Things to do · Warsaw · Poland
20 best things to do in Warsaw
20 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Voyager747, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Warsaw are Old Town Market Square, Royal Castle and Castle Square and Sigismund's Column. Of the 20 picks below, 9 are free, 8 work on a rainy day and 4 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Old Town Market Square
- Free sights
- 9
- Good on a rainy day
- Royal Castle
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town Market Square | Old Town and New Town | 1 hour | Free |
| Royal Castle | Old Town and New Town | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Castle Square and Sigismund's Column | Old Town and New Town | 20–30 minutes | Free |
| Royal Route: Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat | Śródmieście | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Łazienki Park | Śródmieście | 2–3 hours | Free |
| POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews | Muranów | 3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Warsaw Rising Museum | Wola | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Palace of Culture and Science | Śródmieście | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Wilanów Palace | Wilanów | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Copernicus Science Centre | Powiśle | 3–4 hours | Mid-priced |
| Fryderyk Chopin Museum | Powiśle | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Praga and the Koneser Centre | Praga | Half a day | Free |
| Neon Museum | Praga | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Vistula boulevards | Powiśle | 1–2 hours | Free |
| University of Warsaw Library roof garden | Powiśle | 45 minutes | Free |
| Museum of Warsaw | Old Town and New Town | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| National Museum in Warsaw | Śródmieście | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Tomb of the Unknown Soldier | Śródmieście | 30 minutes | Free |
| Powązki Cemetery | Wola | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Warsaw Zoo | Praga | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
The 20 best things to do
Landmark · Old Town and New Town
1.Old Town Market Square
Warsaw's central square was almost completely destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt in the 1950s using old photographs, drawings and Bernardo Bellotto's 18th-century paintings. Painted townhouses surround the statue of the Warsaw Mermaid, the city's symbol, and café terraces fill the square in summer.
Visit the Museum of Warsaw on the square first; its film and exhibits make the rebuilding much more meaningful.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- After dark
Castle · Old Town and New Town
2.Royal Castle
Blown up by German forces in 1944 and rebuilt between 1971 and 1984, the castle was the residence of Polish kings and the seat of parliament, where Europe's first modern written constitution was adopted in 1791. Highlights include the Great Assembly Hall, the Canaletto Room with Bellotto's views of Warsaw and two paintings by Rembrandt.
Spend time in the Canaletto Room comparing the paintings with the streets outside; they guided the city's reconstruction.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Landmark · Old Town and New Town
3.Castle Square and Sigismund's Column
The triangular square in front of the Royal Castle is anchored by Sigismund's Column, raised in 1644 to honour King Sigismund III Vasa, who moved the capital from Kraków to Warsaw. Steps on the eastern side look down towards the Vistula.
Come at dusk, when the castle and column are lit and the square fills with street musicians.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Photo spot
Street · Śródmieście
4.Royal Route: Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat
The grand avenue leading south from Castle Square passes the Presidential Palace, the gates of the University of Warsaw, the Copernicus statue and Holy Cross Church, where Chopin's heart is sealed in a pillar. It continues as Nowy Świat, lined with cafés, towards Łazienki Park and Wilanów.
Look out for the musical benches along the route; press the button to hear a piece by Chopin.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
Park · Śródmieście
5.Łazienki Park
Warsaw's most beautiful park was the summer residence of the last Polish king, Stanisław August Poniatowski, whose Palace on the Isle stands in a lake. Peacocks and red squirrels roam the paths, and on summer Sundays free piano recitals are given beside the Chopin Monument.
Bring a picnic on a summer Sunday and sit on the grass by the Chopin Monument for the free open-air recital.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
Museum · Muranów
6.POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Built on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto, opposite the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, POLIN tells a thousand years of Jewish life in Poland in a core exhibition that includes a reconstructed painted wooden synagogue ceiling. The building's glass façade is split by a dramatic canyon-like entrance hall.
Allow at least three hours for the core exhibition and take the audio guide; it is long and rewarding.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Iconic
Museum · Wola
7.Warsaw Rising Museum
In a former tram power station, this museum recreates the 63 days of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising with photographs, weapons, personal stories, a replica Liberator bomber and a walk-through reconstruction of the sewers used by insurgents. A 3D film shows the destroyed city from the air.
Arrive early to avoid school groups, and climb the observation tower at the end for a view over Wola.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Viewpoint · Śródmieście
8.Palace of Culture and Science
A 1950s 'gift' from the Soviet Union, this 237-metre socialist-realist tower still dominates the skyline and houses theatres, cinemas and museums. A lift climbs to the 30th-floor viewing terrace, about 114 metres up, with views over the old and new city.
Go up at dusk to see the city lights come on; there is a saying that it is the best view in Warsaw because you can't see the Palace.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Architecture
- After dark
Palace · Wilanów
1.Wilanów Palace
King Jan III Sobieski, victor at the Siege of Vienna in 1683, built this baroque palace as a summer residence. It survived the war with much of its interior intact, and its rooms, portrait gallery and formal gardens running down to a lake are among the finest in Poland.
In winter, check for the evening light installations in the palace gardens, which turn a visit into an evening outing.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Outdoors
- Couples
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Museum · Powiśle
2.Copernicus Science Centre
One of Europe's largest interactive science centres, on the bank of the Vistula, with hundreds of hands-on exhibits on physics, the human body and nature, a planetarium and a robot theatre. Adults enjoy it as much as children.
Plan a whole morning or afternoon, and add a planetarium show if you have time.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Timed tickets sell out at weekends and during school holidays; book online in advance.
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Active
Museum · Powiśle
3.Fryderyk Chopin Museum
In the 17th-century Ostrogski Palace, this multimedia museum traces Chopin's life from his Warsaw childhood to Paris, with his last piano, manuscripts and listening booths where you can hear his works.
Combine it with the Holy Cross Church on the Royal Route, where Chopin's heart is kept.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Visitor numbers are limited per time slot; book ahead, especially at weekends.
- History
- Rainy day
- Couples
- Art
Neighbourhood · Praga
4.Praga and the Koneser Centre
Across the river, Praga's Ząbkowska Street and its courtyards keep the look of pre-war Warsaw, with small Madonna shrines and street art. The red-brick Koneser vodka distillery has been turned into restaurants, shops and the Polish Vodka Museum, which tells the drink's history and ends with a tasting.
Book a Polish Vodka Museum tour for the late afternoon, then stay in Praga for dinner and drinks.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Food
- Off the beaten path
- After dark
Museum · Praga
5.Neon Museum
A collection of rescued neon signs from Poland's Cold War era, when bold neon advertising lit up shops, cafés and cinemas, displayed in a former factory hall in the Soho Factory complex in Praga.
It is small, so combine it with a walk around Praga or a visit to the Koneser Centre.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Waterfront · Powiśle
6.Vistula boulevards
The riverside promenade below the Old Town and Powiśle has seasonal bars, deck chairs, playgrounds and cycle paths, while the wilder east bank has sandy beaches. Near the Old Town, the Multimedia Fountain Park stages water, light and music shows on summer weekend evenings.
On a summer weekend, catch the fountain show, then walk south along the boulevards to the bars near Powiśle.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- After dark
- Couples
- Kids
Garden · Powiśle
7.University of Warsaw Library roof garden
The modern University Library building is topped by one of the largest roof gardens in Europe, with walkways, streams and bridges and views over the Vistula and the Copernicus Science Centre. It is free and open in the warmer months.
Go late on a sunny afternoon and look down through the glass panels into the library's reading rooms.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
- Outdoors
Museum · Old Town and New Town
8.Museum of Warsaw
Spread across eleven townhouses on the Old Town Market Square, the museum tells the city's history through thousands of objects, from souvenirs to shop signs, and includes a short film on the rebuilding of the Old Town and a viewing terrace over the square.
Head up to the viewing terrace at the end for a view over the Market Square's rooftops.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Views
Museum · Śródmieście
9.National Museum in Warsaw
Poland's main art museum displays Jan Matejko's enormous Battle of Grunwald, a strong collection of Polish painting and the Faras Gallery of early Christian wall paintings rescued from a Nubian cathedral in Sudan before the Aswan Dam flooded the site.
Start with the Faras Gallery, unique outside Sudan, and finish in the 19th-century Polish painting rooms.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
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Historic site · Śródmieście
10.Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Beneath the surviving arcade of the Saxon Palace, destroyed in the war, an eternal flame burns at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded around the clock by soldiers. Behind it, the Saxon Garden is Warsaw's oldest public park.
Watch the changing of the guard, which takes place every hour, then walk through the Saxon Garden.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
Historic site · Wola
11.Powązki Cemetery
Opened in 1790, the Old Powązki Cemetery is a vast, tree-shaded necropolis of sculpted tombs where many of Poland's writers, composers, artists and soldiers are buried, including Chopin's parents and the composer Stanisław Moniuszko. It glows with thousands of candles on All Saints' Day.
Visit in the days around 1 November to see the cemetery lit by candles, one of Warsaw's most moving sights.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
Zoo · Praga
12.Warsaw Zoo
A large zoo on the Praga side of the river, home to elephants, hippos and big cats among many other species. In its grounds, the villa of zookeepers Jan and Antonina Żabiński, who hid Jews during the war, is open as a memorial museum.
Visit the Żabiński Villa during your visit; the story of the zookeepers was told in the book The Zookeeper's Wife.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
- History
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Royal Castle, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw Rising Museum and Copernicus Science Centre |
| History | Old Town Market Square, Royal Castle, Castle Square and Sigismund's Column and Royal Route: Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat |
| Views | Palace of Culture and Science, University of Warsaw Library roof garden and Museum of Warsaw |
| Outdoors and nature | Łazienki Park, Wilanów Palace, Vistula boulevards and University of Warsaw Library roof garden |
| Food and markets | Praga and the Koneser Centre |
| After dark | Old Town Market Square, Palace of Culture and Science, Praga and the Koneser Centre and Vistula boulevards |
| With children | Łazienki Park, Copernicus Science Centre, Vistula boulevards and Warsaw Zoo |
| On a rainy day | Royal Castle, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw Rising Museum and Copernicus Science Centre |
What to book ahead
- Copernicus Science Centre: Timed tickets sell out at weekends and during school holidays; book online in advance.
- Fryderyk Chopin Museum: Visitor numbers are limited per time slot; book ahead, especially at weekends.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Warsaw?
Old Town Market Square. Warsaw's central square was almost completely destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt in the 1950s using old photographs, drawings and Bernardo Bellotto's 18th-century paintings.
+What can you do for free in Warsaw?
Old Town Market Square, Castle Square and Sigismund's Column, Royal Route: Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat, Łazienki Park and Praga and the Koneser Centre. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Warsaw when it rains?
Head indoors to Royal Castle, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw Rising Museum and Copernicus Science Centre.
+What is there to do in Warsaw at night?
Old Town Market Square, Palace of Culture and Science, Praga and the Koneser Centre and Vistula boulevards are best after dark.