Shopping
Shopping in Warsaw can be postponed to Sunday – most malls are open on this day. The most popular supermarkets are located in the center: the Golden Terraces shopping center near the railway station, the Arcadia shopping center near the Dworzec Gdanski metro station and the Mokotov Gallery between Wilanow and the center. In addition to popular global chain brands, they feature Polish stores where you should pay attention to knitwear, clothes, shoes, leather goods and jewelry.
A local cosmetic product that is always popular with Poles of all ages is Tisane honey-vanilla lip balm. It is inexpensive and is sold in any pharmacy.
Traditionally, Polish cosmetics are brought from Warsaw – there are many inexpensive and popular brands. They can be found in Rossmann and Super-Pharm chain stores. “Delicious” souvenirs are sold in all major shopping centers – chocolate, tea, cheeses, sausages in beautiful retro-style packaging are offered by the Krakowski Kredens brand (website with English version). Fans of budget shopping should pay attention to the bazaar-fair “Marivilska 44” – this is a huge indoor market with an assortment of inexpensive goods. Bargain purchases are advised to be made at Factory-Urus and Factory-Annopolis outlets — during the sales period, discounts on discounted collections of favorite companies reach 80%.
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Cuisine and restaurants in Warsaw
Bar Mleczny milk bars are the best for everyday dining in Warsaw. These nondescript establishments offer delicious home-cooked food at affordable prices. The menu includes only egg and milk dishes, meat and alcohol are absent. The most popular and one of the most inexpensive is the Familijny bar. It is located on the Novy Svet promenade – to get into it, you will have to stand in line. In addition, on weekdays, even reputable restaurants offer set meals for 10-15 PLN. The international fast food chain in the Polish capital is represented by KFC, Burger King, McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts.
Many establishments, such as Polka, prepare national dishes, here you can enjoy local delicacies – try “zhurka”, “tartare” or “bigos”.
Vegetarians will be able to eat at the cafe with the telling name “The Cow is Alive” (Krowarzywa).
Dumplings, called pies by the Poles, are worth a try in the Zapiecek branded network. The network of fast and healthy restaurants North Fish serves fish dishes with a variety of side dishes and salads $ Asian food is offered by the Duza Mi-ha chain. Coffee in Warsaw is sold at every corner for 8-16 PLN, a popular coffee shop chain is Green Cafe Nero. Galeria wypiekow, Pialna czekolady and Cukiernia Sowa specialize in desserts and pastries. Ice cream lovers should look for the Grycan sign, a chain of ice cream shops and other sweet treats.
Entertainment and attractions
The hallmark of Warsaw and the main attraction is the Royal Palace on Castle Square. It makes sense for tourists not only to take pictures against its impressive background, but also to see museum expositions that tell about the life of the Polish nobility.
The heart of Warsaw, Stare Miasto, cannot boast of large size – it is easy to get around the Old Town on foot in a couple of hours. It ends with a popular tourist street – Krakow Suburb, which is decorated with many remarkable buildings – the palaces of Tyszkiewicz and Czapski, the oldest hotel “Bristol”, the Academy of Fine Arts, monuments to Poniatowski, Mickiewicz and Prus. Musical benches are placed along its entire length.
All objects of the Old City were rebuilt with great love and attention. For this, it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as an example of reliable restoration and reconstruction of the destroyed heritage.
To sit on the steps of an old amphitheater and walk along the shady alleys of 18th-20th century gardens, head to Lazienki Krolewskie, the most famous Warsaw park complex and one of the places untouched by the war. Free admission. Another free entertainment is Fountain Park. Multimedia shows are held here on Fridays and Saturdays in summer.
The pride of Lazenkovsky Park is the famous Palace on the Water. Inside this summer royal residence, a collection of paintings is exhibited, and around there is a real zoo.
The Historical Museum on the Market Square will help you understand the complexities of Warsaw’s fate. The National Museum exhibits masterpieces of Polish painting and medieval art, as well as an impressive collection of old coins and icons. The Maria Skłodowska-Curie House Museum will tell about the life of this unique scientist, in whose honor a chemical element is even named. In Lazienki there is the Chopin Museum, where handwritten scores and musical instruments of the great composer are presented, his personal belongings, a death mask and a handprint are also kept there.
One of the most beautiful postcard buildings in Warsaw is the House Under the Lion.
The best observation deck is organized on the Polish “Stalinist” skyscraper – the Palace of Culture and Science, and the most beautiful view of the Castle Square opens from the Church of St. Anna. Another place on the “height” is the botanical garden on the roof of the Warsaw Library.
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5 things to do in Warsaw
- Take a picture at the symbol and the oldest monument of the city – the sculpture of the Little Mermaid.
- Sit on the musical benches of the Krakow Suburb.
- Look at the city “from above”, climbing the Warsaw “Stalin”.
- Make a wish and go around the bell 3 times in Kanonia Square.
- Visit the Chopin Museum.
Weather
Summer in Warsaw can be both very hot and quite mild, Central European, in a word, everything is like in Moscow. Keep in mind that most hotels do not have air conditioning. And for the evening, on the contrary, you may need a jacket. Winters in the Polish capital are quite severe, snowfalls also occur, which slow down traffic a little, but decorate the city with exquisite white lace. The hottest month is July; cold, usually January. See Citypopulationreview for weather information.