Rebuilt from the ashes

1. Painstakingly and masterfully restored, Warsaw's Old Town square is the most picturesque place in the capital. Standing proudly in the middle is Warsaw's mermaid. The colourful historic buildings that surround the square are prime examples of late Renaissance architecture. Crowded with atmospheric cafes, exclusive restaurants, art galleries and museums, it is the only spot in the capital where history and character are perfectly blended with entertainment and allurement.

2. Located on the north edge of Krakowskie Przedmiescie, the Church of St.Ann is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. Destroyed and reconstructed several times, it is a treasure-trove of fine works of art and historical artefacts. Climb the steps to the top of the tower from where the gorgeous view over the city and the river is excellent.

3. No visit to Warsaw is complete unless you spend a couple of hours inside one of Warsaw's parks. Ogrod Saski, right in the city centre is a summer salon of shaded paths and elegant promenades lined with rows of lifesize statues. Park Lazienkowski, south of the centre comprises within its extensive grounds a stately palace crammed with artistic furnishings while the adjoining Botanical gardens are a showcase of trimmed shrubs and exotic greenery. Wilanow, 6kms away from the centre is Warsaw's symbol of glory. Constructed amidst an area of lush greenery, Wilanow's majestic palace is complemented with an array of monuments and fascinating pavilions.

4. From Plac Zamkowy, ul Miodowa runs north towards the Monument to the Warsaw Uprising. Crammed with palaces, churches and fine reconstructions, it demands more than a brief visit. Of special mention is the Archbishop's palace, a majestic Baroque edifice that boasts impressive architecture and excellent stonework.

5. The largest, highest and most controversial building in Poland, the Palace of Culture and Science is the best orientation point for visitors. Visible from everywhere in the city, it houses numerous theatres, restaurants, offices and shops. Take the elevator up to the viewing platform on the 30th floor. The view is splendid when weather conditions are favourable.

6. The Royal Castle on Plac Zamkowy is architecturally plain and devoid of ornamental work. Step inside however and admire numerous collections of historical artefacts that reflect Poland's former glorious days when the country's territory extended from the Baltic to the Black sea. The exhibits offer a vivid journey through Warsaw's rich historical past.

Quick Tips:

1. Warsaw's Tourist Information Office has five branches scattered around the city. One convenient branch can be found inside the IT office right by the main exit of Okecie airport. In the city centre, the branch at ul Krakowskie Przedmiescie 89 opens daily from 9am to 8pm while the other branch on Plac Zamkowy opens from 9am to 6pm. All branches provide detailed city information, free brochures, guided tours and a wide range of other tourist services. Pick your free copy of 'The Visitor', an essential guide packed with information about entertainment venues, accommodation options and special events.

2. Warsaw's main train station is a huge concrete block located a stone's throw away from the Palace of Culture and Science. It attracts pickpockets, drug addicts and hooligans. It's unsafe to linger here during the day; imagine how more unsafe it becomes at night. If you have to be here, guard your belongings and watch carefully your surroundings.

3. Galeria Centrum on ul Marszalkowska is the best shopping centre in Warsaw. The prices are reasonable, the display is excellent and the selection is wide and appealing.

4. Excellent guided city tours are provided by PTTK from their office at Marszalkowska 20/22.

Best Way To Get Around:

1. Warsaw's Old Town is small and completely pedestrianised. Nobody can experience the beauty of Warsaw without walking along its narrow walkways where the warm atmosphere of days past is blended with the welcoming air of souvenir shops and restaurants.

2. The transport system in Warsaw makes use of buses, trams and a single-line metro. Normal buses and trams operate daily from 5am to 11pm while night buses operate only when the normal service stops. Buses displaying a black number are regular buses that stop at all bus stops. A bus displaying a red number provides an express service and stops only at selected bus stops.

3. All public transport options within the city limits use the same type of ticket that must be punched immediately once you get on board. Inspectors check tickets frequently. Tickets can be bought from kiosks that display the RUCH sign.

4. From the airport, the best way to get to the city centre is to take Bus 175 that runs regularly between 5am and 11pm. Often crowded with airport workers, it runs through Al Jerozolimskie, Nowy Swiat and Krakowskie Przedmiescie. It's highly convenient for residents of Hotel Marriott, Hotel Europejski and Hotel Bristol.

A three-star place of accommodation in the neighbourhood of Warsaw's international airport, Hotel Okecie is a new addition to the city's bountiful supply of top hotels. Having opened its doors for the first time on 15th July 2001, Hotel Okecie has been steadily acquiring a reputation for first-class service, comfortable rooms, and excellent food.

The busy thoroughfare you see in front of you as soon as you leave the terminal is ul Zwirki i Wigury, the only access road that runs 10km from the airport to the city centre. Walking north from here for about 500m brings you right in front of ul 17 Stycznia, where you can't miss the huge green sign of Hotel Gromada. Less than 200m away from Hotel Gromada and drawn back from the road, Airport Hotel Okecie is set within extensive grounds that provide seclusion and privacy. Bus no. 175 runs frequently along the access road and continues towards the Old Town, passing en route through Al Jerozolimskie, Nowy Swiat, and Krakowskie Przedmiescie.

Though rated with only three stars, Hotel Okecie has much to offer, and its high level of accomodation can be easily compared to that found inside any five-star hotel in the city centre. Each of the hotel's 180 spacious rooms is luxuriously furnished with mahogany furniture, wall-to-wall carpets, elegant curtains, and matching bed coverings. A set of three wall-hanging paintings and a pair of alabaster lampshades complete the picture. No expense was spared in terms of comfort and amenities. Doors with security locks and nifty card keys, satellite television, direct-dial telephone, safe deposit box, and air-conditioning are standard features in all rooms. Add to these the immaculate bathrooms complete with automatic temperature control of instant hot water and you will agree that Hotel Okecie offers the best compromise between comfort and reasonable prices.

Although the hotel is less than 1km from the airport, don't ever dream of being disturbed by aircraft noise. All windows are double-glazed, and the air-conditioning system is the latest in terms of silence and efficiency.

The unrivalled service offered inside the hotel's award-winning restaurant is combined with an inspiring cuisine that provides freshly prepared dishes of high quality and exquisite taste. Be it a dish of traditional Polish fare or an extravagant dish of beef stroganoff, all are equally delicious and faultless. The breakfast buffet is a manifestation of plenty of everything. An unlimited supply of fresh fruit, a profusion of hot dishes, and a wide display of cakes, croissants, and sweets await guests from 8am to 11am.

Hotel Okecie's matchless rooms and extravagant breakfast are augmented by English-speaking receptionists, who provide an impeccable service and an exclusive atmosphere of friendliness and genuine hospitality. You will definitely be surprised by the warm welcome you're given on arrival; you'll be more surprised when you're invited to be driven to the airport on checking out.

Reasonable prices, excellent service, and good food are Hotel Okecie's strong points. No other hotel in Warsaw offers so much.

Conveniently located right in the city centre, Hotel Warszawa occupies a gigantic building on Plac Powstancow Warszawy, exactly opposite the Polish National Bank. Aesthetically unpleasing and architecturally ugly, this high-rise hotel was the first skyscraper in Warsaw. Heavily polluted, its external stonework is one black mass of soot and filth. Untouched by progress, Hotel Warszawa is still a perfectly preserved piece of communist Poland.

Step inside, however, and you will be surprised to find that the hotel's lobby contrasts strongly with the shabby appearance of the exterior stonework. Grand and imposing, it is a clear indication of the hotel's former glorious days when Hotel Warszawa was the only significant place of accomodation in Warsaw. This idea of grandeur and refinement soon disappeared when we approached the reception desk. The monolingual receptionists gave us an icy welcome and it was clear from the start that hospitality, warmth, and personal attention were out of question.

The shaking elevator took us up to the eighth floor where our room was located. Drab, gloomy and unlively, the corridors looked dated, characterless and utterly conservative. Our double room was not much better. The amenities were few and these were shoddy and cheap. Everything looked entrenched in the 1960s. The bathroom, though clean, offered only basic creature comforts and all accessories looked musty and old-fashioned. The intermittent supply of hot water made washing oneself a courageous feat of enduring momentary bouts of freezing liquid. Expect to find coarse toilet paper, cheap shower soap and worn-out towels. The only redeeming factor was the splendid view over Plac Defilad, a lively square dominated by the Palace of Culture and Science.

The breakfast is served in the hotel's restaurant on the ground floor from 8am to 10am. It is an uninspiring, skimpy,, and austere display of food set in a dark and gloomy place that puts you off from the start. The few dishes available lack presentation, the service is outright sullen, and the food is stale and stodgy. Don't expect much more than one cup of tea or coffee, two slices of bread, and a dish with scrambled eggs and bacon.

How on earth Hotel Warszawa managed to get a rating of three stars, we cannot tell. All we can say is that apart from its prime location, there is nothing welcoming or interesting about Hotel Warszawa. You'll probably be better off if you get out of the centre and find a more comfortable place at half the price.

1. Park Lazienkowski was formerly the hunting grounds of Ujazdow castle but once acquired by King Stanislaw Poniatowski in the 18th century, it was transformed into a lovely park-palace complex. The park can be reached easily on foot from the city centre in about 20 minutes. From Plac Trzech Krzyzy, walk straight ahead along Ul Ujazdowskie. Poland's parliament stands on your left while the other side is mostly occupied by embassy residences.

After going past the charming Botanical gardens and the interesting Astronomical Observatory, you'll reach Lazienki's main entrance, a huge gateway guarded by the monumental historic statue of Frederick Chopin. During the summer season, Chopin piano concerts are held here daily at noon in memory of Poland's greatest and most beloved composer.

Enter the park and stroll along Lazienki's main promenade towards the Old Orangery, a medium-sized structure that houses an excellent exhibition of Polish sculptures. The promenade itself is adorned with a variety of rare trees, busts of Roman emperors and elegant fountains. Continue straight ahead along the King's Promenade until you reach the Palace upon the Water. Considered as the most prominent structure in the park, this beautiful palace is the work of architect Domenico Merlini. Renovated after the war, it houses numerous fine furnishings and a unique Greek-style bathroom decorated with a profusion of bas-reliefs. The Amphitheatre, also designed by Merlini on the edge of a lake is a perfect summer venue for plays and musical performances.

Lazienki is much more than this. It is Warsaw's most famous recreation spot. It is a place where Warsaw's rich cultural heritage has been perfectly blended with the city's most fascinating natural environment.

2. Wilanow, 6kms from the city centre is a park-palace complex designed by architect Augustyn Locci for King Jan III Sobieski in 1677. The original design was made to imitate a typical Italian village; hence, the name Wilanow, a corruption of the Italian words villa nova. The park can be reached from the city centre by Bus 116, Bus 130 or Bus 410 in less than 30 minutes. From the Wilanow stop, cross the main thoroughfare and go in the direction of the church. On your right, drawn backwards from the road, you'll find Wilanow's main gateway.

The highlight of the park is Wilanow's palace, a symmetric construction whose artistically decorated exterior hides a profusion of equally fascinating interior furnishings. The grand hall, the dining-room and the gallery are majestic displays of opulence and romanticism. Several grand portraits of Jan Sobieski adorn the walls of the building.

The amazing garden that surrounds the palace is actually a combination of three gardens in one. A Chinese-style romantic garden lies on the south edge of the park while an English-style garden occupies the space north of the palace. The most splendid is unquestionably the central Baroque Italian-style garden, a delightful environment of beautiful pathways that meander along perfectly trimmed shrubs and hedgerows.

An amazing profusion of monuments, garden pavilions and blooming shrubs make Wilanow a breathtaking place for everyone.

3. Picturesque, historically interesting and ideal for a stroll, Ogrod Saski is a small public park that offers a perfect combination of paved walkways, recreation spots and lush greenery. Located a stone's throw away from the Old Town and Krakowskie Przedmiescie, it is an English-style summer garden whose beauty is enhanced by old chestnut trees, stone fountains and rows of lifesize statues that stand proudly along the garden paths.

From Krakowskie Przedmiescie, take ul Krolewska that soon opens into Plac Pilsudskiego. Walk towards the west side of the square where you'll find the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tomb itself is the remaining part of the arcades of Saxon Palace designed by Stanislaw Ostrowski in 1925 for King August II. Since the remains of an unknown soldier were interred in the tomb, the place became a national symbol of bravery and heroism. Foreign delegations come here to put wreaths and pay homage to the soldiers who died to defend their country. At noon every Sunday, the square becomes the venue for the formal ceremony of the changing of the guard.

Behind the tomb is the public garden, opened for the first time in 1727. The goblet-shaped fountain ringed with an array of blooming shrubs was designed by Henryk Marconi in 1850 and was one of the few monuments that survived the war. The main promenade behind the fountain is adorned with a collection of 21 Baroque lifesize statues, allegories of the Virtues, the Sciences and the Elements. On one side of the garden, a small lake surrounded by willows stands out amidst a conglomeration of chestnut trees. Perched above it, the picturesque classicist building you see is Vesta's temple. Right on the lakeside, a tiny cabin houses a cafe and pastry shop where you can relax over a cup of coffee amidst enchanting surroundings.

Ogrod Saski is a great place for a walk away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Lined with an abundance of stone benches that fill up its numerous walkways, it is also ideal for relaxation. By day, particularly in summer, it offers a calm environment characterized by quietness, seclusion and tranquillity. However, all this changes after sunset when the garden is taken over by drunks, drug addicts and hooligans. Don't come here after dark because the place becomes daringly dangerous and unsafe.

The unification of Poland and Lithuania in 1569 led King Sigismund II Augustus to shift for geographic reasons his parliament from Krakow to Warsaw. Less than half a century later, after King Sigismund III Waza moved his court to Warsaw, the city developed quickly into Poland's official capital. Soon after, Warsaw started to experience prolonged vicious warfare with Sweden and Russia. This led to financial ruin and political decline.

After the third partition of Poland in 1795, Warsaw came under Prussian rule but the city was liberated by Napoleon soon after. When Napoleon was defeated, Poland was taken over by the tsar of Russia. During the 19th-century Russian domination, Warsaw experienced a people's revolution twice, in 1830 and 1863. Poland regained her independence in 1918. Soon after, work on the capital gained momentum and the city's population exploded to 1.3 million by the beginning of the World War II.

Heavily bombarded during the war, the people of Warsaw succeeded in defending their city until the 27th September 1939. After this date, the German Nazis took over the city and terrorized the population for five years. All the Jews who lived in Warsaw were enclosed in a ghetto. Many died there of starvation and disease while others were sent away to be killed in gas chambers. Polish intellectuals who could pose a threat to the Nazi administration were arrested, tortured and sent to work camps. The Warsaw Uprising broke out on the 1st August 1944 and lasted for 63 days, costing the lives of almost a quarter of a million people. The remaining citizens were expelled from the city, their homes were burned down and practically nothing remained of the capital.

On the 17th January 1945, Warsaw was liberated by Moscow's Red Army and it was now the turn of the Communists to rule the city. The survivors returned without hesitation and immediately started reconstructing their capital. Their work is a miracle of rebuilding and restoration, a successful achievement unparalleled in history. For such a success, Warsaw's population was given a gift from Moscow: the Palace of Culture and Science, a gigantic edifice that has towered over the city since 1955.

With rapid political changes persisting in the Soviet Union, the Communists were forced to allow free elections in Poland in 1989. The Solidarity Movement of Lech Walesa defeated the Polish Communist Party and consequently a way was prepared for political and economic reforms.

Poland has become a full member of the EU on 1st May 2004. Joining the EU has presented numerous problems and challenges but Poles are optimistic that their future in the EU will guarantee democracy and economic recovery. However, the seven year moratorium on the right to work abroad and the desire to control domestic land are still hot political issues that need more time to resolve.

For further information about Warsaw's rich historical past, it's advisable to read James Mitchener's book of historic fiction Poland.