There are so many interesting places in Warsaw that a few days are not enough to visit them all. Especially if we proceed from the assumption that the name of the most interesting place in Warsaw equally deserves non-obvious sights, as well as the most famous ones.
Warsaw is the largest city in Poland, the destination for school trips, the capital of the country, in which, perhaps, all its central offices are located. Warsaw is a must see. Yes, it can be scary in size: it has 18 districts and – according to official figures – almost 1.8 million inhabitants (unofficially – several hundred thousand more), but at the same time it is diverse and fascinating. Here are the places to visit in Warsaw.
Old city
It might be the obvious choice, but it’s worth starting your tour of Warsaw here. In the Old Town you can see some of the buildings most associated with the capital. This is the Royal Castle, which, however, is worth considering as a separate attraction and visiting. The column of Sigismund III Vasa – as often as the castle is immortalized in photographs. Finally, the palace under the sheet – with the apartments of Prince Joseph Poniatowski, the so-called Masonic lodge.
So far, we have listed only objects on the Castle Square, but we must not forget about the Barbican or numerous and beautiful churches, as well as charming townhouses. Here you should just take a walk, and then sit down somewhere with a map and decide what to see next.
Copernicus Science Center – the most interesting place in Warsaw for children and youth
Here they ask a question and look for the answer themselves. Many exhibits, opportunities for experimentation, permanent and temporary exhibitions dedicated to various branches of science – this is what allows you to spend long hours at the Copernicus Science Center. Visit the Copernicus Science Center website to buy your ticket and see which attractions are available. Observations of living organisms, physical, robotic, biological phenomena, visiting the planetarium – all this shows science from the most interesting side. It develops and is safe, because the knowledge of the world by children and adolescents takes place under the guidance of adult specialists.
Leaving the building of the center, you should still go to the monument to the Mermaid, and in season, take a two-kilometer walk along the Vistula to the multimedia fountain park.
The best time to watch the fountains is after dark, when the water shooting upwards is illuminated and the spectacle is accompanied by music.
French Street (Saxon Kupa)
The Saxony Kupa is part of the Praga South region lying on the right bank of the Vistula – a place so interesting that even during the time of the Polish People’s Republic, it was associated with free professions, a little luxury and freedom. The Saxony Kupa was immortalized in songs, perhaps the most famous is “Gretel” performed by Maryla Rodowicz, with the words of Agnieszka Osiecka, who lived on the Saxony Kupa, and here – on the corner of French and Zachashchikov streets – there is her monument.
It is worth taking a walk along French Street, paying attention to the houses located next to it. Some were designed by famous architects or interesting people lived in them. Many have cafes and restaurants on the ground floor where you can stop for lunch. And then move into the side alleys – where you can get to the headquarters of the embassies and the residences of the ambassadors.
The route of French Street in the direction of the Washington roundabout leads to other places of interest: the National Stadium and Skaryszewski Park. The National Stadium can be visited and the Skaryshevsky Park is a great place to take a walk.
Museum of neon lights – one of the most interesting places not only in Warsaw
It is also located in Prague South, a private initiative named one of the 12 best city museums in Europe by The Guardian in January 2020
The exhibits make the museum one of the most interesting places – few museum institutions in the world collect neon signs. There are about 100 of them here, and the museum was created not only to display them, but also so that visitors can learn about the history of neon lights or take part in workshops where you can create your own neon light.
Wilanowski Palace
The Wilanow Palace and its surroundings are an ideal example of how recreational and educational functions can be combined. The residence of Jan III Sobieski is worth a visit. Here you can see the royal library, the place where he received visitors – and this was his bedroom – and other beautifully decorated rooms related to the daily life of Jan III Sobieski and Maria Casimira. Each of them contains household items and collections of valuable items – paintings, vases, sculptures.
A visit to the palace is a highlight for history buffs. But the estate of Jan III Sobieski is not only buildings, but also a beautiful park. On 45 hectares there are gardens: northern, pink, baroque, conservatories and parks: northern and southern. In them you can admire not only beautiful plants, but also sculptures. In late autumn and winter, when it gets dark early, the Palace starts Royal Garden of Light. Colorful LEDs arranged in the shape of trees, fountains, gazebos, flowers create an amazing impression.
If contact with nature is not enough, about 5.5 km south of the Wilanow Palace is the botanical garden of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
Where else to go?
It is worth seeing the panorama of Warsaw from the observation deck in the Palace of Culture and Science, where many interesting institutions are located, such as the Technical Museum or the Museum of Dollhouses. In Warsaw, in addition to the already mentioned museum of neon signs, there are many interesting, completely unusual places of this type. These are, for example, museums of fashionista and thimbles, vodka, cartoons or diving. One of the most visited places – not only by tourists, but also by Varsovians – is the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising.
It is worth seeing the bathrooms in Warsaw, looking into the Belvedere or the Sejm building. Stroll around the new city, the Krakow Suburb. There are so many interesting places in Warsaw that it is impossible to list them all.