On onset, Warsaw may seem like a mundane place with nothing much to do. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll find that there are actually alot of things to do and attractions in Warsaw Poland! Here are our top 5 things to do!
Things to do in Warsaw
1. Old City in Warsaw
View of the Old City from Intercontinental Warsaw
This view taken from the room of Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw shows the aerial view of the entire old city of Warsaw. You may not believe it, but most of the original old city was destroyed during and post World War 2. Hence, most of what we see today is actually a “rebuilt old city” altogether. Meticulous huh?
Barbican Fortress Warsaw PolandWarsaw Mermaid at Old Town Square Poland
360 View of Old Town Square Warsaw
Defensive Walls of the Warsaw Barbican Fortress – You can also pick up some souvenirs here 🙂The Royal Castle Warsaw PolandMonument at the centre of Castle Square Warsaw PolandTomb of the Unknown Soldier Warsaw PolandSt. John’s Cathedral Warszawa PolandCross near the tomb of the Unknown Soldier Warsaw Poland
What to eat in Warsaw Poland
2. E. Wedel Cafe – The Oldest Chocolatier in Poland since 1851
Traditional Wedel Chocolate made from rich melted original recipe chocolate! (E Wedel Cafe Warsaw Poland)
Wedel was known to be the “Willy Wonka” of Poland during his time. Be sure to drop by this original site of the oldest chocolatier in Poland and enjoy a cup of rich melted chocolate at the E. Wedel Cafe!
3. Pierogi – Polish Dumplings
Spelt Pierogi with spinach leaves and cream cheese (24zl)
If you’re thinking about what’s there to eat in Poland, pierogi comes to mind! It would be so completely wrong not to have tried the Pierogi (Polish Dumplings) if you were to visit Warsaw. Make sure you try it! Seriously!
4. Best Traditional Polish Restaurant – Folk Gospoda!
Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle (38zl) @ Folk Gospoda Warsaw Poland
Need we say more? For the best traditional Polish food at great prices, visit Folk Gospoda!
Where to stay in Warsaw Poland
5. Best Hotel in Warsaw – Intercontinental Warsaw Hotel
Spacious room with nice comfy bed at the Intercontinental WarsawPalace of Culture and Science from Intercontinental Warsaw Poland
The Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw is definitely the best hotel in Warsaw. Not only does it boast of the best view of the entire city of Warsaw (close up of the Palace of Culture and Science), you can also enjoy the view in the hot tub from the sky pool of the hotel! The breakfast at this hotel is also touted as the best buffet breakfast in the entire Warsaw. Complete with live harp music!
If you’re wondering what’s there to do in Warsaw? Fret no more! Try the E. Wedel Cafe! Located at 8 Szpitalna Street in Warsaw, the Wedel cafe is today still located at its original location and Jan Wedel (the last “Wedel” owner) was then known as the “Willy Wonka” of Poland!
Wedel Cafe Building located at 8 Szpitalna Street Warsaw
As the oldest chocalatier in the whole of Poland, Wedel is of course known for its chocolates! It is today quite an atas (high class) place to chill out and have a nice leisurely afternoon with your friends. Check out the high class setting of Wedel cafe!
Founders of Wedel Chocolate Warsaw PolandInterior of Wedel Cafe (Warsaw Poland) with all sorts of chocolates and pralines!Chocolate basket – Nicely packaged Wedel Chocolates!!
The cool thing about Wedel cafe is that eventhough it is quite high class, the prices are actually still pretty much affordable. Cheaper than your starbucks coffee! 😮 We had a “Traditional Chocolate” which is made of rich melted original chocolate, for only 12zl!! Just 1 is good to share because of its richness. You may feel jerlat if you have 1 whole cup to yourself. But then again, it’s chocolate right? Chocolates are scientifically proven to help the brain release endorphins. Therefore you’ll feel happier…
Traditional Wedel Chocolate made from rich melted original recipe chocolate! (E Wedel Cafe Warsaw Poland)
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The really cool part about staying in Platinum Residence is that you can share the facilities at the adjacent Hilton Hotel Warsaw! That means that you can enjoy the fitness / swimming facilities as well, without paying for the fees of Hilton! 🙂
In addition, because it is an apartment, it is also bigger in size. It comes with a mini kitchen, a living area as well as the bedroom! The bathroom is also quite spacious with an attached bathtub (something that Kate loves!)
The only funny incident that occurred was that we were brought to the wrong room at first! It was quite awkward because the porter brought our bags up and checked the room first. But after he entered, he said he saw guests sleeping and requested us to have another room…hahaha…
If it’s your first time in Poland and you’re wondering what to eat in Warsaw Poland, you definitely wont go wrong with pierogi or the humble dumpling!
What to eat in Warsaw Poland?
Lunch at Zapiecek Warsaw Poland
Zapiecek is actually a franchise that has many outlets Warsaw. The food there is not too bad, well-priced and quite traditional. If you’re not sure where to go, this place is a good start. But of course, for excellent, top notch, best polish food, you’ve got to go to Folk Gospoda!
Interior of restaurant with many translation of the word “Dumpling”Interior of Zapiecek Restaurant
The interior of the restaurant is quite traditionally decorated. The main theme was wood which brought about a homely traditional feel. The wall was also written with different translations and fonts of the word “dumpling” which seems to suggest that their dumplings are quite good…
Menu at Zapiecek Hungarian Pancake with Goulash & Pork Stew (32zl)Spelt Pierogi with spinach leaves and cream cheese (24zl)700ml Sangria (15zl)
There were so many types of dumplings available on the menu and after browsing for quite a while (the waitress came back to us twice), we finally decided upon the Spelt Pierogi and the Hungarian Pancake!
We chose the spelt pierogi cause of its unique ingredients of spinach and cream cheese. Usually dumplings come with meat. This is a bit different. Plus it’s recommended! The cheese was mild (much like a sauce) and went quite well with the spinach filling.
The Hungarian pancake on the other hand was REALLY filling! The starchy pancake and the meaty chunks made us really really full after the meal. The sauce was meaty with a slight tomato base so though we were quite full, it did not make us feel jerlat (too sick of it).
The meal ended with a nice glass of Sangria. Great choice by Kate. 700ml for $6SGD! 😮
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Folk Gospoda is simply the best polish restaurant in Warsaw! This restaurant is excellent in taste, has great service and has prices that are hard to beat (especially for its set lunches). So good, that we visited it twice in a matter of days!
Entrance to Folk Gospoda in Warsaw Poland
On our first night there, we were pleasantly surprised by the ambience. A cozy, homely feel accomplished with the wood finishes…
Warm and cozy ambience with wood finishes at Folk Gospoda Warsaw PolandThe bar counter at Folk Gospoda Warsaw PolandMenu of Folk Gospoda at Grzybowska Street
On our first visit to Folk Gospoda, we ordered the traditional polish fare of smoked duck and meat dumplings!
Folk Gospoda (Warsaw Poland)Smoked duck with raspberry sauce (43zl) and yes, that’s an apple!Folk Gospoda: Russian Style Meat Dumplings (24zl)
Both dishes were superb! The smoked duck was tender and the skin was crisp. The raspberry sauce complemented the smokey full flavoured duck. The dish was also served with sauerkraut as well as the potato dumpling which was chewy but oh so yummy!
On the other hand, the dumpling tasted really traditional (slight gamey taste) with bacon bits and pine nuts that really made the taste outstanding. The seasoning of the meat was not too salty, well balanced to bring out the flavours of the meat. Yum yum!
Set lunch at Folk Gospoda – Soup (Pea), Mains and Desserts for only 19zl!
We decided to visit Folk Gospoda again because we heard about the set lunches which included soup, mains and desserts for just 19zl! (Thats $7.50SGD!). The other reason was because we simply had to try the honey-glazed pork knuckle which we saw on the menu on our last visit! Sounded so enticing! Again, we thoroughly enjoyed this visit…
Folk Gospoda Restaurant: Stick of Pork Skewer with Green & Red Peppers w Fries
The set lunch came with the mains of the pork skewer with fries and it was well worth the price. Although the meat was a wee bit tough, the taste more than made up for it. The smokey, BBQ, kebab-like taste was quite enjoyable. The light hot sauce helped to tingle the taste buds as well.
Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle (38zl) @ Folk Gospoda Warsaw Poland
Finally, the highlight that we were waiting for…the Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle! Just by looking at the picture, you must be wanting to sink your teeth into it right? Well, it was REALLY juicy and tender! The skin was lightly sweetened by the honey and the meat, OH SO TENDER! The combination coupled with some light mustard was just perfect. Ma ma mia! Speaking of pork knuckles, we would still rank the Hof Brauhaus pork knuckle 1st. But this one at Folk Gospoda comes in a really close 2nd!
Folk Gospoda Warsaw: Creampie with Fruit
We ended off the meal with the fruit creampie. Seemed to us like a traditional dish. The cream was light and fresh. Tasted as though the cream was freshly blended and frothed before bringing up to you. The total bill came up to 70zl and it was really well worth it!
How to get to Folk Gospoda Warsaw Poland
Map to Folk Gospoda in Warsaw Poland
Folk Gospoda is located near the junction of Grzybowska and Wallcow streets. You wont miss it because you will notice a large mural on the wall that says “Folk Gospoda” and a logo of a peacock (we’re guessing here). Because we stayed at the Platinum Residences (beside Hilton Warsaw), it was just a short walk away.
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InterContinental Warszawa (Warsaw) is arguably one of the best 5 stars Hotel in Warsaw Poland! Kate and I had the opportunity to enjoy a night at this marvelous hotel and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay here.
As always, we requested for a high floor at the Intercontinental Warsaw and we were met with this view when we first entered the room…
Spacious room with a view at Intercontinental Warsaw Hotel
View of the Old City from Intercontinental Warsaw
Besides the amazing view, the room itself was spacious, comfortable and very well equipped…
Pseudo wine bar with beer and wine glass + chocolate/coffee/tea with boiling facility at Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw PolandA work desk for the business travellers (Intercontinental Warsaw)Shower with bathtub at Intercontinental Warsaw PolandClose up of the shower set in the bathroom (Intercontinental Warsaw)Spacious room with nice comfy bed at the Intercontinental Warsaw
But as avid readers of 2bearbear.com, you would have known by now that Kate and I dont easily get “wowed” unless it’s like Ritz Carlton Singapore or amazing views like this…
Panoramic Views of Warsaw from the 43/44 storey Wellness Centre of Intercontinental Warszawa
Palace of Culture and Science from Intercontinental Warsaw PolandNational Stadium Warsaw Poland – Euro 2012!
YES! One of the main selling points of the InterContinental Warsaw Hotel is the magnificent views of Warsaw from the Wellness Centre. You will be able to see the Palace of Culture and Science and of course the National Stadium Warsaw, Poland!
Did you know that the Palace of Culture and Science was a gift from Soviet Union to the people of Poland and even today, some still detest it because of its mark of Soviet domination. It also has a nick name – the Wedding Cake because of its design.
On a lighter note, the National Stadium was built in time for the Euro 2012! The opening match was played at this venue!
Pool and Gym of Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw
The highlight of the wellness centre is of course the gym and the pool!
Gym with magnificent views over Warsaw from Intercontinental Warsaw!
You’ll be able to enjoy views of the Palace of Culture & Science as well the entire city of Warsaw right from the comforts of the swimming pool, hot tub or right at the gym!
The wellness centre is also open in the evenings and early mornings. At night, you can enjoy night views of the city…
Night view of the Palace of Culture and Science from Intercontinental Warsaw Swimming Pool
There is a neat little elevation at the edge of the pool where you can stand on and have a better view. The other cool thing about visiting the wellness centre in the morning is that there is an excellent view of the sunrise each morning! We were chatting with the instructor at the gym and he showed us the photos he took that particular morning which was absolutely amazing! At the Riverview Wellness Centre, you can also enjoya sauna, steam bath and even massages! Do check it out!
Best Buffet Breakfast in Warsaw – Downtown Restaurant InterContinental Warsaw
Downtown Restaurant (Intercontinental Warsaw) overlooking the main street in WarsawBreakfast Buffet @ Downtown Restaurant Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw
Many have touted Downtown Restaurant at Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw to have the best buffet breakfast in Warsaw. We were impressed but whether it’s the best…well…take a look and you can decide
Live music of the harp for breakfast at Intercontinental Warsaw Downtown Restaurant?! Class and elegance…
We were impressed by the ambience and class of Downtown Restaurant. It was spacious, sun-lit and elegantly decorated. The live music on the harp definitely added to the class. There’s even a view of the main street at the windows seats. There was also a good spread…
Downtown Restaurant Intercontinental Warsaw Breakfast spread of cereals and breadDowntown Restaurant Intercontinental Warsaw Poland: Doughnuts fruits and asian spring rollsIntercontinental Warsaw Downtown Restaurant: Cold dish and Egg Station
Truth be told, the spread was good but it was still classic European buffet breakfast, nothing really stood out from the spread.
Intercontinental Warsaw Downtown Restaurant Breakfast Buffet: Typical hams, sausage, eggs, hash brownDowntown Restaurant Intercontinental Warsaw Breakfast: Breakfast Cereals for Kate
Well, we cannot confirm plus chop, say that the Downtown Restaurant has the best buffet breakfast in all of Warsaw. However, the class, ambience and elegance of the restaurant does set it apart from its competitors. Tell us if you know better buffet breakfasts in Warsaw below in the comments section!
Map of InterContinental Warsaw Hotel Poland
Another great thing about the Intercontinental Warsaw Hotel is that it is a short walking distance from the Warsaw Central Railway Station. In addition, the Zlote Tarasy (Golden Terraces), a huge shopping mall is just a 5 minutes walk away!
Modern Zlote Tarasy (Golden Terraces) Shopping Mall Warsaw PolandCute zebra crossing in front of Zlote Tarasy mall Warsaw Poland – Remembrance of Chopin
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