Warsaw, capital of Poland, is fast becoming one of Europe's most popular city-break destinations. The city just bursts with interesting things to see and do, including a host of galleries, museums, parks and palaces.
After the Warsaw Uprising in 1943, 90% of the city was destroyed. Since the war Warsaw's Gothic cobblestone streets and alleys, town houses, churches and baroque palaces have been painstakingly reconstructed, making Warsaw not only one of Europe's most beautiful and vibrant cities, but also one of Europe's most interesting destinations. The city's interesting Jewish history and heritage has also been preserved and is discussed in Jewish Heritage of Warsaw – Synagogues, Monuments and Memorials.
Getting Around the City
Once you have familiarised yourself with some basic Polish, finding your way around is easy. 'Ulica' means street and is usually abbreviated to 'ul'. It is sometimes omitted altogether with streets referred to by their names only. 'Aleje' (al.) means avenue and 'plac' (pl.) is a square. Street names in Warsaw are very clearly marked with large blue signs with a red stripe.
Warsaw is divided by the River Wisla, and the main tourist attractions can be found west of the river, close to the Stare Miasto (Old Town Square). Most are located along the Royal Way, or close to the Palace of Culture in the vicinity of Aleje Jerozolimskie (Jerusalem Avenue).
Shopping in the Polish Capital
Warsaw is like any other major European city with a wide variety of shopping opportunities ranging from street markets to exclusive shopping areas. All of Europe's most famous brands can be found. Most shops are open from 11 am to 7 pm on weekdays, and from 10 am to 1 pm on Saturday. Some shopping malls are open until 10 pm. Popular shopping zones include Zlote Tarasy, Arkadia and Nowy Swiat.
Restaurants, Cafés and Night Life
Warsaw is not short of good restaurants, cafés and lively night life. Hulakula, on ul. Dobra, is a popular night club. Wednesday evening is Latino night with free salsa dance classes. Other nights offer other specialities from 70s and 80s music to the latest chart hits. At Herezja Restaurant Gallery Club, on ul. Chlodna, clubbers enjoy concerts with live music as well as tasty Indian and Thai cuisine. The city offers a great variety of international cuisines from the Polish national dish, bigos, to Pierogi Dumplings, a favourite with most visitors. Jewish and Israeli cuisine can be enjoyed at Warsaw's most popular kosher restaurant, Warszawa-Jerozolima on ul. Smocza, close to the Teatr Zydowski.
Warsaw's Theatres
The capital has more than 30 theatres and concert halls. Among the oldest are the National Theatre (established in 1765) and the Grand Theatre (founded in 1778). The Teatr Zydowski, the State Jewish Theatre, on Plac Grzybowski, is one of the newer theatres, and is always popular. Established in 1950, and named after Ester Rachel Kaminska and Ida Kaminska, this is one of the few theatres in the world where plays are regularly performed entirely in Yiddish. The repertoire includes ″The Dybuk″ by S. Ansky, ″Fiddler on the Roof″, based on stories by Sholom Aleichem, as well as other works by Abraham Goldfaden, Mendele-Moykher Sforim, Isaac Leib Peretz and Jacob Gordin.
Museums and Art Galleries
This city has dozens of fascinating art galleries and museums ranging from the National Gallery of Art and the Lazienki Palace to the National Museum and the Wilanow Poster Museum. Established in 1968 the Wilanow was Europe's first museum devoted entirely to poster art. The Royal Palace (Zamek Krolewski), on the east side of Castle Square, was a royal residence and seat of the polish parliament until the end of the 18th century. The interior is lavishly furnished and boasts an impressive art collection including the work of Bernardo Bellotto, whose paintings of the pre-war Warsaw provided vital evidence for the post-war reconstruction of the city.
Hotels, Guest Houses and Hostels
Accommodation in Warsaw is never a problem with hundreds of hotels, guest houses and hostels to choose from. Love Warsaw provides all the information you need to plan your stay in this beautiful city.
Frances Spiegel - Frances Spiegel, B.A. Hons. (Open)., Dip.Eur.Hum., read Art History/European Modern History at the Open University.
