Essential Warsaw

9 Essential Sights

1 Plac Zamkowy More of a triangle than a square, and home to the Royal Castle, this popular plac is where modern Warsaw meets the Old Town.QSee p.33.

2 Old Town Square A window into the ‘once-upon-a-time’ of Warsaw’s golden days, the Old Town is also symbolic of Warsaw’s rise from the ruins of WWII.QSee p.36.

3 Vistula Boulevards Warsaw’s left-bank boulevards are a favourite haunt of the locals - go and see why - walk, ride, or just chill on the riverside steps. Wow.QSee p.47.

4 Łazienki Park Full of incredible art and architecture this massive park and palace complex offers spectacular opportunities for sightseeing or simply relaxing.QSee p.50.

5 Wilanów Palace The ‘Polish Versailles’ is just one of the many fitting monikers applied to this splendid late 17thcentury royal palace 10km to the south.QSee p.54.

6 POLIN 1000 years of Jewish history in Poland is chronicled in this excellent museum where the Jewish Ghetto stood during WWII.QSee p.67.

7 Copernicus Science Centre One of the city’s top attractions, this fun family science centre is bursting with interactive exhibits and includes a state-of-the-art planetarium.QSee p.49.

8 Warsaw Rising Museum Chronicling the heroism and tragedy of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, this modern museum packed with multimedia displays is one of the best in PL.QSee p.69.

9 Palace of Culture & Science Originally commissioned by Stalin as a ‘gift from the Soviet people’, this 237-metre-high structure was Warsaw’s tallest building until 2021, and takes its inspiration from the capitalist world - namely the Empire State Building. Working around the clock, it took over 5,000 workers - ferried in from the Soviet states and housed in a purpose-built village - just three years to finish the Palace in 1955. With 3,288 rooms inside, the Palace’s purpose was to serve as not just Communist Party headquarters but also as ‘The People’s Castle.’ Now an iconic part of Warsaw’s landscape, the Palace is celebrated by some, while for others it merely represents Russian hegemony. At present the building hosts several theatres, a cinema, numerous bars, restaurants and cafes, and a tourist info office, as well as the Museum of Technology and the Museum of Evolution. Tours of the interiors are offered hourly in Polish between 10:00 and 15:00, and in English at 16:00. Book tickets online in advance, or skip the tour and head straight to the outdoor viewing terrace on the 30th floor (via elevator) for thrilling panoramic views; tickets available online.

QE‑8, Pl. Defilad 1, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 656 76 00, www.pkin.pl. Open 10:00‑19:00. Viewing terrace open 09:00‑20:00; terrace admission 25/20zł. U View of PKiN from Park Świętokrzyski. Photo: F. Kwiatkowski © City of Warsaw.