5 things you should do on a Warsaw weekend

Old meets new, East meets West: the Polish capital breathes history and is a place with a lot of energy. You could probably spend much longer in Warsaw than just a weekend. But even if it's just a short stop, we'll show you some must-sees in the city.

1.: The Museum of the History of Polish Jews (POLIN). The Jewish population in Poland has experienced eventful centuries. The museum shows in an impressive way and in great detail the developments over time. One should bring a few hours with them and spend some time with the happy episodes as well as the darker parts of the history. Apart from the excellently narrated exhibition, the museum building itself is also very worth seeing.

2.: Eating pierogi. Many national cuisines are familiar with the concept of the filled dumpling, including Poland - pierogi are available steamed or fried, vegetarian or with meat filling, with bacon or sour cream. Depending on the portion size, they are a nice snack or even a whole lunch.

3.: Walking along the New World. Ulica Nowy Świat, or New World Street, is a magnificent link between Warsaw's Old Town and the more modern parts and transport hubs of the city center. Along parks, countless cafes and restaurants, churches, luxury hotels and the Presidential Palace, Warsaw shows a particularly spruced-up and lively side. Somewhere music is probably playing and it's time for the next coffee break.

4.: Looking for quiet moments in the old town. If you come to the castle via the Neue Welt, the winding alleys of the old town begin behind it. If you take a detour there at the right time, you will encounter a special atmosphere. On Sunday mornings, for example, the small streets are quiet and deserted - an unexpected contrast to the rest of this city of millions.

5.: Dinner and drinks at Hala Koszyki. What used to be a market hall and then a socialist-style department store is now a place that has been given a new lease of life. The renovated hall has all sorts of food and drink stalls - for example, Kiełba w Gębie, specializing in traditional Polish dishes such as our bratwurst. Very important: with pickle!

Good to know

La vie en route was in Warsaw in early summer 2023. There are flights from Zurich several times a day, we were travellng with Swiss. The airport in Warsaw is not far from the city center and can be reached by train, bus or taxi/Uber in 15-30 minutes. The city itself is vast and the distances are sometimes very long, that's why for example rental bikes or electric scooters are a good alternative to public transport. For example, from the castle it is only a few minutes to the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. As with all big cities, appropriate behavior and caution is required in the traffic of Warsaw.

We stayed at the Sheraton Grand, not far from the Nowy Świat. The price-performance ratio is right, otherwise the hotel is above all practical. If you are looking for more charm, however, you will certainly find it in Warsaw.

The foodie stops described in the article are at Koszyki Hall and at Gosciniec near the castle.