Exploring Warsaw: 5 Ways to Enjoy Poland’s Newly Cool Capital

Evening falls over Warsaw city center, the Vistula River, and Swietokrzyski Bridge. (Lukasz Pawel Szczepanski/Shutterstock)

Warsaw, it must be said, hasn’t always been the coolest or nicest city to visit. Under communism, gray, brutalist buildings rose up all over town. The massive 1950s Palace of Culture and Science, built by the same architect in Stalinist “Seven Sisters” style, stood looming over everything to remind everyone of Moscow’s dominance over the Polish People’s Republic. People were so poor that they would steal the knives and forks from cafes, so those restaurants resorted to tying the utensils to the tables.

But in the decades since Solidarity, Lech Walesa, and the Revolutions of 1989, a new prosperity has arrived in Poland’s capital. And with it, optimism and creativity, and plenty to see and do. Here are five fun, interesting, quirky, and cool things to do in Warsaw.

Eat

Local chefs will tell you that before 1989, the food in this country wasn’t very good. And even afterward, it took a while for the standard to rise. State-run restaurants weren’t known for any sort of freshness or excellent techniques. A competitive chef’s culture simply didn’t exist. One chef told me that people were so wrapped up in finding the necessities of life that achieving any sort of culinary elevation was the last thing on their minds.

But, especially in Warsaw, that’s changed dramatically. On my first visit to the city more than a decade ago, I dined at a very small restaurant set in a former public bathroom. Chef Wojciech Modest Amaro spent months building a network of farmers, fishermen, and meat producers. He was proud to serve some of Poland’s freshest and best food.

A few months after my multi-course meal, which Mr. Amaro served up himself, he was awarded the country’s very first Michelin star. Atelier Amaro has since closed and Amaro is pursuing other culinary avenues, but the Michelin guide now offers multiple options in Poland. Including NUTA, where the Chef Andrea Camastra is also a chemist, and experiments every night with new flavors in his kitchen/lab.

Inventiveness is characteristic of NUTA, from beef terrine to Dover sole. (Courtesy of NUTA)

But you don’t need to go fine dining to eat well here. For example, Milk Bar. Back in the bad old days, bar mleczny (literally “milk bars”) were all over Warsaw. They were cafeterias offering cheap, unappetizing food to blue-collar workers. These were the places that tied the spoons to the table. The name is a play on the fact that meat was usually scarce, and “cheese cutlets” were often offered as an alternative.

Almost all of those are long gone, and today’s Milk Bar restaurant has taken the concept up a level. One of Warsaw’s hottest places to dine right now, people line up around the corner to taste their elevated takes on pierogis, white bean soup, and beef tartare (which locals often pair with vodka).

Drink

In the last 10 years or so, Warsaw has truly experienced a renaissance, with many creative types moving to the capital. And that includes distillers and others who do interesting things with drinks. Woda Ognista (“fire water”) is a good example. The years between the First and Second World Wars were a bit of a golden age for Poland, a time of peace and prosperity.

The bar celebrates this era, creating signature cocktails inspired by, for instance, popular songs from that time. Menus rotate with the seasons, using local ingredients that are currently growing. Both the staff and the space evoke a fun, bygone era.

The Roots is another worthwhile stop. Their bartenders include a number of champions in national competitions. The menu includes creative twists on classics, as well as seasonal ingredients. And they also have their own, small museum out back that includes vintage decanters and bottles and other testaments to the long, proud legacy of serving drinks in Poland.

Experience Vodka

Polish Vodka Museum (Courtesy of the Polish Vodka Museum)

It is impossible to overstate the importance of vodka in Polish culture. Both Poles and Russians claim to have invented it—the name means “little water” in both languages—and its consumption dates back as far as the eighth century.

The Polish Vodka Museum is the first of its kind in the world. Opened a few years ago, the museum is built inside a former major vodka distillery, which produced some of the country’s biggest brands (including the still-ubiquitous Wyborowa).

Here, the spirit surrounds you. Old vodka barrels have been converted into the floorboards you walk on. Exhibits highlight not just the distilling process but also the presence of vodka in the very DNA of Poles. In a fun and often hands-on fashion, they document and display the spirit’s long presence at every important national occasion, and how this simple beverage shaped the culture of the country.

Get Outside

The Slasko Dabrowski Bridge over the Vistula River in Warsaw. (Fotokon/Shutterstock)

Despite its past industrial reputation, Warsaw is a surprisingly green—and blue—place. The Vistula (the “queen of Polish rivers”) runs right through the heart of the city, and parkland and trails line its curving banks. Cycle or rollerblade (or walk) the “river boulevards” that stretch from near the iconic Swietokrzyski Bridge all the way to Old Town. And pop into the museums and parks and gardens that you’ll encounter along the way.

Take a guided kayak tour on the river with a company like Kayak in Capital to get a whole new perspective on the city. You can also paddle board or swim at one of several beaches. Or enjoy a “pack rafting” trip in an inflatable boat, joining others to float under bridges and through the city.

And make sure to visit the largest park in the city, Lazienki. Connecting a castle and a palace, this 188-acre space includes all sorts of attractions. Visit temples and monuments and the tropical gardens in the orangerie, and perhaps attend a play at the island amphitheater.

Revisit the Rising

A B24 Liberator bomber replica in the Warsaw Uprising Museum. (Electric Egg/Shutterstock)

In the summer and autumn of 1944, German troops were in full retreat, and the Red Army was approaching Warsaw from the east. The Polish underground Home Army had fought long and hard through the war. They coordinated a valiant uprising. Ultimately, tragically, they battled the Germans with none of the promised help from the Russians.

It was a moment that was simultaneously proud and utterly devastating. The loss of life was staggering—150,000 civilians and about 20,000 Polish fighters. The Warsaw Rising Museum tells this story, as well the aftermath under communism and the fate of captured insurgents. It’s definitely worth a visit to fully understand this dynamic city.

When You Go

Fly: Warsaw’s Chopin Airport (WAW) is Poland’s busiest and the hub for national flag-carrier, LOT. Nonstop flights land here from around the world, including a number of North American cities, including Miami, Chicago, Toronto, and Los Angeles.

Stay: Right on the Royal Route and a few steps from Old Town and the Presidential Palace, the Raffles Europejski has been the best hotel in town since it opened its doors in 1887. Damaged in the Second World War and diminished during the Eastern Bloc years, more recent renovations have restored this magnificent place to its original glory. Indulge in a treatment, a swim, a steam, and a sauna in the spa. And enjoy butler service, a drink at the Long Bar, and dinner at the Grill.

Getting Around: An extensive network of buses, trams, metro lines, and light rail trains will get you almost anywhere you need to go in the capital and its suburbs. It is efficient, clean, safe, and astonishingly cheap. The most basic ticket costs less than a dollar.

Take Note: While Poland is a member of the European Union and part of the borderless Schengen Area, they have not adopted the Euro as currency. Instead, Poles continue to use the zloty, which tends keep prices down, making Poland a pretty good deal for North American travelers. One US dollar will get you about four zloty.