Warsaw, the eighth largest city in the European Union, has a rich and varied cultural offer. Rebuilt after the Second World War, Warsaw’s old town blends spectacularly with the modern commercial buildings and skyscrapers that have emerged in the 21st century.
The warm season in Poland lasts from April to early October, after which autumn rains slowly make their way to eastern central Europe. A rainy day does not dampen the cultural city’s festivities, as museums, exhibitions and concerts can be enjoyed largely indoors. In September, temperatures reach a high of +26℃ and in October around +20℃.
Warsaw has a lot to offer the traveller interested in science, art and history. One of the most interesting attractions is the Polin – Museum of Polish Jewish History, a creation of Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamäki, completed in 2013. Located in the heart of the Warsaw ghetto, the building proclaims light and life, with 4,500 square metres of changing exhibitions.
Based on customer reviews and number of reservations
Warsaw offers a wide range of activities for both a relaxing and sporty city break. You can tour the sights of the city from the back of a bicycle or hop on a cruise boat on the Vistula River with an English-speaking guide.
Cycling, hiking and horse riding can be enjoyed in the Kampinoski Park Narodowy National Park, 20 km from Warsaw. A trip to the national park also includes a visit to the village of Żelazowa Wola, the birthplace of composer Frédéric Chopin.
Warsaw is home to the famous Copernicus Science Centre Centrum Nauki Kopernik, which offers interesting attractions for travellers of all ages. Nicolaus Copernicus was an astronomer born in West Prussia in the 15th century, known throughout the world for his solar-centred view of the world. The Copernicus Science Centre is located just a short distance from the centre of Warsaw and is easily accessible by bus and metro.
During your trip to Poland, we also recommend you check out the current film and music festivals, as well as the Polish National Opera and Ballet.
The best shopping centres and small boutiques are located in Warsaw’s city centre. Prices for clothes, souvenirs and food are low by Finnish standards. Polish leather goods in particular are highly valued in Europe for their good value for money.
Handicrafts such as colourfully painted wooden dolls, ceramics or embroidered linen products can be admired in Warsaw’s Old Town at Rynek Starego Miasta. The Old Town Square area is the oldest in Warsaw in terms of buildings, making it an interesting destination from that point of view too.
Polish cuisine combines Central European and Slavic cuisine. Markets and boutiques offer tastings such as cheese, sausages, honey and a variety of beers. A guided tour of the Muzeum Polskiej Wódki vodka museum includes a tasting of famous Polish vodkas.
For sausages, try the smoked and dried Kiełbaski myśliwska, the garlicky and dark Kiełbasa weselna and the Kiełbasa Żywiecka, which is perfect for topping bread and pizza. The most appreciated Polish cheese is Radamer, available in both neutral and smoked flavours. Bryndza Podhalańska is a cottage cheese-like delicacy made mostly from sheep’s milk.
Like its neighbours, Poland produces quality beer. While in Warsaw, you can sample beers such as the ruby red, sweet malty Amber Koźlak. The light-coloured Brok is a popular mild lager brewed using traditional techniques. If you want to go back 400 years in flavour, we recommend buying Tyskie Gronie, a citrus beer.
Warsaw is an international and colourful student city, reflected in its youthful nightlife. The general price level in Warsaw is almost 50% cheaper than in Finland: a 0.5-litre beer and a pint in a restaurant costs between 8 and 13 złoty (€1.70 and €2.75). In the city of millions, a night out can last until the next day on the cruise boats on the Vistula River or in the 24-hour clubs.
If you’re in Warsaw between 13 and 15 October 2022, you’ll be in the middle of the Warszawski Festiwal Piwa beer festival. These sophisticated Polish craft beer festivals are held annually in spring and autumn.
Warsaw’s museums are usually open from 10am to 6pm from Tuesday to Sunday. If you plan to visit several museums during your holiday, we recommend you buy a Warsaw Pass. A 24-day Warsaw Pass costs 89 złoty (approx. €18.9) and a three-day pass costs 199 złoty (approx. €43). The pass gives you unlimited access to attractions past the queues and discounts on many services, including Polish culinary courses for tourists.
– Museum World of Illusion – Museum World of Illusion
– Frederik Chopin Museum – Fryderyk Chopin Museum
– Museum Of Evolution – The Museum Of Evolution
– POLIN – Museum of the History of Polish Jews – POLIN Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich
– Polish Vodka Museum – Muzeum Polskiej Wódki
– Museum of dollhouses, games and toys – Museum of dollhouses, games and toys
– Zachęta – Polish National Gallery of Art – Zachęta – National Gallery of Art
– Ujazdowski Castle, Centre for Contemporary Art – Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art
– Museum of Communism – Museum of Life under Communism
– Maria Sklodowska-Curie Museum – Muzeum Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie w Warszawie
Warsaw’s city centre attractions are so close together that the best way to get around the city centre is on foot or by bicycle. The easiest way to get from one part of the city to another is by metro, bus or tram.
Tickets are available for a short period, a day or more. For example, a 24-hour ticket for an adult costs 15 złoty, or around €3.17. A 72-hour ticket costs 36 złoty, or around €7.6. Tickets must be stamped before boarding the bus/subway/tram.
Public transport in Warsaw is divided into zone 1 and zone 2 areas. Zone 1 covers the urban areas of Warsaw and certain nearby municipalities. Zone 2 includes towns and villages outside Warsaw. If you don’t plan to tour the smaller villages in the surrounding areas, you’ll be fine for the duration of your holiday with a zone 1 ticket.
So where can you buy these tickets? The most convenient way is to buy tickets on arrival at Warsaw Airport from the Warsaw Tourist Info desk. Tickets are also available in many kiosks, post offices and markets. There are also many red bilety ticket vending machines in the city centre, where you can buy tickets at any time of day.
Getting around Warsaw by taxi is quite cheap. The starting fare is generally 8 złoty, or around €1.7. The price per kilometre is around 2 złoty, or just under 50 cents. Of course, rising petrol prices also affect taxi fares. Taking a taxi is recommended, especially at night if you are not familiar with the city.
Today, the Polish capital Warsaw is seen as a trendy, global city of millions, with skyscrapers and lighting that rival the glamour of major US cities. But the country’s rise to glamour has only occurred in recent decades. Poland’s history at the feet of the great powers is one of suffering, loss and reconstruction.
Several different tribes and peoples have inhabited Poland since the Stone Age. The Polish state is named after the Poles of a Germanic people who migrated to the eastern regions of central Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire. In the 1500s, the then Kingdom of Poland formed a confederation with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which consolidated Polish power in Europe. Around the same time, Europe was witnessing a fierce struggle between the proponents of the Reformation and those of the Counter-Reformation. The Catholic Church stood its ground in the battle and Poland has remained a Catholic country to this day.
In the 1700s, Poland was divided between Russia, Prussia and Austria. The people persistently rebelled against the foreign regimes – eventually Poland was fully annexed to the Russian Empire. The region remained part of the empire until the First World War, when it was occupied by the central powers. Poland became a puppet state of Germany.
During the Second World War, Poland was divided in half by Germany and the Soviet Union. Jewish massacres, extermination camps and other atrocities against civilians meant that by the end of the Second World War up to a quarter of Poles had been killed. Of these, more than 3 million were persecuted Polish Jews. Despite the defeat of Germany and the abolition of the old extermination camps, Poles faced dark decades ahead. Poland unwillingly became a communist state, which it remained until the early 1990s.
When the first free elections were held in Poland in 1990, there were candidates from over 100 parties. The idea of a transition to a market economy was smouldering in the minds of people who had grown up in a socialist state. Poland’s economy quickly took off in the 1990s and the standard of living of its citizens gradually began to improve.
Airlines: several different airlines fly from Finland to Warsaw.
Airport: Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (WAW), located 10 km from our hotels in the centre of Warsaw.
Flight time: 2 hours
Language: polish
Time difference: -1 hour
Population of Warsaw: 38 million
Passport: Finnish citizens need a valid passport as a travel document.
Currency: złoty (PLN), divided into 100 groszy. Euros are also accepted in several places.
Tipping: if you are satisfied with the service, you can choose to tip 5-15% of the bill amount.
Tap water: tap water in Warsaw is as good to drink as it is in Finland.
1. Go for a walk in Warsaw’s Central Park, Ogród Sask. Opened in the 1700s, the architecture of the Central Park was inspired by Versailles in France. The lush surroundings include a dug-out reservoir and a large fountain. The buildings feature the familiar ancient Greek gods and goddesses.
2. Visit the elaborate Łazienki Królewskie Park, built by Poland’s last king. It features a stately palace, stunning gardens and museums. The park also hosts Frédéric Chopin concerts.
3. Rent a car or take a bus trip to nearby villages/cities! Larger cities such as Lubin and Łódź are a 2-hour drive from Warsaw. It’s also worth stopping off at an authentic Polish dairy bar. Milk bars are canteens where you can get simple Polish home cooking at a reasonable price.
English
Suomi 
