Are you looking for a cool European city break destination and have already seen other popular places? Then you might want to take a closer look at Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. Delightful old town, a grim history, bizarre architecture mix, fascinating museums, tasty local food, many places to explore, and fairly cheap flights from many places in Europe… Doesn’t it sound appealing? It sure does! As Poles, we’ve already visited Warsaw a couple of times and today we’ll show you what to do during your Warsaw city break. Let’s go!
Interesting fact. Warsaw’s name in Polish is Warszawa. Among Poles, it’s often called Wawa (say it like ‘Vava’).
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Warsaw, Poland FAQ
Warsaw, the capital and largest city of the country, is located in east-central Poland on the Vistula River banks.
2 days in Warsaw are enough to see most of the main landmarks and get a good feel of what this city is all about. But if you want to experience Warsaw better, we recommend staying for 3-4 days.
Yes, Warsaw is an interesting place where you’ll immerse into history, where you’ll see how old is intertwined with new and beautiful with shabby. There you’ll find a bizarre mix of modern glass skyscrapers, concrete giants, and nice medieval-style squares. It offers a huge variety of activities for everyone.
Warsaw is a walkable city and most of the main attractions aren’t located too far from each other but to get to some places you’ll need to use public transport (bus/metro/tram). But don’t worry – the city is well-connected! Just use jakdojade.pl to quickly find connections you might need.
In our opinion, the best time to visit Warsaw is late spring or early autumn – the weather is warm and sunny, there are fewer crowds, and the prices are a bit lower. Summer months will be ok too, if you have nothing against bigger crowds. We advise against visiting Warsaw during the winter months as the quality of air is just terrible and you’ll be lucky to see a ray of sun.
Things to do during Warsaw city break
Warsaw Old Town
Warsaw Old Town is the prettiest area of the city where you’ll find many important landmarks and attractions. For example, there you’ll marvel at beautiful townhouses, take a photo with a Mermaid, and explore the former residence of the Polish monarchs. Of course, you’ll also find many restaurants, cafes, and some museums too.
But Warsaw Old Town wasn’t always like this… It was destroyed during World War II almost completely, during the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944. Then over the next few years, it was meticulously reconstructed, making it finally a beautiful and vibrant place full of life. In 1980, Warsaw Old Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In Warsaw Old Town you’ll find points of interest like Castle Square, Royal Castle, St. Anne’s Church with observation deck, Warsaw Market Square with Mermaid sculpture, Barbican, or Royal Route. The area is best explored on foot.
Warsaw Tourist Office is located in Plac Zamkowy square just a few steps from Royal Castle.
Exploring Warsaw’s Old Town is undoubtedly the most important thing to do during your Warsaw city break. If you want to learn even more about Warsaw and its history, you can also do it with this popular and well-rated guided tour, Warsaw Old Town Highlights Walking Tour in English.
Discover: Accommodation options in Warsaw
Castle Square
Castle Square (pl. Plac Zamkowy) is a large area in the heart of Warsaw Old Town. It was razed to the ground by order of Adolf Hitler in 1944 and rebuilt in later years in a uniform architectural style. There you’ll find landmarks like Royal Castle, St. Anne’s Church, and Sigismund’s Column (pl. Kolumna Zygmunta). Column commemorates King Sigismund III Vasa, who moved the seat of government from Krakow to Warsaw in 1596. The Royal Route begins at Castle Square too.
Royal Castle
Royal Castle (pl. Zamek Królewski) is a reconstructed 14th-century red-colored palace proudly standing in Castle Square. For hundreds of years, it served as the residence of Polish monarchs, both kings and presidents. Nowadays, it’s a museum housing an impressive art collection and historical artifacts. It might not look too spectacular from the outside, but its interior is quite dazzling.
If you’re a history or art lover you might want to add a visit to Royal Castle to your Warsaw city break itinerary. But if not, we recommend spending precious time on different attractions. For more information about ticket prices and opening hours visit zamek-krolewski.pl website.
Behind the castle, you’ll also find its magnificent Royal Gardens, a hidden gem not known to most tourists. It’s a great place to see the castle from its more beautiful side, and also for a peaceful break among colorful and nicely-smelling flowers. Royal Castle Gardens are free to enter during opening hours and the best time to see them is during warm months, when everything is blooming.
Book now: Small-Group Historical Guided Tour of Warsaw with Pick up/Drop off
St. Anne’s Church & observation deck
St. Anne’s Church (pl. Kościół św. Anny) is a church in the heart of Warsaw Old Town featuring a beautiful Neoclassical facade and rich interior. But the cherry on the cake is the spectacular panoramic view from the observation deck located at the top of the church bell tower. After climbing 150 steps, you’ll get nice views over Castle Square, the Vistula River, the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw’s skyscrapers, and more.
Entrance to the observation deck costs 10zł for a normal ticket and 7zł for a reduced one (January 2025). For current ticket prices and opening hours visit taraswidokowy.pl website.
Royal Route
Royal Route (pl. Trakt Królewski) is a former communication route that led southward from the Old Town. It begins at the Royal Castle at Castle Square and leads directly to the Castle in Wilanow, for about 10 kilometres. But don’t worry, you don’t need to walk it all! For you, the most interesting and important part is between Castle Square and the Charles de Gaulle Roundabout, including two streets: Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat.
Along Krakowskie Przedmieście street you’ll find points of interest like the Presidential Palace – the seat of Poland’s president, Hotel Bristol – a beautiful historic five-star luxury hotel, Holy Cross Church – famous for being home to the heart of Fryderyk Chopin, and iconic bronze statue of Nicolaus Copernicus.
Nowy Świat Street is a picturesque and always full-of-life street lined with many restaurants, cafes, and small shops. It’s a perfect place to grab something to eat. This street ends at the Charles de Gaulle Roundabout and features… a huge palm tree made of steel.
Book now: Private Tour: Warsaw City Sightseeing by Retro Fiat
St. John’s Archcathedral
In the street connecting Castle Square with Market Square, you’ll find St. John’s Archcathedral (pl. Archikatedra Warszawska) whose history dates back to the 14th century. During the Warsaw Uprising, the church was a battlefield, and Germans even managed to bring a tank loaded with explosives inside destroying a huge part of the building. After the fall of the uprising, the rest of the cathedral was blown up with TNT charges. Later it was reconstructed in Gothic style. Entrance to St. John’s Archcathedral is free.
Old Town Market Square
Colorful and vibrant Warsaw’s Old Town Market Square (pl. Rynek Starego Miasta) is a very pretty part of the city. And it’s hard to believe that it’s no older than 70 years! Yes, like everything else in the area it was blown up by the German Army after the Warsaw Uprising and restored to its prewar appearance in the 1950s.
Today it features beautiful townhouses and in the middle, you’ll find a Mermaid statue – the symbol of Warsaw. The square is surrounded by numerous restaurants and cafes, and if lucky you’ll also come across some street performers. During your Warsaw city break, you definitely can’t miss exploring all the nooks and crooks of the Old Town Market Square.
Book now: Warsaw Old Town Highlights Walking Tour
Barbican & City Walls
Warsaw’s Barbican (pl. Barbakan) is a semicircular fortified outpost that was originally part of a series of walls and fortifications that once encircled Warsaw. It’s located between Old and New Towns and dates back to the 16th century. As you might expect, barbican and city walls were largely destroyed during WWII and reconstructed in the mid-20th century (at least partially). Nowadays, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Warsaw.
Be sure to take a nice stroll along the walls, and on the walls too. Best place to admire Barbican and walls? From the outside, from the intersection of Podwale and Nowomiejska streets. Also, just a few steps away you’ll find a bronze sculpture of Little Insurgent (pl. Mały Powstaniec) that commemorates child soldiers of World War II.
If you want to explore the area even more, very close to Barbican you’ll also find a baroque Krasiński Palace (pl. Pałac Krasińskich) with adjacent magnificent Gardens. Entrance is free during opening hours. There’s also a Warsaw Uprising Monument (pl. Pomnik Powstania Warszawskiego) commemorating the sacrifice of anti-Nazi resistance fighters in the summer of 1944, and the stunning building of the Supreme Court.
Discover: Accommodation options in Warsaw
Tomb of Unknown Soldier & Saxon Garden
One of the most important things to do in Warsaw is visit the Tomb of Unknown Soldier (pl. Grób Nieznanego Żołnierza) located on Piłsudski Square, close to Presidential Palace along Royal Route.
It’s a monument to the unknown Polish soldiers killed during World War I. Since 1925 the tomb houses the unidentified body of a young soldier, and in the urns housed in the surviving pillars the earth from battlefields where Polish soldiers fought has been added too. The Tomb is constantly lit by an eternal flame and guarded by two soldiers. If you want to see the guard change, be sure to be there at full hour.
Saxon Garden (pl. Ogród Saski) is a beautiful, green public park behind the Tomb of Unknown Soldier. There you’ll find many tree-lined walking paths, Baroque statues, and a big fountain. Currently, the garden is the last standing remains of Saxon Palace which was destroyed during WWII. But as of the end of 2024 works are in progress to rebuild the palace from scratch, so probably in a few years, we’ll see it in its full glory!
Explore local attractions
Palace of Culture and Science
When you think of Warsaw, chances are high that the Palace of Culture and Science (pl. Pałac Kultury i Nauki) comes first to your mind. And no wonder! After all, it’s one of the most characteristic landmarks in the city, seen in most photos and postcards.
The Palace of Culture and Science was built in the 1950s and has a total height of 237 meters which makes it the second tallest building in Warsaw and Poland, after Varso Place (which will also open a viewing terrace in summer 2025!). This remarkable piece of architecture was actually an unwanted gift from the Soviet Union for the people of Poland. It was first known as Joseph Stalin’s Palace of Culture and Science, but it was changed in the wake of destalinization.
Today, the building is home to various cultural institutions like: theatre, museums, cinema, and congress hall. There you’ll also find Warsaw Tourist Information.
But for tourists, the biggest highlight of the Palace of Culture and Science is the viewing terrace located on the 30th floor, reached in only 19 seconds by an elevator. There, magnificent views over Warsaw in every direction await. Is it one of the best things to do during Warsaw city break? Definitely!
Entrance to the viewing terrace of Palace of Culture and Science costs 25zł for a normal ticket and 20zł for a reduced one (January 2025). You can either buy a ticket online or at the ticket office. But to save time we recommend doing it online as even with online tickets, queues to the elevators tend to be quite long. For current prices, opening hours, and online tickets visit bilety.pkin.pl website.
Tip. The Palace of Culture and Science looks impressive not only during the day but also at night when it’s beautifully illuminated (just look at the first photo in the post!). So if you can, visit the area after dark too.
Book now: Private Tour: Warsaw's Communist History by Retro Fiat
Warsaw Museums
During your city break in Warsaw, you’ll also have time to visit one or two of the city’s many great museums. The most important/interesting ones are Warsaw Uprising Museum, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and Museum of Life under Communism.
Warsaw Uprising Museum
Warsaw Uprising Museum (pl. Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego) tells the story of the uprising that started in August 1944 to drive Germans out of the town. Fighting was brutal but despite lesser manpower and guns resistance fighters were able to hold for almost 2 months. Unfortunately, the result was quite bad. Inside you’ll find many exhibits, artifacts, videos, and photographs detailing this tragic Warsaw’s battle for independence.
Entrance to the Warsaw Uprising Museum costs 35zł for a normal ticket and 30zł for a reduced one (January). For current prices, opening hours, and online tickets visit 1944.pl website. You’ll need about 2-3 hours to thoroughly explore this museum.
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
If you want to learn about the history of Polish Jews, direct your steps to the POLIN Museum, a modern museum with many interactive exhibits and various historical artifacts, covering over the 1000 years of Jewish history in Poland, from the Middle Ages until today.
Entrance to POLIN Museum costs 45zł for a normal ticket and 35zł for a reduced on (January 2025). For current prices, opening hours, and online tickets visit polin.pl website. You’ll need about 2-3 hours to thoroughly explore this museum.
Museum of Life under Communism
Museum of Life under Communism (pl. Muzeum Życia w PRL) will take you back in time to the communist era in Poland which lasted from 1944 to 1989. There you’ll discover why Poland fell under communism in the first place, and thanks to many relics, artifacts, and life stories you’ll discover how everyday life looked back then.
Entrance to the Museum of Life under Communism costs 28zł for a normal ticket and 18zł for a reduced one (January 2025). You can either buy a ticket online or at the ticket office. For current prices, opening hours, and online tickets visit mzprl.pl website. You’ll need about 1 hour to thoroughly explore this museum.
Royal Łazienki Park
Royal Łazienki Park (pl. Łazienki Królewskie) is an amazing place in Warsaw if you want to spend some relaxing time in nature. It’s a large green oasis amid the bustling city featuring not only many walking paths but also some stunning buildings.
In Łazienki Park you’ll find points of interest like the beautiful 18th century Palace on the Isle (pl. Pałac na Wyspie), ruins of Amphitheater, Ujazdów Castle housing contemporary art museum, Botanical Garden, Belweder Palace, New Orangery, Chinese Garden, and Chopin Monument. But that’s not all – just wander around and for sure you’ll discover even more amazing places.
During the warm months, more or less from mid-May to the end of September, Chopin concerts are held in the Royal Łazienki Park. Entrance is free. For the latest information visit the ‘news tab’ on lazienki-krolewskie.pl website.
Book now: Chopin Concerts at the Fryderyk Concert Hall
Food in Warsaw
Warsaw is a real heaven for food lovers. No matter what you like, you’ll find it in Warsaw! From typical Polish dishes to a wide choice of international cuisine. We’ve already tried several restaurants and none of them have disappointed us. We can safely say that they are as good as our favorites from Wroclaw! But we recommend checking out some options and reviews earlier – to avoid falling into some tourist trap with bad food.
What places do we recommend? For breakfast/lunch, our number one is Bułkę przez Bibułkę, for typical Polish dishes for dinner head to GOŚCINIEC Polskie Pierogi, and if in need of coffee/tea/healthy juice and something sweet to eat choose Vita Cafe. All mentioned places can be found in several locations all across Warsaw.
Take advantage of a guided tour
If you don’t want to put too much effort into planning your time in Warsaw you can always take advantage of the guided tours and let someone else take care of all the details.
During your Warsaw city break, you can for example take part in this interesting Warsaw Old Town Highlights Walking Tour in English, or if you’re a foodie in this Cooking Class Of Making Polish Dumplings. If you love cars, you might want to Explore the city in Retro Fiat!
For a wide selection of well-reviewed tour options be sure to visit GetYourGuide or Viator website.
How to get to Warsaw, Poland?
Warsaw is located about 290km from Krakow, 310km from Poznan, 340km from Gdansk, and 350km from Wroclaw. The most convenient way to get to Warsaw is by car, train, or bus.
Airports near Warsaw
There are 3 airports in Warsaw: Chopin Airport (only 10km from the city center), Modlin Airport (40km from the city center), and Warsaw-Radom Airport (actually located in a different town, 110km from Warsaw). From each, you can get to Warsaw center by bus, train, or a mix of these two. You can also take a taxi or rent a car.
To learn more about all possible transport options visit lotnisko-chopina.pl for Chopin Airport, modlinairport.pl for Modlin Airport, and lotniskowarszawa-radom.pl for Warsaw-Radom Airport. You can also use rome2rio.com website.
Where to park in Warsaw?
If you choose to travel by car you need to know that it isn’t easy to find a parking place for a car (especially a free one). Your best option is to find accommodation with parking space and then walk or travel by bus/tram/metro in the city center.
You can also leave a car in one of the underground parking lots, like Parking Warsaw Spire or Interparking Piękna, or try to find a place along the streets and pay by parking meter or via app.
To Warsaw by train
You can easily get to Warsaw by train, as Poland is quite well connected by trains. For example, a trip from Krakow will take about 2h15min (€20-50), 2.5h from Gdansk (€12-19), and 4h20min from Wrocław (€13-21). To learn more about connections that might interest you visit rozklad-pkp.pl website.
To Warsaw by bus
You can also easily get to Warsaw by bus, especially from other big Polish cities. For example, the trip from Gdansk will take around 5h (€28-40), 4h from Krakow (€24-35), and 4h from Wroclaw (€28-45). To learn more about bus connections that might interest you visit rome2rio.com or Flixbus website.
Warsaw City Break – Summing up
As you can see now, Warsaw is a very interesting Polish city. perfect for a short weekend city break. And now, with our guide, you’re ready to explore Warsaw in the best possible way. An exciting journey through history, culture, architecture, nature, and food is at your fingertips! We have presented the most important landmarks that can be seen in just a few hours. Enjoy your time in Warsaw!
Pss. Do you have more time to spare or are already planning your second trip to Warsaw? Awesome! Be sure to check out our other post with all the amazing things to do in Warsaw!
Our video from Warsaw
Our opinion about Warsaw
Among Polish people, Warsaw is probably the most hated big city and you won’t hear many flattering opinions about it (apart from the people living there). Really, almost no one will go there of his own free will, like to Kraków, Gdańsk or Wrocław. Warsaw is more of a travel destination for foreigners than locals.
As for us, over the years we visited Warsaw a few times, first during school trips and later only on some business trips. To be honest we also don’t really like Warsaw and never did. It’s not that bad, but in our opinion, it’s definitely the worst out of all the biggest Polish cities. Sure, there are many things to do and fun places to visit, but that’s it. From us, you’ll always hear that you should choose other Polish cities first.
Book now: Chopin Concert in the Warsaw Old Town
Restaurants, accommodations, and map
Check out various recommended places below.
Where to eat in Warsaw City Break?
Here are your best, high-rated options in Warsaw City Break:
Where to sleep in Warsaw City Break?
NYX Hotel Warsaw
NYX Hotel Warsaw offers a stylish and modern stay in the heart of the city, blending contemporary design with urban art. The hotel features spacious, chic rooms, a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Warsaw, and a vibrant bar for socializing. Its central location near major attractions and shopping areas makes it an excellent choice for travelers seeking comfort and convenience.
InterContinental Warszawa
InterContinental is a luxurious 5-star hotel located in the heart of Warsaw, offering stunning views of the city skyline. The hotel features elegantly designed rooms, an indoor pool with panoramic city views, and world-class dining options. Its central location provides convenient access to Warsaw’s main attractions, including the Palace of Culture and Science, making it ideal for travelers.
Hotel Bellotto
Hotel Bellotto is a refined 5-star accommodation set in a beautifully restored 16th-century palace in the heart of Warsaw's Old Town. It combines historic charm with modern luxury, offering elegantly decorated rooms, a gourmet restaurant, and a serene courtyard. Located within walking distance of major landmarks like the Royal Castle, it’s a perfect choice for travelers seeking a sophisticated and central stay.
Accommodations photos source: booking.com
