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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