How to Make The Most of Your Visit to Warsaw

If it's your first itinerary to the city and you're wondering about the things to do in Warsaw, you can refer to our handy travel guide below. It covers most of the must-see places for your first visit, and you likely won't leave disappointed but instead with pleasant memories. Now, on to the things to do in Warsaw and the places you must visit on your first trip here.

The Royal Way is a route that's filled with plenty of sights to behold for adventurers. Make sure to chalk a day out to explore this route and explore the things to do in Warsaw along the way here. It's an 11km journey which starts from the Royal Castle on Palace Square in Old Town and finishes at the Palace in Wilanowa, passing through the Ujazdowski Castle and the lazienki Park in the process.

You can rent a bike or take bus 116 to explore this route. As you travel along this way, you will see many historic buildings, parks, churches, and monuments. There are many restaurants and hotels, which is the Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat.

You can book 1-bedroom apartment at the Royal Route Residence, starting at €34 if you want to take your time to enjoy the different sights. Some of the sights worth visiting along this route are St. Anna's Church, Carmelite Church, and the Presidential Palace. You should also pay a visit to the Old University Library, which is located at the University of Warsaw, an educational institution that is known for being the largest University in Poland.

If you're a fan of Chopin, then a visit to the Church of the Holy Cross is a must since his heart lies buried there. People who come to Warsaw for the first time usually have Chopin's heart at their things to do in Warsaw list.

The heart is sealed away in an urn, which is embedded in one of the columns. His heart is still intact in the jar and preserved using alcohol called cognac.

The church is located opposite the main Warsaw University campus, and there is even a small chapel that pays tribute to Pope John Paul II housed inside it. There are weekly masses held at this Church, and it is essentially a Baroque monument which was built during the first half of the 18th century by the royal architect Jozef Szymon Bellotti.It is open from 6 am to 8 pm and is a beautiful stone building decored in elegant shades of yellow. One of the best things to do in Warsaw is to explore the insides of the church,and you will feast your eyes upon many beautiful paintings and sculptures from the olden days.

The Old Town Market Square is the perfect spot to shoot photos. Stroll down the streets of Piwna and Swietojanska to catch a glimpse of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

You'll find the famous gothic church, St. Mary's Basilica, to be situated in the northeast. You can dive into Poland's history and culture more by visiting the Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) or take a walk around the market square to witness the remarkable medieval architecture. The Cloth Hall is also the city's touted center of trade and commerce. Be sure to pay a visit to the Rynek Underground, which is a tourist route that unveils Poland's contemporary technology in the past and has many historical coins and artifacts put up on display. The Gallery of Polish 19th Century Art is also another spot to visit where you'll find exhibits of the greats like Jan Matejko, Jacek Malczewski, Piotr Michałowski, and others, are held.

At the center of the square, you will find the Warsaw Mermaid, which is the city's symbol. One of the things to do in Warsaw here is taking a walk around the perimeter of this and enjoying the different styles, colors, and designs of Renaissance architecture.

If you're looking for things to do in Warsaw after touring the places above, head over to the royal castle next. It towers over Castle Square and is noted for its red-pinkish color and stands tall.

As you walk in, you will be greeted by a photo of the castle back in 1947, the time after World War II. There many original paintings and sculptures housed within the castle walls. Gaze around the King's old rooms and the Senator's Chamber inside the castle. You will find their interior architectural styles that resemble that of the Baroque and Classical works.

If you're interested to learn more about the things to do in Warsaw and its past, there are in-depth Polish history audiotapes available for sale at nominal rates inside the castle. Tickets for visiting the castle starting at 22 PLN; admission to this area is free on Sundays. The castle held many memories of the past and was known to be home to various Polish Kings. It was also the center for the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and home to the president of Poland during the pre-WWII days. If you want to skip the queue, book a guided tour around the museum by consulting the prices.

The Chopin Museum pays tribute to the life and creations of the famous composer, Frédéric Chopin. It is founded inside the Ostrogski Palace and houses some of its most notable works. You'll even find his belongings, piano, photographs, and handwritten letters here. There is also a listening room where visitors are allowed to sit and listen to notable tracks composed by the musician. Although the works and documentation are a bit unorganized, there are multimedia exhibits and video projections shown here, which makes making out the life and works of Chopin easier in a chronicle fashion. Amongst the things to do in Warsaw, visiting this museum is a unique experience since you literally dig deep into the world of Chopin and travel back in time to his days.

There's a fun side to the Chopin Museum, which is the interactive kiosks that are found in the physics experiments area. As for the cuisine, don't forget to try out the local Warsaw dishes such as the Pierogi and the delicious sponge cake!

Look for the black marble benches along the Royal Way as well during your journey here. When you push the buttons, they play notable soundtracks composed by Chopin himself.

Address:

PaÅ‚ac GniÅ„skich, 00-368, Okólnik 1, 00-368 Warszawa, Poland

Timings:

Open on Tuesdays to Sundays from 11:00 to 20:00

Closed on Monday, December 31st, more opening hours can be found on the official website.

One of the oldest art museums in Poland, the National Museum, is chockfull of artistic creations from the Old Masters. It is laden with paintings, sculptures, European and Old Polish decorative arts. There are exhibits over 830,000 masterpieces ranging from both old and modern drawings, paintings, illustrations, prints, coins, and more. You will notice a religious theme being present in most of the works exhibited by the museum.

The museum is also closed on Sundays.

Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature houses many paintings, sculptures, and literary works of the past, which pertain to Adam Mickiewicz, a renown Polish poet back in the day. There are six old townhouses here, and the museum was restored to its original condition after being demolished in World War II.

If you like history and art, then a visit to the Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature is a must amongst your top things to do in Warsaw. Don't forget to take a look at the 19th century photographic archives that chronicle the works and lives of poets. Also, keep an eye out for the exhibits and gallery works of notable figures like Leopold Staff, Maria Dabrowska, and Julian Tiwim. You'll also find manuscripts, ancient prints, and letters here too inside the museum. Other things to do in Warsaw at the Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature are

Address:

Rynek Starego Miasta 20, 00-001 Warszawa, Poland

Open from Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from 10 am to 4 pm, on Thursdays and Wednesdays from 11 am to 6 pm, and from 11 am to 5 pm on Sundays

If you want to learn about the Warsaw Uprising period and the time when the Nazis flattened the city, then a visit to the Warsaw Rising Museum is a must. Sadly, there is so much information to take in that things get quickly overwhelming. If you find yourself in those shoes, attend for their first showing of the 3D film 'City of Ruins' instead. There Make sure you get in line when the people are flocking towards the exhibits since queues quickly build up. You can come back to the exhibits and walks around the museum at your leisure time later to check out the other stuff. The entry here is free on Sundays, and the admission fee is 25 PLN on the other days. Try not to go on Sundays though since the crowd is way too much. Weekdays are better despite the price. There are other things to do in Warsaw inside the museum, such as visiting the lookout towers which provide panoramic views of the city and good vantage points for photography.

Address:

Grzybowska 79, 00-844 Warszawa, Poland

Timings:

Fridays to Mondays - from 10 am to 6 pm, Thursdays - 10 am to 8 pm, Wednesdays - 10 am to 6 pm

Closed on Tuesdays

If you want to soak in the best views of the city, then you should drop by the Palace of Culture and Science. Buy a ticket for entry and take the elevator to the 30th floor. There are films aired inside the theatre, and the history of this building traces back to the days of Stalin from the Communist era. There's also a cafe and a souvenir shop inside in case you want to kick back, relax, and do some shopping. Buy tickets online to avoid the queues, but if you do decide to buy them directly - go to marszalkowska st, which faces the elevator and enter the door. You'll find the booth located between the two stairs with its back facing the main door.

You can reach the Palace of Culture and Science by taking a train to Central Station or by hopping on a bus from the airport. Be sure to wear warm clothes when going to the terrace since it gets windy. If you go by the queue, you'll have to get there 40 minutes early since it can get huge. There is also a live spider exhibition held inside the building, which is hard to miss, which makes it perfect for kids, and you'll find concert venues inside too. It is also the tallest building in the city.

Address:

Plac Defilad 1, 00-901 Warszawa, Poland

Maria Skłodowska-Curie is a Nobel prize-winning scientist who became famous to the world for her innovations in the field of Physics and Chemistry. Many wrongly believed she hailed from France when, in fact, she is Polish by origin.

The museum is dedicated to celebrating her life and work and boasts of many innovations. It is the 18th-century apartment essentially and the birthplace of Marie Curie. The museum exhibits work from her past, precious photographs, scientific equipment, and even has some of her personal belongings.

You will also a sink in the museum that was retrieved from her home, which is kept in the museum as a memento.

Students get a discount on the tickets, and regular tickets will cost you about 11 zpl.

The timings for the museum are from 9 am to 4:30 pm from Tuesdays to Sundays from September to May; in the summers, it is open from 10 am to 7 pm, and finally, it is open all year round, in general.

Address:

Freta 16, 00-227 Warszawa, Poland

Timings:

Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm

Closed on Mondays

If it's your first-time visiting Poland and you'd like to make the most out of your itinerary and things to do in Warsaw, then we recommend booking flights and hotel accommodations in advance. Trip.com features skip-the-line bookings, and we help you get the best deals on hotels, including offering discounted rates on tours and special events. You can use the filters on our website to help you choose from a wide range of flights and hotels, compare prices, and do more. We also give you instant confirmation options on bookings and have a free cancelation policy in case you want to change your mind. Enjoy your trip to Poland, and we hope you explore more things to do in Warsaw on your next visit here.