Visiting Warsaw In April - museums / galleries?

Hi,

I will be visiting Warsaw in April. Any suggestions on the best places to go, in particular museums and galleries?

One of my favourites was the Warsaw Rising Museum.

The good:
Go to the Royal Castle (still free I think on Sunday), the Uprising Museum, the new Jewish Museum and the Copernicus Science Museum (if you don't mind loads of kids). The National Gallery (the only decent part of the National Museum) is good, as is the Zacheta if you like modern art. The Warsaw Historical Society have a museum in the Rynek Starego Miasto (the big square in the touristy bit) that people overlook and is worth a visit. The Botanical Gardens near Powsinek are worth a visit - google or get a guide book for directions and Chopin's birthplace at Zelazowa Wola is a bit of a trek out of town (allow a day if you want to go trhere) but is excellent.

The bad:
Avoid the JPII art museum in plac Bankowy. Also avoid the Museum of the Polish Army unless you like that sort of thing (but have a look in the grounds - they're free, and there's a sputnik!). Marie Curie's birthplace is only really interesting if you particularly want to see it. Wilanow Palace is nothing special despite what some people may say, though the gardens are nice - some good restaurants nearby too. The Centre for Contemporary Art at Ujazdowski Castle is nothing special either.

Though a bit far-off if you don't have a car...That said and done we often go there in Summer...
The University Botanical Gardens on Ujazdowski are much closer by and also worth going to.


I never liked Zachęta...they always want - as in my opinion all modern art museums try - to show how brave they can be with showing empty air and proclaiming to be art.


John, let's be honest...The museum is good for 45 minutes max...and then...? Though the park is really nice...I never thought it to be a winner...

If you get the right bus, from Wilanow, it's not too bad. Best from June though or for the Flora Musicalia concerts on Sundays in summer.


I was thinking of the gardens really. And there's a nice restaurant nearby.

Atelier Amaro is a mind-blowingly good restaurant, one Michelin star at the moment but I reckon a second one is on the way. It is expensive (allow £100 per person for the eight-course menu accompanied by the eight vodkas/spirits menu) but you'd pay more than double that for a meal of that standard in the UK. Definitely the place in Warsaw I'd recommend most highly.

Isn't it closed at the moment?

The Old Town is particularly nice in winter. I like the interiors of St Marcin church in Piwna Street. The interiors was totally destroyed during the WWII and re-furbished after the war in a very simple style. Last time I was there in the evening there was nobody inside, so I could admire the aptly lighted figure of Christ in the main altar in darkness and complete silence.

The modern museum of Frédéric Chopin in the Ostrogski Palace, Tamka Street, is very much worth visiting as well.

One of the most amazing things for the British friends of mine who came from Manchester City to Warsaw in summer time was the roof of the modern building of the Warsaw University Library. Indeed, it is quite exceptional as a roof; you can walk over different paths there and even admire the Vistula river from a min-tower being part of the roof. But in winter time it should not be so stunning as in summer when they grow quite a bit of plants there.

You can walk up the tower of St Anne's church to have a view of the Old Town and other parts of the capital..

They should be open again by April as far as I know. A journey there wouldn't be wasted since pretty well all tourists would be in the Rynek at some point.


Pleasant enough, but unexceptional. The view from the Palace of Culture is a must see - though the Technical Museum downstairs is only really for those interested in such things. The building itself is worth visiting anyway. The view from the Panorama Bar on the 40th floor of the Marriott is even better.

Correction. It might be open by then, however during the renovation, the Museum's collection is on display in the Palace of Culture. Another reason for visiting.

Sadly it's been pretty much spoilt by the renovation: now the bar blocks the view from all of one side of the bar and the view from the other is obscured by reflections of the ghastly wall-paper.

I noticed they'd spoilt it a bit. The view is still there from some of the side tables though they are often reserved. The upper level is probably the best bet.

I have been there once. Looked like something out of "Dynasty". Dreadfully new-rich and show-off...Like Paparazzi (don't know if it still exists) and that show-off place in the Sheraton.

Give me the viewing terrace on St. Anna's anytime, and a stroll to my expat-free pub.

It always reminded me more of the Oil Barons' club from "Dallas". It was never new rich, more mid-90s money (but still pretty much zero taste), tourists who knew no better, businessmen who didn't care and were sticking the drinks on the company's bill, and a liberal scattering of ladies of negotiable affection; in short it was unmissable! Sadly the new version is eminently missable.


Still going strong; the current owner has very much toned down the 'fake exclusive' feel and the place is now arguably Warsaw's best cocktail bar (although I personally would need to be paid to go there on a Friday or Saturday night, or at the very least offered vast amounts of any drinks I fancied).


Got to say that I do like that terrace and also recommend it.


It really doesn't bother me whether other foreigners are in a bar or not; as long as a place is fairly prat-free, it's fine with me.

There is a museum with some steam locomotives near the Warsaw central train station. I was there and it was not to bad. I noticed that some of the locomotives were missing parts for some reason or other that was obvious to me since I am familiar with them. The one with the military hardware on the property of another museum was interesting enough since there was some aircraft and other vehicles that I can't find here in North American musuems

Merged: Travel to Warsaw

I am a Indian living in Saudi Arabia and I'll be visiting Warsaw with my family. The real purpose of my visit is to sit an EDAIC exam but I wish to do a bit of sightseeing. What are some places I could go for shopping & sightseeing?

Should I learn some basic phrases in Polish or will English be fine in Poland?