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About Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw is the capital of Poland. Home to 1.7 million inhabitants, it is Poland’s largest city. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly equidistant (350 km) from both the Baltic Sea in the north and the Carpathian Mountains (Karpaty) in the south.

The medieval capital of Poland was the southern city of Krakow, but Warsaw has been the capital of the country since 1596, and has grown to become Poland’s largest city and the nation’s urban and commercial centre. Completely destroyed by the Nazis during World War II, the city lifted itself from the ashes. Today, almost every building in Warsaw dates to the postwar era – with what little remains of the old structures being confined largely to the restored districts of Stare Miasto (the ‘old city’) and Nowe Miasto (‘new city’), as well as selected monuments and cemeteries, plus midwar modernist districts Ochota and Zoliborz.

Since the fall of communism in 1989, Warsaw has been developing much more rapidly than Poland as a whole. You wouldn’t recognize the city if you saw it ten years ago, and more changes are constantly taking place.

Even though much of Warsaw seems to imitate western cities, there are many peculiarities to be found here that you will not find in western capitals. Examples include the communist-era bar mleczny (lit. ‘milk bar’) that remain in operation (essentially cheap cafeterias for no-frills, working-class traditional Polish dining, which have remained incredibly popular in the face of westernization).

Warsaw has a continental climate, with warm summers, crisp, sunny autumns and cold winters. Summers can vary from mild to quite hot. Travellers should bring light, summer clothes for the day, and an extra jacket for evenings, as they can sometimes get a little chilly. The main tourist season of Warsaw falls between May and September, from the middle of spring until the beginning of autumn, when the climate is at its most favourable. Although rainfall is generally evenly spread throughout the year, July does tend to be the wettest month according to weather statistics. Travellers would best be advised to bring heavy, water-resistant shoes with them when travelling in Warsaw in late autumn to early spring. The weather in winter varies, but it can get cold and very snowy. From December to March, the climate is at its coldest and overnight frosty weather becomes commonplace, along with some snow. The coolest months are January and February with temperatures falling a couple of degrees below zero.

Warsaw by Rail

The Berlin-Warszawa Express runs from Berlin to Warsaw daily and is quite inexpensive if booked in advance. Students get discounts as well. It’s a fairly comfortable six hour trip. One train per day runs to Kaunas and Vilnius in Lithuania, with a change of trains near the border. There are also trains to Russia – Moscow, Saint Petersburg and even direct cars to Saratov or Irkutsk, Belarus – Minsk, Ukraine – Kiev and direct cars to Simferopol or even Astana in Kazakhstan. There are many direct connections to central and western European cities too.

In domestic trains, reservation is obligatory on EC, EIC or TLK trains. Reservation is now included. There are also some iR (interRegio) trains, operated by Przewozy Regionalne. These are the cheapest trains in Poland, but often not very comfortable and slow. Only iR Szczecin-Warsaw-Szczecin (called “Mewa”) and Warsaw-Rzeszow-Warsaw (called “WOSP”) are recommended – most of their carriages are equipped with air-conditioning, CCTV, power sockets for every seat and free wi-fi connection, although the price is extremely low, but there is no seat reservation. If you don’t have a reservation, you may get a better seat by boarding the train at its point of origin. During the peak, you may not be able to get a seat at all.

Rail travel Times

Berlin – Warsaw: 5 hrs 15 mins
Prague – Warsaw: 8 hrs 47 mins
Krakow – Warsaw: 2 hrs 30 mins
Vienna – Warsaw: 7 hrs
Moscow – Warsaw: 13 hrs 14 mins



Overview

As is the case with most major cities, Warsaw is situated on a river. The river’s name is Vistula (Polish: Wisla) and it crosses the city on a north-south axis, dividing it into two parts, usually referred to as the left bank (Polish: lewy brzeg adj. lewobrzezna Warszawa) and the right bank (Polish: prawy brzeg adj. prawobrzezna Warszawa). Historically, the right bank was the first one to become populated, during the 9th or 10th century. However, the present city’s central district, called Sródmiescie lies on the left bank. The Old Town is fully contained within the borders of the city centre.

The central point of the city is located at the intersection of Al. Jerozolimskie and ul. Marszalkowska, near the entrance to the Metro Centrum subway station. It is good to know that the Palace of Culture is a landmark visible from almost any location in Warsaw. Should you ever get lost in the city, just walk toward the Palace of Culture and Science. The quarter delimited by Al. Jerozolimskie, ul. Marszalkowska, al. Jana Pawla II, and ul. Swietokrzyska, contains Dworzec Centralny, the main railway station, and the Palace of Culture and Science.



Public transport

The public transport system in Warsaw is generally well-developed, with some 200 bus routes and 30 tram lines. The route descriptions on the tram stops are easy to follow (although bus stop notices are more complex) and the tickets are cheap. It can be painfully slow, however, to travel between destinations far from the city centre.

There is also a modern underground line going from south to north on the left bank, and introduced few years ago, the Rapid Urban Railway (Polish: Szybka Kolej Miejska or SKM) which is becoming more and more popular. Travelling to districts like Wlochy, Ursus, Rembertów or Wesola by SKM instead of bus can save you a lot of time.


Warsaw’s metro system opened in 1995 and is one of the newest underground railway systems in Europe. it runs daily from early morning until midnight at 3-10 minute intervals. On Friday and Saturday, Metro operates until 3 am. Trains and stations are clean and neat. The system currently consists of two lines: M1 and M2. M1 line was designed to carry commuters from the densely populated new districts at the northern and southern outskirts into the city centre. As a result, the M1 line does not go to many tourist destinations, however several stations will take you in a general vicinity of some attractions. M2 line (its initial segment of 7 stations completed in 2015) links the centre with the right bank of the river Vistula (i.e. Praga).

Buses operate usually from 5.00 to 23.00 (except night buses), but you should always check the schedule. The intervals can be anything from as little as 5 minutes (crowded routes during peak hours) to nearly 2 hours (certain suburban routes). Usually, you will wait 20 minutes at most. Warsaw has well-developed night bus communication, that will take you basically to every part of city. Most buses start and finish at the back of Central Railway Station (Dworzec Centralny).


Attractions and Activities

Most of the major sightseeing attractions are located in Centrum area, which encompasses seven districts, however, the most important district for sightseeing is likely to be considered Srodmiescie. The other districts all have something else to offer too, but the further from Centrum you journey, the less likely you’re to find much of anything that is of any major interest, although Wilanow’s palace and Kabaty forest are interesting enough.

The Old Town and surrounding districts are sufficiently compact to allow a number of excellent walking tours through its history-filled streets. You’ll see amazing things you would otherwise miss. Details are usually available from the reception desks of hostels and hotels. Free wi-fi is available in most of the Old Town, as well as in several cafés and restaurants, including McDonald’s, KFC, Subway, Starbucks, Coffee Heaven, and W biegu.


Explore old Praga to get a more shady (but safe) insight into old Warsaw. Find charming art cafes and galleries hidden around Zabkowska, Targowa, Wilenska, 11 listopada, Inzynierska streets. In night, there are lot of vibrating clubs on these streets.

The Copernicus Science Centre conducts modern science communication through interactive exhibitions addressed to different groups of recipients (adults, adolescents and children), shows and workshops on scientific themes, debates and discussions as well as activities from the borderland of science and art. The mission of the Centre is to inspire curiosity, assist the independent discovering of the world, help to learn and inspire social dialogue on science. It is one of the largest and most modern institutions of this type in Europe. Concerts and performances

Warsaw is home to several professional musical and play companies. Being the capital city means the Polish National Opera and the Warsaw Philharmonic (also, National Philharmonic) call Warsaw home. There are a number of other companies, including play companies and theaters that will likely be of interest to travellers.


National Museum

The National Museum in Warsaw is home to over 800,000 exhibits of both Polish and worldwide art. They represent all epochs from antiquity to contemporary times, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, illustrations, photographs, numismatic items and objects of applied arts.

The unique the Faras Gallery presents the only permanent European display of artefacts of the Nubian culture and art from the early-Christian period, the Medieval Art Gallery houses unique sculptures, panel paintings and artefacts from all regions historically related to Poland, the Gallery of the 20th and 21st Century presents paintings, sculptures and drawings from 20-30’s and works of film, photography, performance from the last 40 years. The visitors can also see the Poland’s largest painting “The Battle of Grunwald” by Jan Matejko (426 x 987 cm).

Especially cherished exhibits are paintings reclaimed after being stolen from the National Museum in Warsaw during World War II including; “Jewish Woman Selling Oranges” by Aleksander Gierymski and “The Negress” by Anna Bilinska.

Surrounding Area


Kampinos Forest

Take the 15km journey on the 708 bus to Kampinos Forest, a wild and beautiful primeval forest, often called the green lungs of Warsaw, and an ideal choice for a day off from the noise of the city. There is Kampinos Forest, Biosphere Reserve in the vicinity of the capital. If you are seeking peace, you will probably find it there.


Radziejowice

Around 40 km from Warswa, Radziejowice is where Jozef Chelmonski lived in a modest manor house with a piece of farmland. He spent last twenty-five years of his life in rural Mazovia. Nowadays, in the chambers of neoclassical palace you can see many of Chelmonski works. They are so epic because he was painting with a great sense of color, He successfully replicated the natural beauty of that region. Bonfire among the nostalgic Mazovia scenery will be an interesting experience. Plains wide and flat as a table, small patches of forests are characteristic features of landscape.


Kazimierz Dolny

Less than two hours by TLK train to Pulawy, then half an hour by bus), Kazimierz Dolny is a Renaissance town with a picturesque marketplace, it is a hub for painters and Boheme. On market days there are many hand-made baskets and other trinkets that can be bought. Nestled on a forested hill overlooking the Vistula River in Pulawy County in eastern Poland, the charming and picturesque Kazimierz Dolny is a popular weekend escape for Varsovians and Lubliners. The town is well known for its rich Polish, Jewish, and Romani history. The population of Kazimierz Dolny stands at nearly 3,500. It is easy to walk around the town itself, as it is relatively small and compact. A walk up the hill from the town centre leads to the ruins of a castle and guard tower, where for a few zl one can enjoy a panoramic view of the town and the Wisla.

There is a taxi stand operating on the main square (rynek). For a little more excitement, there are 4×4 jeeps offering tours of the surrounding woods, limestone quarry, and ravines during the summer. A short walk from the square to the river leads to a place where one can rent bicycles and scooters for an hour or a day.


Konstancin-Jeziorna

The Spa town of Konstancin-Jeziorna is 20 km away (take the 700 bus). It is famous for its clean air and high housing prices. The town, a 19th-century health spa, sits on the administrative border of the capital city, Warsaw. The town has an interesting collection of historic villas and new built mansions, a shopping center in a restored 19th-century mill and is the home of the American School of Warsaw.


Lublin

Lublin (200 km), a medieval city with a well preserved old town, is now the main tourist attraction in eastern Poland. With a population of 343,000, Lublin is the largest city in Poland east of Warsaw and the Vistula River. In the Middle Ages and early modern era, Lublin played an important role as an administrative, trade, and military centre for the Polish kingdom and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In recent years, Lublin has emerged as a tourist destination due in part to its significant old town and as a gateway to the eastern half of the republic.

During World War II, both of Lublin’s Jewish and Polish populations suffered immensely. Majdanek extermination camp, one of the centers of the Holocaust in Poland, was located in the southeastern suburbs of the city. Before the war, the Jewish population of Lublin in 1939 stood at 42,380 (or 1/3 of the total population); following the German occupation, only 4,553 had survived. Despite its tremendous human losses, Lublin architecturally survived World war II largely intact. After the conflict, the city developed into an important industrial location and center for higher learning, with five state universities and a number of smaller academies opened in Lublin’s metropolitan area. Since the fall of communism and Poland’s entrance into the European Union, Lublin has developed a burgeoning service and tourist industry.






Krakow

Krakow, the former capital of Poland, is 300 km away, but can be reached in just under 3 hours by hourly IC/Ex trains. Krakow is not only a historical and visual gem, it is Poland’s second largest city and covers both banks of the Wisla (or Vistula) river. At the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, the metropolitan area has more than 1.4 million inhabitants if you include the surrounding communities.

Old Town consists of the historic Krakow Old Town, as well as the Wawel castle hill, Nowe Miasto (“New Town”), Nowy Swiat (“New World”), Kleparz, Okol, which previously was situated between the Wawel hill and the Old Town but soon became part of the latter, Piasek, Stradom and Warszawskie. Krakow’s historic centre, covering the Old Town and Wawel was entered on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1978. These are the most popular tourist destinations, and if your time is limited, these are the ones to focus your visit on.




Travellers who come to Krakow often visit Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. All over the world, Auschwitz has become a symbol of terror, genocide, and the Holocaust. It was established by Germans in 1940, in the suburbs of Oswiecim, a Polish city that was annexed to the Third Reich by the Nazis. Its name was changed to Auschwitz, which also became the name of Konzentrationslager Auschwitz. It is estimated that the SS and police deported at least 1.3 million people to the Auschwitz complex between 1940 and 1945. Of these, the camp authorities murdered approximately 1.1 million. On January 27, 1945, the Soviet army entered Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Monowitz and liberated more than six thousand prisoners, most of whom were ill and dying.

The German concentration camps Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau are today home to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. It is devoted to the memory of the victims who died at both camps during World War II. The museum performs several tasks, including Holocaust research.




Not many know that in Krakow there was also a Nazi concentration camp located in Podgorze district. You can visit Schindler’s Factory there. If it were not for the Stephen Spielberg movie, Schindler’s List, the story of the Nazi concentration camp at Plaszow, located 10 kilometers outside the city centre of Krakow, might never have become known outside of Poland. The Schindler Jews at first lived in the Plaszow camp and walked 2.5 kilometers to and from Schindler’s enamelware factory each day. The factory was in an ordinary-looking, modern, but dreary building in Krakow. Then Schindler bribed Plaszow Commandant Amon Goeth to let his workers move into barracks which he built in the courtyard of the factory. Schindler himself lived in a nondescript gray apartment building close to his factory.




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