I recently paid a fleeting visit to the beautiful city of Warsaw.
After finding a great deal on Ryanair, we were off: 36 hours in the Polish capital. But after recapping what we did do, let’s take a look at what we didn’t do in Warsaw.
Explore the old town
As our time was short (and our hangovers were long), we really didn’t spend much time at all in the Old Town. Looking back, I think this is a real shame as the area is obviously one of the most beautiful areas and one of the city’s highlights. We spent a short time on our first day wondering through the pretty streets but it soon got dark and we headed to the Uprising Museum instead.
When I go back, I think the Old Town will be first on my list. If only for the Instagram shots…
Budget
One thing we definitely didn’t do in Warsaw was budget. We did set out with the best of intentions, though. In fact, having read the excellent £100 Warsaw Challenge from Dan Flying Solo, we planned to spend as little as possible, taking out a moderate lump sum at the airport and vowing not to take out more cash.
A few hours later we were in one of the poshest restaurants I’ve ever been to, ordering pheasant… There were plenty of shots too, not to mention Vodka red bulls…
In conclusion: budgeting is definitely possible in Warsaw. We just didn’t do it.
The Palace of Science of Culture
This imposing giant can’t really be missed in Warsaw. Whether you love it or hate it (and I definitely fall into the former camp here), the Stalinist building can be seen almost anywhere from the city. The top floor is meant to offer amazing views over Warsaw.
…not that we’d know. This was another activity we didn’t have time for. However, as our first day was marked with thick fog and the days were short, it would have been a squeeze to fit this in. Palace of Science and Culture: definitely one for next time.
Sleep
Our 36 hours in Warsaw did not include a lot of sleeping. Drinking? Check. Dancing? Check. Sleeping? Nope…
POLIN – Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Something else that will be top of my list when on a return trip to Poland would be the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. The museum was recommended to me, but with a short timeframe, we opted for the Uprising Museum instead.
I do think it was the right choice, but our fantastic Jewish walking tour really left with fascinated with Jewish culture and his state-of-the-art contemporary museum looked incredible from the outside alone.
The museum came highly recommended from our guide and is one of the newest in Poland. I would definitely urge anyone visiting to try and squeeze it into their schedule!