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Warsaw

Travoley
Warsaw

Warsaw

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Warsaw Travel Guide

  • About Warsaw
Poland’s capital Warsaw is a city of unshakeable stamina, a modern metropolis charged with history. The national beauty sweepstakes may have been won by Cracow years ago, and Gdańsk still claims the endless Baltic Sea, but neither matches Warsaw for its culture, verve and variety. Take note, too, that it has been earmarked as one of Europe’s cheapest cities for culture.This is a large and sprawling metropolis of more than 1.7 million people, split into somewhat uneven halves by the Vistula River. Almost everything of interest to visitors is on the western side of its waters. Dominating the skyline here is the landmark Palace of Culture and Science, a “gift” from Stalin’s USSR in the 1950s. At 237m-high (778 ft), it’s still the tallest building in Poland for now.It’s the distant past that gives Warsaw its main sights. The so-called Royal Route (Trakt Królewski), which runs south from the city’s Old Town, passes a number of historical landmarks, including the royal gardens of Łazienki Park and the 17th-century Wilanów Palace.The Old Town itself, however, is the chief set-piece attraction. “Old” is something of a misnomer – badly damaged by WWII bombing, the area was painstakingly rebuilt with such success that it was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1980. Sights in and around the Old Town include the Royal Castle, St John’s Cathedral and the Citadel. Further afield, visit Warsaw Rising Museum for the story of the courageous men and women who rose up against their occupiers in WWII.Not surprisingly for a city that was essentially rebuilt from the ground up, Warsaw offers an inordinate amount of green space. When it’s sunny, leafy parks, rowing lakes, outdoor cafés and al fresco concerts create a mood far removed from the dull, Communist-era images of Warsaw.The nightlife, meanwhile, is some of the best in Eastern Europe, with a multitude of bars and clubs scattered across the city as well as more highbrow entertainment such as classical music concerts and opera.
  • Warsaw History
Warsaw started life as a small riverside fishing village called Warszowa, part of the Duchy of Mazovia. When the last duke died without an heir in 1526, the town was incorporated into Poland.It wasn’t until 1569 that Warsaw became a real powerhouse, mainly thanks to the unification of Poland and Lithuania, and the relocation of the Sejm (lower house of Parliament) to the city. A quarter of a century later, King Zygmunt III Waza moved the capital from Cracow to Warsaw.Apart from being seized in the mid-17th century by the Swedes, Warsaw continued to prosper at a time when the rest of the Poland was in decline. Through much of the 18th century, a palaces and churches were erected, and cultural and artistic life flourished, particularly under King Stanisław August Poniatowski.Poland was carved up in 1795 as a result of three partition treaties signed by the kingdoms of Austria, Prussia and Russia. When Napoleon stormed through Poland in 1806, on his way to defeat in Russia, he created the Duchy of Warsaw and the city became a capital once again. But under the terms of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Poland was made a province of imperial Russia.At the end of WWI in 1918, Warsaw was reinstated as the capital of newly independent Poland. In 1926, a military regime ousted the civilian administration and governed Poland until the country was dismembered by its powerful neighbours, Germany and the Soviet Union. Commitments by Britain to defend Polish sovereignty were ignored when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, effectively starting WWII.Warsaw’s suffering during WWII was immeasurable. Citizens experienced unimaginable privations, while a ghetto was erected for Jews. By the end of the war, 85% of the city was ruined, while most of its population had been killed or fled.Communist rule followed and they new leaders painstaking recreated the historic centre. Like the rest of the Soviet Union, Poland (and Warsaw) didn’t become independent until 1991, when the city once again became the capital.
  • Did you know?
During the Great Northern War, the Royal Castle was occupied by the Swedes who kept their horses in the opera hall. The city’s nickname is the ‘Phoenix City’ thanks to its astoundingly rapid recovery following the destruction of WWII. Palma il Giovane’s Virgin and Child with St John the Baptist and St Stanisław painting in St John’s Archcathedral was confiscated by Napoleon and taken to Paris.
  • Weather in Warsaw
Warsaw is one of the driest capitals in Europe. It has a humid continential climate with cold winters, warm (and oftern hot) summers and sunny autumns. The peak tourist season is from May to October when the weather is at its best and the city is at its most active.Spring (March to May) is a beautiful time to explore the city, although it can be cold at times. The average temperature is 3°C (37°F) in March but rises to a pleasant 14°C (57°F) in May.Summer (June to August) is sunny and plesant, though they are a few stormy days. July is the wettest month. Time your visit with exciting programs like Street Art Festival, Summer Jazz Days, Mozart Festival, among others.Autumn (September to November) generally has mild temperatures but it does get very cold in November and snow may start to fall as well. Average temperature is 3°C (37°F) in November.Winter is cold and temperatures often drop well below zero. Some attractions have shorter opening hours in deep winter too.

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