24 Epic Things to Do in Warsaw On Your Poland Vacation

No trip to Poland is complete without checking out all the quirky and interesting things to do in Warsaw. Founded in the 13th century, the Polish capital offers a captivating blend of historical attractions and modern trappings. Whether you want to take a walk through Warsaw’s history in Stare Miasto or catch a breather in Łazienki Park, sort out your trip plan with this complete guide for travellers!

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What to see & do in Warsaw

Old Town Warsaw (Stare Miasto)

Warsaw’s reputation as an unsightly and bleak city shatters the moment you enter Old Town (Stare Miasto). To be sure, Old Town Warsaw can’t compete with the historical centres of Krakow or Prague. But its beauty is compelling enough to overthrow your expectations. Visiting Stare Miasto, you’ll dispense with much of the negative press Warsaw unfairly gathers.

The heart of Old Town beats at Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town Market Square). This central market square is the oldest in Warsaw, with its roots digging back to the late 13th century.

Beautiful merchant houses line Rynek Starego Miasta. The buildings were reconstructed in the post-war era to reflect their 17th-century originals, adding an air of distinction to the district.

Rynek Starego Miasta in Old Town, Warsaw, Poland

Experiencing Old Town is as simple as wandering aimlessly in search of churches, palaces, and other hidden gems. Keep your eyes open for Warsaw’s coolest medieval architecture, including the Barbican. This former city defence fortification will bring your memories of childhood fairytales of the Middle Ages back to the fore.

After checking out Stare Miasto, be sure to catch a glimpse of the Warsaw Uprising Monument. The monument sits in Krasiński Square on the outskirts of the historical area.

Getting to Old Town Warsaw

From Warszawa Centralna, Old Town is a 35- to 40-minute walk. My favourite approach to Old Town is via Krakowskie Przedmieście.

To get there, exit Warszawa Centralna onto Aleje Jerozolinskie. Turn left, following the street to Marzałkowska. Take another left on Marszałkowska. Walking past the unmistakable Palace of Culture & Science, find your way to the second major cross-street, Królewska. Hang a right here.

Walk along Królewska past the botanical garden to Krakowskie Przedmieście. Walk north along Krakowskie Przedmieście, one of the major thoroughfares on the Royal Route, past the Presidential Palace to get into Old Town.

If these walking directions seem too complicated, public transportation will get you to Old Town in about 20 minutes. From the central train station, simply find your way to Marszałkowsa. From one of the Centrum transit stops, catch a northbound bus (160, 518) or tram (4) to Old Town.

Palace of Culture & Science

No building in Warsaw is more polarizing than the Palace of Culture & Science. For decades, Varsovians were patent in their resolve to hate the place. It was, after all, a communist-era gift from the Soviets. And it wasn’t exactly an era that many feel comfortable reliving—in any way. Even with attitudes softening, you’re bound to find a few who’d rather see it reduced to rubble than clog up the Warsaw skyline for another day.

Ignoring the negative reputation, most travellers will find the monolithic Palace of Culture & Science enthralling. What’s interesting is that the design of this “communist” building was inspired by the Empire State Building in New York City, the undisputed “capitalist capital” of the world at the time.

The Palace of Culture & Science is somehow a little more foreboding, though. It emits a dystopian Orwellian vibe that’s both exciting and unnerving.

Palace of Culture & Science in Warsaw, Poland

The biggest reason to visit the Palace of Culture and Science, even if you only have one day in Warsaw, isn’t just to gawk at its enormity. Snag a ticket (20zł/15zł) to zoom up the high-speed elevator to the observation terrace on the 30th floor. The views from atop Poland’s highest building are magnificent.

Getting to the Palace of Culture & Science

The Palace of Culture & Science is the easiest building to find in Warsaw. Just look up almost anywhere, and you’ll see it! From Warszawa Centralna, take the exit towards Emilii Plater. The Palace of Culture & Science is across the street on plac Defilad.

Warsaw Rising Museum

There’s no more heroic story than the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Watch it unfold before your eyes at the Warsaw Rising Museum, one of the country’s most interesting museums and one of the coolest places to visit in Warsaw.

At the Warsaw Rising Museum, you’re warped through the darkest days of Nazi occupation to the liberation of Warsaw in 1945. The interactive exhibits feature multimedia and tactile elements. They range from video footage to replica equipment.

Warsaw Uprising Museum

Most harrowing is the before and after photos. They depict the nearly complete destruction of Warsaw following the movement’s ultimate failure.

The magnitude of Warsaw’s transformation from rubble to a dynamic European capital is evermore clear after visiting the Warsaw Rising Museum.

Getting to the Warsaw Rising Museum

The easiest way to get to the Warsaw Rising Museum is by tram. From Warszawa Centralna, exit to Aleje Jerozolinskie and catch westward tram 9, 22 or 24. Alight at the Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego stop.

Łazienki Park

Taking a quick breather in a high-octane city like Warsaw is almost obligatory. And there’s no better place to clear out your lungs at any time of year than among the whopping 180 acres of greenery at Łazienki Park.

Łazienki Park may not have the size (or beer gardens) of a park like the Englischer Garten in Munich. That’s not to say it isn’t special.

Besides the beautiful flora and fauna, Łazienki Park conceals aging palaces, statues, and orangeries in its midst.

Palace on the Isle at Lazienki Park in Warsaw, Poland

The most famous building in Łazienki Park is the Palace on the Isle. It’s also known as, unsurprisingly, Łazienki Palace or the Palace on the Water.

The neoclassical palace was originally built as a Baroque bathhouse. Today, it still reflects upon the still waters of Stawy Łazienkowskie. It’s a classic scene that sets it among the most interesting places to see in Warsaw.

Getting to Łazienki Park

To get to Łazienki Park from Warszawa Centralna, hop onto bus 525 from Dw. Centralny north of the station. Get off at Rozbrat 01 and walk south into Łazienki Park.

Praga District

Like so many former no-go zones in post-communist cities, Praga District has (mostly) shed its rough-and-tumble reputation. These days, it’s become one of the hippest places to visit in Warsaw.

Bazar Rozychkiego in Praga District, Warsaw

Praga still has a certain grittiness and working-class feel to it. It stands in contrast to the tourist-soaked Old Town enclave to the west over the Vistula.

Following the Warsaw Uprising, while much of Warsaw lay in ruins, Praga was somewhat spared. Pockets of pre-war Warsaw remain here—even if they’re being swept aside by the bohemian tides.

Praga is most famous for its raucous nightlife. But in visiting during the day, you’ll experience Warsaw’s quirkier, more artistic side.

Getting to Praga District

Praga lies across the Vistula River from Old Town. From the Stare Miasto transit stop, cross the Vistula over Most Śląsko-Dąbrowski. Follow straight on to Targowa to reach the heart of Praga. The walk is no more than 25 to 30 minutes.

Alternatively, hop on any of the eastbound trams at Stare Miasto. You’ll reach Praga in less than 10 minutes from Old Town.

The Royal Castle in Warsaw

Even if there are more epic castles in Poland elsewhere, a visit to The Royal Castle in Warsaw (Zamek Królewski) creeps in among the best things to do in Warsaw.

Truthfully, compared to medieval stunners like Malbork Castle, it’s hard to even call The Royal Castle a “castle.” Instead, the Royal Castle resembles a Baroque palace. It’s not unlike others you’d find strewn about Central European cities like Vienna.

Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland

A trip through this 17th-century royal residence, rebuilt after World War II like much of Warsaw, rolls through several stops. In the Royal Apartments, King Stanisław Augustus Poniatowski once hung about. The rooms are heavy on artwork depicting Poland at various points in its history.

Also on the tour are the former Houses of Parliament, where Polish democracy got a kick-start. You’ll also find the gilded Great Assembly Hall here.

Getting to The Royal Castle in Warsaw

Once you find yourself in Old Town, the Royal Castle isn’t far off. The palace sits on Castle Square (plac Zamkowy), one of the main squares of the historic quarter. Walking straight up Krakowskie Przedmieście, part of the original Royal Route, you can’t miss it.

POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Opening in 2013 to much fanfare, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews quickly catapulted into the ranks of best museums in Warsaw.

When the first shots of World War II rang, about 3.3 million Jews called Poland home. Most memorials, like the Jewish Museum in Berlin, focus on the horrendous ripples that followed. Instead, POLIN celebrates their rich thousand-year and importance in Polish culture.

POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Nothing about the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews is accidental. Everything here is soaked in meaning. The museum is located in the former Warsaw Jewish Ghetto. It’s across from the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, built to remember the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The building also features a radical postmodern design.

The permanent exhibition at POLIN stretches across eight galleries. Each gallery documents a different era in the history of the Polish Jews.

Beyond the more sombre and serious parts of the exhibition, more light-hearted moments will keep you smiling. The recent temporary exhibit “Jukebox, Jewkbox!”, for example, outlines the contributions of Jewish producers and artists to popular music on vinyl records.

Getting to POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

From Warszawa Centralna, it’s about a 33-minute (2.8km) walk to the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Walk north on Aleja Jana Pawła II to the east of the station, eventually turning right on Anielewicza. The museum will be about a block up Anielewicza to the left.

By public transportation, take tram 17 or 33 up Aleja Jana Pawła II. Get off at the Anielewicza stop and walk east on Anielewicza to POLIN.

Wilanów Palace

With so much of Warsaw reduced to rubble in World War II, Wilanów Palace is a breath of fresh air. It lies in contrast to the post-communist architecture that “decorates” the Polish capital.

This magnificent 17th-century Baroque palace is set in an over 100-acre park. It’s not only one of Warsaw’s best attractions but one of Poland’s most important national treasures.

Wilanow Palace in Warsaw, Poland

The main museum at Wilanow Palace walks you through the royal apartments. They were once home to a string of Polish kings from Jan III in 1696 to August II in 1733.

Throughout the palace, ornate decorations catch the eye. You’ll see everything from sculptures & paintings to mouldings & ceiling frescoes. For more information on the interior of Wilanow Palace, visit the official site.

Getting to Wilanów Palace

Unless you’re a marathon runner with time to spare, the 2-hour walk from central Warsaw all but eliminates getting to Wilanow Palace by foot. From Dw. Centralny 27 behind Warszawa Centralna, bus 519 makes the trip to the palace in less than 30 minutes.

Neon Museum

As a Cold War kid, there’s hardly a museum in Warsaw more “enlightening” than the Neon Museum. Set in an old factory complex, the Neon Museum presents a stunning collection of Vegas-like signage from Poland’s postwar era. Undoubtedly, visiting the Neon Museum is one of the top things to do in Warsaw.

Following the fall of communism, the changing façade of Polish cities relegated many old Cold War relics to the wayside. Among them were the luminous neon signs that brightened Warsaw for decades.

The two London-based museum directors, David S. Hill and Ilona Karwinska made it their mission to ensure that Poland’s glowing art form lived on.

Museum of Neon, Warsaw

The Neon Museum today displays hundreds of preserved & restored neon signs in its meandering halls. It’s among the top attractions in Warsaw and a great place to get a taste of this tumultuous but interesting bygone era in Poland’s history. Visiting also helps support the museum’s urban restoration projects elsewhere in Warsaw.

Getting to the Neon Museum

The Neon Museum rocks out in the hip Praga District. Unless you’re already in Praga, it’s a bit of a hike to get to the Neon Museum by foot from most places in Warsaw.

Public transportation is the easiest option. To get there from Warszawa Centralna, catch tram 22 at Dw. Centralny 07 behind the main station, exiting at the Gocławska stop (about 23 minutes). The museum is a couple blocks north of here.

Bar Prasowy

Visiting a milk bar (bar mleczny) is a uniquely Polish experience. And Warsaw is one of the best places in Poland to go for it!

Milk bars are among the few leftovers from the post-WWII communist era that aren’t shunned by Poles. It isn’t, as you’d expect, simply a place to slurp up milk and go along on your merry way. The name derives from the cheap and filling dairy-based food they historically served.

One of the best milk bars in Warsaw is Bar Prasowy (Marszałkowska 10/16). Varsovians have visited Bar Prasowy for over 60 years, making it one of the longest-standing milk bars in the city. Step in, and you’ll find an assortment of mouth-watering traditional Polish foods. They might well become one of the highlights of your trip to Warsaw!

Prasowy

Bar Prasowy is most famous for its pierogi, an Eastern European dumpling stuffed with various fillings. Eating these delicious treats is not just one of the best things to do in Warsaw; it’s one of the best reasons to visit Poland!

Coming from a Ukrainian family, I could blame my slightly pudgy childhood belly on stuffing my face with homemade pierogi far too often. The pierogi at Bar Prasowy gives Eastern European grandmothers a run for their money.

Unlike many other milk bars in Warsaw, Bar Prasowy rustles up their pierogi to order.

The extra wait time is more than compensated once the delicious doughy delight reaches your lips.

The best pierogi varieties at Bar Prasowy include:

  • Pierogi z mięsem. Filled with meat.
  • Pierogi z kapustą. Filled with sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) and mushrooms.
  • Pierogi ruskie. Classic Russian-style dumplings filled with a potato and cheese filling. (My fav—yum!)
  • Pierogi z jagodami. Filled with blueberries.
  • Pierogi z truskawkami. Filled with strawberries.

Getting to Bar Prosowy

The milk bar sits at Marszałkowska 10/16, a major north-south avenue that runs in front of the Palace of Culture & Science. From there, it’s a 2.5-kilometre walk (about 30 minutes) down Marszałkowska. Alternatively, take a tram, bus or metro from Centrum to get to Bar Prasowy in about 10 to 20 minutes.

Explore Warsaw further

  • Warsaw Poster Museum. ul. Stanisława Kostki Potockiego 10/16. A cool museum on the grounds of Wilanow Palace. It houses the world’s largest collection of artistic posters. Free admission on Mondays.
  • Fryderyk Chopin Museum. ul. Okólnik 1. An interactive museum dedicated to Poland’s most famous composer. The 5,000 artifacts make the Chopin Museum one of the most detailed of its kind in Europe. Free admission on Sundays.

Frederic Chopin Museum

  • Pawiak Prison Museum. ul. Dzielna 24/26. A 19th-century Imperial Russian prison that was infamously resurrected under the Nazis. The memorial museum gives insight into the lives of the over 100,000 political prisoners who suffered in Pawiak’s horrendous conditions. The museum is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Admission is free on Thursdays.
  • St. John’s Archcathedral. ul. Świętojańska 8. A beautifully reconstructed 14th-century Brick Gothic Cathedral in the heart of Old Town. It holds a special place in Polish history as a coronation site and burial ground for several noteworthy Poles.

St. John's Archcathedral

  • St. Anne’s Church. ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 68. One of the only historic buildings in central Warsaw to survive World War II, mostly intact. The church’s neoclassical façade dates back to the late 18th century. It betrays a Baroque interior that’s tastefully adorned with stunning frescoes. Climb the bell tower for epic views over Warsaw’s Old Town.
  • Copernicus Science Centre. ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20. One of the best science museums on the entire continent. The interactive exhibits drive excitement for kids and adults alike.

Copernicus Science Centre

  • Block 10 Museum. ul. Skazańców 25. A museum in the Warsaw Citadel that was once the wing of a political prison.
  • Warsaw Jewish Cemetery. ul. Okopowa 49/51. A haunting burial ground dating back to the early 19th century that’s home to about 250,000 tombs.

Warsaw Jewish Cemetery

  • National Museum in Warsaw. Al. Jerozolimskie 3. The largest art museum in Warsaw. It features the works of European Old Masters from the 15th to 18th centuries and a large collection of Polish art. The Gallery of Medieval art here is one of the biggest collections of its kind in the world. Admission on Tuesdays is free (20zł otherwise).
  • Saxon Garden. ul. Marszałkowska. A massive public garden that’s the oldest public park in Warsaw and one of the oldest in the world. The garden was once part of Saski Palace complex, which was destroyed during WWII. The only surviving part of the palace from the early 20th century is the post-WWI Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
  • Galeria Forty/Forty. Fort Bema. A lesser-known art gallery occupying a 100-year-old abandoned fortress. It’s located to the northwest of Srodmiescie. The walls of the fort are ever-changing. New street art from local artists is added voraciously. You’ll probably need to ask locals for directions; the gallery can be a little hard to find.
  • Klub Hydrozagadka. 11 Listopada 22. One of the wildest concert venues in the city. It’s situated in the district of Praga.
  • Keret House. Zelazna 16. One of Warsaw’s quirkiest places to visit. This art installation/residence holds the title as the world’s skinniest home. With 46 square feet of living space and one area measuring just 28 inches wide, this unique attraction begs to be seen. If you suffer from extreme claustrophobia, though, you’ll want to give it a miss.
  • Warsaw Zoological Garden. Ratuszowa 1/3. Better known as Warsaw Zoo, this attraction in the Praga district gets over a million visitors a year. It’s one of Europe’s busiest zoos. Besides the wide variety of animals, the zoo is famous for serving as a sanctuary during World War II. Much like Schindler’s Factory in Krakow, the zoo protected Jews who escaped the horrendous conditions of the Warsaw Ghetto.

Where to stay in Warsaw for sightseeing

Despite the size of the city, sorting out where to stay in Warsaw isn’t such a problem for travellers.

For sightseeing in Warsaw, staying in central areas like Srodmiescie and Stare Miasto (Old Town) will be your best bet. It’ll get you close to all the action. In these areas, you’ll find a bulk of the top things to see in Warsaw and the city’s best restaurants, bars & clubs.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few of the best hotels in Warsaw…

  • ibis Styles Warszawa Centrum: This stylish & colourful hotel is one of the best places to stay in Warsaw on a budget. Staying here will keep you energized for checking out all the city’s top attractions. Many of them are within walking distance.
  • Hotel Indigo Warsaw Nowy Świat: Got a little more to spend? You can’t go wrong with this hip mid-range hotel in the happenin’ Nowy Swiat area in Srodmiescie. Nearby lies a multitude of fantastic restaurants & bars for your Warsaw entertainment pleasure.
  • InterContinental Warszawa: This 5-star hotel is the ultimate in Polish luxury. InterContinental Warszawa will knock your socks off with its ultra-modern rooms. You’ll also love the hotel’s luxurious amenities. The 43rd-floor indoor pool, featuring epic views of the Warsaw skyline, is especially compelling.
Ryan O'Rourke

Ryan O'Rourke is a Canadian traveller, food & drink aficionado, and the founder & editor of Treksplorer. With over 20 years of extensive travel experience, Ryan has journeyed through over 50 countries, uncovering hidden gems and sharing firsthand, unsponsored insights on what to see & do and where to eat, drink & stay. Backed by his travel experience and in-depth research, Ryan’s travel advice and writing has been featured in publications like the Huffington Post and Matador Network. You can connect with Ryan on Twitter/X at @rtorourke.

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