Warsaw is the second city I've visited in Poland, and both Warsaw and Krakow had its unique charm to me. The Polish capital is full of history, quaint buildings and good food. If you're looking to spend a weekend in Warsaw, here is my guide with things to do, where to go and what to eat.
Day 1
Breakfast | Manekin
I didn't quite look at the menu before we came here so I didn't realise that 99% of their menu is crepes. So if you're someone who prefers bread and butter for your first meal then this probably won't be the place for you, but if you then you'll be pleasantly surprised as they have over 50 sweet and savoury combinations. I had the pesto, chicken and mozzarella crepe and it was so filling that I couldn't finish it. It also cost us £5 for a coffee and the crepe!
AM | take a free talking tour
If you've been reading my travel blog for a while you'll know by now that most of my city breaks involve a free walking tour. We went with Orange Umbrella and did a WW2 Tour which basically took us all around the old town and all the sites of interest. We did this tour in December and by the end of it I couldn't feel my toes (despite having to pairs of socks on), so make sure you wrap up warm!
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Lunch | Smashny Burger
Don't worry there'll be plenty of suggestions for traditional Polish restaurants coming up on this post, but if you like your burgers then you'll want to try this place. They're cheap, full of flavour and they also offer vegetarian burgers too.
Afternoon | vodka tasting tour
Something you need to try whilst you're in Warsaw is a vodka tasting tour. Don't worry it won't involve a lot of heavy drinking, just 3 casual shots of Polish vodka at the end of the tour. Before that, you'll be taken around the museum where your guide will talk to you about the history of vodka in Poland and why it became so popular. At the end of the tour there's also a cool bar serving good vodka based cocktails.
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Dinner | Specjaly Regionalne
Specjaly Regionalne is a traditional Polish restaurant and you'll find a few of them scattered around the old town. Here you'll have to try the zurek soup served in a bread bowl, which is made with egg and white pork sausage. Followed by some mixed 'pierogi' dumplings. Another staple you'll see on the menu is a massive pork schnitzel and a selection of grilled sausages.
Day 2
Breakfast | Bułkę przez Bibułkę
This place was delicious and had such a cosy interior. They have quite a varied breakfast menu including bagels, toasts and more filling dishes like Turkish eggs. The prices are also good meaning you won't be spending more than £10 for your meal and a coffee.
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Morning | POLIN museum & Uprising museum
Warsaw is rich in history and two museums you should check out whilst you're in the city. The POLIN (Polish History of Polish Jews) is a museum on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto. The Hebrew word Polin in the museum's English name means either "Poland" or "rest here" and relates to a legend about the arrival of the first Jews to Poland. We spent about an hour and a half here and the museum takes you through 1000 years of Jewish history. The museum also provides fold up chairs that you can take along with you!
The Uprising Museum is dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 and how the Polish people fought for their independence during WW2 from the German occupation. You can expect to spend anywhere from 1-2 hours here.
Lunch | Zapiecek
This is another traditional Polish restaurant and your chance to try other items you didn't get to try yesterday. I'm a big fan of goulash stew and even though it's Hungarian, I saw it on the menu and had to have some!
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Afternoon | wander around the city
If you travel to Warsaw in the Christmas period, then now would be a good time to walk around the Christmas markets and see the lights. If not, you'll still find it a pleasant walk around the city from the old town to the new part. If you're a fan of hot chocolate then you need to stop at E. Wedel Cafe, they have over 20 flavours and combinations!
If you have some more time to spare, you might also want to try a Pierogi cooking class or check out the Neon Museum.
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Dinner | Hala Koszyki
If you're travelling with a group and you all can't decide on what to eat, then Hala Koszyki is the solution. The market hall has a variety of stalls serving all cuisines and the atmosphere is great to sit for a couple of ours with some food, good chat and a glass of wine.
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR YOUR TRIP TO WARSAW
- If you're arriving late into Warsaw, I recommend to pre-book your taxi using a company like Warsaw City Transfers. We got in at 1am and found that the few taxis at the airport were charging us triple of what the expected amount was and no Ubers were available. In the end we managed to find a driver to take us for 60 euros (40 minute drive to the centre).
- However when you're in the city centre, Uber is available and cheap.
- We stayed in the city centre at the Residence St Andrew Palace and we were close to all the major shops and a short walk to the Old Town. Most importantly, the rooms were nice and warm!
- Currency is zloty and you can pay by card in most places, however our taxi driver wanted cash so make sure you have some with you just incase.
I hope you've found this blog post and Warsaw travel tips useful, if you have any more questions feel free to reach out to me on any of my socials below!
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