Warsaw

Travelers' Takes

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Unexpected character

A September 2004 trip to Warsaw by sknight_co

free piano recitalMore Photos

My presuppositions about Warsaw were that it was gray, bleak and lacking any charm. As a former Communist center and the site of so much unrest, I was amazed at the strength of spirit exuding from this city.

  • 8 reviews
  • 10 photos

Unexpected characterBest of IgoUgo

Overview

Warsaw Mermaid
Stare Miasto, or the old town, is a tribute to Polish love of their culture. Nearly leveled during WWII, Warsaw was rebuilt from the ashes, and the old town was restored to circa 1800 by using salvaged material and old artists' paintings of how the city looked. We enjoyed just wandering the streets, admiring the medieval Barbican and castle walls, and enjoying a beer or dinner at an outdoor cafe. I would never have thought of Warsaw as a pleasant tourist destination, and there are certainly parts that are dirty and unsafe, but the old town was as charming and European as any place I've been.

Quick Tips:

Do NOT call the Poles Eastern Europeans. It offends them, as they view the term relating to the days of the Communist occupation. They are "Central Europeans."

Best Way To Get Around:

The old town can be covered by foot easily. To get there from the airport, buy your ticket at the magazine store in the arrivals terminal and take bus 175, parked right outside the door. The bus contains a chart inside showing each stop, and it takes apx 20 - 25 minutes to reach Stare Miasto. Tickets are roughly 55 cents. A taxi takes 15 minutes and costs roughly .

Courtyard by Marriott Warsaw International AirportBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Courtyard Marriott"

This was a gorgeous hotel for being a Courtyard. It is 150 feet from the airport terminal, which can be very convenient, and the accommodations are beautiful. It has high-speed internet access, and the rooms are rather large by European standards with full-sized showers. The beds are soft and long enough for tall people, as opposed to the typical Polish beds. Beware making phone calls, however! We made a 3 minute call to a local cell phone and it cost $12. Yikes!
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by sknight_co on September 29, 2004

Courtyard by Marriott Warsaw International Airport
1 ZWIRKI I WIGURY ST Warsaw, Poland
48-22-6500100

Ibis Warszawa Stare MiastoBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Ibis"

We spent the first several nights here. Ibis is a chain of clean, decent, reasonably priced rooms. The TI sent us here, as they always have plenty of rooms available, and there is one located 10 minutes walk from old town. The windows were totally soundproof, and the hotel appeared brand new. The staff spoke English and was friendly and helpful.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by sknight_co on September 29, 2004

Ibis Warszawa Stare Miasto
2 MURANOWSKA ST Warsaw, Poland
48-48-3101000

Pod SamsonemBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

In Old Town, this is a very popular and inexpensive restaurant. Cuisine includes German and Russian influences with plenty of pierogies, cabbage and beet dishes. The roast pork with forest mushrooms is quite tasty. Service is polite if sometimes stretched thin, and the decor is folksy. They also serve red, blue and green beer. Intrigued? The Poles came across the brilliant idea of putting syrup in their beer glasses, making a cross between a beer and a snow cone. Just enough to give flavor without being overly sweet, in raspberry, blueberry, and I have no idea what green is. They also have outdoor seating for warm nights.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by sknight_co on September 29, 2004

Pod Samsonem
Ulica Freta, 3/5 Warsaw, Poland 00-227
+48 22 831 1788

Cafe Galerie Belle EpoqueBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Belle Epoque
This is the place for atmosphere. It looks like the fairy godmother designed this place from her closet. Cosy, kitschy, cute and tiny, with an older man who played the piano seemingly every night we walked by. The pierogies in garlic butter were the best I had in all of Poland. Delicious coffee drinks. Go downstairs for a peek at the rest of the decor.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by sknight_co on September 29, 2004

Cafe Galerie Belle Epoque
ul. Freta 18 Warsaw, Poland
635 41 05

Lazienki ParkBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Lazienki Park---free piano recital"

free piano recital
Lazienki Park is a beautiful 74 hectacre park containing several palaces, art galleries, and a monument to Frederick Chopin, a native son. On summer Sundays at noon and 4 pm there are free piano recitals on the lawn, which offers a relaxing way to spend an hour or two, followed by a stroll to explore the statues and palaces on the grounds. This is really one of Warsaw's finest sights.

Head south on ul. Ujazdowskie, roughly 15-20 minutes walk from the old town area.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by sknight_co on September 29, 2004

Lazienki Park
Al. Ujzadowski Warsaw, Poland 00-460

Polish Military Museum (Muzeum Wojska Polskiego)Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Polish Army Museum"

Polish Army Museum
My husband adores military history, especially from WWII. This museum hosts tanks, planes, cannons and heavy armor - the large items are displayed in the yard, and admission is not required for the yard. He was so enamored that we never even made it inside, where they apparently have models and uniforms among other displays.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by sknight_co on September 29, 2004

Polish Military Museum (Muzeum Wojska Polskiego)
ul. Aleje Jerozolimskie 3 Warsaw, Poland 00-495
+48 22 629 5271

Royal CastleBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Warsaw
Burned to the ground after the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, it is incredible that the castle was not rebuilt until 1971 - 1984. Visiting it requires several hours by guided tours, and tickets are limited. There are a couple of tours a day in English, and it costs apx $6. Limited rooms are free on Sundays, but no guides are available, and it gets crowded - for $6, it's worth the tour in smaller groups. Many of the rooms do have descriptions written in English.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by sknight_co on September 29, 2004

Royal Castle
plac Zamkowy 4 Warsaw, Poland 00-277
+48 22 657 2170

About the Writer

sknight_co
sknight_co
Littleton, Colorado

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