Magazine Poland

Top places to visit in Warsaw

Warsaw, Poland – Warsaw is a truly unique and yet so overlooked city right in the heart of Europe. It has so much to offer, starting with rare architecture and rich culture, to hearty food and great museums. Overall, Warsaw deserves its place on every traveler’s itinerary. So, let’s see what you can do in Poland’s capital city as a tourist. Here are the top places to visit in Warsaw.

Palace of Culture and Science

You can’t miss it even if you want to. The Palace of Culture and Science (PKiN) is built right in the heart of Warsaw, although not many locals love it that much. The Palace was built right after the end of World War II by the Soviets. In fact, the building resembles the Moscow State University in a lot of ways. It’s one of the tallest buildings in the country. It is massive, actually. It has four main entrances, hundreds of offices, and organizations, including private universities, cinemas, theatres, museums, and much more.

The PKiN is one of the biggest symbols of Warsaw. It’s also one of the most controversial buildings. You can spot many skyscrapers centered in this part of the city. Many believe it’s because those tall buildings try to cover up the view of PKiN. However, it can hardly be called a successful attempt. Perhaps, you’d like to learn more about the building of the Palace with the papersowl professional writers. They’ll tell you the whole story of this controversial project.

The PKiN is one of the biggest symbols of Warsaw. It’s also one of the most controversial buildings.

Old Town

Every country has the central old square that used to be at the heart of people’s daily lives for centuries. However, no country has an Old Town square like one in Warsaw. Do you know why? Well, because everything you see in this historical part of the city is actually not old. Not at all. Almost 80% of Warsaw was destroyed during World War II. However, later the authorities chose to restore the previous look of the Old Town, hence creating a complete copy of all the buildings, structures, and even street pavements. As a result, tourists get to walk in the youngest “old town” in Europe.

Though, if you don’t know the story behind it, you may not even notice the novelty of your surroundings. Poland did a pretty good job at giving the restored building an authentic look. Overall, Old Town in Warsaw should definitely be a must-see on your list. The walk from the city center won’t take longer than 20 minutes. Once you are there, have a good look around, go in-depth of the ‘old’ streets. Finally, find the panoramic view of the Vistula river and the other side of Warsaw.

If you travel during the Christmas holidays, consider yourself lucky. The entire Old Town Square turns into one huge Christmas market with a large Christmas tree in the middle. So you get to enjoy the hot wine, smoked cheese, and open-air ice skating.

Royal Castle

Once you are already in the Old Town, go ahead and visit the Royal Castle. You can’t miss it. The former royal residence occupies the entire right wing of the central square. Now, it may not look exactly like a castle, but it surely is one. Inside, you can find a museum that tells you everything about the history of royalty in Poland while you observe the rooms, pieces of art, and furniture of Poland’s former kings and queens. Don’t forget to look up free visitation dates!

If you travel during the Christmas holidays, consider yourself lucky. The entire Old Town Square turns into one huge Christmas market.

Łazienki Królewskie Park

Łazienki Królewskie complex is one of the most beautiful parks in Poland. In the past, this piece of land was a royal retreat residence. The kings and queens of Poland used to come here to enjoy the beautiful nature and sauna (hence the name). Now, this land is a beautiful, huge public park almost in the center of Warsaw. It’s divided into several, like the amphitheater, White House, orangery, etc. By the way, the White House has a great art exhibition, if you have some extra time.

We suggest dedicating a good portion of the day to exploring the park if you want to see it entirely. Also, don’t be shy to use the map in the process. It’s easy to get lost here. Oh, and don’t be surprised to meet some peacocks on your way. These days, they are the only tenants here, really. Well, they and the squirrels that will eat out of your hands if you let them.

Roam the streets of Warsaw

Warsaw is one of the most puzzling cities in Poland to visit when it comes to its looks. On the one hand, you see its care about history and culture preservation. On the other hand, you learn that barely 20% of the city’s architecture is older than 70 years old. Overall, the look of Warsaw makes an interesting mixture of futuristic and post-modern Soviet architecture. Yet, some areas tried to preserve Polish and overall Western European style. Thus, such a combination creates a truly interesting and unique look that you can rarely witness anywhere else in Europe. You can even read my assignment help reviews written by students and order an essay on Polish architecture and influence from their writer.