1 - day "Warsaw in nutshell"

Warsaw is a city completely different from Cracow. Its origins date back to the 14th century, and for many centuries it was one of the most important cities in Poland. The history and fate of Warsaw is also the history of Poland in a nutshell. As one day is not enough to fully feel the atmosphere of this amazing city, we will focus on the 3 most important locations of the Polish capital.

Warsaw Old Town – A remarkable place, definitely a must-see for all the people visiting the Polish capital. The Old Town consists of the city square, surrounded by characteristic tenements and a centrally placed fountain with a sculpture of a Siren, the city symbol, without which the square would be hard to imagine. Other elements of the Old Town are the Castle Square with the Royal Castle next to it, and the Sigismund’s Column. Not far from the Old Town one can find the Pilsudski Square and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

A series of streets called the Royal Route begins from the Old Town. The Royal Route is the most prominent artery of the city, connecting two former royal residences. There are numerous atmospheric cafes, restaurants and art galleries in the Old Town

Warsaw Uprising Museum – 1944 was a terrifying year for Warsaw. With its magnificent historical tenements, state-of-the-art sewage system, rapid growth, style and courtesy, this beautiful city, a real social, architectural and religious melting pot used to be called „The Pearl of the North”. This marvelous city was demolished almost to the last building and the last brick. A generation of people who were not even 20, the future of the country, perished. What was it that pushed Poles to rise? Was the price for potential freedom won in battle not too high?

The Warsaw Rising Museum is not a typical museum. It is more of a time machine that takes its visitors back to 1944. The multimedia exhibition shows the fight and daily lives of the rising participants,the horrors of the occupation, the complicated international situation, the communist terror after the war and the fate of the participants in that new situation. The days preceding the rising, its consecutive phases and eventual failure are presented with the use of images and sounds. The visitors can see over 1000 authentic exhibits and 1500 photographs and movies. Additionally, the guests can watch a 5 minutes long 3D simulation of a flight over demolished and desolate Warsaw. A must-see for everyone on a trip to Warsaw who really wants to get to know this city at least a bit.

Palace of Culture and Science – It is hard to miss this place. The Palace is a controversial building for many Varsovians. Some of them feel that it does not fit in with the rest of the city, others regard Warsaw as a „multi”-spirited city in which there is a place for such a building. The tremendous structure houses restaurants, a university, theatres, cinemas, offices, conference and concert halls, and even a swimming pool – that is over 3000 different rooms.

The whole palace is a perfect example of the social realism style of the 50s. The interiors are covered with marble and mosaics, the light gets in through gigantic windows and all this contributes to this place’s one-of-a-kind atmosphere. After getting to the terrace on the 30th floor, visitors are  rewarded with a marvelous view of Warsaw. It simply has to be seen!