Z AS FARAS YOU CAN SEE ZACHĘTA ART GALLERY R …use-it-warsaw.pl/1.pdf · I like Chopin...

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Tutti, Switzerland It's unbelievable, how most of the buildings in the OLD TOWN were rebuild after the war. Mohammed, Tunisia You must visit the Warsaw Univeristy Library, it's really nice on the roof and in the park next to it. Marco, Switzerland PRAGA is the real life of Warsaw, not the Disneyworld-like tourist old part. Magda, Poland I like walking in MURANÓW district. ere are remains of the Warsaw ghetto under the buildings. And you can also find the best cinema in Warsaw – Muranów. I also love playing frisbee in POLE MOKOTOWSKIE. Lothaire, France Hot donuts with almonds on CHMIELNA STREET have to be tried and make feel the real taste of heaven. SIGHTSEEING FOOD SHOP METRO HOSTEL GOING OUT BAR TRAM www.use-it-warsaw.pl I like Chopin no-nonsense / made by locals / not commercial act like a local act like a local { Learn to distinguish the two rival football clubs: Legia and Polonia. e first uses the Italian flag colour scheme (green+white+red), the latter goes for black. You can see an L-in-a-circle graffiti all over the city. L with a crown on top was obviously scribbled by a ‘legionista’, an L on gallows – by a ‘polonista’. Above all – you don’t really have to act like a local. At least half of the permanent citizens of Warsaw were not even born here. Strangers are welcome with their strange ways. Shop late – shops are open really late here, many on Sundays too. In 2007 a bill was passed that banned shopping on 12 major national and religious holidays, but otherwise you’re free to spend, spend, spend. Warsaw may be hard to fall in love with at the first sight, but you will find excellent places hidden on top floors, in basements and backyards, in small shops, galleries and crumbling sheds. Careful with alcohol outdoors – drinking outside is prohibited in central areas, even if it’s an innocent bottle of beer. e Old Town (Stare Miasto) is actually new, entirely rebuilt after World War II. It may be hard to believe, but the cathedral was completed in 1956 and the Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski) dates back aaaall the way to 1988. e Old Town is a charming place and a World Heritage Site according to UNESCO, but locals don’t go there to often, for several reasons: restaurants are expensive and in most cases awful, there’s no night life because the neighbours like it quiet after 10 p.m. Learn the toilet signage – a triangle is for men’s room, a circle – for ladies’. Don’t ask us why. Public toilets are almost non-existent in Warsaw (except for metro stations – clean, cheap and empty) so better do what you have to do before leaving the bar. Feel free to isolate yourself from the outside. What in many relaxed cities would look pretentious – typing away on your computer in a café or restaurant – is totally normal here. Eat at the milk bar – for some a necessity, for others a lifestyle option, milk bars (bar mleczny) are extremely popular, especially among students, pensioners, bums, impoverished intelligentsia and hipsters. Left over from communist days, they offer you super cheap lunch – a two-course meal under 10 zl. Bars differ slightly in quality, but in all of them the menu does not consist just of dairy products, but other Polish favourites: hearty soup, pierogi (dumplings filled with different sorts of things - ground meat, cheese, mushrooms etc.) or schabowy (Wienerschnitzel-like pork chop). Buy and wear vintage clothing – we invented vintage before it was called vintage. You will find a shop bearing a sign ‘lumpeks’, ‘szmateks’, ‘odzież używana’ on every corner. Wojtek, Poland Clubs in communist-style pavilions and their messy surroundings (no. 36) are perfect for what the locals call ‘melanż’ (wild party). USE-IT tourist maps and budget guides also exist in Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Brussels, Lódź,... USE-IT is not commercial, no-nonsense, free, up-to-date and made by young locals. If you want to make the network bigger, see: WWW.USE-IT.INFO I like Gazebo MAZE UNDER RAILWAY STATION e elaborate system of subterranean passages around the Central Railway Station connects it with: Centrum metro station, two smaller railway stations, the Zlote Tarasy shopping centre and the Marriott Hotel, not to mention numerous bus and tram stops. It is a curse for all tourists arriving for the first time and there are many locals who find it hard to navigate around this maze. On the other hand, it is a blessing in winter and on rainy days. Try to make sense out of it with our handy map! Emili Plater Marszalkowska Jana Pawla II Aleje Jerozolimskie Glamorous Stalinist interiors and music – the Palace has two good clubs in its bowels. CAFE KULTURALNA (entrance from ul. Marszalkowska, under the huge red arrows) in the foyer of Teatr Dramatyczny, is a cafe packed with young people on Friday and Saturday nights. ey come here for concerts, poetry readings etc. CLUB 55 (entrance from Emilii Plater street, opposite the Intercontinental, through a gate) is a regular club in a former ballroom, famous for its Friday hip-hop-centred parties and the monthly night Sorry, Ghettoblaster. 16 STORM THE PALACE PALACE OF CULTURE AND SCIENCE (Palac Kultury i Nauki), built by Polish and Russian architects in the 1950s, is a cousin to Moscow’s famous „seven daugthers of Stalin” skyscrapers. For decades regarded as a symbol of Russian domination it is still equally loved and loathed. Icon of the city and an infallible orientation point. Seeing the panorama from the observation deck at the 30th floor is a must and helps make sense of the city. Admire monstrous sculptures and check the time on the millennium clock. In the winter enjoy the ice skating rink by the northern entrance, which turns into a basketball court in the summer. Observation deck open daily September 16-May 31: 9-18, 1 July-15 September: 9-20, tickets: 20/15 zl. Entrance from ul. Marszalkowska side, ask at the reception for directions to the ticket booth. 15 STALIN’S WEDDING CAKE PRZEKĄSKI ZAKĄSKI, better known as ‘Zakąski’ or ‘the Bistro’ is located in a defunct hotel opposite the posh Hotel Bristol and the Presidential Palace. Open 24 hours a day, it is a local institution that attracts a wide range of patrons: from bums and crazy old artists to young hipsters. Bistro offers a simple menu of classic Polish snacks (herring, sausage, and some other stuff that can’t be translated – 8 zl each) and drinks (beer, vodka, wine, coffee, tea, soft drinks – all 4 zl). Wash the herring down with two shots of vodka for the ultimate Polish bar experience and admire the geriatric staff. Warning: avoid the imitation on the other side of the building. Address: ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13 21 24 HOUR BISTRO No longer the secret hipster central it was in the nineties, MIĘDZY NAMI still retains the reputation of an elite fashionista/celebrity/gay place. Perhaps because of the ‘members only’ sign still hanging at the door. In fact it is a casual place for lunch (great home-style lunch menus available till 4 p.m., under 20 zl for main course), coffee (6,50) or beer (9). Shell out 36 zl for their beautiful in-house magazine with little text and lots of great photography. Open 10-23, Friday & Saturday till midnight. You can also check out two cool new bars in the courtyard behind Między Nami: 2/3 and HUŚTAWKA. Address: ul. Bracka 20 33 HIP LUNCH PLACE Bearing a sword and a shield, the mermaid (SYRENA, syrenka) is the official symbol of the city. ere are lots of statues scattered around the city and you can’t avoid the one in the Old Town Square, but we prefer the one on the riverfront. Muscular and androgynous, it reflects both the character of the city and its symbol – the bad-ass sister of the romantic and peaceful Copenhagen mermaid. e statue, finished in 1939, was modeled for by Krystyna Krahelska, a student who died tragically 5 years later in the uprising against Germans, adding a new dimension to the monument. e surround- ing park, generally empty, is a good place for joggers and cyclers. Good view to the newish Świętokrzyski Bridge – one of the icons of modern Warsaw. 51 THE MERMAID It is hard to believe now that before 1939 about 30% of Varsovians were Jewish. Now the only old synagogue remaining is the 100-year old SYNAGOGA NOŻYKÓW. Address: ul. Twarda 6 6 THE LAST SYNAGOGUE Stroll along the freshly renovated Krakowskie Przedmieście street and look out for glass cubes with views of 18th century Warsaw created by the Venetian master Canaletto. You can see the original paintings at the Royal Castle, but in Krakowskie Przedmieście you can compare his vision with the way these places look now. 23 CANALETTO’S WARSAW Pączek (pronounced 'poncheck'), the Polish doughnut, is everyone’s favourite pastry. To taste the best, join the queue in Chmielna street and buy a freshly baked pączek from CUKIERNIA PAWLOWICZ. Address: ul. Chmielna 13 34 CHECK OUT MY PONCHECK CZULY BARBARZYŃCA is Warsaw’s first – and perhaps still the best – café/bookshop, named as a tribute to the Czech author Bohumil Hrabal and its book 'Tender Barbarian'. Coffee, cake and tons of good books, also in English, plus young crowd. For the illiterate – a giant swing hangs from the ceiling. Open: Mon-u 10-22, Fri-Sat 10-24, Sun 12-22. Address: ul. Dobra 31 50 THE LITERATE BARBARIAN CYKLOZA – a bar and meeting spot for all bicycle enthusiasts. Address: ul. Hoża 62 12 CYCLIST’S BAR ree terrace bars to choose from – all three offer mainly grilled meat and beer, but even hardcore vegetarians will find a salad to nibble on and admire the relaxed atmosphere plus the views of the vast park below. Crowded on football nights (games shown on big LCD screens). Address: al. Na Skarpie 45 LICENSE TO GRILL NUMERY LITERY (Numbers Letters) is a small and comfy café with a small but careful selection of books and magazines. Focus on art, interiors and fiction. One of our afternoon favourites. Address: ul. Wilcza 26 42 BOOKS BY NUMBERS Adorned with paintings by one of the hippest contemporary Polish painters Marcin Maciejowski, PRZEGRYŹ (‘have a bite’) serves the best pierogi in town and other unbeatable Polish classics (duck, goose) plus pasta and salads, all at affordable prices (pierogi - 18 zl). Address: ul. Mokotowska 52 44 ART BITE A gallery of sorts run by Bęc Zmiana Foundation is a meeting place and a natural starting point for everyone interested in culture. You will leave with your pockets stuffed with leaflets and a bag full of beautiful books. Address: ul. Mokotowska 65 43 EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED e corner bar SZPILKA is open 23 hours a day (break between 6-7). Breakfast is also served 23 hours a day - it's your business what you choose to call morning. Address: pl. Trzech Krzyży 18 41 23-HOUR PARTY PEOPLE It looks like a joke but in fact it’s a work of artist Joanna Rajkowska. Named “Greetings from the Jerusalem Avenue" it is meant to remind passers-by of the void left by the absence of the Jewish community from Warsaw. Erected as a temporary installation on a traffic island in 2003 it became a landmark and stayed for good. 38 FAKE PALM TREE One of the most hated places in the country for almost 40 years. Opened in 1951, officially named DOM PARTII (House of the Party) it was jokingly referred to as the White House. Ironically, after the fall of communism it was taken over by an arch-capitalist institution – the stock exchange. Now it is a normal office building with some exceptional history. Address: ul. Nowy Świat 6/12 39 COMMUNIST PARTY HQ Chopin is buried (shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Jim Morrisson) at the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, but his heart, smuggled to Poland by his sister, was deposited in the baroque Church of the Holy Cross (ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 3). You can also visit Chopin’s parents’ drawing room meticulously reconstructed in the Arts Academy (ASP) building next door (ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście, open: Monday-Friday 10-18). 55 I CHOPIN MUZEUM NARODOWE (National Museum) is worth your visit at least for two reasons: its imposing architecture and the unique collection of excavations from Faras in Egypt. In 1960s Polish archaeologists discovered an excellently preserved ancient city of Pachoras. Admire the spellbinding early Christian frescoes and a model of a basilica. e collection of Polish 19th and 20th century art is also notable. Some will appreciate the Polish Army Museum (Muzeum Wojska Polskiego). In true military spirit it 'temporarily' took over the eastern wing in 1930s and has not left since. Open: Tue-Sun 10-19, closed: Mon, tickets: 17/10, free on Saturdays – excluding temporary exhibitions. Address: Aleje Jerozolimskie 3 40 AS FARAS YOU CAN SEE JADLODAJNIA FILOZOFICZNA is famous for wild Friday and Saturday parties and good concerts of local indie bands. Best in the summer when the crowd spills out onto the common courtyard. Be prepared for some of the worst toilets in Warsaw's club land. Address: ul. Dobra 33/35 52 INDIE CLUB When the bar Plan B got too popular to accomodate the punters and still keep the neighbours happy, its owners decided to open a bigger, neighbour-free place. Come to POWIĘKSZENIE (e Extension) for evening drinks, concerts, theatre performances and parties. Address: ul. Nowy Świat 27 35 EXTENDED FUN An exception on the tidy, chain-store-and- Starbucks-friendly Nowy Świat street, AMATORSKA is a cheap and messy dive populated by middle aged alcoholics, arty types and students who come round for a shot of vodka. Or two. Or more. Address: ul. Nowy Świat 21 37 LAST MAN STANDING PAWILONY - a cluster of shabby pavilions in the back of the touristy Nowy Świat is one of the main meeting places for young people, catered to by a dozen or so funky bars. PEWEX is the oldest and perhaps still the best of them. Despite some signs of gentrification (sushi bar! air conditioning!), all places remain affordable. Enter the courtyard through two gates from Nowy Świat. 36 CHEAP AND CHIC BARS e UFO-shaped WARSZAWA POWIŚLE train station pavilion landed here in the 1960s and quickly fell into disrepair. In 2009 it was restored by Centrala architects and turned by three twentysome- things into a bar/cultural centre. Certainly one of the coolest bars in town. Address: Kruczkowskiego 3b 46 MODERNIST UFO BAR ere are not many vegetarian places in Warsaw and Poles are big on meat. e VEGA BAR is one of the few exceptions. Popular with students, lunch menus 7-18 zl. For meat lovers, there's the Russian bar BABOOSHKA next door. Address: ul. Oboźna 9 54 VEGETARIAN OR RUSSIAN? By March 2010 you will be able to visit the new CHOPIN CENTRE and a multimedia exhibition about his life and work in the neighbouring Ostrogski Palace. Address: ul. Tamka 43 49 CHOPIN-CENTRED Sophie, Belgium I love the view from ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKI BRIDGE towards the city. It's amazing, especially at night. If you want to discover Warsaw - rent a scooter, this is a good way to visit all great places in Warsaw in very short time. Warsaw’s National Opera (OPERA NARODOWA) is almost 200 years old and so huge you could fit Milan's La Scala on its stage. Mariusz Treliński's radical interpreta- tions of classic repertoire are worth every penny and every minute of your attention, even if you are a complete opera ignorant. Address: pl. Teatralny 1 18 OPERA It is hard to find a public toilet in Warsaw, but when you get there, it will be decent. For the best experience, shell out 1 zloty and visit the spanking new toilet in a restaurant pavilion at Skwer Hoovera, designed by JEMS, one of the most respected architects in the city and unveiled in the spring of 2009. 20 NEW LOO Housed in a pompous fin-de-siecle building since 1901, ZACHĘTA is Warsaw's oldest contemporary art gallery. Exhibitions of leading Polish and foreign 20th and 21st century artists, an art book shop with a modest souvenir section. Open daily 12-20, closed Monday, free on ursday. Address: pl. Malachowskiego 3 24 ZACHĘTA ART GALLERY By day OBIEKT ZNALEZIONY ('objet trouvé') is a modestly priced (25 zl for soup+main course) lunch venue, by night it transforms into a beast – one of the most popular indie clubs in the city. In the basement of Zacheta gallery. Open daily from 12 p.m. Address: pl. Malachowskiego 3 25 OBIEKT OF DESIRE e dusty Ethnographic Museum, housing an enormous collection of folk costumes and handicrafts, has been undergoing a bit of a face lift lately. It may still take some time to revamp the permanent exhibition and the smelly loo, but at least the café is spot on. BíLÝ KONÍČEK (which means a white horse in Czech) serves coffee and delicious meringue ('beza') in a beautifully decorated interior. Address: ul. Kredytowa 1 27 RIDE THE WHITE HORSE If you're visiting Warsaw for communist nostalgia, then visit GRAŻYNKA. It's an old-school bar with plain food, cheap alcohol, middle-aged service and net curtains in the windows. Open Mon-Sat 10-22. Address: ul. Moniuszki 10 30 COMMUNIST FLAVOUR Filled with students from the nearby university, KAFKA is famous not just for the coffee and the beautiful interior, but also for the book-swap programme. You can bring your own book and exchange it for any book from the shelf. In warmer months borrow a deck chair from the bar and enjoy your coffee in the sun on the lawn in front. Open daily 9-22. Address: ul. Oboźna 3 53 KAFKA CAFÉ e 1999 UNIVERSITY LIBRARY (Biblioteka Uniwersytecka) is one of the most loved modern buildings in Warsaw. With its great quality learning spaces, shops, cafés, a green internal street, green façade and an amazing roof garden with views of the city (free!), it gave birth to a social phenomenon of ‘buwing’ (pronounce: ‘booving’) – hanging out at the library for reasons other than reading. Unfortunately, you need a pass to enter the study spaces but you can take a peek inside from the roof. e building is full of literary references, starting with seven gigantic open books on the façade along ul. Dobra. Open daily: 9-21, Sundays 15-20, roof garden open April- October 9-18. Address: ul. Dobra 56/66 56 GREEN LIBRARY Stock up on beautifully packed pralines or have a cup of hot chocolate in the elegant old-fashioned E. WEDEL FLAGSHIP STORE . Ptasie Mleczko chocolates, invented by Wedel in the 1930s, are something you’ll want to take home. Address: ul. Szpitalna 8 31 CHOCAHOLIC CENTRAL Jazz club for more conservative tastes, but one you can always rely on as it organises at least one concert per night. Open daily 18-4. Address: ul Mazowiecka 6/8 28 TYGMONT JAZZ CLUB Frequented by taxi drivers, policemen, prostitutes and people who missed their night bus, the BAR BUS is, well, a bar in a bus, open only at night. You will not be able to get the kitchen smells off your coat for days, but the 'Canadian-style sausages' (parówki po kanadyjsku) and the tea will do wonders to your alcohol drenched stomach. Look for a (formerly) white bus across the street from the Intercontinental tower. 9 NIGHT BAR BUS Cafe in the daytime, cosy bar in the evenings and an all-round independent culture centre, with exhibitions, meetings, talks and concerts by up-and-coming local bands. Open to lots of ideas and people - you can see conservatives discussing downstairs, and gay activists meeting upstairs. Open daily 8-till late. Address: ul. Chlodna 25 3 CHŁODNA 25 POD CZERWONYM WIEPRZEM (Under the Red Swine) you can enjoy Polish culinary classics in a communist-themed decor. e menu is full of ironic references to the good old days. Address: ul. Żelazna 68 2 RED MEAT Not much is left of the Jewish ghetto walls, but you can see a bit in the courtyards of houses at ul. Zlota 62 and ul. Sienna 55. Two bricks were taken out of the wall in Sienna to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, one from Zlota is now displayed in the Yad Vashem Institute in Jerusalem, and one in Houston, Texas. Address: ul. Sienna 55 4 GHETTO WALLS Glimmering new shopping centres may give HALA MIROWSKA a run for its money, but this century-old covered market is the mother of them all. e bizarre selection of services it provides (from discount pharmacy to a dodgy gay disco in the basement) is a far cry from its former glory, but it still remains a beautiful example of fin-de-siecle civic architecture. e fruit-and-veg market that surrounds it and flower stalls by the main entrance are a real draw. is is actually where Margaret atcher bought tomatoes when she visited Warsaw in 1988. Address: pl. Mirowski 1 5 OLD COVERED MARKET You probably won’t avoid the ZLOTE TARASY (Golden Terraces) shopping centre. Some say it’s the definition of bad taste, some think it’s a wonder of architec- ture, we say that the glass roof is spectacular, especially when it rains. Open: Mon-Sat 10-22, Sun 10-20. Address: ul. Zlota 59 10 GOLDEN WONDER Marvel at the delightfully old-school museum of technology (MUZEUM TECHNIKI). Main attractions include a planetarium and the ‘glass maiden’ (szklana panienka) – glass model of a human body constructed by East German engineers. Open: Tue-Fri 9-17, Sat-Sun 10-17, closed Mondays, tickets: 10/5 zl, extra charges for the maiden and the planetarium. Address: pl. Defilad 1 (Palace of Culture and Science, entrance from Aleje Jerozolimskie) 14 GEEKY TECHNOLOGY MUSEUM Completed in 2003, the METROPOLI- TAN office building is British starchitect's Norman Foster (the one who built London's Gherkin) only work in this part of Europe. e inner courtyard with a beautiful fountain is a draw. Address: pl. Pilsudskiego 1 19 NORMAN FOSTER BUILDING MANDALA is a decent (if somewhat messy) Indian restaurant in the daytime and an alternative watering hole in the evening. Food served till 9 p.m. 11 INDIAN FOOD + ALTERNATIVE CLUB e three arches of the non-existent Saski Palace are shelter to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier dedicated in the 1920s to the victims of WWI. In a miraculous twist of fate, the three arches survived also the Second World War. ere's a story that Wehrmacht soldiers escaping Warsaw in 1945 simply refused to blow up this part of the building, as a sign of respect to soldiers buried there 20 years earlier. Address: pl. Pilsudskiego 22 UNKNOWN SOLDIER MONUMENT SZCZOTKI I PĘDZLE (Brushes and Paintbrushes) is a small café which operates under the sign of an old shop that existed there for decades. It was established by two young mothers as a child-friendly place, but don't expect hordes of screaming toddlers. It is quiet and popular with students who come here for coffee (from 4,50 zl), cake (6 zl) or breakfast (10 zl). Open daily: 10-22. Check out the beautifully designed children's magazine Czarodziejska Kura (the Magic Hen) ran by the owners' husbands. Address: ul. Tamka 45b 48 CHILDREN (AND ADULT) FRIENDLY CAFÉ e temporary space of MSN (Museum of Modern Art) is the coolest art space in town. It occupies a former furniture shop on the ground floor of a 1960s concrete housing block. Check out the branch of Berlin's Pro QM art book shop and ask for info about exhibitions, meetings and other events organised by the MSN team around the city. Look out for a neon sign reading MUZEUM behind the InterContinetal Tower. Open Tue-Sun 12-20, no admission fee. Address: ul.Pańska 3 7 (CON)TEMPORARY ART MUSEUM Próżna means empty in Polish, and Próżna street literally is an empty one, lined by abandoned houses that used to form the vibrant Jewish neighbourhood. eir ground floors have been occupied by small hardware shops for decades. Among them you will find a new addition – the cosy CAFÉ PRÓŻNA. Address: ul. Próżna 12 17 CAFÉ IN AN ABANDONED STREET TRAFFIC is an art nouveau department store turned into a multimedia megastore. Admire the stained glass inside depicting the history of fashion. Excellent meeting point when you’re not decided where to go next – sip coffee and leaf through foreign press in weatherproof conditions. Open Mon-Sat 10-22, Sun 10-19. Address: ul. Bracka 25 32 FOUR STOREYS OF BOOKS, FILMS, MUSIC AND GAMES One of the weirdest looking buildings in the city – the 190-metre tall INTERCONTI- NENTAL HOTEL has a huge hole on its lower floors to allow daylight into neighbouring buildings. If you shell out 200 euros for a room, you can also enjoy a spectacular view of the city from the top floor swimming pool. Address: ul. Emilii Plater 49 8 TOWER WITH A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE Warsaw's graphic duo Twożywo take inspiration from constructivism and Bauhaus to create visually sophisticated and witty murals. is one is a meditation on cleanliness, painted on the wall of a health centre. Address: ul. Żelazna 79 1 MURAL Poles love hot and nutritious soup. e local chain MARAK offers several sorts of soup (both local and international flavours) in three sizes – to keep you warm during those Polish winters. Price range: 4-18,50 zl, depending on size and flavour. Open Mon-Sat 10-22, Sun 11-21. Address: ul. Świętokrzyska 18 29 SOUP-ERB Sick of sushi bars looking like a Japanese dental clinic? SKORUPKA SUSHI CAFE is the answer to your problem – savour sushi on funky vintage furniture. Miso soup – 10 zl, maki from 18 zl for a set of 6. Address: pl. Dąbrowskiego 2/4 26 VINTAGE SUSHI After over 100 years in service the old fashioned stereotoscope (FOTOPLASTIKON) still entertains. e collection includes over 3,000 original slides, including pictures documenting the opening of the Suez Canal, Spitzbergen expeditions, Princess Anne’s wedding, and fin-de-siecle Warsaw. Open daily (except Tuesday), 10-18, ticket: 1 zl. Address: Aleje Jerozolimskie 51 (through the gate, then right) 13 TIME MACHINE * TEN MINUTES WALK 2 0 4 6 8 10

Transcript of Z AS FARAS YOU CAN SEE ZACHĘTA ART GALLERY R …use-it-warsaw.pl/1.pdf · I like Chopin...

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Alex, CanadaI like cruising the city on a bicycle, along the river or to Kampinos forest.

Tutti, SwitzerlandIt's unbelievable, how most of the buildings in the OLD TOWN were rebuild after the war.

Mohammed, TunisiaYou must visit the Warsaw Univeristy Library, it's really nice on the roof and in the park next to it.

Marco, SwitzerlandPRAGA is the real life of Warsaw, not the Disneyworld-like tourist old part.

Magda, Poland I like walking in MURANÓW district. �ere are remains of the Warsaw ghetto under the buildings. And you can also �nd the best cinema in Warsaw – Muranów. I also love playing frisbee in POLE MOKOTOWSKIE.

Lothaire, FranceHot donuts with almonds on CHMIELNA STREET have to be tried and make feel the real taste of heaven.

SIGHTSEEING

FOOD SHOP

METRO

HOSTEL

GOINGOUT

BAR

TRAM

www.use-it-warsaw.pl

I likeChopin

no-nonsense / made by locals / not commercial

actlikea local

act likea local{

Learn to distinguish the two rival football clubs: Legia and

Polonia. �e �rst uses the Italian �ag colour scheme

(green+white+red), the latter goes for black. You can see an L-in-a-circle

gra�ti all over the city. L with a crown on top was obviously scribbled by a ‘legionista’, an

L on gallows – by a ‘polonista’.

Above all – you don’t really have to act

like a local. At least half of the permanent citizens of Warsaw were not even born here. Strangers are

welcome with their strange ways.

Shop late – shops are open really late here, many on Sundays too. In

2007 a bill was passed that banned shopping on 12 major

national and religious holidays, but otherwise

you’re free to spend, spend, spend.

Warsaw may be hard to fall in love with at the �rst sight, but you will �nd excellent places hidden on top �oors, in

basements and backyards, in small shops, galleries and

crumbling sheds.

Careful with alcohol outdoors – drinking outside is

prohibited in central areas, even if it’s an innocent bottle of

beer.

�e Old Town(Stare Miasto) is actually new,

entirely rebuilt after World War II. It may be hard to believe, but the

cathedral was completed in 1956 and the Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski) dates back aaaall the way to 1988. �e Old Town is a charming place and a World Heritage Site according to UNESCO, but locals don’t go

there to often, for several reasons: restaurants are expensive and in most cases

awful, there’s no night life because the neighbours like it quiet

after 10 p.m.

Learn the toilet signage – a triangle is for men’s room, a circle – for

ladies’. Don’t ask us why. Public toilets are almost non-existent in

Warsaw (except for metro stations – clean, cheap and

empty) so better do what you have to do before leaving

the bar.

Feel free to isolate

yourself from the outside. What in many

relaxed cities would look pretentious – typing away on your computer in a café

or restaurant – is totally normal here.

Eat at the milk bar – for some a necessity, for others a lifestyle option, milk bars (bar mleczny) are extremely popular, especially among students,

pensioners, bums, impoverished intelligentsia and hipsters. Left over from communist days,

they o�er you super cheap lunch – a two-course meal under 10 zł. Bars di�er slightly in quality, but

in all of them the menu does not consist just of dairy products, but other Polish favourites: hearty soup, pierogi (dumplings �lled with

di�erent sorts of things - ground meat, cheese, mushrooms etc.) or schabowy

(Wienerschnitzel-like pork chop).

Buy and wear vintage clothing – we

invented vintage before it was called vintage. You will �nd a shop bearing a sign

‘lumpeks’, ‘szmateks’, ‘odzież używana’ on

every corner.

Wojtek, PolandClubs in communist-style pavilions and their messy surroundings (no. 36) are perfect for what the locals call ‘melanż’ (wild party).

USE-IT tourist maps and budget guidesalso exist in Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Brussels, Łódź,... USE-IT is not commercial, no-nonsense, free, up-to-date and made by young locals.If you want to make the network bigger, see: WWW.USE-IT.INFO

I likeGazebo

MAZE UNDER RAILWAY STATION�e elaborate system of subterranean passages around the Central Railway Station connects it with: Centrum metro station, two smaller railway stations, the Złote Tarasy shopping centre and the Marriott Hotel, not to mention numerous bus and tram stops. It is a curse for all tourists arriving for the �rst time and there are many locals who �nd it hard to navigate around this maze. On the other hand, it is a blessing in winter and on rainy days. Try to make sense out of it with our handy map!

Em

ili Plater

Marszałkowska

Jana Pawła II

Aleje Jerozolimskie

Glamorous Stalinist interiors and music – the Palace has two good clubs in its bowels. CAFE KULTURALNA (entrance from ul. Marszałkowska, under the huge red arrows) in the foyer of Teatr Dramatyczny, is a cafe packed with young people on Friday and Saturday nights. �ey come here for concerts, poetry readings etc. CLUB 55 (entrance from Emilii Plater street, opposite the Intercontinental, through a gate) is a regular club in a former ballroom, famous for its Friday hip-hop-centred parties and the monthly night Sorry, Ghettoblaster.

16 STORM THE PALACE

PALACE OF CULTURE AND SCIENCE (Pałac Kultury i Nauki), built by Polish and Russian architects in the 1950s, is a cousin to Moscow’s famous „seven daugthers of Stalin” skyscrapers. For decades regarded as a symbol of Russian domination it is still equally loved and loathed. Icon of the city and an infallible orientation point. Seeing the panorama from the observation deck at the 30th �oor is a must and helps make sense of the city. Admire monstrous sculptures and check the time on the millennium clock. In the winter enjoy the ice skating rink by the northern entrance, which turns into a basketball court in the summer. Observation deck open daily September 16-May 31: 9-18, 1 July-15 September: 9-20, tickets: 20/15 zł. Entrance from ul. Marszałkowska side, ask at the reception for directions to the ticket booth.

15 STALIN’S WEDDING CAKE

PRZEKĄSKI ZAKĄSKI, better known as ‘Zakąski’ or ‘the Bistro’ is located in a defunct hotel opposite the posh Hotel Bristol and the Presidential Palace. Open 24 hours a day, it is a local institution that attracts a wide range of patrons: from bums and crazy old artists to young hipsters. Bistro o�ers a simple menu of classic Polish snacks (herring, sausage, and some other stu� that can’t be translated – 8 zł each) and drinks (beer, vodka, wine, co�ee, tea, soft drinks – all 4 zł). Wash the herring down with two shots of vodka for the ultimate Polish bar experience and admire the geriatric sta�. Warning: avoid the imitation on the other side of the building. Address: ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13

21 24 HOUR BISTRO

No longer the secret hipster central it was in the nineties, MIĘDZY NAMI still retains the reputation of an elite fashionista/celebrity/gay place. Perhaps because of the ‘members only’ sign still hanging at the door. In fact it is a casual place for lunch (great home-style lunch menus available till 4 p.m., under 20 zł for main course), co�ee (6,50) or beer (9). Shell out 36 zł for their beautiful in-house magazine with little text and lots of great photography. Open 10-23, Friday & Saturday till midnight. You can also check out two cool new bars in the courtyard behind Między Nami: 2/3 and HUŚTAWKA. Address: ul. Bracka 20

33 HIP LUNCH PLACE

Bearing a sword and a shield, the mermaid (SYRENA, syrenka) is the o�cial symbol of the city. �ere are lots of statues scattered around the city and you can’t avoid the one in the Old Town Square, but we prefer the one on the riverfront. Muscular and androgynous, it re�ects both the character of the city and its symbol – the bad-ass sister of the romantic and peaceful Copenhagen mermaid. �e statue, �nished in 1939, was modeled for by Krystyna Krahelska, a student who died tragically 5 years later in the uprising against Germans, adding a new dimension to the monument. �e surround-ing park, generally empty, is a good place for joggers and cyclers. Good view to the newish Świętokrzyski Bridge – one of the icons of modern Warsaw.

51 THE MERMAID

It is hard to believe now that before 1939 about 30% of Varsovians were Jewish. Now the only old synagogue remaining is the 100-year old SYNAGOGA NOŻYKÓW. Address: ul. Twarda 6

6 THE LAST SYNAGOGUE

Stroll along the freshly renovated Krakowskie Przedmieście street and look out for glass cubes with views of 18th century Warsaw created by the Venetian master Canaletto. You can see the original paintings at the Royal Castle, but in Krakowskie Przedmieście you can compare his vision with the way these places look now.

23 CANALETTO’S WARSAW

Pączek (pronounced 'poncheck'), the Polish doughnut, is everyone’s favourite pastry. To taste the best, join the queue in Chmielna street and buy a freshly baked pączek from CUKIERNIA PAWŁOWICZ. Address: ul. Chmielna 13

34 CHECK OUT MY PONCHECK

CZUŁY BARBARZYŃCA is Warsaw’s �rst – and perhaps still the best – café/bookshop, named as a tribute to the Czech author Bohumil Hrabal and its book 'Tender Barbarian'. Co�ee, cake and tons of good books, also in English, plus young crowd. For the illiterate – a giant swing hangs from the ceiling. Open: Mon-�u 10-22, Fri-Sat 10-24, Sun 12-22. Address: ul. Dobra 31

50 THE LITERATE BARBARIAN

CYKLOZA – a bar and meeting spot for all bicycle enthusiasts. Address: ul. Hoża 62

12 CYCLIST’S BAR

�ree terrace bars to choose from – all three o�er mainly grilled meat and beer, but even hardcore vegetarians will �nd a salad to nibble on and admire the relaxed atmosphere plus the views of the vast park below. Crowded on football nights (games shown on big LCD screens). Address: al. Na Skarpie

45 LICENSE TO GRILL

NUMERY LITERY (Numbers Letters) is a small and comfy café with a small but careful selection of books and magazines. Focus on art, interiors and �ction. One of our afternoon favourites.Address: ul. Wilcza 26

42 BOOKS BY NUMBERS

Adorned with paintings by one of the hippest contemporary Polish painters Marcin Maciejowski, PRZEGRYŹ (‘have a bite’) serves the best pierogi in town and other unbeatable Polish classics (duck, goose) plus pasta and salads, all at a�ordable prices (pierogi - 18 zł). Address: ul. Mokotowska 52

44 ART BITE

A gallery of sorts run by Bęc Zmiana Foundation is a meeting place and a natural starting point for everyone interested in culture. You will leave with your pockets stu�ed with lea�ets and a bag full of beautiful books. Address: ul. Mokotowska 65

43 EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

�e corner bar SZPILKA is open 23 hours a day (break between 6-7). Breakfast is also served 23 hours a day - it's your business what you choose to call morning. Address: pl. Trzech Krzyży 18

41 23-HOUR PARTY PEOPLE

It looks like a joke but in fact it’s a work of artist Joanna Rajkowska. Named “Greetings from the Jerusalem Avenue" it is meant to remind passers-by of the void left by the absence of the Jewish community from Warsaw. Erected as a temporary installation on a tra�c island in 2003 it became a landmark and stayed for good.

38 FAKE PALM TREE

One of the most hated places in the country for almost 40 years. Opened in 1951, o�cially named DOM PARTII (House of the Party) it was jokingly referred to as the White House. Ironically, after the fall of communism it was taken over by an arch-capitalist institution – the stock exchange. Now it is a normal o�ce building with some exceptional history. Address: ul. Nowy Świat 6/12

39 COMMUNIST PARTY HQ

Chopin is buried (shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Jim Morrisson) at the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, but his heart, smuggled to Poland by his sister, was deposited in the baroque Church of the Holy Cross (ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 3). You can also visit Chopin’s parents’ drawing room meticulously reconstructed in the Arts Academy (ASP) building next door(ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście, open: Monday-Friday 10-18).

55 I CHOPIN

MUZEUM NARODOWE (National Museum) is worth your visit at least for two reasons: its imposing architecture and the unique collection of excavations from Faras in Egypt. In 1960s Polish archaeologists discovered an excellently preserved ancient city of Pachoras. Admire the spellbinding early Christian frescoes and a model of a basilica. �e collection of Polish 19th and 20th century art is also notable. Some will appreciate the Polish Army Museum (Muzeum Wojska Polskiego). In true military spirit it 'temporarily' took over the eastern wing in 1930s and has not left since. Open: Tue-Sun 10-19, closed: Mon, tickets: 17/10, free on Saturdays – excluding temporary exhibitions.Address: Aleje Jerozolimskie 3

40 AS FARAS YOU CAN SEE

JADŁODAJNIA FILOZOFICZNA is famous for wild Friday and Saturday parties and good concerts of local indie bands. Best in the summer when the crowd spills out onto the common courtyard. Be prepared for some of the worst toilets in Warsaw's club land. Address: ul. Dobra 33/35

52 INDIE CLUB

When the bar Plan B got too popular to accomodate the punters and still keep the neighbours happy, its owners decided to open a bigger, neighbour-free place. Come to POWIĘKSZENIE (�e Extension) for evening drinks, concerts, theatre performances and parties.Address: ul. Nowy Świat 27

35 EXTENDED FUN

An exception on the tidy, chain-store-and-Starbucks-friendly Nowy Świat street, AMATORSKA is a cheap and messy dive populated by middle aged alcoholics, arty types and students who come round for a shot of vodka. Or two. Or more. Address: ul. Nowy Świat 21

37 LAST MAN STANDING

PAWILONY - a cluster of shabby pavilions in the back of the touristy Nowy Świat is one of the main meeting places for young people, catered to by a dozen or so funky bars. PEWEX is the oldest and perhaps still the best of them. Despite some signs of gentri�cation (sushi bar! air conditioning!), all places remain a�ordable. Enter the courtyard through two gates from Nowy Świat.

36 CHEAP AND CHIC BARS

�e UFO-shaped WARSZAWA POWIŚLE train station pavilion landed here in the 1960s and quickly fell into disrepair. In 2009 it was restored by Centrala architects and turned by three twentysome-things into a bar/cultural centre. Certainly one of the coolest bars in town. Address: Kruczkowskiego 3b

46 MODERNIST UFO BAR

�ere are not many vegetarian places in Warsaw and Poles are big on meat. �e VEGA BAR is one of the few exceptions. Popular with students, lunch menus 7-18 zł. For meat lovers, there's the Russian bar BABOOSHKA next door. Address: ul. Oboźna 9

54 VEGETARIAN OR RUSSIAN?

By March 2010 you will be able to visit the new CHOPIN CENTRE and a multimedia exhibition about his life and work in the neighbouring Ostrogski Palace. Address: ul. Tamka 43

49 CHOPIN-CENTRED

Sophie, BelgiumI love the view from ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKI BRIDGE towards the city. It's amazing, especially at night. If you want to discover Warsaw - rent a scooter, this is a good way to visit all great places in Warsaw in very short time.

Warsaw’s National Opera (OPERA NARODOWA) is almost 200 years old and so huge you could �t Milan's La Scala on its stage. Mariusz Treliński's radical interpreta-tions of classic repertoire are worth every penny and every minute of your attention, even if you are a complete opera ignorant. Address: pl. Teatralny 1

18 OPERA

It is hard to �nd a public toilet in Warsaw, but when you get there, it will be decent. For the best experience, shell out 1 złoty and visit the spanking new toilet in a restaurant pavilion at Skwer Hoovera, designed by JEMS, one of the most respected architects in the city and unveiled in the spring of 2009.

20 NEW LOO

Housed in a pompous �n-de-siecle building since 1901, ZACHĘTA is Warsaw's oldest contemporary art gallery. Exhibitions of leading Polish and foreign 20th and 21st century artists, an art book shop with a modest souvenir section. Open daily 12-20, closed Monday, free on �ursday.Address: pl. Małachowskiego 3

24 ZACHĘTA ART GALLERY

By day OBIEKT ZNALEZIONY ('objet trouvé') is a modestly priced (25 zł for soup+main course) lunch venue, by night it transforms into a beast – one of the most popular indie clubs in the city. In the basement of Zacheta gallery. Open daily from 12 p.m. Address: pl. Małachowskiego 3

25 OBIEKT OF DESIRE

�e dusty Ethnographic Museum, housing an enormous collection of folk costumes and handicrafts, has been undergoing a bit of a face lift lately. It may still take some time to revamp the permanent exhibition and the smelly loo, but at least the café is spot on. BíLÝ KONÍČEK (which means a white horse in Czech) serves co�ee and delicious meringue ('beza') in a beautifully decorated interior. Address: ul. Kredytowa 1

27 RIDE THE WHITE HORSE

If you're visiting Warsaw for communist nostalgia, then visit GRAŻYNKA. It's an old-school bar with plain food, cheap alcohol, middle-aged service and net curtains in the windows. Open Mon-Sat 10-22. Address: ul. Moniuszki 10

30 COMMUNIST FLAVOUR

Filled with students from the nearby university, KAFKA is famous not just for the co�ee and the beautiful interior, but also for the book-swap programme. You can bring your own book and exchange it for any book from the shelf. In warmer months borrow a deck chair from the bar and enjoy your co�ee in the sun on the lawn in front. Open daily 9-22. Address: ul. Oboźna 3

53 KAFKA CAFÉ

�e 1999 UNIVERSITY LIBRARY (Biblioteka Uniwersytecka) is one of the most loved modern buildings in Warsaw. With its great quality learning spaces, shops, cafés, a green internal street, green façade and an amazing roof garden with views of the city (free!), it gave birth to a social phenomenon of ‘buwing’ (pronounce: ‘booving’) – hanging out at the library for reasons other than reading. Unfortunately, you need a pass to enter the study spaces but you can take a peek inside from the roof. �e building is full of literary references, starting with seven gigantic open books on the façade along ul. Dobra. Open daily: 9-21, Sundays 15-20, roof garden open April-October 9-18.Address: ul. Dobra 56/66

56 GREEN LIBRARY

Stock up on beautifully packed pralines or have a cup of hot chocolate in the elegant old-fashioned E. WEDEL FLAGSHIP STORE . Ptasie Mleczko chocolates, invented by Wedel in the 1930s, are something you’ll want to take home. Address: ul. Szpitalna 8

31 CHOCAHOLIC CENTRAL

Jazz club for more conservative tastes, but one you can always rely on as it organises at least one concert per night. Open daily 18-4.Address: ul Mazowiecka 6/8

28 TYGMONT JAZZ CLUB

Frequented by taxi drivers, policemen, prostitutes and people who missed their night bus, the BAR BUS is, well, a bar in a bus, open only at night. You will not be able to get the kitchen smells o� your coat for days, but the 'Canadian-style sausages' (parówki po kanadyjsku) and the tea will do wonders to your alcohol drenched stomach. Look for a (formerly) white bus across the street from the Intercontinental tower.

9 NIGHT BAR BUS

Cafe in the daytime, cosy bar in the evenings and an all-round independent culture centre, with exhibitions, meetings, talks and concerts by up-and-coming local bands. Open to lots of ideas and people - you can see conservatives discussing downstairs, and gay activists meeting upstairs. Open daily 8-till late. Address: ul. Chłodna 25

3 CHŁODNA 25

POD CZERWONYM WIEPRZEM (Under the Red Swine) you can enjoy Polish culinary classics in a communist-themed decor. �e menu is full of ironic references to the good old days. Address: ul. Żelazna 68

2 RED MEAT

Not much is left of the Jewish ghetto walls, but you can see a bit in the courtyards of houses at ul. Złota 62 and ul. Sienna 55. Two bricks were taken out of the wall in Sienna to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, one from Złota is now displayed in the Yad Vashem Institute in Jerusalem, and one in Houston, Texas. Address: ul. Sienna 55

4 GHETTO WALLS

Glimmering new shopping centres may give HALA MIROWSKA a run for its money, but this century-old covered market is the mother of them all. �e bizarre selection of services it provides (from discount pharmacy to a dodgy gay disco in the basement) is a far cry from its former glory, but it still remains a beautiful example of �n-de-siecle civic architecture. �e fruit-and-veg market that surrounds it and �ower stalls by the main entrance are a real draw. �is is actually where Margaret �atcher bought tomatoes when she visited Warsaw in 1988. Address: pl. Mirowski 1

5 OLD COVERED MARKET

You probably won’t avoid the ZŁOTE TARASY (Golden Terraces) shopping centre. Some say it’s the de�nition of bad taste, some think it’s a wonder of architec-ture, we say that the glass roof is spectacular, especially when it rains. Open: Mon-Sat 10-22, Sun 10-20. Address: ul. Złota 59

10 GOLDEN WONDER

Marvel at the delightfully old-school museum of technology (MUZEUM TECHNIKI). Main attractions include a planetarium and the ‘glass maiden’ (szklana panienka) – glass model of a human body constructed by East German engineers. Open: Tue-Fri 9-17, Sat-Sun 10-17, closed Mondays, tickets: 10/5 zł, extra charges for the maiden and the planetarium.Address: pl. De�lad 1 (Palace of Culture and Science, entrance from Aleje Jerozolimskie)

14 GEEKY TECHNOLOGYMUSEUM

Completed in 2003, the METROPOLI-TAN o�ce building is British starchitect's Norman Foster (the one who built London's Gherkin) only work in this part of Europe. �e inner courtyard with a beautiful fountain is a draw. Address: pl. Piłsudskiego 1

19 NORMAN FOSTERBUILDING

MANDALA is a decent (if somewhat messy) Indian restaurant in the daytime and an alternative watering hole in the evening. Food served till 9 p.m.

11 INDIAN FOOD+ ALTERNATIVE CLUB

�e three arches of the non-existent Saski Palace are shelter to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier dedicated in the 1920s to the victims of WWI. In a miraculous twist of fate, the three arches survived also the Second World War. �ere's a story that Wehrmacht soldiers escaping Warsaw in 1945 simply refused to blow up this part of the building, as a sign of respect to soldiers buried there 20 years earlier. Address: pl. Piłsudskiego

22 UNKNOWN SOLDIERMONUMENT

SZCZOTKI I PĘDZLE (Brushes and Paintbrushes) is a small café which operates under the sign of an old shop that existed there for decades. It was established by two young mothers as a child-friendly place, but don't expect hordes of screaming toddlers. It is quiet and popular with students who come here for co�ee (from 4,50 zł), cake (6 zł) or breakfast (10 zł). Open daily: 10-22.Check out the beautifully designed children's magazine Czarodziejska Kura (the Magic Hen) ran by the owners' husbands. Address: ul. Tamka 45b

48 CHILDREN (AND ADULT)FRIENDLY CAFÉ

�e temporary space of MSN (Museum of Modern Art) is the coolest art space in town. It occupies a former furniture shop on the ground �oor of a 1960s concrete housing block. Check out the branch of Berlin's Pro QM art book shop and ask for info about exhibitions, meetings and other events organised by the MSN team around the city. Look out for a neon sign reading MUZEUM behind the InterContinetal Tower. Open Tue-Sun 12-20, no admission fee. Address: ul.Pańska 3

7 (CON)TEMPORARY ARTMUSEUM

Próżna means empty in Polish, and Próżna street literally is an empty one, lined by abandoned houses that used to form the vibrant Jewish neighbourhood. �eir ground �oors have been occupied by small hardware shops for decades. Among them you will �nd a new addition – the cosy CAFÉ PRÓŻNA. Address: ul. Próżna 12

17 CAFÉ IN AN ABANDONEDSTREET

TRAFFIC is an art nouveau department store turned into a multimedia megastore. Admire the stained glass inside depicting the history of fashion. Excellent meeting point when you’re not decided where to go next – sip co�ee and leaf through foreign press in weatherproof conditions. Open Mon-Sat 10-22, Sun 10-19. Address: ul. Bracka 25

32 FOUR STOREYS OF BOOKS,FILMS, MUSIC AND GAMES

One of the weirdest looking buildings in the city – the 190-metre tall INTERCONTI-NENTAL HOTEL has a huge hole on its lower �oors to allow daylight into neighbouring buildings. If you shell out 200 euros for a room, you can also enjoy a spectacular view of the city from the top �oor swimming pool. Address: ul. Emilii Plater 49

8 TOWER WITH A HOLEIN THE MIDDLE

Warsaw's graphic duo Twożywo take inspiration from constructivism and Bauhaus to create visually sophisticated and witty murals. �is one is a meditation on cleanliness, painted on the wall of a health centre. Address: ul. Żelazna 79

1 MURAL

Poles love hot and nutritious soup. �e local chain MARAK o�ers several sorts of soup (both local and international �avours) in three sizes – to keep you warm during those Polish winters. Price range: 4-18,50 zł, depending on size and �avour. Open Mon-Sat 10-22, Sun 11-21. Address: ul. Świętokrzyska 18

29 SOUP-ERB

Sick of sushi bars looking like a Japanese dental clinic? SKORUPKA SUSHI CAFE is the answer to your problem – savour sushi on funky vintage furniture. Miso soup – 10 zł, maki from 18 zł for a set of 6. Address: pl. Dąbrowskiego 2/4

26 VINTAGE SUSHI

After over 100 years in service the old fashioned stereotoscope (FOTOPLASTIKON) still entertains. �e collection includes over 3,000 original slides, including pictures documenting the opening of the Suez Canal, Spitzbergen expeditions, Princess Anne’s wedding, and �n-de-siecle Warsaw. Open daily (except Tuesday), 10-18, ticket: 1 zł. Address: Aleje Jerozolimskie 51 (through the gate, then right)

13 TIME MACHINE

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TEN MINUTES WALK20 4 6 8 10