghetto. It remained derelict, however, in recent years, one side was restored to its pre-war splendour, while the second side awaits revival. It is here, that the former heart of the Jewish area of Warsaw undergoes a mini-revival in the form of the Singer Jewish Culture Festival, which has taken place every year in late August/early September since 2004.QE‑7, MŚwiętokrzyska.

Plac Grzybowski

One of the best museums in Poland, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews (to give it its full name) explains a millennium of Polish Jewish history and relations through excellent multimedia displays that earned it the prestigious European Museum of the Year award in 2016. Located in the Muranów district, this area is where the Warsaw Ghetto existed during World War II. The building is a stunning copper and glass structure designed by Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamäki. Each of the eight galleries addresses a different era in the long history of the Jewish people beginning in the forests of Poland of King Mieszko I (960-992), where legend has it the first Jews settled. The permanent exhibition goes on to chart periods where Jews enjoyed freedoms and protections not granted them elsewhere in Europe, eventually arriving at the calamitous events of the 20th century. While the Holocaust is described in detail, the museum’s permanent exhibition is primarily a celebration of a thousand years of Jewish life in Poland. It is an exhaustive and fascinating exhibit, which takes the better part of a day to explore.

The temporary exhibits - currently Wilhelm Sasnal: Such a Landscape (p.19) - are also of such quality that they require their own ticket.

The museum is home to an excellent canteenstyle restaurant serving traditional Jewish cuisine (kosher dishes available), a café and a Resource Center that features a library dedicated to the history, culture and religion of Polish Jews.QD‑4, ul. Anielewicza 6, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 471 03 01, www.polin.pl. Open 10:00-18:00; Sat 10:00-20:00; closed Tue. Perm. exhibit 30/20zł; temp. exhibit 20/15zł; kids 7-16 and students with valid ID 1zł; Thu free. Audioguide 12zł. All tickets purchasable at www.bilety.polin.pl. U

© stompi_stompi, AdobeStock

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Sightseeing | Jewish Warsaw

German troops on patrol in the ghetto as buildings burn. | National Archives and Records Administration

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Although efforts are in play to revujenate the Jewish community in Warsaw, it’s hard to avoid the subject of why it’s so tiny in comparison to its early 20th century figure. This becomes evident in Warsaw during April/May, during the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Throughout the city, official commemorations are held, there are discussions in the media about the historical importance of the event, but most importantly, there are symbols of remembrance dotted around the city that citizens of the world visit and pay respect to the people that perished on the streets of Warsaw.

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943, although inevitably destined to fail, has gone down in history as an act of defiance, an act of protest against the inaction of the world in helping the Jewish people in their plight during the Second World War. This was their time to fight. And so it was to be that from 19 April to 16 May 1943, following years of torment, the fighters of the Warsaw Ghetto rose up, vastly outmatched by the superior numbers and weaponry of the German war machine. The fighters had a simple choice: go quietly and die anyway, facing extermination in a camp, or die fighting, defying the barbaric system which had spread across Europe.

Numbering only around 700 fighters, the Germans were stunned on the first day of fighting, losing 12 men while the rest were forced to retreat beyond the walls of the ghetto.

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The fighters continued their dogged resistance, and though the Germans quickly broke the military organisation of the Jewish fighters, pockets of resistance couldn’t be easily dealt with, so the Germans began to use heavy artillery and even Stuka dive bombers. It was a doomed struggle. Vicious street-tostreet, house-to-house battles ensued, with insurgents often burnt out of their boltholes by flamethrowers and gas. On 8 May, German forces surrounded the principal command post of the rebels on ul. Miła 18 (Anielewicz Bunker, p.51) and though some did escape, rather than face capture, leader Mordechai Anielewicz and his cabal opted for mass suicide. By 16 May the Uprising was over, with German commander Jurgen Stroop announcing, ‘The former Jewish quarter of Warsaw is no longer in existence.’ As a final, symbolic act of Jewish Warsaw’s demise, the Germans blew up the Great Synagogue on ul. Tłomackie (E-5).

It is estimated 7,000 Jews and roughly 300 Germans were killed during the Ghetto Uprising. The survivors of the Ghetto liquidation, some 42,000, were transported to the Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin.

Very little remains of the former ghetto today, however, to give you an idea of scale, the area consisted of 1/3 the size of the city of Warsaw (mainly the Mirów/ Muranów and Wola districts, plus parts of the city centre). Despite the destruction, small parts of the ghetto remain, from buildings that somehow survived destruction (ul. Waliców 14, D-7) and even fragments of the ghetto wall (ul. Sienna 55, D-8).

Jewish Warsaw | Sightseeing

What to See A Footbridge of Memory One of the most enduring images of the Warsaw Ghetto is that of the footbridge constructed over ul.

Chłodna to connect the large and small Ghettos.

Commemorating this today is a pair of metal poles connected via optical fibres which, after the sun sets, project the shape of the footbridge over the road via light. Designed by Tomasz de Tusch-Lec and installed in 2011, the memorial also has viewing windows inside the poles where visitors can flip through images of life in the Warsaw Ghetto. By now you’ve also probably noticed the pavement outline that symbolises the ghetto’s borders, which can be found on the sidewalk as you travel down ul. Chłodna.QC‑6, Intersection of ul.

Chłodna and ul. Żelazna, MRondo ONZ.

Anielewicz Bunker A small mound and memorial today marks the site of the large bunker from which the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was lead by the Jewish Combat Organisation (ŻOB). Located beneath the tenement at the wartime address of ul. Miła 18 (today Miła 2), the bunker was discovered and surrounded by the Nazis on May 8, 1943, (three weeks after the start of the Uprising), with about 300 people hiding inside. Given the chance to surrender, about half of the occupants

- mostly civilians - gave themselves up, but the ŻOB insurrectionists chose to stay and fight. When the Nazis used gas to force them out, many of the ŻOB fighters chose suicide. 120 fighters died, including ŻOB commander Mordechai Anielewicz and his girlfriend Mira Fuchrer; only about 15 survived (many of whom perished later). The bodies of the dead were never exhumed and covered over with rubble from the surrounding tenements to make this mound after the war. Today two monuments can be found on/ near the memorial with inscriptions commemorating their sacrifice.QD‑3, ul. Miła 2, MDworzec Gdański.

Ghetto Heroes Monument In the middle of a large, attractive square beside the POLIN Museum, you’ll find the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, which commemorates the first Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943. Designed by Leon Suzin and sculpted by Nathan Rapoport in 1948, close by stands an earlier memorial tablet to the Ghetto Heroes, also by Suzin, which was unveiled in 1946. Interestingly, stone used in the monument had been brought to Warsaw by the Nazis and was to be used in architectural projects planned for a new Warsaw by Hitler’s architect, Albert Speer. In the square, you’ll also find a statue of Jan Karski, a Polish resistance fighter famed for informing the allies about the existence of Nazi death camps and the systematic destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto.QD‑4, ul. Zamenhofa, MRatusz Arsenał.

Read our full article and watch our video here: iyp.me/75002f Ghetto Heroes Monument | © Sean Pavone, Adobestock

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Sightseeing | Warsaw Uprising

Warsaw Uprising The Monument to the Warsaw Uprising depicts fighters preparing for battle.

August 1, 1944. Warsaw, subject to five years of fascist hegemony, rose up in rebellion in what would be the largest uprising in the German occupied territories. With German morale in ribbons, a retreat from Warsaw in full swing, and the Red Army on the east bank of the Wisła, no time seemed better than the present. Following close contact with the Polish government-in-exile, and assurances of Allied aid, the Home Army (Poland’s wartime military movement a.k.a the Armia Krajowa or AK) launched a military strike with the aim of liberating Warsaw and installing an independent government. What ensued was an epic 63 day struggle during which the Home Army faced the full wrath of Hitler.

17:00 - W-Hour On orders from General Tadeusz ‘Bor’ Komorowski, 5pm signalled W-Hour (‘Wybuch’ standing for outbreak), the time when some 40,000 members of the Home Army would attack key German positions. Warsaw at the time was held by a garrison of 15,000 Germans, though any numerical supremacy the Poles had was offset by a chronic lack of weapons. Nonetheless the element of surprise caught the Germans off guard, and in spite of heavy losses the Poles captured a string of strategic targets, including the Old Town, Prudential Tower and the post office. The first day cost the lives of 2,000 Poles, yet for the first time since occupation the Polish flag fluttered once more over the capital.

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Within days German reinforcements poured in, and on August 5th and 6th Nazi troops rampaged through the western Wola district, massacring over 40,000 men, women and children in what would become one of the most savage episodes of the Uprising. It was to prove a mixed first week for the Poles. In liberated areas, cultural life thrived. Better still, the first allied airdrops hinted at the support of the west. As it turned out, this was just papering over the cracks. The Germans, under the command of Erich von dem Bach, replied with heavy artillery, aerial attacks, armoured trains and tanks.

Fantastically ill-equipped, the one thing on the insurgents' side was an almost suicidal fanaticism and belief. Casualties were almost 20 times as high as those inflicted on the Germans, yet the Poles carried on the fight with stoic self-assurance. Airdrops were vital if the uprising was to succeed, though hopes were scuppered with Stalin’s refusal to allow Allied planes landing rights in Soviet-held airports. Instead the RAF set up a new route running from the Italian town of Brindisi to Warsaw, though casualty rates proved high with over 16% of aircraft lost, and the drops often inaccurate. All hopes rested on the Russians.

After six weeks of inaction Red Army Marshal Rokossovsky finally gave the go-ahead for a Polish force under General Berling to cross the river. The operation was a debacle, with heavy casualties and

Warsaw Uprising | Sightseeing no headway made. This single attempt at crossing the Wisla was enough; Warsaw was on its own. Already by this time the situation in Warsaw’s Old Town had become untenable, and a daring escape route was hatched through the sewers running under the city.

The Germans were now free to focus on wiping out the remaining outposts of resistance, a task undertaken with glee. Abandoned by her allies the Poles were forced to capitulate, some 63 days after they had taken on the Reich.

Warsaw Rising Museum

The Aftermath Having deposited their weaponry, 11,668 Polish soldiers marched into German captivity. The battle had cost up to 200,000 civilian lives, while military casualties between Germans and Poles would add a further 40,000 to the figure. Remaining inhabitants were exiled (though around 2,000 are believed to have seen the liberation by hiding in the ruins), and the Germans set about obliterating what was left of the city. ‘No stone can remain standing,’ warned Himmler, and what happened next can only be described as the methodical and calculated murder of a city. Buildings of importance to Polish culture were dynamited by teams of engineers, while less historic areas were simply burned to the ground.

Modern studies estimate the cost of damage at around $54bn. In human terms Poland lost much more.

With the Uprising died a golden generation, the very foundation a new post-war Poland could build on.

Monument to the Warsaw Uprising It was only with the regime close to collapse that this unconventional, not to say controversial monument was unveiled. Completed in 1989 and designed by Wincenty Kućma, it depicts a group of insurgents in battle, and another faction retreating into the sewers.

QE‑4, Pl. Krasińskich, MRatusz Arsenał.

The PW (Polska Walcząca / Poland is Fighting) resistance symbol.

Photo: Matt Fahrenholz.

Opened in 2004, this remains one of Poland’s best museums. Packed with interactive, multimedia displays, period artefacts, photos, video footage and plenty of sounds effects, it’s a museum that’s guaranteed to leave a mark on all visitors. Occupying a former tram power station, the 2,000m2 space is split over several levels, leading visitors through the chronological story of the 1944 Uprising - provided they don’t make any wrong turns, that is; it’s a common mistake, and, as such, an audiguide is handy (follow the numbers even if you don’t have one). The museum can be quite crowded on weekends. The best time to visit is early on weekdays, and you should set aside several hours for the experience.

Visitors start by learning about life under Nazi rule, with immersive displays including a clandestine radio station and covert printing press. The mezzanine level features a film detailing the first month of battle, including the opportunity to clamber through a mock sewer. There is also an exact replica of the B24 Allied planes used to make supply drops over the besieged city. The final sections are devoted to the creation of a Soviet puppet state, a hall of remembrance, and a particularly poignant display about the destruction of the city; take time to watch the black and white ‘before and after’ shots of important Warsaw landmarks being systematically obliterated by the Nazis as punishment.

Near the exit check out the film City of Ruins, a silence-inducing 5-minute 3D aerial ‘film’ that took two years to make and used old pictures and new technology to recreate the desolation of ‘liberated’ Warsaw in March 1945. A viewing platform (open weather permitting) and ‘peace garden’ wrap up this high impact experience.QB‑7, ul.

Grzybowska 79, MRondo Daszyńskiego, tel. (+48) 22 539 79 05, www.1944.pl. Open 09:00-18:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-18:00; closed Tue. Admission 25/20zł (children under 7 free). Sun free. Audioguides in 27 languages 10zł p/person. U 53

Sightseeing | Museums

Museums Inside Łazienki’s opulent Palace on the Island (p.36).

Warsaw boasts some superior museums - certainly more than we can list here, and many of which have been recently revamped to bring the visitor experience into the 21st century. Without doubt the big four places on your list should be the Warsaw Uprising Museum (p.53), which charts the defining period in the history of modern Warsaw; the Copernicus Science Centre (p.44), named after the famed Polish astronomer, which is the city’s most interactive and kid-friendly museum; the Chopin Museum (p.42), which is both interesting and another one of Warsaw’s best examples of a modern museum experience; and the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews (p.49), which highlights 1,000 years of Jewish history in Warsaw. Many of the capital’s museums also present changing temporary exhibits; turn to page 16 for the best of those currently on view.

Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature See p.28.

Copernicus Science Centre See p.44.

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Fryderyk Chopin Museum See p.42.

Jewish Historical Institute See p.48.

Katyń Museum Found in the Warsaw Citadel, the museum documents the shocking events of 1940 when around 22,000 Polish officers were executed by their Soviet captors in the middle of a Russian forest.

The museum has a host of objects, documents and personal effects that have been recovered from the site near Smoleńsk, Russia. The artefacts from the victims and a scrolling list of the victims’ names needs no explanation and the multimedia presentation of the extenuating circumstances, the victims’ stories and historical relevancy are well thought out and it’s worth exploring the whole museum.QE‑1, ul.

Jana Jeziorańskiego 4 (entrance from Nowomiejska gate), MDworzec Gdański, tel. (+48) 261 87 83 42, www.muzeumkatynskie.pl. Open 10:00-16:00; closed Mon, Tue. Admission free. Guides available in EN/PL for 60zł.

Audioguides available in EN, PL, DE, FR & RU for 10zł. U

Museums | Sightseeing Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum See p.29.

Museum of Asia & Pacific The Asia and Pacific Museum was founded in 1973.

It was the first museum in Poland entirely dedicated to collecting art collections outside Europe. The Museum currently counts nearly 22,000 pieces from almost every country in Asian and Oceania. The collection includes, among other things, amazing weapons, rich fabrics, countless theatre puppets and masks, musical instruments, sculptures and paintings by contemporary artists. The museum also collects documents, photographs, films and recordings of ethnic music. The Asian library operating within the Museum has more than 14,000 volumes (open until 15:00).QJ‑7, ul. Solec 24, MCentrum Nauki Kopernik, tel. (+48) 22 621 94 70, www.muzeumazji.pl. Open 12:00-18:00; closed Mon. Admission 5/3zł. Thu free.

English group tours cost 100zł (plus price of individual ticket). U

Museum of Caricature & Cartoon Art This obscure little museum offers a rich diversion for those interested in comics, cartoons, ‘the funny papers’ and any odd or humourous illustrations. Named after its founder and the first director, the Polish satirist and caricaturist Eryk Lipiński, the collection dates back to 1978 and today includes over 25,000 drawings, paintings, posters and sculptures - some dating all the way back to the 18th century. Of course the contemporary stuff is the funniest, and the collection includes many foreign artists as well as Polish ones.

Conveniently located in the Old Town, this is about as niche as it gets, and ‘The Guardian’ named it one of the ‘10 Best Museums in Europe You’ve Probably Never Heard Of.’QF‑5, ul. Kozia 11, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 827 88 95, www.muzeumkarykatury.pl.

Open 10:00-18:00; closed Mon. Museum service break takes place 13:00-14:00. Admission 10/5zł. Tue free.

under Communism’ in the centre? Started privately in 2014, this is not simply a museum that recollects facts and figures, it’s a unique place that shows what everyday life was like for people during the years of Poland’s Communist rule - which includes a mock up of a typical PRL era living room! An essential place to visit, especially for younger generations and those who have never lived under such a system! QM‑4, ul.

Piękna 28/34 (corner of Plac Konstytucji and ul. Piękna), MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 511 04 48 08, www.mzprl.pl.

Open 10:00-18:00; Fri 12:00-20:00. Admission 20/14zł.

Audioguides free on Thu in EN, FR, IT & ESP.

Museum of Warsaw, Main Branch See p.28.

Museum on the Vistula See p.45.

Myślewicki Palace See p.37.

Neon Museum See p.47.

Old Town Heritage Interpretation Centre See p.28.

Palace on the Island See p.36.

Museum of Dollhouses, Games & Toys See p.60.

Museum of Hunting & Horsemanship See p.37.

Museum of Life under Communism If walking around Warsaw’s city centre and admiring the remnants of Poland’s Communist past is not enough for you, why not check out the ‘Museum of Life

A massive fortress housing the Katyń Museum, one of Warsaw’s most evocative spaces.

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Sightseeing | Museums POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Invisible Exhibition Would you pay for an exhibition you can’t see? That’s the idea behind ‘The Invisible Exhibition,’ which takes visitors into the world of the sightless. The roughly 1hr tours are helmed by guides who are all partially or completely blind themselves. To get you acclimated to the challenges blind people face daily, you’ll tap on a Braille typewriter, test out gadgets that help the sightless do tasks in the kitchen, and try to solve simple puzzles while wearing a blindfold. Once you’re sufficiently awed by your inability to do even minor tasks, next is a series of pitch-black rooms that force you to rely on your other senses.

You’ll feel the contours of a sculpture to discern what kind of art it is, listen for cars before crossing the street, and, if you bring some cash, the guide will even serve you a drink in the completely dark bar. An eye-opening experience that will have you thinking heavily about what you take for granted.

If you’re interested in visiting, it’s wise to book online in advance. Tours in English can be arranged, but you must first write to them by email at info@niewidzialna.pl with TOUR IN ENGLISH as the subject line.QC‑9, Al. Jerozolimskie 123A, MRondo Daszyńskiego, tel. (+48) 504 32 44 44, www.niewidzialna.pl. Open 14:00-20:00; Fri 12:00-20:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-20:00.

Admission 31/27zł; Sat, Sun 34/30zł. Family ticket 90zł; Sat, Sun 100zł. N

Fryderyk Chopin Museum (p.42)

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© Marcin Czechowicz

See p.49.

Polish Army Museum The chronological history of the Polish army is presented in a series of gloomy rooms. Suits of armour, crossbows, muskets, medals and paintings pack this museum, thankfully with English-language explanations, although EN audioguides are also available. The room at the end is dedicated to Poland’s role in WWII, with specific emphasis on the Warsaw Uprising (p.). Curiously, the best part of the museum is actually free of charge: the outdoor collection of 20thcentury weaponry includes an array of tanks, missiles, aircraft and rocket launchers (open all year round).

QH‑8, Al. Jerozolimskie 3, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 629 52 71, www.muzeumwp.pl. Open 10:00-16:00; closed Mon, Tue. Admission 20/10zł, Thu free. N

Poster Museum See p.39.

Praga Museum of Warsaw See p.47.

Royal Castle See p.25.

Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art Completed in a Baroque style in 1730, Ujazdowski was gutted by fire during WWII. Though the original walls and foundations remained structurally sound, the communist authorities decided to tear it down and build a military theatre on the site. Common sense prevailed and the 1970s saw Ujazdowski rebuilt to its original design. Today several large exhibition halls showcase a rotating collection of the very best contemporary art; find a wild mix of the good, the bad and the ugly, by leading Polish and international artists.

The gallery also houses a very good bookshop and reading room where you can freely peruse a huge collection of albums, magazines and books - many of which are in English. There is also a fantastic cinema on site (U-Jazdowski Kino), plus a top-notch restaurant/ café, and it’s surrounded by a lovely park.QI‑10, ul.

Jazdów 2, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 22 628 12 71, www.u-jazdowski.pl/. Open 11:00-18:00; Thu, Fri 12:0020:00; Sat 10:00-19:00; closed Mon. Thur free. Admission 16/8zł to all exhibitions, for two exhibitions 12/6zł, for one exhibition 10/5zł, entrance to project room 5zł, students up to 26 years of age 1zł. Thu free. U

Museums | Sightseeing

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Warsaw National Museum Located inside a huge and decidedly bizarre interwar building, this museum is a must for anyone visiting the city. Dating from 1862 and operating under its current name since 1916, there’s a huge array of permanent exhibitions and antiquities.

Visitors will find a wealth of delightful 15th-century Dutch and Flemish paintings as well as several Botticellis in the Gallery of Old Masters which also includes several galleries of Polish art from the 16th century onwards, with some of the best work by the country’s leading painters like Chełmoński and Matejko. This leads nicely on to the Gallery of 19th Century Art. The Gallery of Polish Design and Professor Kazimierz Michałowski Faras Gallery are the newest spaces to open, the latter holding a rare exhibit of medieval Nubian art from the Nile River Valley. All in all, it’s worth seeing. Make sure to check their website for more info.QH‑8, Al. Jerozolimskie 3, MNowy ŚwiatUniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 621 10 31, www.mnw.art.pl.

Open 10:00-18:00; Fri 10:00-20:00; closed Mon. Admission 20/10zł for the permanent gallery. Tue free. Children and students up to 26 years of age pay 1zł. Purchased tickets 50/35 zł (can be used twice within 7 days). U

Warsaw Rising Museum See p.53.

Wilanów Palace Museum See p.38.

World of Illusion See p.59.

Zachęta - National Gallery of Art One of the leading galleries in Poland, with a focus on the contemporary. It’s located in the centre of Warsaw, just across from the Saxon Garden (F-6).

The name of the gallery derives from the Polish word for encouragement and refers to the group that created it: Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts (Towarzystwo Zachęty Sztuk Pięknych), created in 1860. The gallery does a fine job in bringing the best in contemporary art from the 20th and 21st centuries to you in a mix of exhibitions.QF‑6, Pl. Małachowskiego 3, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 556 96 00, www.zacheta.art.pl. Open 12:00-20:00; closed Mon. Admission 20/10zł, family ticket 25zł, students 2zł.

Thu free. U 57

Activities & Experiences

Activities & Experiences Hey, it doesn’t all have to be exhausting museums and knee-lifts as you explore Poland’s largest city. Check out the local activities below if you’re looking for fun alternatives to traditional sightseeing, ready to try something new, or simply want some rest and relaxation.

Hulakula Leisure Centre A modern indoor entertainment centre for both adults/kids.

You can strut your stuff on 28 of their 10-pin bowling alleys or play billiards on 8 LEO Black King tables or enjoy classic arcade games, pinball machines and air hockey tables!

There is a soft-toy toddler zone and an indoor playground for older kids! An outdoor grill bar with music/DJ is available.

QJ‑4, ul. Jagiellońska 82B, MDworzec Wileński, tel. (+48) 669 00 10 01, www.hulakula.com.pl. Open 12:00-22:00; Thu 12:0024:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-03:00. Prices vary depending on day of week: 1hr lane time costs 69-119zł. Billiards 19-39zł per hour. U

Stacja Grawitacja Gravity getting you down? Get the bounce back in your step at this huge trampoline park that also features interactive digital games, an indoor ropes course, obstacle course, and even a climbing wall featuring over 100 routes. Put on a pair of anti-slip socks (available for only 5zł, or bring your own) and join the fun. Children ages 3-6 must be accompanied by adults; older kids can be let loose while parents hang out at the well-stocked Gravitation Station cafe.Qal. Bohaterów Września 12, tel. (+48) 726 13 06 66, www.stacjagrawitacja.pl.

Open 10:00-22:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-21:00.

Thai Bali Spa Thai Bali Spa continue a 2000 year old tradition using Thai and Balinese massage techniques. The skilled masseurs will have you feeling fresh and rejuvenated in no time!

Choose from various massages including elements of yoga, stretching, acupressure, Japanese Shiatsu massage and reflexotherapy. Various oils and soothing body cocktails will leave you feeling recharged. Other city locations include ul.

Grzybowska 3, ul. Warszawska 8 and ul. Powązkowska 9.QG‑7, ul. Nowy Świat 48, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 663 55 11 22, www.thaibalispa.pl. Open 12:00-21:00.

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Activities & Experiences

MK Bowling Entertainment Center The latest entertainment center in town, found inside Galeria Młociny in the northern district of Bielany, 2 mins away from the final stop of the M1 metro line ‘Metro Młociny’.

Choose from 12 bowling lanes (6 ppl/lane) and 3 pool tables (COVID-19 limits are in place); all serviced with a bar that dishes out Neapolitan-style pizza. Bowling (59-139zł), Pool (20-35zł) and VR starts at 25zł/15min. Qul. Zgrupowania AK Kampinos 15 (Galeria Młociny, lvl 2), MMłociny, tel. (+48) 600 80 05 56, www.mkbowling.pl/start-warszawa. Open 12:0022:00; Fri 12:00-24:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 10:00-22:00.

World of Illusion A strict break from the latter-day stuffiness of the Old Town Square (p.27), this fun, colourful museum is exciting and educational for all ages. Enter the Matrix, a mirror room, a vortex, the room of shadows - it all sounds out-of-this world, and in a sense, it is! Perfect for groups and pairs, make sure your phone is fully charged so you don’t miss these photoops, and go discover the extent to which the mind can be tricked by the eye.QF‑4, Rynek Starego Miasta 21, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 501 80 80 06, www.swiatiluzji.pl. Open 09:00-20:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-21:00. Admission 35/27zł. 6

Pomaluj.art - Galeria Bolesławiec & Studio Ceramiki Of all Polish gifts, none are as visually exciting as Bolesławiec pottery. At Pomaluj.art you not only get the chance to buy gifts, but can join workshops to make your own! You can make and paint anything you want in the studio! The staff speak English and teach you the history of Bolesławiec pottery during your session! Showing the Warsaw In Your Pocket guide/map, you will receive an 8% discount!QF‑8, Al. Jerozolimskie 49, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 690 80 01 84, www.pomaluj.art. Open 12:00-20:00; closed Sun. 59

Kids & Families

Kids & Families In addition to bouncy floors, Stacja Grawitacja (p.58) also boasts the best 3D VR gaming experience in Poland!

Warsaw has plenty of sightseeing, but not every cultural site is going to engage your youngsters. The first step to having a great family vacation abroad is probably to accept that what you want to do, and what your kids want to do, may ot be one and the same. That said, there’s no reason you can’t find common ground in Warsaw’s major attractions.

fun playing tricks on it) in the World of Illusion (p.59) - essentially an educational museum, but also great for selfie pics! Lastly, as it’s the holidays, wear your kids out by looking at Warsaw’s lovely decorations at Wilanów or the Multimedia Fountain Park, and go ice skating in the Old Town (p.10-12)!

Helpful Hints & Ideas

Museum of Dollhouses, Games & Toys

Copernicus Science Centre (p.44) is the obious choice, as it will not only keep the kids entertained with interactive exhibits, but adults with also have a blast too. The Warsaw Rising Museum (p.53) is also highly interactive, with kid specific educational zones. The Dollhouse Museum (p.60), on the other hand, is the very antithesis of modern, showcasing over 120 historical dollhouses.

If the weather is terrible, Warsaw has plenty of action-packed indoor attractions. Stacja Grawitacja (p.58) offers trampoline and virtual reality madness, while Hulakula Leisure Centre (p.58) not only has bowling, but an indoor playground for the kids to run wild. MK Bowling Entertainment Centre (p.59) is also a great venue for adults and families with kids. Alternatively, get artsy with the ceramic painting workshops offered

by Pomaluj.art (p.59), or expand your mind (and have 60

A small, charming and antiquated museum fittingly located right in Warsaw’s Old Town. Showcasing over 150 highly detailed historical dollhouses, plus various other minature settings, the museum’s two permanent exhibits - ‘The Bygone World of Dollhouses’ and ‘Religious Toys’ - both show unique handcrafted models, costumes and toys, while also demonstrating how tastes and fashions have changed over time. The museum bills itself as an exciting experience for kids from ages 5-105 (you read that right), and, to prove the point, those below 100cm and above the age of 100 get in for free. You’ll also find another small branch not far away, which hosts temporary exhibits (currently toys from the PRL-era) at ul. Krzywe Koło 2/4 (F-4).QF‑4, ul. Podwale 15, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 517 49 00 47, www.muzeumdomkow.pl. Open 11:00-19:00. Tickets 12/9zł. Group tours available in English, Polish and Russian.

Kids & Families Pinball Station Remember a time before everyone could play games on their phones? A time when even having a gaming console was considered a luxury for kids?

For those that didn’t have this, arcade games, and pinball machines in-particular, were a damn cool form of entertainment (and minor obsession). Relive those days in this fun pinball museum containing over 90 machines you can play on, some of which date back to the 1930s, with walls adorned in old school arcade posters. To get there, travel to the ‘Plac Zawiszy’ bus/tram stop, or take the short walk from the ‘Rondo Daszyńskiego’ Metro station.QB‑9, ul. Kolejowa 8A, MRondo Daszyńskiego, tel. (+48) 600 63 31 15, www.pinballstation.pl. Open 12:00-22:00; Fri, Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun 11:00-22:00. Admission 40/35zł; kids under 12 25zł.

Warsaw Zoo Opened in 1928, Warsaw Zoo covers an area of 40 hectares and attracts some 500,000 visitors each year. In total there are 12,700 animals here, across 500 species. Conditions have improved dramatically in recent years, though a visit here will do little to change any opinions you have on locking animals in cages. It was bombed at the beginning of the conflict and by 1945 all the animals had either been killed, deported to the Third Reich, eaten by locals or escaped into the wild. Zoo director, Jan Żabiński, became something of a hero; wounded during the 1944 Uprising (p.52), he helped save countless lives by sheltering Jewish orphans inside the grounds of the zoo.QH‑3, ul.

Ratuszowa 1/3, MDworzec Wileński, tel. (+48) 22 619 40 41, www.zoo.waw.pl. Open 09:00-15:30; Sat, Sun 09:00-16:00. Admission 20/15zł.

Warszawianka Water Park The best indoor pool complex in Warsaw, the extensive facilities include saunas, steam rooms, snow cabins, solariums, squash courts, loads of slides, a playground for the kids and more. Prices range from 69-95zł/52-71zł all day, 23-38zł/18-30zł per hour and 39-62zł/30-47zł for 2.5 hours (yes, the pricing is weird). Happy Hours are on offer with a fixed price Mon-Fri 17.50/9.50zł per hour from 09:00-15:00.

QH‑16, ul. Merliniego 4 (Mokotów), MWierzbno, tel. (+48) 22 854 01 30, www.wodnypark.com.pl. Open 06:00-22:00; Sat, Sun 06:30-22:00. [Spa open 11:0022:00; admission 46-82/36-63zł].

For more ideas go to iyp.me/77849f 61

Day Trips from Warsaw

Płock Cathedral (p.63) on its idyllic hilltop location overlooking the Vistula river. Photo by Robert / AdobeStock

Day Trips As if there wasn’t enough to do in the Polish capital alone, the surrounding region of Mazovia offers up an astonishing number of fantastic sites worth exploring. If you’ve got some extra time or need an urban escape, consider taking a day trip out to the intriguing destinations listed here.

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Day Trips from Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin Birthplace & Park in Żelazowa Wola This museum celebrates the lauded composer who was born here, and pays tribute to the dramatic history of the museum itself. Half of the house has been filled with early 19th century keepsakes, instruments and paintings, and many visitors attest to the haunting spirit of Chopin that lingers throughout.

Outside the impressively landscaped gardens are perfect for a stroll as craftily hidden speakers serenade you with Chopin’s music. 54km west of Warsaw, Żelazowa Wola can be reached in one hour by bus and train.QŻelazowa Wola 15, tel. (+48) 468 63 33 00, www.muzeum.nifc.pl. Open 10:00-18:00. Fryderyk Chopin Museum open Tue-Fri 10:00-18:00; Sat 10:0011:00; 13:00-14:45; 16:00-18:00; Sun 14.00-14.45; 16:0018:00; closed Mon (park open). Admission 30/17zł for the museum, park and temporary exhibition, 22/12zł for the museum and park, 10/7zł for the park only. Wed free.

Despite this, parts of the fortress are open to tourists.

Although entry onto the terrain is free, to explore certain areas you must pay. The Museum of the September Campaign is open 11:00-17:00; Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00; closed Mon (12/6zł). The underground basements are open Sat-Sun only 11:00-17:00 (12/6zł).

There is also a viewing tower, open 10:00-16:00, SatSun 10:00-18:00 (13/8zł). The easiest way to get there is via the Koleje Mazowieckie ‘RL’ train, which leaves once an hour from Warszawa Centralna to Modlin station, from which the fort is a 10min walk to the west along the river.Qul. gen. Józefa Bema 500, Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, tel. (+48) 604 60 70 92, www.twierdzamodlin.pl.

Kampinos National Park Only 20km northwest of Warsaw (heading to the towns Łomianki or Truskaw), Kampinos is the most accessible of Poland’s national parks. The entire area covers 385km2, which is interspersed with dense woodland, dunes and marshland, criss-crossed with biking, hiking and horse-riding trails. Equally famous for its association with the battle for Polish independence, Kampinos’ proximity to the capital has made it a favourite camp for partisans throughout history. Numerous mass graves date from national uprisings in 1863, and graves from the Home Army’s ‘Kampinos’ group, which fought in the Warsaw Uprising, (p.52) can be found in Wiersze village war cemetery. None are more somber than the huge Palmiry National Memorial & Museum - where civilians and intelligentsia were executed en masse during World War II.Qwww.kampinoski-pn.gov.pl.

Modlin Fortress Situated in the town of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, 30km northwest of Warsaw, the 19th century Modlin Fortress (Twierdza Modlin) is one of the longest buildings in Europe at 2,250m. It’s here - at the meeting point of the Narew and Wisła Rivers - that Napoleon ordered the creation of a defensive point in 1806 (he is even rumoured to have designed one of the first buildings). The complex was expanded by Tsarist troops from 1880 onwards and the main fort became part of a larger defensive project, consisting of two defensive rings. The fortress saw major action in the Battle of Modlin, when 24,000 Polish soldiers held out here from September 13-29, 1939. The fortress was used by the Polish military after the war, but eventually became redundant and has since been sold to developers.

Modlin Fortress, located north of Warsaw.

© PiotrZakrzewski

Płock This trip can be completed in one day. Hugging the Vistula River 111km north-west of Warsaw is the city of Płock, administrative capital of Płock County in the Masovian Voivodeship. Believe it or not, Płock was also the one-time capital of Poland from 1079 to 1138 and the seat of Kings! The area’s importance grew with the first Pagan Slavic tribes, and later with the Piast Dynasty, which built a fortification on Wzgórze Tumskie (En: Tumskie Hill), overlooking the river. It’s around this hill where you’ll find most attractions, from the Płock Cathedral (Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Masovia) and The Castle of the Masovian Dukes in Płock, the boulevards, pier, zoo and beach below, all not far from the charming Old Town Square (Stary Rynek), surrounded by numerous museums. To get there, you will need to take a bus from Warsaw West Main Bus Station, from where you can take a public PKS bus to Płock (journey time 1hr 45mins). We recommend you check the fantastic e-podróżnik.pl site for all bus times to be able to plan your journey in confidence.QStary Rynek, Płock, www.plock.eu.

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Coffee & Sweets

Breakfast & Brunch For some the direction of the day depends on the ability to eat a good breakfast, so we’ve highlighted some of our favourite places in Warsaw that specialise in śniadania (the Polish word for breakfast). Whether you’re an early bird that’s tired of eating worms, or a late riser that overdid it a bit last night, get a good first feed in the places below.

Bułkę przez Bibułkę A great little place that makes you feel like you’re in a smalltown setting as opposed to a busy street in Warsaw! It’s important to highlight they serve all-day-breakfasts, from bagels to soups and sandwiches, and a Cappuccino or Americano on the side only costs an extra 5zł. Furthermore, 0.5l wine is 16zł from 18:00-21:00 daily, and Prosecco 5zł!

Also on ul. Zwycięzców 32 in Saska Kępa, ul. Puławska 24 in the Mokotów district and Żurawia 6/12.QG‑8, ul. Zgoda 3, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 730 28 55 22, www.bulkeprzezbibulke.pl.

Open 07:30-23:00; Sat 08:00-23:00; Sun 08:00-22:00. T­6

Cafe Bristol If you can’t afford to stay in the sumptuous Hotel Bristol, that certainly doesn’t preclude you from enjoying their wonderful ground-floor cafe overlooking a park just minutes from the Old Town. This classic interiors of this historic meeting place (opened in 1901) are a great place to have breakfast (until 12:00), a light meal, or coffee and cake served in the tradition of the finest pre-war Viennese coffeehouses. Slow time down until it’s merely a triviality.QG‑5, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 551 18 28, www.cafebristol.pl. Open 09:00-18:00. T

Chaud Pain A lovely and quite clever French cafe/bakery - the name ‘Chaud Pain’ (‘Hot Bread’) sounds a lot like the last name of Warsaw’s darling, Fryderyk Chopin. This airy boulangerie churns out a range of artisanal breads and baked goods.

Soak up the Parisian ambiance with a coffee and croissant, or grab a sandwich and other to-go goodies from their delicatessen: high-quality caviar, canned seafood, meats, cheeses and more. Très chic.QG‑5, ul. Ossolińskich 3, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 797 01 29 41, www.chaudpain.pl. Open 09:00-19:00; Sun 09:00-18:00. T­U­6 64

Coffee & Sweets

© Artem Beliaikin on unsplash

Być Może...

Start your day with the aroma of coffee and croissants in this sophisticated French bakery/bistro. Filling breakfasts include their fresh baked bread and are served all day. Choose from stacked bagel sandwiches, shakshuka, French toast, loaded oatmeal, or their take on the notorious Croque Madame. For us the poached egg (something we’ll never master at home) reigns supreme, and is featured in several hearty sets we’re happily working our way through. Find a second location at ul. Dobra 22/24.QH‑12, ul. Bagatela 14, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 519 00 00 14. Open 08:00-22:00. T­6­

Charlotte. Chleb i Wino Enjoy croissants with jam or traditional egg dishes anytime since trendy Charlotte slings all day breakfast. All ingredients are sourced locally, and vary depeneding on the season. Their chocolates and jams are made with home recipes, giving that extra dose of niceness. Also found at ul. Próżna 7, Nowy Świat 6/12 and ul. Kieślowskiego 7.QG‑10, Al. Wyzwolenia 18 (entrance from Pl. Zbawiciela), MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 662 20 45 55, www.bistrocharlotte. pl. Open 07:00-24:00; Fri 07:00-01:00; Sat 08:00-01:00; Sun 08:00-22:00. T­6

Nova Wola This elegant Crowne Plaza Hotel restaurant will help you start the day right with light and healthy breakfasts based on fresh, local, organic ingredients. Go for a custom omelette, shakshouka or avocado toast (with kale tapenade), or for more unusual options like baked sweet potatoes with yogurt, berries and granola or hummus with grilled veggies and egg.

You can even order an entire pot of coffee to really caffeinate yourself for the day ahead.QC‑8, Rondo Daszyńskiego 2, MRondo Daszyńskiego, www.cpwarsawthehub.com. Open 06:30-10:30; Sat, Sun 06:30-11:00. TU 65

Local Flavours | Traditional Polish Dishes

Traditional Polish Dishes Polish food is famous for being simple, rich and very filling.

Below we list the most well-known dishes you simply must try while in town, all of which you should be able to order from any Polish restaurant worth its salt. Smacznego!

BARSZCZ A nourishing beetroot soup, barszcz may be served with a croquette (‘barszcz z krokietem’), with miniature pierogi floating in it (‘barszcz z uszkami’), or simply as broth in a mug expressly for drinking. A recommended alternative to other beverages, we’d be surprised if you can find a bad cup of barszcz anywhere in Poland, so make sure you return home with barzszcz stains on at least one of your shirts.

BIGOS Though there’s no standard recipe for this hearty stew, ingredients usually include fresh and pickled cabbage, sausage, onion, mushrooms, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, caraway and whatever else is on hand. In fact, metaphorically bigos translates to ‘big mess,’‘mish-mash’ or ‘confusion’ in Polish. A Polish restaurant or prospective bride can be fairly measured on the strength of their bigos, so put it to the test.

GOŁĄBKI Translating to ‘little pigeons,’ this favourite dish is like a ‘cabbage enchilada'. Consisting of boiled cabbage leaves filled with rice, onion and typically beef, gołąbki are rolled up and baked or steamed, then served with tomato or mushroom sauce. Polish legend claims that King Kazimierz IV fed his army gołąbki before the Battle of Grunwald, and their unlikely victory attributed to the fortifying meal ever since.

GOLONKA This is ‘pork knuckle’ or ‘ham hock,’ as in the part of a pig’s leg between the knee and ankle. Boiled, braised or roasted, this is the closest the Poles come to barbecue, and is a delicacy.

The meat should slip right off the bone, be served with horseradish, and washed down with beer. Generally sold by weight, you might end up with more than you bargained for, but it’s certainly an Instagram opportunity. Go caveman.

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Traditional Polish Dishes | Local Flavours

KOTLET SCHABOWY Typically served with mashed potatoes and pickled cabbage, this is probably the most popular meal in Poland. Essentially a breaded and fried pork chop, ‘kotlet schabowy’ is quite similar to Viennese schnitzel, and a solid bet for a cheap, filling, risk-free meal. If you’re awoken on a weekend by the sound of profuse banging - that’s the sound of the meat being tenderised with a spiky mallet, so best mind your manners.

PIEROGI Poland’s most famous food, you can't leave PL until you’ve had them. These doughy, stuffed dumplings are typically steamed or pan-fried. Traditional fillings include potato, sweet cheese, minced meat, mushrooms and cabbage or seasonal fruits. If you nose around, you’ll find plenty of maverick fillings like chocolate, lentils or even chicken livers; the possibilities are limitless and served literally everywhere.

PLACKI ZIEMNIACZANE These greasy, fried potato pancakes are very similar to hashbrowns or Jewish latkes (if that means anything to you), and may be served in a variety of ways. Keep it simple with just sour cream (‘placki solo’), or turn it into a hefty meal by ordering them smothered in mushroom sauce or - our favourite - goulash (‘placki po węgiersku’). Highly caloric, they’re also a tried and true hangover cure.

ŻUREK It doesn’t get any more Polish than żurek – a sour soup made from a thick stock of fermented rye flour. Typically chock full of potatoes, sausage and hard-boiled eggs, żurek is most often thickened with cream, and seasoned with marjoram, garlic, salt and pepper. The result is a tasty grayish gruel that any Polish peasant would be proud to polish off. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get it served in a bread bowl.

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Restaurants | New & Featured

A bouquet of flavours at SWING Asian Fusion Restaurant (p.72).

Dining in Warsaw Warsaw’s come a long way fast, and nowhere is the city’s vibrancy and diversity more apparent than in its progressive culinary scene. What follows are some of the most noteworthy dining establishments in the capital, divided into basic categories. You’ll find the type of cuisine under each venue name, and as far as tipping goes, 10% is standard (easy math!).

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New & Featured | Restaurants

Bez Tytułu

NE

W

NE

W

utensils International This high-end casual restaurant is all about sharing food and experiences. The vibe here is cosy and intimate, while the menu, composed by Chef Piotr Ceranowicz, is filled with small and large dishes designed to be shared by diners. These include intriguing pairings like tartare with black garlic, escargot with parsley, or halloumi with watermelon and mint, which go well with Bez Tytułu’s selection of classic and inventive cocktails (sake with gin and aloe, anyone?). The hospitality is also strong here, with the restaurant remaining open until the last guest is ready to leave (note, however, that the kitchen stops serving at 23:45).

QF‑9, ul. Poznańska 16, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 516 03 31 24, www.beztytulu.com.

Open 17:00-23:45; closed Mon, Sun. €€€.

X­T­6

Epoka Polish This fine food experience comes courtesy of Chef Marcin Przybysz, the 2014 winner of Top Chef Poland, whose interpretations of traditional Polish cuisine can be rivaled by few. The impeccably prepared tasting menus, comprising either 15 or 20 consecutive morsels and small dishes, will take you through the epochs of Polish history.

The menus can be paired with wine or nonalcoholic drinks by professional sommeliers, and then there’s the feast for the eyes provided by the interior design - the deep jewel tones and swanky furnishings are the work of Slovak set designer and architect Boris Kudlička. Don’t worry about overstaying your welcome, either - Epoka remains open until the last guest (do note that the kitchen closes at 21:30). Recommended.

QG‑5, ul. Ossolińskich 3, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 666 11 55 66, www.epoka.restaurant.

Open 18:00-21:30; closed Mon, Sun. €€€€€ T­U­6

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Restaurants | Fine Dining

Fine dining Dine your way through the rich history of Polish cuisine in Epoka (p.71).

Belvedere

Der Elefant

utensils Polish

utensils International

Nestled inside Łazienki Park (p.35), Belvedere is a romantic orangery filled with foliage and a smattering of well-dressed tables both inside and out. Having undergone a head to toe renovation, the Belvedere is a stunningly dramatic venue with peacocks wandering the grounds and multiple waiters offering first class service. The food lives up to the atmosphere.

Your options include à la carte dishes like steak with butternut squash and browned butter or foie gras with fruit and cognac sauce as well as a Sunday brunch option 12:00-16:30 for 249zł (kids menu also available), all set to occasional live chillout music. Few places in Warsaw are this classy or this expensive, and dare we say women are right to assume a booking here means something big is in order.QI‑12, ul. Agrykoli 1 (New Orangery in Łazienki Park, entrance from ul. Parkowa), MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 606 10 20 02, www.belvedere. com.pl. Open 12:00-22:00. €€€€. T­o­E

Opened back in 1990, this long-running establishment is spread over various rooms and floors, with a choice of dining experiences. From the street you’ll find their diner-style seafood bar with plenty of fresh fish; alternatively, enter through the courtyard to find a mock shop inside which the chefs race to fill the rapid flow of orders. The concise but diverse singlecard menu offers a choice of hot and cold starters (including the recommended Alaskan crab legs), burgers, steaks, fresh seafood and some salad and pasta options. They also have a 3-course weekday lunch offer for 28zł (26zł without soup). An attractive layout and surprisingly low prices make Der Elefant insanely popular. Note that you currently need proof of vaccination against Covid-19 or a valid negative test (no older than 48 hours) in order to dine in.QE‑5, Pl. Bankowy 1, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 890 00 10, www.derelefant.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. €€€. T­U­o­E

Symbol & Price Key

70

6 Animal friendly

C‑1 Map Coordinate

T Child-friendly

N Credit cards not accepted

E Live music

U Facilities for the disabled

o Year-round Garden

X Smoking room available

€ €€ €€€ €€€€ €€€€€

most mains under 25zł most mains 25-45zł most mains 45-75zł most mains 75-115zł most mains over 115zł

Fine Dining | Restaurants Elixir by Dom Wódki utensils Polish When we first heard of Elixir we instinctively thought, surely someone has already thought of this? Unbelievably, nobody had - so, top marks to the masterminds behind this classy establishment.

At their Vodka Atelier you can try over 600 vodkas from around Poland and the globe; the range goes from PRL era classics to Polish ‘small batch’ distillers, designer vodkas, flavoured vodkas and culminates in the staggeringly priced ‘Młody Ziemniak 2017 volare’ (25ml for 50zł). The restaurant itself features stunningly presented, contemporary takes on Polish classics with a ‘food pairing’ system which recommends specific vodkas to complement the ingredients and flavours of each dish. An Absolut (pardon the pun!) top-spot and a truly unique venue on Warsaw’s culinary map.

QF‑5, ul. Wierzbowa 9/11, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 828 22 11, www.domwodki.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. €€€. T

L’Arc Varsovie utensils Seafood Upscale dining options are on the rise in Warsaw, and L’Arc Varsovie brings its A game with offerings of fresh seafood and French staples like chicken roulade. Lobster is their claim to fame, and it’s easy to start your meal with the rich cream of lobster soup if you (and your wallet) aren’t prepared to go all in on a full tail. Alternatively, try out their Mon-Fri lunch option (12:00-16:00) consisting of fish soup and main dish for just 29zł (we’d say that’s a bargain, considering its focus on seafood). The black and white interior suggests a smart French brasserie, bringing a little piece of Paris to Warsaw, and the service is in the running for one of the most attentive we’ve experienced on Polish soil. One of the best places in town for seafood. Recommended.QH‑13, ul. Puławska 16, MPole Mokotowskie, tel. (+48) 519 00 00 50, www.larc.pl. Open 12:00-23:00. €€€€€. T­U­E­6

451m2 (which comes in handy when you have 7 aquariums housing your food!), and able to host 120 people (plus more outside during summer), along with an impressive 10-metre-long bar. The food is as fresh as it possibly can be, and just delightful. This is definitely The Lobster House. QG‑6, ul. Królewska 2, MNowy Świat Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 731 00 08 47, www.lobsterhouse.pl. Open 10:00-23:00. €€€€€. T­U­6

Nobu Restaurant utensils Japanese Found inside the stylish Nobu Hotel Warsaw, the Nobu Restaurant is a major part of the overall Nobu experience, a place where a mix of tastes and emotions become one. The 125-seat restaurant is a perfect place for breakfast, family meals and business refreshments, and no wonder, with the world-famous Japanese cuisine of chef Nobu Matsuhisa on the menu (chef Yannick Lohou is at the helm in Warsaw) offering signature dishes such as Yellow Tail with Jalapeno and Black Cod with Miso, Toto tartar with caviar, Beef Toban Yaki along with exclusive sakes and creative cocktails. The café offers classic Polish pastries, but also sandwiches, salads, and freshly brewed coffees and teas.QF‑10, ul. Wilcza 73, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 22 551 88 00, www.warsaw.nobuhotels.com/dining.

Open 18:00-22:00; Fri, Sat 18:00-23:00; closed Mon, Sun. €€€€. T­U­o­E­6

Lobster House utensils Seafood The choice of seafood venues in Warsaw (and good quality seafood in Poland as a whole, for that matter) has steadily been increasing over the last decade or so, however, it still has a reputation as being exclusive and pricey (sometimes unwarranted)! With the opening of The Lobster House, you could say the zenith is upon us! Set inside a landmark building ([the] ‘house without corners’) along the Royal Route (p.30), the location alone suggests a top quality venue.

And it is. Inside you will find a sleek space spanning

As fresh as seafood can get! Head to the Lobster House.

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Restaurants | Fine Dining PAM PAM Restaurant utensils International Hands down one of the best places we’ve been to in recent memory. Found on the stylish ul. Emilii Plater (modern, vibrant, with a touch of pre-war class), PAM PAM had us intrigued as we walked in a mix of classic elegance with post-industrial bare brick, and a more private, even cosy back room. The entire place has a certain sophistication to it, which is matched by the premium menu. Relax, and let the very professional wait staff do their business - ever so helpful. Special mention must also go to head chef Paweł Rumowski, whose artistic flare is visible in all of the creative and light, but filling, dishes that will glide their way to your table. Stylish food, in both taste and presentation, a classy setting for business people having lunch meetings, or couples enjoying an intimate night out, the entire package here is just wonderful.QF‑9, ul. Emilii Plater 9/11, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 22 629 29 29, www.pampam.com.pl. Open 17:00-22:00; Sat 15:0022:00; closed Mon, Sun. €€€€.

Rozbrat 20 utensils International For all intents and purposes, faultless. A fine dining experience of the old school, though the food has a contemporary twist and packs a seriously sophisticated punch. The menu is seasonal and changes regularly. As for the wine list, it needs no introduction: it is one of the best in all of Poland, and the knowledgeable staff will help you choose the best complement to your meal. An indulgence worth going for. QI‑9, ul. Rozbrat 20, tel. (+48) 22 416 62 66, www.rozbrat20.com.pl. Open 12:00-22:00; Sat 14:0022:00; closed Mon, Sun. €€€€. o

SWING Asian Fusion Restaurant & Cocktail Bar utensils Asian High-end fusion cooking and fancy cocktails are the name of the game at this elegant, modern establishment. The menu draws inspiration from the whole of Asia, offering appetising dishes that include salmon tartare with mango and avocado, crispy duck with noodles, octopus with turnips, and beef tenderloin with oyster sauce. Make sure to ‘swing’ by on Fri & Sat after 19:00 to see this venue live up to its name, as retro jazz concerts juice the crowd. In addition to being a fun night out on weekends, Swing is a perfect place for organising business meetings, formal dinners and all sorts of celebrations.QG‑7, ul. Chmielna 2, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 667 98 88 88, www.swingrestauracja.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. €€€. E­6

Thai Thai utensils Thai Run by Warsaw’s Godfather of Thai cuisine, Surachart Urajaroen, this restaurant is 100% the real deal. No messing around with fusion concepts or little Polish additions.

The Thai kitchen team stick firmly to tradition, and the spectacular results have earned a Thai Select certificate.

Inside the National Theatre, the exterior of hefty, grey stonework gives no inkling of the opulence that awaits.

Black walls with Thai designs and gold archways create a calming environment. The well laid out dining area also offers several more private spaces, great for business meetings or intimate dinner dates. Business lunch is served Mon-Fri 12:00-16:00 for 35zł.QF‑5, Pl. Teatralny 3, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 601 81 82 83, www.thaithai.pl.

Open 12:00-23:00. €€€. X­T

Stary Dom utensils Polish Not by any stretch of the imagination centrally located, but well worth the trip south for a rollicking, rustic, big-portioned, slap-happy Polish experience.

Usually crowded with happy diners you will see why quickly: they get a lot right where others too often fail. Service, for example, is good, prices fair (it’s not central Warsaw, so they sensibly do not charge central Warsaw prices) and the food is well above average, occasionally inspired. On a point of trivia it is partowned by the man who played Pope John Paul II in the incredibly successful Polish cinematic version of his life.QH‑16, ul. Puławska 104/106, tel. (+48) 22 646 42 08, www.restauracjastarydom.pl. Open 12:00-23:30. €€€. T 72

SWING Asian Fusion Restaurant

Fine Dining | Restaurants

U Fukiera

Wabu Sushi & Japanese Tapas

utensils Polish

utensils Japanese

Warsaw’s oldest and most famous restaurant, U Fukiera represents a Polish culinary tradition going all the way back to the 16th century! Under the star stewardship of celebrity restaurateur Magda Gessler (of Polish MasterChef fame), this enchanting establishment’s interior is a work of art, bedecked with grand oil paintings and ornate antiques, all blending with the tastes and scents of your stately and sophisticated food to create a fantastic ambience.

Dining here gives you the impression that you have become part of a grand historical tradition, and the guestbook - harbouring such haughty names as Naomi Campbell, Henry Kissinger and Sarah Ferguson (to name but a few) - would suggest that, indeed, you have. Right on the Rynek in the heart of Warsaw’s Old Town, enjoy the delicious, perfectly-presented food and soak up the regal atmosphere. If you’re curious, check out their website for a 360-degree multimedia tour of the venue before you go - quite fun!QF‑4, Rynek Starego Miasta 27, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 600 99 99 33, www.ufukiera.pl. Open 12:00-23:00. €€€€.

T­o­6

Sometimes stiff formality and pretence go hand in hand with fine dining, and though the food may be great, the overall experience can be a bit awkward or even, ugh...tiring. As such, it’s nice to experience exclusive dining in the Japanese Izakaya style (informal eating). Wabu is very much a place for all types of people, from businessmen to couples to tourists and even families, so relax and enjoy. The interior is a minimal and elegantly unfussy gem, going for that old Japanese look, and blending in nicely with its modern surroundings on Plac Europejski.

The menu is varied, inclusive of what you’d expect in sushi restaurants, however, Wabu also provides a special menu for kids, and a mighty lunch offer Mon-Fri (12:00-15:00, soup and 12 pieces of sushi for 39zł). The alcohol selection is extensive and bound to please everybody. Simple and elegant, Wabu has our hearty endorsement.QC‑7, Plac Europejski 2, MRondo Daszyńskiego, tel. (+48) 668 92 59 59, www.wabu.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

Kitchen open until 22:30. €€€€. T­U ­o ­6 73

Restaurants | Casual Dining

Casual dining If you’ve been naughty, leave this steak from Beef n’Pepper next to the chimney. Works every year.

Sometimes you just need a casual and convenient place to relax, enjoy good food, vibes and hospitality.

The following venues deliver in that regard. While our listed opening hours seem self-explanatory, be aware that some venues close their doors if business is slow, while others stay open after the kitchen has closed. In such cases, the hours we list are for the kitchen.

Beef n’ Pepper utensils Steak Hidden away in a small alleyway alongside the famous Roma Theatre, the exterior may well look like you’re about to enter a 1970’s shopping mall, but inside it’s a smart, urban steakhouse and bar. The quality of the cuts here is excellent (28 days wet-aged) and the fact that they use the finest local meat means prices are surprisingly reasonable. Seafood options and Louisiana Chicken Wings struggle for a look-in as beef rules. In addition to a fine wine list, the slick bar also has a brilliant selection of whiskies and bourbons. Live music is available every Tuesday from 19:00.QF‑9, ul.

Nowogrodzka 47A, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 785 02 50 25, www.beefandpepper.pl. Open 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:0022:00. €€€€. T­U­E­6 74

Browar Warszawski

NEW

utensils International The centrepiece of Browary Warszawskie, the revamped Warsaw Brewery is one of the largest and most modern brewpubs in the region, producing 18 excellent varieties of craft beer on site, from contemporary IPAs to legacy ales from the Haberbusch & Schiele that once occupied this entire complex. Choosing is too hard, so try a tasting set. As for food, the menu is tailored to complement your liquid meal, and includes a truffle burger, fresh seafood and perfectly prepared platters from the Josper grill. If you’re not a beer and/or meat lover, fret not, Warsaw Brewery has vegetarian options, and also a range of cocktails and single malt whiskys you won’t find elsewhere. The large post-industrial interior harbours plenty of intimate spaces, while also giving you a peak behind the curtain of how they brew their beers. All around a top venue for drinks, dining and making the rounds.QC‑7, ul.

Haberbuscha i Schielego 2, MRondo Daszyńskiego, tel. (+48) 799 00 00 21, www.browarwarszawski.com.

Open 12:00-24:00; Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun 10:00-24:00. €€€. B­E

Casual Dining | Restaurants Ciao Napoli utensils Italian Located a short distance away from the Old Town Square (p.27), Ciao Napoli’s aim is to bring a little piece of Naples to the centre of Warsaw. Having originally opened on Wąski Dunaj 4/6/8 (F-4) to great success, boasting some of the city’s best pizza, imagine our delight when they opened this 2nd location with more seating, a bigger kitchen, and an expanded menu, with all the friendly atmosphere and cosiness of the first restaurant. Offering a selection of antipasti, salads, seafood and desserts, it’s the choice of Neapolitan pizzas with their fantastic thin and crispy dough which really stick out. Lunch specials of soup, an entree and water are available Mon-Fri 12:00-16:00 for 27zł. As if things couldn’t get any better, they have fresh mussels every Thursday, happy hours on weekdays with 2-for-1 cocktails (16:00-19:00), and on weekends your 2nd bottle of prosecco is free! You leave satisfied, especially when you realise just how reasonably priced the whole experience was, despite being in a tourist hotspot.QF‑4, ul. Długa 6, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 666 32 27 33, www.ciaonapoli.pl.

Open 12:00-22:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-23:00. €€. T­B­6

Gościniec Polskie Pierogi utensils Polish Walking in the Old Town (p.24), you’re going to feel an air of nostalgia. The location is stunning, and the atmosphere sums up the traditional romantic image of Poland. To top it off, you’re going to want to try some traditional Polish grub, right? Gościniec has just that, with hearty food from soups, pierogi, potato pancakes and various meat offerings, all at very reasonable prices. You can’t go wrong with pierogi, but we’d personally recommend the pork chops or cabbage rolls stuffed with meat (known locally as gołąbki - go-womp-ki)! The drinks on offer are quite funky (cold/hot options), all served up by friendly staff wearing folk attire! It may feel very kitsch inside, but the food is immense. They have other locations on ul.

Nowy Świat 41, and deep in the Old Town on Podwale 19 and ul. Piwna 14, should you choose to venture some more before eating.QG‑5, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 29, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 273 69 36, www.gosciniec.waw.pl. Open 11:00-22:00; Fri 11:0023:00. €. T­o­6

Read and review over 275 Warsaw restaurants online iyp.me/139ch

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Restaurants | Casual Dining Guru Restaurant & Bar

Paros

utensils Indian

utensils Mediterranean

Guru was borne out of the owners’ long dream to open an Indian restaurant. We’re lucky they got their wish, as they are redefining Indian cuisine with a flair for modernity. And what better location than Warsaw - a city that has been transforming at lightning pace, the redevelopment visible on the very street where Guru is located, ul. Widok, right next to Metro Centrum (as central as it gets!). Perfect for both casual dining and business meals, the interior is a mix of traditional and modern, as is the menu with its classics (with a real Tandoori oven!), all the way to the drinks menus. Lunches served Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00 (27/21zł).

Recommended.QG‑8, ul. Widok 8, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 857 06 04, www.gururestauracja.pl. Open 12:00-22:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-23:00. €€. T­o­6

Paros is the first and last place in Warsaw where a waiter helped us with our coat and even pulled out our chair - such gallantry! That attention carries over to the menu of Greek staples (we loved the bitesized Spanakopitas), which offers a true taste of the Mediterranean. Our dinner date just happened to be a Greek chef, and his delighted reactions to each dish provided ample amusement. Paros is so large it still feels spacious when its full, even with a packed white wraparound bar in the middle of the room. Drop in for live music every Friday and Saturday starting at 21:00.

QF‑7, ul. Jasna 14/16A, MŚwiętokrzyska, tel. (+48) 22 828 10 67, www.paros-restauracja.pl. Open 12:00-24:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-03:00. €€€. T­o­E

Namaste India utensils Indian Over fifteen years ago, what began as a modest Indian-owned grocery store quickly developed by demand into multiple full-service restaurants.

This - the expanded original location - remains the consensus best Indian food in the capital, just ask anyone who lives here. The prices are set so low you can’t help but wonder what’s the catch - there isn’t one; we’ve tried the entire menu and it’s all delicious.

Consider ringing ahead for takeaway because waiting times can be torture and ask about booking their private room for parties and meetings.QG‑8, ul.

Nowogrodzka 15, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 357 09 39, www.namasteindia.pl. Open 11:00-23:00; Sun 12:0022:00. €€. o

OTO!SUSHI utensils Japanese One of our favourite sushi spots in Warsaw for over a decade. Sure, the location helps – who can argue with eating on swanky Nowy Świat? – but the helpful staff and great menu put it squarely on top.

They offer traditional sushi, but also aren’t afraid to experiment (mixing strawberries with salmon maki rolls is surprisingly delightful)! Ducking in for a lunch special will get you heaps of fresh sushi along with a free miso soup, and green tea for a reasonable price.

The sushi masters engage with customers (something the regulars love!) as they ply their trade, but the interaction doesn’t end there, for they also arrange sushi training sessions on request. You can’t go wrong with this place.QG‑7, ul. Nowy Świat 46, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 828 00 88, www.otosushi.pl. Open 12:00-23:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-24:00. €€. U 76

The Alchemist Grill & Cocktail utensils International We already love The Alchemist for bringing the future of drinking not only to Warsaw but to the world, with their patented ‘beer wall’ (8 taps). As impressive as their cocktails and beer selection is, however, the real reason to visit is their award-winning food (Gault & Millau 2020). Enjoy gourmet interpretations of Polish standards and classics like burgers and fish & chips, but their specialty is juicy steaks grilled and served on hot lava plates. The presentation is as sleek and pleasing as the interior design, which is hard not to admire. Fun fact: the Warsaw Metropolitan where The Alchemist is housed was designed by British architect Norman Foster. A touch of modernity added to the Old Town area. We can stay here for hours just chilling with our beer cards and sharing platters. Top venue.

QF‑5, Plac Piłsudskiego 3, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 628 00 23, www.thealchemist.pl. Open 12:00-23:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-24:00. €€. o­6

OTO!SUSHI

Casual Dining | Restaurants

The Legendary Jack’s Cinema Restaurant & Bar utensils American Inside a pre-war tenement building, Jack’s is a bar, restaurant and event-only cinema with a classy postindustrial interior punctuated by literally hundreds of JD bottles blotting out the ceiling. The steaks, burgers, ribs and wings are outstanding, and aside from Tennessee whiskey there are dozens of other mixed drinks; they even have their own beer. Keep an eye on their FB page for karaoke, concerts and other events in the mini cinema, kick back in their deep sofas and enjoy the show. Cheers, Jack!QG‑8, ul. Bracka 18, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 400 28 23, www.jackscinema.pl.

Open 12:00-01:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. €€. T­U­E­6

Tutti Colori utensils Italian This quaint post-industrial pizza venue borders fits in with the surrounding area filled with old warehouses, just a stone’s throw away from Westfield Arkadia shopping centre. But we’re here for the pizza. Tutti Colori’s tagline is ‘the best pizza begins with the dough’ (agreed!) and Tutti’s dough is elegantly thin. There are over 30 pizzas to choose, from rossa to bianca (our

favourite being the Velutto with mascarpone), but there are also other Italian favourites like antipasti and deserts. All this accompanied with great wine, and even some beers. Two more locations at ul. Postępu 5 (near the Chopin Airport) and ul. Skolimowska 4 (H-12).QB‑2, ul. Burakowska 15, MDworzec Gdański, tel. (+48) 692 12 60 38, www.tutticolori.pl. Open 12:0021:00; Mon 12:00-19:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun 12:0020:00. €€. T­U­o­6

U Barssa utensils Polish The Old Town is packed with places to eat, but once lacked a line-up of truly great places. Times, they have a-changed. As you walk from the market square into the elegant dining room, you will discover a world of luxury, craft and privilege. The signature duck baked with beetroot, fried apples and cranberry sauce, and the Angus steak with green pepper are just two of the winning dishes on the menu, and we have to mention the outstanding wine list! They also have live music on Saturdays, so call ahead to reserve your space in this charming place.QF‑4, Rynek Starego Miasta 12/14, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 635 24 76, www.ubarssa.pl.

Open 11:00-22:00; Fri 11:00-23:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-23:00. €€€. T­B­E 77

Restaurants | Food Markets

Food Markets Browary Warszawskie - Food Hall Browary

Browary Warszawskie

Elektrownia Powiśle

Once one of Central Europe’s most famous brewing complexes, this 4.5ha area in Wola has been revitalised into a trendy urban culture and gastronomy district (p.14), featuring dozens of top restaurants and contemporary food concepts. Discover a wide range of international cuisines, plus cafes, bakeries, delicatessens, shops and services - all in this dense neighbourhood. Mixing bold new architecture with restored historical buildings, post-industrial design with public green spaces, the heart of this ‘city within a city’ is Food Hall Browary - 11 contemporary food concepts in the former brewery cellars. The historic Browar Warszawski (Warsaw Brewery) itself has also been revived and is once again producing craft beers (18 different types!) for local hopheads. Exciting new venues continue to open and as if all that weren’t enough, you’ll also find a full calendar of events for all ages online. There’s always something brewing at Browary!QC‑7, ul. Haberbuscha i Schielego 2, MRondo Daszyńskiego, www.foodhallbrowary.pl. Open 11:0022:00; Fri, Sat 11:00-24:00.

From the outside, it’s obvious that this former power station has been given a new boost of energy following a major overhaul. What is essentially a classier-than-average shopping mall, EP also contains a whole host of gastro eateries, bars and event space.

The central food court has the feel of a street food market, with 17 street food stalls and restaurants to choose from. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for this as there are also fully functioning restaurants to choose from in the opposite office buildings too!

You’re spoilt for choice and can let your tastes or budget decide where you want to grab some grub (hard decision!). Once you’re done dining, check out their bars - Kandela, Centrala and Elektryk - and also keep a regular eye on their events calendar so you don’t miss hip foodie happenings like their ‘Eko Targ’ (Eco Market), selling GMO-free locally-grown produce.

Everything under one roof - kudos!QH‑6, ul. Zajęcza 2B, MCentrum Nauki Kopernik, tel. (+48) 22 128 56 00, www.elektrowniapowisle.com. Open 12:00-23:00; Fri, Sat 11:00-02:00.

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Food Markets | Restaurants Hala Gwardii

Hala Koszyki

The grimier twin number of Hala Mirowska - its adjacent neighbour to the west - these two enormous brick buildings were built as market halls at the turn of the century. Miraculous survivors of WWII, while Mirowska quickly returned to its function as a vast indoor market where you can buy almost anything, Hala Gwardii served as a bus depot, eventually becoming a sports hall and home to the ‘Gwardia’ Policemen’s Sports Club - hence the name.

Today it still features a boxing ring, small boxing museum and portraits of Polish boxing legends on the walls, but since 2017 has returned to a modern version of its roots - as an eclectic indoor food hall and hipster marketplace focused on local and organic products. The neglected exterior gives it an alternative edge, while inside you have dozens of the city’s top gastro concepts to choose from, plus coffee, alcohol and other drinks, as well as a market of local food products. Worth checking out each weekend for frequent food festivals and other very cool events.QE‑6, Plac Żelaznej Bramy 1, MRondo ONZ, www.halagwardii.pl. Open Fri, Sat 09:00-01:00; Sun 10:00-23:00 only.

From the outset Hala Koszyki has managed to raise the love and hate hackles of the city’s ‘out on the town’ set. How many world cuisine eateries of various sizes can you squeeze into one space? Actually, due to its popularity, fate may decide what you’ll eat as tables are packed most times of the day or night. Amazingly popular amongst the young and the beautiful, Hala K will probably remain THE place to be seen for some time to come - mainly because it’s easy to be seen due to its open plan layout. Top class little independent bistros sit next to some of Warsaw’s chain restaurants, like Tuk Tuk and the biggest restaurateurs including Mateusz Gessler’s gastronomic outpost - Port Royal.

The main hall has some brilliant food on offer, with stalls offering flavours from all over the world. There are of course some shops here too, however, in reality, they’ll always play second fiddle to the top class dining area. Even if you can’t find a table at any of the cool eateries and bars, we urge you to spend some time taking in this stunning market hall. Don’t forget to look up, down, sideways etc. as beautiful hidden details abound!QF‑10, ul. Koszykowa 63, MPolitechnika, www.koszyki.com. Open 08:00-01:00.

Hala Koszyki

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Nightlife | New & Featured

Flapper fun and Gatsby shenanigans in Woda Ognista (p.85).

Nightlife in Warsaw There was a time not long ago when a bar in Warsaw was just a dull place to go and get drunk - that’s it. Though the concept of a bar as a social venue is still relatively new, the choice of modern venues - whether cool dive joints or sleek exclusive cocktail bars - is now immense.

Go enjoy yourself and na zdrowie (cheers)!

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New & Featured | Nightlife

El Koktel

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Cocktail Bar Moody and elegant, this sophisticated cocktail bar serves signature drinks with performative flair. The imaginative menu of classic and modern mixed drinks changes seasonally; during our recent visit the sci-fi/space exploration theme featured delicious drinks with names like ‘Space Oddity,’ ‘Johnny Silverhand’ and ‘Houston, We Had a Problem,’ and the range of unique ingredients included nutella liqueur, agave nectar, bison grass absinthe and pomegranate tincture. These alcohol alchemists even make their own flavoured gin (cleverly named ‘Gin Dobry’), which you simply must sample by ordering a classic G&T. Also on the menu: wine, craft beer, and antipasti boards. Ring the doorbell to be admitted.

QG‑7, ul. Wojciecha Górskiego 9, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 507 45 64 47, www.facebook.com/elkoktel.

Open 18:00-24:00; Fri, Sat 18:00-01:00; closed Mon, Sun.­6

Clash Bar at NYX Hotel Warsaw Cocktail Bar Making a hotel more than just a place for its sleepover guests, NYX has created an inviting first-floor space where urban art and culture collide, and anyone can drop in. With an open floor plan that features traditional dining areas flowing into more casual zones with sofas and armchairs, The Clash’s unique visual aesthetic includes retro and modern furnishings, elegant place settings and gold cutlery, plus edgy photography and street art installations. Dine on a unique fusion of Polish-Israeli cuisine, order a signature cocktail, or challenge their bar staff to make you a custom drink. Take advantage of Happy Hour specials from 17:0019:00, and don’t be surprised to hear live jazz or a DJ dialling up the vibes (check their FB to see what’s on).

QE‑8, ul. Chmielna 71, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 346 29 00 www.leonardo-hotels.com/nyx-hotel-warsaw.

Open 14:30-23:00. T­U­E­6

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Nightlife | Bars

Bars

Become a Happy Hour hero at The Clash (p.81).

In Warsaw you are never far from a great night out, and this section highlights some of our favourite venues. As it’s a large city, there are several key nightlife areas: Warsaw’s artsy, alternative crowd prefer the down-at-heel bars across the river in Stara Praga (H/I-4) and the fashionable Saska Kępa (L-7), while young trendsetters head to Powiśle (p.40). Lads stick to the party strip on ul. Mazowiecka (F-6/7) and skint travellers and students enjoy the vibe of the dive bars in The Pavilions (ul. Nowy Świat 26, G-7). In practice, many bars will stay open beyond the call of duty if business is good, but by the same benchmark will happily bolt the doors early if not.

Symbol Key

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6 Animal friendly

N Credit cards not accepted

E Live music

U Facilities for the disabled

o Year-round Garden

X Smoking room available

AURA Bar Cocktail Bar Chances are you wouldn’t find this place on your own, which is why you should seek it out! Though hardly bigger than a bedroom, the locals are eager to squeeze into this corner bar located in a lovely pre-war residential building. With high ceilings and a beautiful design of oriental patterns, warm lighting and brass fixtures, Aura has a real glow to it and a friendly neighbourhood vibe. What sets it apart however, is the huge selection of bourbons. This is the kind of place where the drinks come in tumblers and the seasonal cocktails are as delicious as the atmosphere. If an Old-Fashioned is your go-to bar order, this is your go-to bar, where they serve 8 unique varieties of the classic drink. Refreshingly relaxed, but clearly refined, great things come in small packages.

QG‑9, ul. Hoża 27, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 791 88 81 98. Open 17:00-01:00; Fri 18:00-03:00; Sat 18:00-02:00. o­6

Bars | Nightlife Back Room Bar Cocktail Bar Stroll down ul. Koszykowa, just off from Plac Konstytucji, and at no. 53 on your left, head down to the end of the lane which looks more like a residential car park. Keep hugging the right-hand side, walking past a few restaurants, and voilà, you’ll reach the Back Room Bar - an appropriate name indicating how well hidden it is! It would be a shame to miss this place, as inside, the mix of American 1930s bar and inter-war Varsovian lifestyle is strong; all with a heady art deco atmosphere. To top off the atmospehere, they have live music every Thu & Fri from 20:30. The cocktails the friendly dressed-for-the-part staff make are great, the setting perfect for a private drink, or a mingling session with friends. No harm in trying it out, huh?QG‑10, ul.

Koszykowa 49A, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 794 49 56 59, www.backroom.bar. Open 19:00-24:00; Fri, Sat 19:0002:00; closed Mon, Sun. E

Charlie Cocktail Bar Billing itself as a venue where elegance meets comfort, this lounge bar feels like the type of place your classy ole pal Charlie himself would invite you into. If you don’t know anyone called Charlie, then let this venue be the substitute to fill that void! Found on the likewise elegant ul. Mokotowska, one of our favourite areas of Warsaw, just off the beaten track, come here to check out a wide selection of cocktails, all in the pleasantly dark and moody atmosphere.

Their calendar of events, hosting live acts, jazz music, a Saturday DJ and various parties are legendary.QG‑10, ul. Mokotowska 39, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 739 09 75 14, www.charliebar.pl. Open 19:00-01:00; Fri 17:0002:00; Sat 19:00-02:00; closed Mon, Sun. X­E

Jabeerwocky Craft Beer ‘Beware the Jabeerwock’ - wait, this one’s not a fictitious monster, but a bare-brick dive bar inside a residential building, right in the city centre. And one well worth checking out, with 17 taps offering some fine craft beers, whiskey, bourbon and some basica snacks. A great place to kick back with friends for some good chat, and if you’re desperate to watch some sports, they have a large projector screen and TV for you to stare at if the chat’s not good enough.

A separate room is available to book for private parties, which can hold up to 35 people.QG‑8, ul.

Nowogrodzka 12, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 254 31 07, www.jabeerwocky.pl. Open 14:00-24:00; Wed, Thu 14:00-01:00; Fri, Sat 14:00-02:00; Sun 15:00-24:00. 6 83

Nightlife | Bars SWING Cocktail Bar Cocktail Bar Right on the Royal Route, Swing is one of the capital’s most sophisticated and upscale destinations for dining, drinks and, yep, swinging cocktail parties. The elegance exuded by day is nicely offset by the creativity of the Asianfusion cuisine and the relaxed atmosphere created by the staff and clientele, particularly in the evenings, which belies all the finery. The cocktails are excellent, and they have an ample offering of wine and champagne to enhance the mood when local musicians bring the energy during retro swing concerts on Fri & Sat nights after 19:00. It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that Swing.QG‑7, ul. Chmielna 2, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 667 98 88 88, www.swingrestauracja.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. E­6

The Alchemist Grill & Cocktail Cocktail Bar

Pucker up at El Koktel (p.81).

Kita Koguta Cocktail Bar Even with the myriad of trendy drink bars around town it’s still a bit of a rarity to stumble upon a place where the staff seem permanently smiley, jolly and on the point of being certified - this is such a place. Two levels of surprisingly unpretentious cocktail showmanship and DJ danceparty mayhem, fuelled by the weird and wonderful auteur alcoholic concoctions on their regularly changing menu. If you’re feeling fussy or just want to chat up the willing staff, challenge them to come up with a custom drink based on your tastes and preferences. Great atmosphere, great drinks. To keep up to date with events they may host, check out their Facebook page.

QG‑9, ul. Krucza 6/14, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 512 30 72 84, www.kitakoguta.pl/. Open 18:00-24:00; Fri, Sat 18:00-02:00; closed Mon, Tue. 84

Patenting the ‘future of drinking’ themselves, The Alchemist’s ‘Beer Wall’ was the first of its kind in Europe. With a handy ‘Beer Wall’ card, you can pour yourself as many drinks as you like from the 8 taps on the wall, typically offering local craft beer, cider and prosecco. Futuristic guzzling gizmos aside, however, the signature cocktails that shimmer, swirl and smoke are where the Alchemist earns its name, and their award-winning food (Gault & Millau 2020) makes this venue a must-visit. On the menu are delicious burgers, steaks and innovative interpretations of American and British classics.

QF‑5, Plac Piłsudskiego 3, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 628 00 23, www.thealchemist.pl. Open 12:00-23:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-00:00. T­U­6

The Legendary Jack’s Cinema Restaurant & Bar Cocktail Bar Bottles at the bar, bottles on the ceilings, and why not, considering your signature alcoholic drink is one of the world’s most recognisable brands? Not just a bar, this spot does some great American style grub, from burgers, steaks and BBQ ribs to fried chicken. What’s more, the quirk of this place is the cinema screen round back, great for films, live screenings of sports events or as a space for live music and other events.

Come here for a drink, food, and definitely check out their events calendar on Facebook.QG‑8, ul. Bracka 18, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 400 28 23, www.jackscinema.pl.

Open 12:00-01:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. T­U­E­6

Bars | Nightlife

Weles Bar Cocktail Bar Walk casually past and you risk missing this hidden cocktail bar, whose very discreet entrance can be found in the back corner of an unassuming alleyway. Why, it’s almost as if they were trying to hide something.... Don’t worry, though, there aren’t any prohibition-fab pseudo-speakeasy shenanigans at play here. Instead, walking through the big metal door takes you on a trip down into the underworld. Not literally, thankfully, but physically and figuratively, as you descend into the mysterious and hedonistic domain of Weles - Slavic god of the underworld, and pagan patron of magic, music and prosperity. The vibe is quite alternative for a bar where most of the patrons are drinking fancy cocktails, and a scan of the room reveals a lot of black outfits, inked skin and moody makeup. A trip to the bar, where the staff mix the drinks with a mesmerising alchemic fluidity, is almost akin to initiation into some sacred ritual; we drank deep of Weles’ well and left converted. To say more would simply give away too much - visit on your own accord and accept your initiation.QG‑8, ul.

Nowogrodzka 11, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 602 77 39 97, www.welesbar.pl. Open 19:00-01:30; closed Mon. E

Woda Ognista Cocktail Bar Before we detail the place, we’ll mention the area - ul. Wilcza, one of many nice streets that can be described as ‘off the beaten track’, hiding some wonderful pre-war architecture you might miss if you don’t stray from Warsaw’s main drag, ul.

Marszałkowska. Emitting a nostalgic air of bygone days, Woda Ognista captures and bottles this atmosphere of ‘forgotten Warsaw’, with classy 1920s-30s decor and a primly dressed staff that exude panache. Prepare to be impressed by their seasonal offerings, fantastic Polish-style cocktails and dishes that take you on a journey through Warsaw’s cultural history. Put simply, this is a wonderful place to experience a modern spin on pre-war Varsovian style and we’re sure the likes of Eugeniusz Bodo and Mieczysław Fogg would have approved.QH‑9, ul. Wilcza 8, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 258 14 41, www.wodaognista.com. Open 17:0024:00; Fri, Sat 17:00-02:00. 6

Read and review 160+ Nightlife venues iyp.me/193ch

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Nightlife | Clubs

Clubs Practice the art of lucid dreaming in SEN

A clubbing paradise, the capital certainly has some special nightclubs and Varsovians know how to party.

Dress your best, anticipate a cover charge at any place worth getting into, and if things go right you’ll be greeting the dawn.

Dekada Adventures and amorous encounters come guaranteed in this slice of Warsaw folklore, a direct result of the people found inside. Here it’s all 007 Barbie bombshells soaking up attention off expats twice their age, an interesting mix that combines for colourful nights. Watch the pantomime while sitting inside a 1950s tram, or else take your chances on a dance floor that packs out most nights – the musical menu changes daily, with weekends tending to err towards disco and chart sounds.QC‑10, ul. Grójecka 19/25, tel. (+48) 600 85 65 71, www.dekada.pl. Open Fri, Sat 22:00 - 05:00 only. X­E­ 86

Enklawa - The Legendary Nightlife It may be quiet by day, but Mazowiecka is home to a number of the city’s top nightspots and high up the list comes Enklawa. Keeping their fingers on the pulse of current club trends, live music and fashion events it attracts a pretty classy and sassy weekend crowd, and to stay ahead of the game, they’ve recently undergone a big renovation, which includes some huge screen! If you can’t wait for Friday to come around, not a problem, hit the club as early as Wednesday to appease your desire! Inside, you’ll find 3 bars and a very spacious dancefloor, which you can enjoy, or watch over, from their VIP booths. Enklawa’s popularity means there may be a queue to get past the lads on the door, but once inside, you’ll find a unique atmosphere like no other venue in Warsaw.QF‑6, ul. Mazowiecka 12, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 827 31 51, www.enklawa.com. Open 22:0005:00; closed Mon, Tue, Sun. X­U

Clubs | Nightlife Hulakula

NA LATO Day & Night

Indoor entertainment centre by day, and indoor entartainment centre by night - but at night, under a very different guise than its more family orientated daytime function. It may not immediately seem like it, but the idea to also use an entertainment centre as an altogether great night out for nightlife seekers is a top idea. The indoor space is huge and great at weekends with DJ sets. We wholeheartedly encourage you to check out their calendar for upcoming events. We guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised and definitely won’t be disappointed!QJ‑4, ul. Jagiellońska 82B, MDworzec Wileński, tel. (+48) 669 00 10 01, www.hulakula.com.pl. Open 12:00-22:00; Thu 12:00-24:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-03:00. X­U

Na Lato has been a Powiśle favourite for a while now, both during the day and night. The setting, both the location and the interior, work well, as they are pleasant on the eye and the soul. After a meal, sit back at the bar on a Fri or Sat, letting the night set in until bam! - the transformation from restaurant to dance floor passes by you in the blink of an eye, especially if you’re cocktailing early. Get well fed, dance your socks off, or sit at the bar continuing what you were doing before. If that’s not enough, check out Jackpot Warsaw 777 on the premises, a heady mix of palm trees and 19th century Tennessee bar feel - very romantic, indeed. Not a bad set of choices, huh?QI‑9/10, ul. Rozbrat 44A, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 696 87 84 49, www.na-lato.com. Open 08:30-22:00; Fri 08:30-03:00; Sat 10:00-03:00; Sun 10:00-22:00. X

Level 27 To anyone with vertigo, a word of warning: as the name suggests, this is not some dingy cellar club, but rather an ecstatic rooftop party that puts you in the centre of Warsaw’s skyline. Rated one of the best clubs in the world, Level 27 occupies the top floor of a modern skyscraper, and includes a 450m2 open-air terrace in the summer. A showcase for high society’s beautiful people, DJs typically spin R&B and hip hop, but anything can happen from fire shows to fashion runways (check their FB). Arrive early for an incredible sunset, or better yet, keep pace with these party people to see it come up again from the best vantage point in town. Are you on the level?QC‑9, Al. Jerozolimskie 123A, tel. (+48) 733 66 10 94, www.level27.pl. Open Fri, Sat 23:00-05:00. E

SEN If you’ve come to SEN (PL for ‘dream’) to enjoy the restaurant (18:00-01:00), we give you a humble nod for making a solid choice, but if you’ve decided to stay and sup on the awesome cocktails, we salute you you won’t be disappointed. Although not huge, the panoramic backdrop pairs up perfectly with the lounge vibe. There is a door selection, so dress to impress, and don’t be put off - the staff do their best to maintain the unique and positive character inside, which just adds to your enjoyment. The music’s great and the bar is well stocked, what’s not to enjoy? If you stay until the end, you may very well agree with the venue’s tag line: it was all a dream.QJ‑7, Ul. Wioślarska 6, MCentrum Nauki Kopernika, tel. (+48) 883 02 50 25, www.senwarsaw.pl.

Open Thu, Fri & Sat 18:00-05:00 only. X­E

Smolna

Winter nights stay hot at Level 27.

This bunkerlike club based on the Berlin techno model is situated in a grand old city centre townhouse, just seconds away from the landmark ‘palm tree’. The music delves deep into the murky world of all aspects of electronica but they’re a pretty radical and experimental group of folks, so you never know what musical journey they’ll whisk you through. Three dancefloors, including the outdoor patio space (the neighbours will love that one), three bars (cocktails included) and a chillout room make up this hugely popular venue. Keeping things enigmatic and secretive, they have a strict ‘no photos/no smartphone’ policy and pretty cryptic advertising clips which tell you nothing. The door policy is reasonable, simply in place to keep out aggressive yobos and anyone with a Nikon D5200 strapped around their neck.

Expect queues, especially during weekends.QH‑8, ul.

Smolna 38, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, www.smolna38. com. Open Fri, Sat 22:00-08:00 only.

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Nightlife | Clubs

Silent disco at Syreni Śpiew

Syreni Śpiew One of Warsaw’s favourite venues has carried its mermaid song across the river to Praga Koneser Center (p.47). The postindustrial style fits in with the revamped ethos of Syreni Śpiew: a place to take in the atmosphere and create memories. With 4 floors, 4 bars and 3 stages, this is the perfect spot to sip and eat during the day, then party the weekend away. Slide inside and let them ply you with upscale cocktails and top-shelf whiskies while you schmooze to some smooth tunes. While it’s a low-key, high-class vibe during the week, there are plenty of regular events before the weekend goes sublime with live music and DJs (Fri-Sat) that keep the parties going all night long. Check their FB page for the latest events.QK‑2, Plac Konesera 4, MDworzec Wileński, tel. (+48) 602 77 34 49, www.facebook.com/syrenispiew. Open 12:00-22:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-03:00. X­U­o­E­6

Teatro Cubano Warsaw The warm Caribbean breeze has finally reached Warsaw in the form of this Cuban lounge and club.

With giant palms flanking the entrance, as you enter you are enveloped by the vibrant blues and yellows of this huge, spacious club with high ceilings and a massive bar at its centre., behind which is the large stage which regularly hosts international touring acts (many Caribbean!) as well as DJs mixing Latino and pop music. Due to COVID the dance floor is closed until further notice, but DJs are still spinning tunes, the bar is still operating with gusto, and the colourful, friendly vibe is intact. Stop by!QF‑5, ul.

Fredry 6, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 538 19 44 94, www.teatrocubano.com. Open 22:00-03:00; Thu 22:00-04:00; Fri, Sat 21:00-05:00. X­E 88

Adult Entertainment | Nightlife

Adult Entertainment If you’re in Warsaw and simply have your mind set on going to a strip club, we advise you to stick to our recommendations, which are vetted and centrally-located. When it comes to these types of establishments, we’ve heard reports of 8,000zł being spent willingly in one club listed here, and another of 8,000 sterling being spent unwillingly in one we don’t list. As ever, we urge you to be mindful, mind your manners, deal only in cash, don’t let anyone order drinks for you, and generally keep your wits about you. A good rule of thumb is to avoid street solicitation of any kind, especially if it comes in the form of a sweet girl with an umbrella inviting you to a club for a ‘drink’; also don’t get roped into buying a drink unless you know its price and can afford it. If you’re going to the club of your choice by taxi, make sure the driver takes you to the correct club, and not one miles away with whom they have a partnership.

Employ good common sense and we’re confident you’ll have a night to remember, not regret.

Playhouse Gentleman’s Club This smart gentlemen’s club, located in a chunky communist era building on al. Solidarności, has certainly hit the top of the tree (or pole?) with their classy approach to showing off the female form in luxurious surroundings. Their reputation in this market has even gone international, with influential website AskMen.com voting them the best strip club in the world in 2013! Three floors covering over 800m2, four bars, three VIP rooms, an in-house ATM and 57 sizzling hot women makes Playhouse THE place to visit for the discerning gent with a penchant for the erotic. Payment methods accepted: cash, card, Bitcoin and Paypal.QD‑5, Al. Solidarności 82A, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 794 00 70 00, www.playhouse.pl. Open 21:00-05:00. X

Sogo Club The largest of all the strip clubs in Warsaw at a size of 1200m2! It’s ridiculously easy to get to from any part of Warsaw. Simply head to the beginning of ul.

Nowy Świat (G-8, at the Palm Tree) and you’ll see the brightly lit building in the distance. The place consists of three levels: the main hall containing two bars and hundreds of seats, and VIP rooms, and even conference facilities. Should you want more privacy, the Gold Club option provides private rooms with a dedicated lounge bar and washroom facilities! The club has their customers’ desires in mind and will stay open longer if you feel you simply cannot leave at 05:00!QH‑7, Al. Jerozolimskie 6, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 629 92 09, www.sogoclub.pl. Open 20:00-05:00. X 89

Shopping

HE Concept Store, where Polish and International design meet

Shopping in Warsaw Paris, London or New York it ain’t, but shopping fiends can still find plenty to spend their well-earned złoty on. Warsaw is seeing true growth in the array of shops available and the number of big-name labels that are opening storefronts. Whether it’s western-style malls, designer boutiques, dusty family stores or antique markets, a day spent shopping can result in both bargains and treasures.

Happy hunting.

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Shopping

Amber & Jewellery Amber Art Gallery - Silver Line This gorgeous gallery specialises in luxury handcrafted jewellery of the amber variety, but crystal, silver and gold items can be purchased here too. This is the location of the largest and oldest amber dealer in the city, a family run business going back to 1988, proudly selling amber of Polish origin - certified by the International Amber Association. Even heads of State and royalty have been spotted procuring presents here, from Bill Clinton to Japanese princesses (whose thank you letters you can see inside)! Choose from pieces by Polish artisans and top designers, plus high quality jewellery made with other precious stones.QF‑4, Rynek Starego Miasta 9/11/13, MRatusz Arsenał, www.warsawamber.pl. Open 10:00-19:00; Sun 10:0017:00.

Lilou Phenomenally successful Polish jewellery chain where customers can select their own components and create a unique and personal piece. The range continues to grow, with the original idea of the personalised bracelet still the biggest seller. Choose a bracelet type and any number of simple silver or gold plated charms in a variety of shapes - hearts, dogs, cats and the likes, and then have it hand engraved with whatever or whoever means a lot to you. A ‘must have’ item amongst local celebs and fashionistas. Also at ul. Francuska 27 (L-7), Westfield Arkadia (B/C-2), Galeria Mokotów and Sadyba Best Mall.QH‑9, ul.

Mokotowska 63, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 506 19 08 97, www.lilouparis.com. Open 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:0018:00; Sun 11:00-16:00.

Fashion & Accessories HE Concept Store A high-class location for a high-class boutique. Forget shoddy souvenirs, this is where you’ll find some of the best items Polish and international design has to offer - all of which are completely unique to HE Concept Store. Enter the ‘Europejski Boutiques’ zone of Raffles Hotel Europejski from Krakowskie Przedmieście and descend the mysterious spiral stairs into what opens up into an exhibition space of chic and sleek design - artwork, high-quality handmade items, accessories, gadgets, and top of the line fashion. There’s even a wine bar where you can buy, and even sample signature wines on the

spot. All told, it’s a welcome gift to anyone with a keen eye on the latest trends.QG‑5, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 255 99 65, www.heconceptstore.pl. Open 11:00-19:00; closed Sun.

Victoria’s Secret This boutique certainly needs no introduction. Even if you know nothing of fashion, you’ve no doubt heard of Victoria’s Secret, the brand that has become synonymous with stylish lingerie and glitzy angelwinged fashion shows. Warsaw, it seems, is delighted to have Poland’s only VS stores, and although previously their only boutiques in the city were on the smaller scale of grand, focusing mainly on accessories & perfumes, the new store in the city centre’s Złote Tarasy shopping mall is much bigger than before (now including Victoria’s Secret PINK), but the opening of Poland’s first VS flagship store in Westfield Arkadia Shopping Mall, with the full selection of clothing, including their lingerie, perfumes and accessories has gone down well with fashion bloggers and Varsovians alike! In Arkadia, you can’t miss it - it’s located right at the front entrance!QC‑2, Al. Jana Pawła II 82 (Arkadia), MDworzec Gdański, tel. (+48) 22 445 02 05, www. victoriassecret.pl. Open 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00.

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Shopping

Gifts & Souvenirs E-Manufaktura It’s sometimes hard to find that perfect gift from Poland to take back home with you. We understand the problem, and it may be the case you get home, only to regret not having bought that sweet little tea cup you had your eye on. Now this is why we whole heartedly recommend E-Manufaktura, which is not only a shop in Warsaw, but also an online shop for you to look through an extensive catalogue in the comfort of your home. From egg cups, plates, bowls, and all other kitchenware you can think of, you’ll find it here!

The famous hand-painted ceramics, Bolesławiec, make up the core of what’s on offer. It doesn’t get more Polish than this. A must use service.QF‑3, ul.

Freta 14, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 636 06 84, www.e-manufaktura.com. Open 10:00-18:00.

Pomaluj.art - Galeria Bolesławiec & Studio Ceramiki There are many great Polish gift ideas, but none as visually exciting as Bolesławiec pottery. With a mix of cups, plates, bowls and other kitchenware with various colours and designs, you can’t go wrong to buy friends, family, or even yourself one of these classic but quirky items. What’s more, at this location, not only do you get the chance to buy something of your pleasing, but you can join in some workshops to make your own! The studio is quite sizeable, well-kitted out, and whether you’re trying to recreate scenes from the film Ghost (not recommended in front of others) or perhaps the kids want to mess about and make

Sunday Shopping Ban Since 2008, government regulations have gradually reduced Sunday trading in Poland to the point that there are now only 7 days in the entire year that most shops are allowed to be open for business. There are exceptions and loopholes aplenty, of course; though you’ll still find pharmacies, gas stations, kiosks, bakeries, open-air markets, Żabka convenience stores (most of which close at 23:00) and souvenir shops open on Sunday, however, shopping malls and most everything else are closed. The Sunday hours we list for venues are the hours they keep only on those Sundays when trade is allowed; we know, it’s confusing, so if you’re not sure if a venue is open on Sunday, call or check online. The upcoming Sunday shopping days are: Dec 12 & 19, Jan 30.

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anything they want and paint all over it (which is allowed, even encouraged), the end results are sure to raise a smile. The staff speak English and teach you the history of Bolesławiec pottery during your session! Showing the Warsaw In Your Pocket guide/ map, you will receive an in store 8% discount!QF‑8, Al. Jerozolimskie 49, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 690 80 01 84, www.pomaluj.art. Open 12:00-20:00; closed Sun.

Shopping Malls Designer Outlet Warszawa Probably one of the best-looking outlets we’ve seen in Poland, set inside a collection of buildings evoking the Baroque style of Warsaw’s Old Town. Indeed, this is a premium designer outlet, with the interior specifically made to make you feel like you’re walking through a classy little fashion street. Here you’ll find discounts ranging from 30% to a huge 70% on premium brands like Armani, Boss, Calvin Klein, Desigual, Gant, Guess, Furla, KARL LAGERFELD, Liu Jo, Luisa Spagnoli, Michael Kors, Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger through to lifestyle brands Adidas, Geox, Kazar, Levis, Nike, Salewa, Salomon, Timberland, 4F and many more.

Found just 30 mins from Warsaw’s city centre, and 20 mins from Warsaw Chopin Airport, it’s easily reached by car and public transport - from the centre, travel south by car along ul. Puławska in the direction of Piaseczno, and by metro to Metro Wilanowska and then buses 709 or 727 onward to stop Energetyczna 01, using a zone 2 ticket.Qul. Puławska 42E, Piaseczno, MWilanowska, tel. (+48) 22 737 31 15, www.designeroutletwarszawa.pl.

Open 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00.

Dom Mody KLIF The nationwide Klif chain have long been present in Warsaw, though if you think you’ve seen it all before then think again. Attracting fashion lovers for over 20 years offering a range of Polish and foreign boutiques; but as with all shopping centres, the proof comes in the pudding, i.e. the tenants. Now on show are top tags from MaxMara, Elisabetta Franchi to PennyBlack, as well as Michael Kors, Karl Lagerfeld, Castellani, Trzaska Luxury & Optics and DM Moda as well as wellknown and respected mainstream brands such as H&M, Olsen and S’portofino. The draw, other than the brands, is the convenient and easy to get to location - roll in by tram, bus or car. What’s more, this is the only shopping centre to have a concierge point, all for the benefit of the shopper. For true connoisseurs, this year, Klif prepared a unique FASHION STUDIO, where anyone can use the services of stylists.QB‑4, ul. Okopowa 58/72, tel. (+48) 535 41 14 58, www.klif.pl. Open 09:00-21:00; Sun 10:00-20:00.

Eurospar open Mon-Sat 08:30-22:00; Sun 09:00-20:00.

Shopping

Boutique - Atelier

Symbols of precious moments Lilou is an upscale polish jewelry brand created by Magdalena Mousson-Lestang.

Lilou’s philosophy is to create unique, engraved j e w e l r y , customized and customizable to mark events, small and big stories of your life, emotions or simply to please or be pleased. Real caskets in terms of architecture, Lilou Boutique - Atelier are warm and inviting stores where engraving is handmade on demand.

Lilou jewelry is made of 14k gold, 925 silver or 18k platedgold, and can be accessorized with strings, ribbons, leather bracelets and precious stones, crystals and pearls.

Mark stories of your life by creating unique, engraved jewelry.

WARSZAWA, 63 Mokotowska Street, 27 Francuska Street, ARKADIA 82 Jana Pawła II Avenue, GALERIA MOKOTÓW 12 Wołoska Street, SADYBA BEST MALL 31 Powsińska Street.

lilouparis.com /bemylilou

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