This 'underrated' European gem with £34 flights should be your next city break

Metro

12 hours ago

Underrated and often dismissed, Warsaw has spent years languishing at the very bottom of Europe's 'cheapest city breaks' lists. But as the city finally grows into itself, it's quietly starting to draw interest.
Anyone who's ever been to Poland's capital tells me the same thing: 'I didn't expect to like it so much.' It happens so often that I just smile and nod.
Warsaw doesn't dazzle on arrival. It's no Paris, no Rome – but that's part of the point. It reveals itself slowly and leaves you wanting to come back.
It's where I grew up, and over the years, I've seen the city go through many stages: struggling, desperate to impress, trying to be something it wasn't. Now it finally feels like itself.
Here's how I'd spend a weekend there.
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It's tempting to begin where most tourists do, in the Old Town. And if you like your European cities with cobbles and castles, you absolutely should.
It's beautiful, a true testament to Warsaw's phoenix-from-the-ashes brand.
The Royal Castle – the red-brick palace that greets you as you enter – was rebuilt from scratch after World War Two. Nearly 90% of the city was razed during the Nazi occupation; most Varsovians will tell you stories of their grandma bringing a brick to help rebuild it.
If you like history, sign up for a tour. The palace has plenty of stories and surprisingly impressive artwork.
If castles aren't your thing, keep walking the cobbled streets toward the main square. Depending on the season, you might find an ice rink, food stalls, or events popping up.
While you're in the area, take the stairs to the rooftop garden on top of the University of Warsaw Library.
One of the largest in Europe, the library hums with tired students cramming for their finals. It doesn't get much more local than that.
If you're in need of coffee, stop to refuel at STOR, a local favourite serving excellent coffee in a cosy space. It's the kind of place where you end up staying way longer than planned.
If you're hungry, head straight for Syrena Irena. You'll get pierogi (giant stuffed dumplings), herring and borscht in an award-winning setting.
It may be all over Instagram, but for once, the food lives up to the aesthetic.
Afterwards, grab a bike or e-scooter and head toward the Vistula River. The riverside boulevards have been having a moment for a while now – now they're one of the nicest spots in the city.
Long and winding paths trace the Vistula's edge, offering views that shift with the light and seasons, and no shortage of spots to linger over something cold, salty, or sweet.
If your sweet tooth kicks in, make a detour to Baja Vegan Patisserie.
Come summer, there's usually a queue for jagodzianki – pillowy, blueberry buns that vanish as fast as they appear. Outside berry season, a pączek (filled doughnut) does the trick: soft, rich, and comfortingly old-school.
For something more refined, book a table at Le Braci, a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick that gets both the mood and the menu exactly right. The truffle pasta is unforgettable.
To balance out the pasta, head to Łazienki Królewskie, the largest park in the city. Worth a visit year-round, but especially lovely in summer when free Chopin concerts take place on Sundays.
Bring a blanket and enjoy one of the open-air piano recitals that have been a tradition since 1959.
As the evening rolls in, make your way to Saviour Square, a staple on Warsaw's food and nightlife map for years.
Charlotte, a French-inspired bistro and wine bar, is always buzzing. If you grew up in Warsaw, chances are you skipped school once to eat their famous bread with white chocolate.
The next morning, pick up where you left off and settle into one of Charlotte's outdoor tables, order a bread basket and do some people-watching.
When you're ready to move again, make your way to Mokotowska Street. One of Warsaw's most elegant streets, it's the city's answer to Paris's Rue Saint-Honoré.
Unlike most of the city, the street survived the war relatively unscathed. The townhouses lining it, with their pre-war façades and quiet grandeur, offer one of the rare chances to see what Warsaw once looked like, and almost became.
The street is lined with Polish designers, curated boutiques and cafés. My top picks are Galilu for perfume, SOTE for Polish jewellery that feels special without being showy, and Lukullus or Słodki Słony for sweets.
From Mokotowska Street, walk to Three Crosses Square and take a right to the National Museum. With over 800,000 pieces of art, it's worth a visit,whether you're an art fan or not.
Nearby is the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw's most recognisable and perhaps most divisive building.
A gift from Stalin, it still occupies a charged place in the Polish imagination. These days, it marks the centre of the city and houses everything from theatres to cafés.
Next door is its minimalist new neighbour, the Museum of Modern Art. This white cube of a building looks plain at first glance, but give it a moment.
Inside, it opens up into a series of expansive, concrete spaces, pared back and quiet enough to let the art do its job, but still striking in their own right.
Even if you're not there for an exhibition, it's worth stepping in just to see the space. @wanderlust.affair
There are a lot of great museums in Warsaw that impressed us. We learned a lot more about the history of Warsaw and Poland throughout our week and the great thing is that many museums offer free admissions! Here are some of the main ones and which day it is free on: Monday 📍Warsaw Uprising Museum Tuesday 📍National Museum of Warsaw 📍Museum of Caricature Wednesday 📍Fryderyk Chopin Museum 📍The Royal Castle Thursday 📍Zacheta: National Gallery of Art 📍POLIN: Museum of History of Polish Jews 📍Wilanow Palace (free admissions is limited) 📍Polish Army Museum 📍Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle Friday 📍Lazienki Museum Buildings 📍Muzeum Historii Polski Saturday 📍Museum of Sports & Tourism Free Everyday 📍 Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw 📍Asia & Pacific Museum 📍Gasworks Museum 📍Geological Museum #warsaw #warsawmuseum #warsawtips #poland #museums #free #warsawthingstodo #fyp #travel #europe ♬ Ghibli-style nostalgic waltz(806744) – MaSssuguMusic
Depending on your mood, you could head to Hala Mirowska, a 100-year-old market hall still full of flower stalls and produce vendors, or visit one of the nearby museums.
The Warsaw Uprising Museum is interactive and accessible (even for kids). POLIN, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, is a deeply moving place that offers important context to the city's complex past.
End the day at Jassmine, one of the best jazz bars in town. Get there early as seats fill up quickly and for good reason.
The lighting is low and deliberate, the atmosphere relaxed but polished, and the cocktails are better than they need to be.From newcomers to seasoned musicians, the lineup never disappoints.
If you've made it this far, you might be thinking this sounds suspiciously like a sponsored story. It's not. More Trending
Just a long-form love letter to a city that had it tough, but made it. I hope you enjoy it more than you expected.
From Warsaw, a four-hour journey by car or by train will take you to Wroclaw, in Poland's west.
Known as the 'Venice of Eastern Europe', it earned its title thanks to the 12 islands that make up Wrocław, each connected by bridges (there are 130 in total) and canals reminiscent of the famous sinking city in Italy.
You can read our full travel guide for Wroclaw here.
There are plenty of direct routes from the UK to Warsaw, most at affordable prices.
The cheapest month to travel is January, when return fares start from just £34. But you'll have to be prepared to wrap up against the Polish winter chill.
In September, direct one-way flights from London with Wizz Air will set you back as little as £16. All in, the round-trip won't cost you more than around £41.
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