The top things to do in Warsaw are pretty amazing – the Uprising Museum is fascinating, the Palace on the Isle is beautiful and who doesn’t love an old town with a Royal Route?
Think cobbled streets, Insta-ready buildings and Fighting Mermaid statue … because why not?! They’re Warsaw’s must-sees, so see them, you must.
But step away from the show-off pieces and your holidays in Warsaw can sway to a different beat. At Mercure we take our life discoverers beyond the road most travelled and immerse you in a world of local experiences, those magical moments that rock your world.
Our Mercure-ites in Warsaw gathered to share their finest local spots and Warsaw travel tips that are so much more than must-sees: they’re must-bes.
University Library Rooftop Garden - Green walkways and panoramic views during your city break
Shh! Even some of the students don’t know about this one. On top of the Warsaw University Library is a stunning garden and maybe Warsaw’s best kept secret. Two gardens connected by a cascading fountain grow around the glass building’s skylights and sensitively placed solar panels.
Roam over steams, lay on banks, wander across the meadows and bridges and walkways or hop between viewing platforms for incredible panoramas of the city and the River Vistula running through it.
Quietly in Warsaw’s Top 10 Best Moments
Warsaw did a stack of rebuilding after WWII, but it wasn’t until the last decade that the Powiśle district really took off as the place to be. Like riverfronts the world over, its renaissance draws in the locals on the look out for something a bit different. Food trucks, pop-up art galleries, awesome little boutiques and just loads of space to wander, chat, be. It’s all here.
Between the university and the Vistula, Powiśle is that once-neglected ugly duckling now blossomed into an on-trend hub for nightlife, gastronomy and culture. Check out the Copernicus Science Centre and the amazingly restored architecture in the Elektrownia Powiśle, where the shopping is an added bonus on a weekend trip to Warsaw.
Retro vibes on your city break holidays in Warsaw
A retro vibe travels alongside you, whatever you do in Warsaw. Behind the old-world opulence of the Old Town, the starkitecture of Muranów Socialist Realist buildings are a strong reminder of Warsaw’s Communist era. Visit the Life Under Communism Museum to get a feel for real Polish life between 1945 and 1991 – yes, 1991 – rent a classic Fiat 126p to explore the city alone or join a tour aboard a Communist-era Nysa 522 militia bus.
Dive deeper into Warsaw history and learn to make pierogi the Grandma way. Join a cooking class that gives you the basics, helps you perfect this most classic of Polish dishes then sits you down to a truly memorable meal you made yourself.
Continuing the retro theme, the annual Silent Movie Festival with live music at the 1950’s Iluzjon Cinema is beautifully accessible, even if your Polish is a little rusty. This special archive cinema really does bring the magic of the big screen to life.
