Warsaw - most boring capital in Europe, after Brussels - comments?

A report in yesterday's "Zycie Warszawy" (Warsaw Life) newspaper (14 March 2008) commented that a poll among Euro-travellers had voted Warsaw one of the most boring capitals in Europe. Surprisingly Warsaw residents didn't themselves think their city was so bad to live in, mostly it was foreign visitors. Warsaw residents, especially students, had few complaints, it was Varsovians in their 40s and 50s who were annoyed that the town had little life to offer and was a dread bore.

Comments?

Personally I haven't spent much time in Warsaw. But, is their a list for the most fascinating cities in Europe? Because I would name Krakow as #1.

Yeh, Kraków is fun. Wish I lived there myself. Alas the work that pays the bills is here in Wawa. It's the heartless wastelands of Bemowo, Bródno, Ursynów, Gocław, etc., that I take special issue with in Warsaw. These places are not made for humans to live and thrive in. And bizarrely the Warsaw authorities are allowing more such hideous estates to be built, such as the new extension to Wilanów (aka Prokomowo, after the main developer's firm).

Downtown Warsaw is also nothing to write home about (except in a negative context), but thankfully Kraków and Berlin are not too far away... when a touch of civilization is needed to elevate the psyche. I'm just annoyed that I can't get that sort of cultural buzz here in Warsaw. And many thousands of Euro travellers think the same.

I hope that's not the case in all aspects, especially nightlife. I'm hoping to have some good times there in the near future. "Boring" is a fairly subjective thing, after all. I heard that if you're into live jazz, Warsaw is a pretty exciting place.

Live jazz, maybe that's why it got it's boring tag. For pompous toffs!!

I like Warsaw actually....

Me too. :) While I would agree that it's not an obvious place to visit, it's worth making the effort to find the things worth seeing or doing. But it's not for everyone. I like it for what it is. It would be far duller if everywhere was just like everywhere else!


And this from someone from the ultra-exciting city of Gliwice! lol!

Still, I suppose that jazz must be *so* much duller than all that hard house/trance/disco polo crap which many Poles seem to love so much... haha.


True, but how many tourists/visitors would bother going to places like that? Every city - even the coolest/most exciting/beautiful, etc - has dull, depressing areas.

Personally I find Krakow as overrated as Paris. Give me Bratislava, Milan or Wroclaw any time.

here, here, I second that!
Krakow is sooooo been there done that, but it's pretty good for driving so it get's a thumb's up there.

Milan is very under-rated it's got a bad reputation but c'mon not every city can be florence.

Bratislawa-hitch-hiking in Brat-land.. ah the memories.

I agree, my city is beautiful :) I like also Wrocław. I think Warszawa is less interesting, because doesn't have this cosy atmospherics

It doesn't have the stupid drunken mooning English either! :)

There is no city on earth that is boring as long as you have one of those, a good mate or a good set of friends, a sense of adventure and access to an international airport just in case all of the above fail.

There's never been anything boring about Warsaw whenever I've been there...

I'll have a stronger opinion after my trip to Bratislava.

Hang on - I have no plans to go to Bratislava.

you have to admit that the queues in Coffee Heaven are on a long ting tho :)

Coffee Heaven? nah, beer for me ;)

lol

Polish pubs are a bit swag tho :)

swag? is this some sarf London term?

yes lol

I'm in Shoreditch... I need a translation

it's used all over London these days you know. mind you... Shoreditch... hmm... Nathan Barley... lol :)

er, it means something rubbish/crap/not very good, etc.

not good to quote Nathan, hardly anyone has seen it! Roll on Series 2

Waaaaah.... and here I was thinking that I was down with da kids in da hood <weep>

But back to Warsaw pubs - what's wrong with them? Some great places to go drinking down Nowy Swiat.

lol I wouldn't quote HIM!!!!


moving out of Shoreditch would be a good start. lol ;)


I prefer my local after-work pub to any Polish bar I've been in, just personal preference I guess. I do like Nowy Swiat tho.

Any in particular? I was there the Sunday evening before Christmas day and the place was pretty much deserted

That is totally Warsaw, mate.

online game of c*ck, m*ff, b**hole anyone?

yeah... to Hoxton LOL!!


Sorry, I struggle with Polish names at the best of times, but there are lots of great bars there. Also on Foksal.

Xmas is a funny time for going out - maybe you just hit a bad time?

yep, I'm inclined to think that. everyone was at church maybe. even the hotel bar was shut.

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

so let's turn the tables around then... where exactly sarf of da thames?