Day 7 – 9 of my 9 day European Christmas Market Adventure
Riga – Vilnius – Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and the largest city of Poland. Sadly, during World War II, between 85% to 90% of the city was destroyed. Since then, the city has rebuilt itself and is now home to the newest Old Town in Europe. We visited Warsaw in December, as part of our European Christmas Market adventure. It was a great time to visit. Not only do you get to see the beautiful city, but you also get to see how the Polish’s like to celebrate Christmas. To read more about Warsaw at Christmas, please check out my other blog: Christmas Markets in Warsaw.Getting To and From The Airport
Getting to and from the airport is easy and cheap. You can catch the train S2 from the airport to the centre. The train station is under Terminal A. The journey will cost you around £1 and will take you about 20 minutes. We decided to catch an Uber. This took us a little longer than 20 minutes as we arrived in rush hour. It was also a slightly more expensive way to get to and from the airport. Our journey cost us just under £6.Accommodation
We stayed in the InterContinental Warsaw. A beautiful 5-star hotel, located in the financial district, not too far from the Old Town. It is the tallest hotel in Warsaw and the third tallest in Europe. It was a beautiful hotel to stay in. The room was lovely, with excellent views across the city. What topped off our stay, was the pool and spa area. The spa and pool facilities were great and the view was just incredible! The only downside to this hotel was the location. It was about a 30-minute walk to the Old Town. If you don’t mind the walk, then this hotel is perfect!
Where To Eat
I have not tried every place to eat in Warsaw. These are just my recommendations, from the places we experienced, while in Warsaw.Bravo Eat and Grill
Bravo Eat and Grill is a modern, quirky style restaurant, located next to the InterContinental Warsaw Hotel, the hotel that we stayed in. We had our lunch here and the food was delicious. I had a lovely pulled beef sandwich. If you are staying in this area of Warsaw, I highly recommend a visit for either lunch or tea.
Gosciniec
If you are after trying some local Polish food, in a traditional style Polish restaurant, then Gosciniec is the place to go. Gosciniec is located in the Old Town of Warsaw, near the Barbican and Defensive walls. I enjoyed a delicious plate of cabbage and champignons dumplings.
Sight To See
Warsaw is a beautiful city with so much to offer, especially in Old Town. We spent a total of 2 days, to explore the city. This was more than enough time. Here are my ‘must-sees’ on your visit to Warsaw:Palace of Culture and Science
The Palace of Culture and Science is a 237 metre tall building. It is the tallest building in Warsaw and the 5th tallest building within the European Union. It was opened in 1955, as a gift from the Soviet people and built by the Russian Soldiers. The palace is home to theatres, a cinema, museums, pubs, and the main Warsaw Tourist Information office. At Christmas time, look out for the outdoor ice skating rink.
Multimedia Fountain Park
Multimedia Fountain Park is a park with a fountain, which lights up and performs shows. During the summer months, the shows take place every Friday and Saturday. In May, June and July at 21.30, in August at 21.00, and in September at 20.30. During the winter months, instead of water, they use streams of light dance. As we were there over the winter months, we saw the light show and it was fantastic! We saw it on the night of the Christmas Lights turn on, where the show was playing every hour after dark. The park is located in the Podzamcze district, just a short walk from the Old Town.
The Wishing Bell of Warsaw
The Wishing Bell of Warsaw is located in a small square called, Canon Square, located behind St John’s Cathedral, in the Old Town. Built-in 1646, according to popular lore, people who circle the bell and make a wish have it come true. So we circled the bell and made a wish.
Barbican and Defensive walls
The barbican and defensive walls are what protected the Old Town from enemies, many years ago. Today, you still walk along part of the wall and through the barbican.
St John’s Cathedral
St. John’s Cathedral is a Roman Catholic, located in the Old Town. It is one of 3 cathedrals in the city, but the only one which is also an archcathedral. It is one of the oldest churches in Poland, dating as far back as the 14th century. This is the place where kings and queens were crowned, and many famous Poles are buried.
Old Town Market Square
Old Town Market Square is the centre and the oldest part of the Old Town. It is a beautiful square, full of character, colourful buildings, and Polish restaurants. In the centre of the square, there is a statue of a mermaid on top of the fountains. There are many stories about the mermaid. Here is my favourite one: Warsaw’s mermaid is linked to the one in Copenhagen. They are sisters who got separated in the Baltic Sea. The mermaid then swam along the Wisła River from Gdańsk, into Warsaw, where she has now lived ever since. If you visit Warsaw at Christmas, the Old Town Market Square fills with a Christmas Market and an outdoor ice skating ring.
Royal Castle and Castle Square
The Royal Castle is a castle residency, which formerly served throughout the centuries, as the official residence of the Polish monarchs. After the capital was moved from Krakow to Warsaw, the castle served as the seat of the king and the government. The beautiful, red Royal Castle is located in the Castle Square, at the entrance to the Old Town. Both the castle and the square are beautiful to see. Full of colour and character. You can pay to go into the Royal Castle, however, we decided not to.
Reminding of the Ghetto Wall
Warsaw was badly hit during World Wall II. The city was badly destroyed and the Jews were forced into a Ghetto. Today, you can still see a small part of the sad history, which took part in the city. You can see a tiny part of what is left of the Ghetto wall.
Further Reading
My book, How I Tamed the Wolf, Living with Lupus is available on Amazon via this link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09M73X2JQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MWAF58981F0VVMNRV1WN
Other travel guides you may like: Warsaw Christmas Markets – Christmas Markets In Warsaw A Guide to Vilnius – A Guide To Vilnius
