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Warsaw's mixture of architectural styles reflects the turbulent history of the city and country. During WWII, Warsaw was razed to the ground by bombing raids and planned destruction. After liberation, rebuilding began as in other cities of the communist-ruled PRL. Most of the historical buildings were thoroughly reconstructed. However, some of the buildings from the 19th century that had been preserved in reasonably reconstructible form were nonetheless eradicated in the 1950s and 1960s (e.g. Leopold Kronenberg Palace). Mass residential blocks were erected, with basic design typical of Eastern bloc countries.
Public spaces attract heavy investment, so that the city has gained entirely new squares, parks and monuments. Warsaw's current urban landscape is one of modern and contemporary architecture.
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| Full
Country Name: |
Poland |
| Area: |
6,100.43 km2 (2,355.4 sq mi) |
| Population: |
1,711,466 |
| Language: |
Polish, English, French or German |
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Getting There
By air
Warsaw's Frederic Chopin Airport is situated in Okecie, 10 km south west of the city centre.
All the major airlines fly to Warsaw, and since 2003 the city was also served by budget carriers. However, since the airport has been charging more to fly out of the main terminal only Wizz Air, German wings and Norwegian Air Shuttle remain. Following the closure of the ghastly Etiuda terminal in March 2009 - the temporary terminal from which low-cost carriers used to depart – Terminal 1 took over cheap-flight departure duties.
When booking with a regular airline, make sure you spend at least a weekend in Poland; otherwise you'll face the hefty business rate. The flight from most UK airports takes around two-and-a-half hours. If you plan to fly during the winter, be prepared for delays due to fog or ice, or the occasional impromptu diversion.
By rail
If you're a romantic sort and decide to come to Warsaw by rail you won't be disappointed. The Polish rail system is stuck in a mid-twentieth century time warp with the trains travelling at a wonderful leisurely pace. In summer this allows you to open the windows, smell the rural smells and watch the countryside pass lazily by. But the dream will end with your arrival at Warsaw's main station (Warszawa Centralna). The underground concourse hasn't changed in a decade and looks and feels like the set of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie, complete with some of the characters. The only advantage it has is that it's slap in the city centre and, once you've negotiated the network of tunnels and found your way out, it's easy to get anywhere else on the buses and trams. But be sure to keep a close eye on your luggage when you're anywhere in the station.
By bus
You may not be over-endeared of the thought of 24 hours in a bus from London to Warsaw, but it is actually not too bad - no smoking is allowed aboard the comfortable buses, and Poles, as ever, are impeccably behaved. For around 60GBP (USD 100) return to London, it can't be beaten. Internal trips, on the other hand, are normally aboard old buses with a distinctly retro feel. Good in small doses.
By rail
If you're a romantic sort and decide to come to Warsaw by rail you won't be disappointed. The Polish rail system is stuck in a mid-twentieth century time warp with the trains travelling at a wonderful leisurely pace. In summer this allows you to open the windows, smell the rural smells and watch the countryside pass lazily by. But the dream will end with your arrival at Warsaw's main station (Warszawa Centralna). The underground concourse hasn't changed in a decade and looks and feels like the set of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie, complete with some of the characters. The only advantage it has is that it's slap in the city centre and, once you've negotiated the network of tunnels and found your way out, it's easy to get anywhere else on the buses and trams. But be sure to keep a close eye on your luggage when you're anywhere in the station.
By bus
You may not be over-endeared of the thought of 24 hours in a bus from London to Warsaw, but it is actually not too bad - no smoking is allowed aboard the comfortable buses, and Poles, as ever, are impeccably behaved. For around 60GBP (USD 100) return to London, it can't be beaten. Internal trips, on the other hand, are normally aboard old buses with a distinctly retro feel. Good in small doses.
By car
Travelling to Warsaw from the UK by car is not the epic journey you might think it is. The whole trip takes about 24 hours if you drive non-stop from Calais, but if you take it easy and sleep at night, you'll be in Warsaw in two days or so. But look out for the Polish roads. About half of the main drag to Warsaw is pristine 'autostrada' (for which you'll have to pay), but the rest is still single file traffic, and the road surface can be pretty poor in places. Once you're in Warsaw, the road signs are a bit confusing and you need to keep a sharp eye out for pedestrians and have your wits about you at all times as the traffic moves very fast. Ensure you have your registration and insurance documents with you at all times, as well as your passport and driving license. Spot checks on vehicles by grim-faced police are common.
Travelling to Warsaw from the UK by car is not the epic journey you might think it is. The whole trip takes about 24 hours if you drive non-stop from Calais, but if you take it easy and sleep at night, you'll be in Warsaw in two days or so. But look out for the Polish roads. About half of the main drag to Warsaw is pristine 'autostrada' (for which you'll have to pay), but the rest is still single file traffic, and the road surface can be pretty poor in places. Once you're in Warsaw, the road signs are a bit confusing and you need to keep a sharp eye out for pedestrians and have your wits about you at all times as the traffic moves very fast. Ensure you have your registration and insurance documents with you at all times, as well as your passport and driving license. Spot checks on vehicles by grim-faced police are common.
Getting Around
By taxi
If your Polish is up to it, or your driver feels like practicing his English, you could be treated to an endless discourse on anything from politics to Balzac - i.e. humorless but profound. Warsaw taxi drivers don't have the greatest reputation when it comes to fare charging, particularly from the airport. Avoid drivers hanging around the arrival gates - that's a guaranteed rip-off, as in any city. Call a cab (or ask any of the information points to do it for you), or simply head to an airport taxi rank and look for clearly marked cabs. The absolute easiest way to get picked up from the airport is to let someone do it for you or just contact our Warsaw taxi and transfer service!
By car
You can hire a car to get around, but if you plan to spend most of your time in the city, think carefully. Apart from the difficulty of driving on the right, there are trams to contend with, a boggling one-way system, and signs that have even native Poles struggling to comprehend. Parking is severely restricted in the Old and New Town, and there are three different enforcement agencies (Parking, Municipal and National Police) to contend with. The alternative, public transport is a far better bet.
By public transportation
What most cities dream of - safe, efficient and cheap transportation city-wide, through a network of trams, buses and metro. Though Warsaw's underground has only one line at the moment, it is by far the fastest option of travelling through the city - and not only to you avoid terrible Warsaw traffic, but you can hide from the summer heat or winter chill in a climate-controlled subway car. Buy your tickets from any of the little kiosks that are dotted around the town. All journeys cost the same (2.80 zloty), irrespective of distance. Jump aboard the bus or tram and punch your little ticket in one of the little orange and brown boxes that are located all around. Keep the stamped stub for the not infrequent checks by plain-clothes inspectors.
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Warsaw Old Town:
Although today's Warsaw is a fairly young city, it has many tourist attractions. Apart from the Warsaw Old Town quarter, carefully reconstructed after World War II, each borough has something to offer. Among the most notable landmarks of the Old Town are the Royal Castle, King Zygmunt's Column, Market Square and the Barbican.
Further south is the so-called Royal Route, with many classicist palaces, the Presidential Palace and the Warsaw University campus. Also the popular Nowy Świat Street is worth mentioning. Wilanów Palace, the former royal residence of King John III Sobieski, is notable for its baroque architecture and beautiful parks.
Warsaw's oldest public park, the Saxon Garden, is located within 10 minutes' walk from the old town. Warsaw’s biggest public park and said to be the most beautiful is the Royal Baths Park. It is also very old – established in the 17th century and given its current classical shape in late 18th century – is located further south, on the Royal Route, about 3 km (1.9 mi) from the Warsaw Old Town.
The Powązki Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Europe, full of sculptures, some of them by the most renowned Polish artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Since it serves the religious communities of Warsaw, is it Catholics, Jews, Muslims or Protestants, it is often called a necropolis. Nearby is the Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery, one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Europe.
In many places in the city the Jewish culture and history resonates down through time. Among them the most notable are the Jewish theater, the Nożyk Synagogue, Janusz Korczak's Orphanage and the picturesque Próżna Street. The tragic pages of Warsaw’s history are commemorated in places such as the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, the Umschlagplatz, fragments of the Ghetto wall on Sienna Street and a mound in memory of the Jewish Combat Organization.
There are also many places commemorating the heroic history of Warsaw.Pawiak, an infamous German Gestapo prison now occupied by a Mausoleum of Memory of Martyrdom and the museum is only the beginning of a walk in the traces of Heroic City. The Warsaw Citadel, an impressive 19th century fortification built after the defeat of the November Uprising, was a place of martyr for the Poles. Another important monument, the statue of Little Insurgent located at the ramparts of the Old Town, commemorates the children who served as messengers and frontline troops in the Warsaw Uprising, while the impressive Warsaw Uprising Monument by Wincenty Kućma was erected in memory of the largest insurrection of World War II.
In Warsaw there are many places connected with the life and work of Fryderyk Chopin. The heart of Polish-born composer is sealed inside Warsaw's Holy Cross Church. During the summer time the Chopin Monument in the Royal Baths Park is a place where pianists give concerts to the park audience.
Also many references to Marie Curie, her work and her family can be found in Warsaw: Marie's birthplace at the Warsaw New Town, the working places where she did her first scientific works and the Radium Institute at Wawelska Street for the research and the treatment of cancer.
Warsaw Mermaid:
The mermaid (syrenka) is Warsaw's symbol and can be found on statues throughout the city and on the city's coat of arms. This imagery has been in use since at least the mid-14th century. The oldest existing armed seal of Warsaw is from the year 1390, consisting of a round seal bordered with the Latin inscription Sigilium Civitatis Varsoviensis (Seal of the city of Warsaw). City records as far back as 1609 document the use of a crude form of a sea monster with a female upper body and holding a sword in its claws.
The origin of the legendary figure is not fully known. The best-known legend, by Artur Oppman, is that long ago two of Triton's daughters set out on a journey through the depths of the oceans and seas. One of them decided to stay on the coast of Denmark and can be seen sitting at the entrance to the port of Copenhagen. The second mermaid reached the mouth of the Vistula River and plunged into its waters. She stopped to rest on a sandy beach by the village of Warszowa, where fishermen came to admire her beauty and listen to her beautiful voice. A greedy merchant also heard her songs; he followed the fishermen and captured the mermaid.
Another legend says that a mermaid once swam to Warsaw from the Baltic Sea for the love of the Griffin, the ancient defender of the city, who was killed in a struggle against the Swedish invasions of the 17th century. The mermaid, wishing to avenge his death, took the position of defender of Warsaw, becoming the symbol of the city.
Every member of the Queen's Royal Hussars of the United Kingdom light cavalry wears the Maid of Warsaw, the crest of the City of Warsaw, on the left sleeve of his No. 2 (Service) Dress. Members of 651 Squadron Army Air Corps of the United Kingdom also wear the Maid of Warsaw on the left sleeve of their No. 2 (Service) Dress.
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Visas:
Visitors from EU countries do not require a visa for stays of less than three months, nor do tourists from Australia, New Zealand, the USA or Canada. If you wish to visit Poland and are from a country that is not listed, you should check with your nearest Polish embassy or consulate as to the requirements. Should you need a visa, it is advisable to apply well in advance as they can be time consuming to process.
There is more than one tourist information office in Warsaw and visitors will find it easy to obtain information on city attractions, hotels, transport and other services. Should you require assistance on your arrival in Warsaw at Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport, Terminal 1 has a tourist information booth at Żwirki i Wigury 1. Additional offices can be found at Central Railway Station in the main hall, al. Jerozolimskie 54.
When to Visit.
Poland often gets the reputation of being a great cold country, with Siberian winters and grey summers. Nowhere is that less true than in Warsaw. While the winters have been known to be harsh, with temperatures dropping to the negative 20s on the coldest days, Warsaw's location in the centre of Poland gives it a more temperate, plains climate than Gdansk in the north or even Cracow in the south. Nevertheless, a warm hat, gloves, scarf, and stockings are essentials between late November and mid-March. Spring temperatures can vary greatly in Warsaw, from sunny sweater days already in March to snowfall in April - both have been known to happen, depending on the harshness of the winter. But once spring comes, it doesn't take too long for the temperatures to warm up, at least when it's not raining. If travelling between the months of March and May, we'd definitely suggest taking a durable umbrella on your trip. Summer in Warsaw can be a grueling time if you're not a fan of the heat. Temperatures often break 30 degrees in July and August, and the cement streets and reflective skyscrapers only make things worse. Luckily, Warsaw has plenty of parks with ample shade to relieve the heat. Once the leaves start falling in September and October, the temperature will generally remain mild, and autumn is one of the best times to visit the city. Just be careful to pack a hat and gloves, just in case.
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