things to do in warsaw

[lizzierose]

we're on holiday in poland and are off to warsaw in a couple of days for about a week. anybody beenthere or live there and can suggets any things to do or places to go/see. our polish isn't particularly fantastic so things which a phrasebook, hand movements and smiling can get us through. thanks :)

[Annie456]

Walk around the old town, go to the palace, theres a really small quaint museum in the old square (its been a few years so i cant remember exactly where!). Just generally soak up the atmosphere, sit out in the cafe's.  It sounds quite morbid but the Ghetto is actually a really interesting place to visit - you have to take a tram and you get to see the real warsaw.  We were only there for 2 days but if we'd stayed longer I would have wanted to visit the big Jewish memorial.  If you get the chance to go on daytrips out I would consider Aushwitz - its quite a trip but if you're in Poland its somewhere you should try to see.

In general though, take advantage of the cheap prices - along the main street down to the old square they sell the nicest ice-cream i've ever had!! Enjoy!

[lizzierose]

thankyou. went to auscwitz today. which was horrible but what else would it be. cheers for the advice. ice cream sounds good. will let you know how it goes : )

[Peter Pedant]

No its really good in Warsaw

and you'll have a wonderful time.

I stayed in the only hotel left standing after the war -because it was had been the gestapo head quarters - Bristol I think. Walking back to the centre, youl;ll pass the landowners club (Madam Zamoyska's house) and in the university there is suite where Chopin used to play. In the centre dont forget the Old Palace - all this had been rebuilt, and then onto the second aquare where the city museum is.

Take a tram out to Wilanowa where there is baroque palace which should be open. Remember to pay the tram fare. he (thingey) and Eugen of Savoy - whose palace is in Vienna - beat the sh+t out of the turks in the 1680s and he retired to Vilanova.

You'll have fun, I enjoyed myself.

[Peter Pedant]

Oh God I forgot - Warsaw ended the war with no wall higher than 3 inches - blown up rather than bombed...so go to the ghetto - its a bit like the centre of Salford actually - no sign of a ghetto, and find Chlodna street, which takes a bit of finding and then stand where the passenger bridge was - that also takes a bit of finding.

Every holocaust museum has a replica - and every film features it - but its sort of better if you see the real site. A lot of imagination reqd of course.

and then and then - because all these details are so hard to identify - remember that the average ghetto wall was 3m high (I think) and it was always getting smaller as the deportations and transports east  - you will suddenly identify 3m high 50 year old wall - very badly built - now built into the sides of boundaries and buildings. I thinbk near Chlodna there is quite a long stretch of ghetto wall.....

The germans pioneered the concept of prison cities of which Warsaw was one. - so dont speak german, speak English.

Oh and Marie Curie's house - swobowska that was....

[Peter Pedant]

Oh and the resistance museum - didja know the boy scouts ( I jest not) were declared a terrorist organisation  - Polish boy scouts were taught to shoot by the way, not really like the english boy scouts - so if you were found with scout insignia - ****** and so on - you were liable to be shot on sight.....

[thugulike]

Go to the Polska restaurant.  A hidden gem in what seems to be a concrete tenement block.  Best food in the world and no exaggeration

[lizzierose]

hi guys. thanks for all your advice. have a slightly new slant on the question now. anything good that doesn't involve walking! have injured my leg and can't really walk. how much of a bummer is that! but will definitle ytryand check out that erstaurant if i can find it.cheers