Where To Go And What To See When In Warsaw

Warsaw's story is one of the most remarkable in European history. Systematically destroyed by the Nazis in 1944, with 85 percent of its buildings reduced to rubble, the city was rebuilt from photographs, paintings and the memories of its citizens. Today it stands as a testament to human resilience, a city that looks forward while never forgetting its past.

The Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the most visible achievement of this reconstruction. Every building was meticulously recreated based on 18th-century paintings by Bellotto, Canaletto's nephew, that happened to preserve the facades in extraordinary detail. The result is both moving and beautiful: a medieval market square that feels authentic despite being barely 70 years old. The Royal Castle, rebuilt from the ground up, houses an excellent collection of art and period interiors.

The Warsaw Rising Museum is perhaps the most powerful museum experience in Europe. Housed in a former tram power station, it tells the story of the 1944 uprising through immersive exhibits, film footage and personal testimonies. Allow at least three hours and be prepared to be emotionally challenged. The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, in a striking modern building on the site of the former ghetto, is equally essential, tracing a thousand years of Jewish life in Poland with nuance and sensitivity.

Modern Warsaw is concentrated in the city centre around the Palace of Culture and Science, a Stalinist skyscraper gifted by the Soviet Union that remains the tallest building in Poland. Love it or hate it, the viewing terrace on the 30th floor offers the best panorama of the city. The surrounding streets have been transformed by glass towers, shopping centres and a growing number of excellent restaurants. If you are planning your next trip, you might also enjoy exploring dog-friendly travel destinations in France.

The food scene in Warsaw has undergone a revolution. Traditional Polish cuisine, once dismissed as heavy and monotonous, has been reinvented by a new generation of chefs who respect tradition while embracing modern techniques. Try milk bars for authentic budget dining, the restaurants along Nowy Swiat for mid-range Polish cuisine, and Koneser Praga for the cutting edge of Warsaw's gastronomic scene.

The Praga district across the Vistula, once rough and avoided by tourists, has become Warsaw's most exciting neighbourhood. Pre-war buildings that survived the destruction stand alongside street art, independent galleries and bars in former factories. The Soho Factory complex and the Neon Museum are particular highlights. Cross the river on the Swietokrzyski bridge and you enter a different Warsaw entirely.