Are you looking for exciting things to do in Warsaw? Look no further!
Warsaw, Poland’s capital and largest city, is a vibrant city full of fun, culture, and entertainment all year round. With its diverse range of attractions and events, it’s no wonder this city has become one of the most popular destinations in Europe. From historical sites to parks, theatres to clubs, there’s something for everyone in this amazing city.
Exploring the Old Town is the best way to take in all that Warsaw has to offer. This area features numerous landmarks such as the Royal Castle, Barbican gates, St John’s Cathedral – a baroque church built between 1682 and 1777 – and numerous monuments. The area also hosts an array of shops selling everything from souvenirs to traditional Polish products such as pierogis. There are also plenty of restaurants with local cuisine from which to choose, so you’ll never have anything less than a delicious meal here!
For those looking for more culture in their holidays then, there are plenty of museums and galleries around town: visit the National Museum or explore some of the art galleries showcasing Polish contemporary art; check out vintage film posters at the Film Poster Museum; or learn about Polish history at POLIN Museum. With many festivals held throughout the year, including experimental music concerts and film screenings, something is going on every weekend! Plus, don’t forget about Warsaw Rising Museum – dedicated entirely to the World War II resistance movement – where visitors can learn more about this major event in European history.
Last but not least, if you’re looking for outdoor activities, head over to Lazienki Park – one of Europe’s largest royal gardens – where you can enjoy walking trails and monuments surrounded by lakes, ponds, and fountains or even catch a summer concert at The Chopin Monument too!
For those who love the nightlife, head to the Praga district for great bars, cafes, clubs, and cultural events like jazz nights all year round. Whether it’s soaking up culture or having fun with friends, there is something for everyone here in Warsaw! So experience this incredible city today – you won’t regret it!
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Experiences and top things to do in Warsaw
Take the “Royal Route“ tour
Start your Warsaw sightseeing with “The Royal Route.” It is one of the most preferred tourist tours in Warsaw. It takes place on the left bank of the Vistula river, starting from Warsaw’s Castle Square and ending at Wilanow Palace. The route goes southward from the city’s Old Town. During the walk, you will see a series of Warsaw historical landmarks.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: Warsaw Historical Group Tour with Pickup & Drop-Off
Read also: Street arts in Europe: Top 10 Best Cities in Europe For Street Arts and Graffiti
Visit the Royal Castle
One of the most popular Warsaw attractions is the Royal Castle. This baroque palace was the residence of the Polish monarchs. Royal Castle is located in Castle Square, at the entrance to the Warsaw Old Town. During WWI, the castle was the seat of the German government in Poland. From 1926 until 1939, this was the residence of the Polish president.
In 1939, Nazis burned and looted the castle, and in 1944, the castle was almost destroyed. The reconstruction of the palace started in 1971 and was completed in 1988. The Royal Castle of Warsaw became part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list in 1988. Nowadays, the mansion is being used as a museum and represents the center of Polish history and culture.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience:
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Are you planning your travels? Here’re my top travel resources!
I’m a serial planner both in life and in travel – I have bucket lists, things to do, see, and everything. So, I always love when my life is sorted easily using tools and resources that would make my general planning a little smoother and easier. Therefore, in my many years of traveling the world, I’ve seen myself returning to these travel resources repeatedly. And here I am, sharing my tips to make your life easy and breezy so you can stress less, travel heaps, and focus on the fun part of travel!
- Booking.com – I book all my hotels through this website and don’t honestly use anything else. They always have the best prices, in my opinion.
- Airbnb – If I’m traveling long-term to one destination, I book my flats through Airbnb.
- Skyscanner – The best place to find cheap flights on flexible dates. I use this a lot to score cheap flights within Europe!
- SafetyWing – Always travel insured! Never leave your home country without one. It is worth the extra money, I promise you!
- GetYourGuide – Hands-down, the best place to find cool and unique tours if you don’t feel like winging it, and go straight to a local expert. I use this a lot in new destinations to get acquainted with the area!
- My Pretty Wild World Travel Diary (coming soon) – A book you can write down your travel plans, create itineraries, track down your budget, and dot down memories along the way! A handy book you can keep and read later to revisit memory lane.
- Pretty Wild World Travel Planning Printables (coming soon) – Are you a nut like me when it comes to planning? Yes? Good. My travel planning resource in one zip file is an easy-to-use printable planner that comes with tips that helps you plan your travels during the planning stage, a pre-flight checklist, an itinerary planner, and so on.
Visit Warsaw’s museums
One of the most visited Warsaw points of interest is its museums. During your visit, you can visit the Warsaw Uprising Museum, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Polish Army Museum, National Museum in Warsaw, Fryderyk Chopin Museum, Gestapo Headquarters Museum, Czar PRL – Life under Communism Museum, Marie Curie Museum, Warsaw History Museum, etc.
The majority of museums are dedicated to polish history during WWII, to the suffering of the Jews during the war, but also recognized Polish artists and scientists like Marie Curie and Fryderyk Chopin.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: Chopin Concert in the Old Town
Read also: Top 12 Museums in Europe (For Arts, History, and Culture)
Visit Culture and Science Palace
The tallest building in Poland, the Palace of Culture and Science, was initially known as the Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture and Science. The building was built in 1955. A few decades later, Stalin’s name was removed. The building is 238 meters tall, has 42 floors, and 43 meters high spire on top of it.
“Pekin” was inspired by American art deco high-rise buildings designed by Soviet architect Lev Rudnev. The building was designed in the “Seven Sisters” style but was always called “the Eight sisters” by locals.
This building is home to numerous companies, public institutions, libraries, universities, etc. The Polish Academy of Science is also located here, in this building. “Pekin” has numerous funny nicknames like “Stalin’s syringe,” “Elephant in Lacy Underwear,” or even the “Russian Wedding Cake.” This building is one of the landmarks and symbols of this city, and of course, one of the things to see in Warsaw.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: Full-day Tour to Krakow and Auschwitz by Train
Read also: Autumn in Europe: Top 15 Fall Destinations in Europe
Take a bike tour around the Jewish Quarter
One of the things to do in Warsaw that should be on the top of your list is taking a bike tour around Warsaw Jewish Quarter. The tour includes a rented bike, a 15 km long ride lasting 2 to 3 hours. Jews lived in Warsaw since the medieval period. They were essential to the community and contributed greatly to Poland’s culture and history.
Did you know that Warsaw was the most prominent Jewish city in Europe? Well, on this tour, you will learn all about the history of the Warsaw Jews. This tour includes visiting the former area of the Warsaw Ghetto, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Ghetto Heroes Monument, Umschlagplatz, Mila 18 memorial site, remains of Pawiak Prison, Nożyk Synagogue.
Tour also includes smaller groups of tourists and will allow you to see some places that are being missed on walking tours.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews Ticket
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Hold up! Have you thought about the importance of travel insurance?
Remember this: anything can happen. Travel is fun, but your health is more important; thus, I always, always, always recommend getting insured during the duration of your trip. I have benefitted from having one multiple times, and it has been covered for thousands of euros!
The latest one is not necessarily “health” related – it was during the peak of the unspeakable terrible C that consumed the world. I was living in Vietnam when I received an email from SafetyWing (my travel insurance) that if I want they’ll fly be back home to Finland as the world goes through a global emergency alert. I flew back fully covered, and dealing with SafetyWing was a breeze despite the roar of people in contact with them trying to get back home.
I can’t highly recommend them enough. Otherwise, I rarely get sick; hence I don’t always need to head to a hospital, but knowing that I have travel insurance makes me feel safe at the very least.
Read my post about why you should get travel insurance for more information. Otherwise, you can get a free quote from SafetyWing – they’re the best, in my opinion.
Take a traditional Polish cooking class
What to do in Warsaw after all these walking and biking tours? I suggest you take a traditional Polish cooking class. The class is taking place in Polish Your Cooking Studio. This short course will teach you how to prepare famous Polish dishes like pierogi and have fun and meet amazing people.
Your teacher will be a professional chef who will introduce you to polish cuisine and tell you more about polish history through its dishes and cooking. After taking this class, you will get great memories, a small gift, and a certificate.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: Polish Food Tour
Read also: Top 15 Places to Visit in Poland
Enjoy the view from St Anne’s Church Tower
St. Anne’s Church is located in the historical center of Warsaw. It is considered one of the oldest buildings, built in the 15th century. In 1454, the Duchess of Masovia, Anna Fiodorowna, founded this church, and its history is starting. The church was reconstructed several times but was not damaged much during WWII, like the rest of the city.
Today’s appearance, the church got in 1788. The designer of this reconstructed version was Christian Piotr Aigner. The church was rebuilt in a neoclassical style. On the church’s façade, you can see the statues of the Four Evangelists.
Why is this church one of the places you must visit in Warsaw? There is one simple but great reason. We all love a breathtaking view. If you want to enjoy the view over the historical center of Warsaw, you should climb to the top of the bell tower.
Every city in the world has that one point that shows the city displayed in all its beauty in front of you. This place will show you the best in Warsaw!
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: Traditional Food Tour with Old Town Sightseeing
Read also: The 20 Underrated Countries in Europe to Visit on Your Next Trip!
Visit Wilanow Palace
Wilanow Palace is located in the Wilanów district, and it’s one of the places you should put on the list of things to do in Warsaw. This baroque palace is one of Poland’s most important monuments. Augustyn Wincenty Locci designed this palace for King John III Sobieski in the last quarter of the 17th century.
The design and architecture of the palace were supposed to magnify the Polish king, Sobieski’s family, and the King’s military victories. From 1730 until 1733, this palace was the residence of Augustus II the Strong and also the home of the King of Poland. After the death of King John III Sobieski, the castle became the home of his sons and, after that, home to numerous famous and wealthy Polish families like Sieniawski, Czartoryski, Lubomirski, Potocki, and Branicki.
Wilanów Palace survived critical historical periods and events like Poland’s partitions and World Wars. The Palace’s museum, established in 1805, treasures Poland’s royal, historical, and artistic heritage. The palace hosts numerous cultural and music festivals and events during the summer, such as Summer Royal Concerts in the Rose Garden.
Since 2006, the palace has become a member of the European Royal Residences international association. This palace is the perfect place to end your tour of the Polish capital. After long sightseeing tours around Warsaw, Wilanow Palace would be ideal for a peaceful afternoon walk. The palace has beautiful gardens with flowers, trees, ponds, and breathtaking sculptures by famous artists and sculptors.
The palace’s appearance and lovely gardens remind a lot of the Viennese Palace of Schönbrunn. Naturally, it is a way smaller and more modest mansion than Schönbrunn, but it brings out the same energy. This palace inspires you and makes you imagine how the Sobieski family lived here centuries ago.
When you finish your castle tour, I suggest you forget about all your worries, lie down on the lawn in the palace’s garden, and think of all the beautiful places you have seen in this gorgeous but a little underrated European capital.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: Warsaw Private Wilanow Palace & Garden Tour
Read also: 25 Beautiful Castles in Europe That Would Inspire Your Wanderlust
Royal Łazienki Park
For most, Royal Łazienki Park is a hidden gem. It is the city’s biggest park, and its Baroque design was fashioned in the 17th century. It is also home to truly wonderful buildings like the Palace on the Water. It also boasts an amphitheater from the neoclassical period. Today, yoga and meditation classes are held in the summer months.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: Dinner in the Dark Experience
What are my favorite travel must-haves?
As a frequent traveler, I’ve learned a lot throughout my years of travel, and there are five items that I always carry with me regardless of where I go and how long the trip is. Here are my five travel must-haves!
- Warm packable jacket – I always carry a light jacket, even when heading to warm countries. There hasn’t been a time I never used it, especially in airports and planes.
- Transparent toiletry bag – I often bring a carry-on if I’m only traveling within Europe for a few days. Life is so much easier to go through security checks with a transparent toiletry bag.
- Kindle Paperwhite – I love a good read and always take my Kindle everywhere. It keeps me entertained during long flights and waiting times.
- Powerbank – I don’t know how I could travel without one! Having a power bank saved me a ton since I carry a lot of electronic devices with me.
- Travel Adapter – I never leave my luggage without a travel adapter! I carry one with me all the time. It is just one of that travel-must haves that doesn’t hurt to have in your bag at all times.
Visit the 1944 Warsaw Uprising Museum
One of the most moving experiences you will have in Warsaw is discovering the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Using a multimedia design to give an idea of what conditions were like, the museum brings to life the motto of the rebellion, ‘We wanted to be free – and to owe this freedom to ourselves.’ Bunkers used and newspaper extracts written at the time are featured, together with a chronology of the battle.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: Warsaw Pub Crawl with Free Drinks
Wisła (Vistula) River
Today the Vistula River has become a trendy meeting spot. When the young and trendy aren’t meeting to socialize, the riverbank has hosted concerts for Poland’s up-and-coming musical talent. The riverbank features an outdoor theatre and cinema when a band does not use the beach. As you can imagine, there are plenty of cafes offering refreshments.
Where to stay in Warsaw? Check out this list of beautiful hotels and find great deals!
Book this unique experience: Warsaw Ghetto Private Walking Tour with Hotel Pickup
Planning to visit Poland? Check out these posts!
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