Warsaw - Post Report Question and Answers
What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Go visit the cities and the seaside, it's great. People also love visiting the mountains in the south of Poland. And once COVID restrictions lift, neighboring countries are great destinations also. - Oct 2021
We thought everything was fun! Poland in general felt like a hidden gem. - Jan 2021
Attend the events recommended by "Odd Urban Things - Warsaw" (website). The Uzbek restaurant "Manty" is definitely a hidden gem. - Sep 2019
There's a little-noticed, underground jazz scene if you like music. Sporting events (but not necessarily stereotypical sports -- Poles are really into volleyball and ski jumping, for example). Great restaurants. Re-enactments at Czersk Castle (20-30 miles south of Warsaw) if you're into Ren Fair-type events. Interesting remnants of the Soviet Days, if you're a Cold War history nerd. Many little gems around. Also, some of the "best" things are important but sad parts of Polish history, too, like the "Rising Museum" and Auschwitz which shouldn't be missed. - May 2018
Numerous things to do if you like history, museums, but also outdoor trips like the lake region, the mountains in the south of Poland and the medieval forest area in Eastern Poland. - Apr 2018
Impresja for Polish Pottery and lunch.
Suparom (two locations) for traditional Thai massage (if you buy their card 6 massages for 1.5 hours is 500 PLN before VAT and 407 after VAT). - Dec 2016
There are more museums that you might think, and they are very well done with lots of English translations. The Warsaw Uprising museum is fabulous, and the new Museum of Polish Jews is excellent as well. Lots of smaller museums with changing exhibitions. We just visited the Ethnographic Museum and had a blast. Warsaw in Your Pocket is probably the best resource for these (magazine and website) - check it out.
Warsaw also has some lovely, well-kept parks if you like to walk and hike. There are hiking/biking opportunities outside of the city, but unfortunately it is very difficult to find any English-language information about them. - Mar 2016
La Playa is a great hangout spot in the summer - a fake beach along the river lined with bars, food trucks, and dance parties. There are nearly a dozen excellent beer bars that have opened in the last few years, including Piw Paw, JaBEERwocky, and Cuda na Kiju. Warsaw has great bike paths and a bike rental system, similar to DC and NYC. Charlotte, a cafe on Plac Zbawiciela, is hardly a secret, but the bread basket there lives up to the crowds outside. There's a handbag designer called Goshico tucked in an alley of an alley that is worth the trek to find. You can rent rowboats at one of the palaces. You can take your dog to Pub Lolek in the lovely Pole Mokotowskie park for grilled meat outside. - Sep 2015
It's hard to know where to start. Warsaw is a very "green" city in terms of parks and other outdoor areas. They truly appreciate a good walk in the woods, in other green areas, and along the river front. I think this is an escape from cramped apartments and the concrete blocks of the old communist housing estates that still dominate a lot of the city. The Old Town/New Town area is always nice to visit, as is a stroll along Nowy Swiat. Beer gardens in the summer dot the city and that's always a lively scene in warmer weather. The city is doing a great job of developing the river front along both sides of the Vistula and they try to keep it "wild" while still offering improved beaches and recreation areas for the masses. Visit the many museums in Warsaw, as they place a great premium on them. The Uprising Museum is a must. Also, you can always take advantage of Lazienki Park and the many different areas to stroll around. Go to a Legia Warszawa soccer/football match but don't make the mistake of showing up wearing the colors of the other team! Be sure to pick up a Legia scarf or t-shirt and you'll suddenly have a hundred new friends to hang out with at the game. Visit the many forests and parks on the outskirts of Warsaw - Kabaty Forest is great all year around, and Kampinos National Park offers a lot of variety when it comes to hiking, biking, etc. There are also excellent bike paths, paved as well as dirt roads, along the Vistula on both sides and you can ride all you want all around the city. - Nov 2014
Lots. In Warsaw there are many museums, green parks, water parks, a great zoo. In summer there are free Chopin piano concerts every Sunday in Lazienki Park. Travel outside the city to the many little towns and villages. There are castles all over the countryside many you can stay in. Travel to the Baltic, the mountains. And then of course the proximity to the rest of Europe. - Feb 2012
Parks, castles, shopping, history, music, cafes. Pretty typical European city with a decent cafe life in the warm months. - Nov 2011
Visit historical sites. - Aug 2011
If you are a history buff, you will love the area. There is skiing/mountain climbing in the south, boating/swimming in the northeast. There is hiking all over the place. You name it...you can pretty much do it in this country. - Aug 2011
Visit the Old Town, Lazienki park, and hiking/cross country skiing is great in Kabaty woods. - Mar 2011
The best place to hang around is Warsaw's Old Town. Krakow city is also a good places to go, and they speak more English there than they do in Warsaw. - Jan 2011
So many places, so little time! Prague, Berlin, Budapest... Budget airline connections are great. Warsaw is a fascinating place, Old Town, Lazienki Park, Plac Konstitucji, Palace of Culture. - Dec 2010
Beautiful, beautiful parks all over the city, the Uprising Museum, great restaurants, cheap tickets to the theatre (there are a million here), opera, ballet, etc. - Feb 2010
What isn't there to do? History lovers (especially those who like medieval times or WWII) will be in heaven here with everything there is to see. Those who love the outdoors can jog, bike, walk, etc. Shoppers will go nuts over the several malls and craft shops. Warsaw regularly hosts big-time acts (Madonna was most recently here), and has a wonderful cultural scene as well. Warsaw is the ideal jumping off place for domestic and regional travel and is blessed by connections by rail, road and plane. Places like Berlin, Prague, Krakow, Budapest, the Balkans, and of course Western Europe are very accesable. Warsaw also has similar connections with the East (although not as developed) and people have gone to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, and even Minsk. However, with all the great things to see inside Poland, why even leave? - Aug 2009
So many things, especially in the summer and spring. There are parks, beer gardens, soccer matches, Old Town, the zoo, shopping at outdoor markets, and traveling down to Krakow or up to Gdansk. It gets a little more challenging in winter. - Jun 2008
What isn't there to do?! By far everyone loves the sightseeing both inside and outside of Warsaw. There are many museums and historical sites around town that are a must see (including the Uprising Museum). History buffs will fall in love here (I definitely have!) Shopping opportunities abound, as well as going to concerts, clubs, theaters, and movies (recent run English language movies are shown here daily, except kids movies which are dubbed in Polish). It is very easy to travel outside of Poland as well given the excellent train and plane routes from here. - Apr 2008
Parks, bicycling, bowling, roller blading, dancing, iceskating, concerts, opera, museums, local bazaars. Visit neighboring towns and countries!! - Feb 2008
