The capital of Poland has a very rich history that tells the story of the country’s perseverance in its quest for independence. Warsaw is also a beautifully vibrant city that has in recent years become a popular city for tourists, thanks to all the unique things to do there.
This popularity means it’s easier than ever to visit Warsaw, with lots of tours and menus offered in English. And for all that the city has to offer, it’s a super cheap place to visit compared to Western Europe.
Warsaw has all the culture and rich history of any other European capital city, yet experiencing it is a fraction of the cost of those other cities.
So to help inspire your trip to Warsaw, I’ve compiled a list of my top 10 favorite things to do in the city!
A lot of these recommendations are best done in the summer, so May-September is the best time to visit Warsaw.
[Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. I would never recommend anything that I would not use myself, or anything that I don’t think would be beneficial to my readers.]
This massive stretch of greenery is so vast that you could spend a whole day in it! Stroll endlessly through its multiple gardens, with large trees shielding you from the bustle of the city.
Once you get your fill of nature, there are palaces and other historical buildings that you could visit within the park. The most impressive and beautiful is the Pałac na Wyspie, or the Palace on the Island. (It’s also one of the most beautiful places in Warsaw.)
As the name suggests, this palace lies on a man-made island. It is accessible by bridges on both sides, and you can often find peacocks hanging out there- yes, real ones! This palace was once the summer residence of King Stanisław August, and today it is open for visitation by the public as a museum.
If you’re interested in visiting the palace in a VIP style, get this package. It includes a private guide, a skip-the-line ticket and a gondola cruise on the water.
If you’re in Warsaw during the summer (highly recommended), plan to visit the park on a Sunday. This is when you can attend free outdoor Chopin piano concerts by the Chopin monument located in the park.
The Stare Miasto, or Old Town, is at first glance an energetic bustling hub of the city, just like any other European city. With colorful buildings lining the cobblestone streets, it has a cheerful, historic look to it.
However, none of these buildings predate World War II. The Old Town, as with almost every other part of the city, was completely destroyed during the war when the citizens of Warsaw rose up to fight for their independence.
Although the buildings aren’t original, after the war the city rebuilt its old town to look exactly as it once did. The place that not long ago was a site of loss is once more filled with life.
Here you can stroll the cute, narrow streets leading from the square, purchase art from artists or walk along the barbican (medieval fortified gate to the city). Take a picture with the Mermaid statue (symbol of Warsaw) or sit outside at the square’s cafés or restaurants.
Be aware that the restaurants and stores are overpriced in the Old Town. However, the prices are still pretty cheap compared to what I’m used to when coming from the U.S. and Western Europe.
I almost always make sure to stop by Wedel for a cup of their rich, thick hot chocolate! Wedel is a famous chocolate company in Poland, and their chocolate is delicious. Their large variety of chocolate bars make great souvenirs for your chocolate loving friends back home.
The Wedel Café also has a large variety of delicious desserts that will satisfy any chocolate craving! Don’t plan to do much after indulging your cravings here because you will definitely need time to recover from your sugar overdose (which will totally be worth it).
If you’re planning to go to Kraków as well, grab chocolate there from Wawel and compare these rival chocolate companies. Learn about Wawel chocolate more in my 28 Favorite Things To Do in Kraków.
This is an amazing museum telling an even more amazing story of the city’s perseverance and strength. The Warsaw Uprising was the largest military effort by any European resistance movement in all of World War II. The reason why it was so big and lasted for so long was because the citizens rose up to fight against Nazi occupation of the city. This movement was mostly comprised of young people (including children) and continued despite the lack of help from any allies.
This large multi-media museum is one of the best museums I’ve ever been to. It transports you back to the time of the Uprising, telling the stories of brave Warsaw citizens, many of whom gave up their lives to the Uprising.
One of my favorite exhibits is the short film “City of Ruins.” It’s 3-D aerial footage that was recreated by photographs to show the destruction of the city from up above.
The museum is free on Sundays, but it’ll be packed with really long lines to get in. If you can spare 25 zł (just a few bucks), I’d suggest going on a different day of the week.
If you want hotel pick-up and drop-off, as well as an audio-tour, book this package here.
The National Museum is worth visiting if you’re interested in art. This museum holds 830,000 works of art from both Poland and abroad.
It’s an especially great way to spend a few hours if you visit when it’s cold or rainy. But it’s also easy to lose yourself among the vast amounts of artwork for an entire day.
Here you can find the massive painting Battle of Grunwald by Jan Matejko, one of the most famous paintings (and painter) in Poland. Personally, my favorite painting style is Impressionism, and I found the museum’s collection of this style very impressive.
The admission fee is 20 zł, or free if you visit on a Tuesday.
This museum is great for any Chopin fan, or anyone who wants to learn about Poland’s greatest musician. Fryderyk Chopin is almost synonymous with Polish nationalism. He himself was a proud Polish nationalist, even though he was forced to flee the country, and his music is said to capture the soul of the country.
In this museum you can learn about his life and explore his genius compositions. There’s so much to see and hear in this museum, and I once spent an entire day here. (Although don’t worry- if you’re not a huge Chopin fan like me, it won’t take you that long.)
The admission fee is 22 zł, or free if you go on a Sunday.
If you want to enjoy a sunny day outside, head down the hill from the Old Town and walk along the Wisła River on the river walk!
This is a great way to spend a nice summer day. Little restaurants and bars stand along the stretch of the river, where you can stop for food or a drink. You can either take a nice, long walk or take a bike ride along the river on the Wisła Boulevards.
Also, head over to the east side of the river on hot days to lounge on the wild beaches. Yes- real, sandy beaches, right in the middle of the city!
There is so much to do along the banks of the Wisła River. If you are in Warsaw in nice weather, definitely plan to spend some time there.
Like most buildings in Warsaw, the Royal Castle was destroyed during World War II. However, it was reconstructed after the war, and many of the original artifacts were kept safe elsewhere during the war.
While I personally don’t think the outside of the palace is very impressive, the inside undoubtedly is! The interior is just as grand as any other European castle, and there is a lot of artwork to marvel at too.
The castle is located right on the main square of the Old Town, so it’s easy to get to. It is 20 zł to visit, or free on Sundays (although it gets crowded on Sundays, so arrive early to avoid long lines).
The Multimedia Fountain, located at the park in between the Old Town and the Wisła River, is a place you must visit if in Warsaw between May and September.
On every Friday and Saturday at 9:30 pm, enjoy a water fountain show like you’ve never seen before. With 367 water jets and 295 colored lights synchronized and pulsating to music, and with a film projected on a wall of water, it’s hard to believe that this impressive show is free. But it is!
Every year, the show tells a different story of a Polish legend. Although there’s a very large grassy space for seating, it gets filled up quickly. So if you want a good seat (or even a good standing spot…it gets that packed!), make sure you get to the park early.
While the rest of the places on this list are on the west side of the Wisła River, it’s worth heading over to the other side to explore the Praga neighborhood.
And while most of Warsaw was destroyed during World War II, Praga is one of the only parts that remained largely intact. It’s therefore a great place to explore the authentic historical buildings of the city.
The neighborhood also has a rich cultural history that’s worth exploring. It’s also a more alternative part of the city nowadays (check out the Soho Factory and the backyard at 11 Listopada Street).
Stop by the Historical Museum of Warsaw, visit the city’s oldest market (Bazar Różyckiego) and explore the neighborhood’s street art and hidden courtyard chapels!
You can take a free, tip-based tour of the neighborhood from the main square of the Old Town, departing from the Zygmund Column (and you can find many other tours of the city departing from there too!).
Or, you can take a tour of the Praga district in a retro 1980’s coach bus, which takes you through the neighborhood and stops at a chocolate factory, the SoHo factory, a former vodka factory and many more! Book it here.
Thanks for reading my recommendations, and comment below if you have any other recommendations for things to do in this vibrant capital city (because there’s so much more to do)!
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