Warsaw Secret Tips: Discover the Capital of Poland

With its colorful Old Town, rebuilt after World War II and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the sprawling Łazienki Park, and the iconic Palace of Culture, Warsaw is definitely a city worth visiting. However, the Polish capital is not necessarily on the bucket list for city trips. That's a shame! I quickly realized: Warsaw is more diverse and hip than I thought.

I'll take you through Poland's capital and show you some insider tips off the usual paths. There is a lot to discover here!

You've gotten your first impression and explored the Old Town? Then it's worth taking a detour across the Vistula River to the other side. Just as Schwabing is to Munich or Kreuzberg is to Berlin, Praga is to Warsaw. This district still carries a somewhat mythical reputation. Historically multicultural, Praga was only slightly damaged during World War II, so you can still find many pre-war buildings here.

After the war, mostly low-income individuals were relocated to Praga, leading to the area developing a 'problematic' reputation. As often happens, cheap rents attracted artists and students. In the 21st century, Praga has transformed into an alternative place for artists and has become a 'place to be' with studios, bars, and nightclubs.

Along Ząbkowska Street, the lifeblood of Praga, you will pass cafes, numerous pubs, and restaurants like Coś Na Ząbkowskiej, which features a colorful backyard in the summer. A record store should of course not be missed.

And don't forget to visit the former vodka distillery Koneser. Once home to vodka production in the brick buildings, today there are apartments, event spaces, cafes, restaurants, trendy shops, and a hotel. In winter, people ice skate, and in summer, they relax in the sun.

Admittedly, I am a bit of a cemetery nerd. I simply love the atmosphere, adore the tranquility, and believe that cemeteries reveal so much about a city's history. The Jewish cemetery on Okopowa Street was, therefore, at the top of my sightseeing list. In Warsaw, you can find traces of Jewish life primarily around the remnants of the Warsaw Ghetto.

The weathered gravestones, covered in moss and ivy, illustrate the once-rich Jewish culture in another striking way. When the German troops invaded during World War II, about 350,000 Jews lived in Warsaw, representing roughly a third of the population. No other European city had more Jews living there at that time. That explains why the cemetery, covering an area of 33 hectares and with over 200,000 graves, is one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in the world.

When thinking of Poland, hearty stews, soups, and dumplings come to mind. What I didn't expect was the incredibly vast offering of vegetarian and vegan restaurants and eateries in Warsaw. I was truly impressed, even though I had been spoiled by the Berlin food scene for years. I initially wanted to present a vegan restaurant I particularly liked as an insider tip. However, I simply couldn't decide.

We had vegan kebab at Vegan World Kebab, unbelievably good and relatively inexpensive vegan ramen compared to Munich, sushi at Kimidori - Green Sushi, and various vegan curries. I only managed to tackle a small fraction of the places on my list. I would have loved to try the vegan schnitzel at Bracka.

Polish cuisine is hearty, but it's also true comfort food. If you're in the mood to try typical Polish pierogi or Zurek - and you should - I highly recommend visiting a milk bar. This is not some ominous place like in A Clockwork Orange, but rather affordable restaurants resembling a cafeteria.

Milk bars are almost everywhere; just look up 'bar mleczny' on Google Maps. We visited a branch of Mleczarnia Jerozolimska. Here, you can place an order at a terminal and, quite conveniently, select the language. In the overview, you can filter by categories, including vegetarian or vegan dishes. We enjoyed vegetarian pierogi in savory and sweet varieties for truly little money.

In Warsaw, as befitting a city of millions, you can also shop well. There are the usual stores in shopping malls as well as a number of second-hand shops and quirky stores like Las Rak, where you'll find handmade jewelry, toys, and other knick-knacks.

A modern, slightly different mall can be found at ElektrowniaPowiśle. About a century ago, there was a power plant here. At that time, it was the largest and most modern in the whole country. Today, Elektrownia Powiśle features trendy boutiques and a huge range of beauty and cosmetic shops like hairdressers, nail salons, and more. Additionally, there's a large food court where you simply have to decide which of the international delicacies to indulge in.

Not far from ElektrowniaPowiśle is the University Library. On the roof of this building, which resembles a greenhouse, there is a garden that non-students can also visit. The rooftop garden is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, covering around one hectare, and is also used scientifically by the Institute of Botany. From up here, you have a fantastic view over the city and the Vistula River.

Be aware: From November to the end of March, the rooftop garden is closed for winter, and in summer, it closes at sunset. Unfortunately, it was still closed when I was in Warsaw. However, I found it quite interesting to stroll through the building and breathe in a little bit of campus air from the building across the street. Visiting is definitely high on the agenda for my next trip to Warsaw.

Feeling inspired for a trip to Warsaw? Then here are a few tips for you.