With regular flights, excellent restaurants, and world-class museums, palaces, and parklands, Warsaw is a vibrant European capital, perfect for a weekend getaway. Here are some suggestions for a great two-day Warsaw itinerary.
Warsaw mural
Any Cold War preconceptions about Warsaw are now well out of date. Though the city retains its sense of flinty independence, it is also thriving, with historical and cultural things to do, as well as great nightlife and places to eat. Poland, as a whole, is fantastic value for money, and – thanks to regular airline routes and an intelligent local transport system – it is easy to reach for a packed weekend break, at any time of year.
This itinerary is based around flights from London Heathrow, which land at Kraków Airport at 5.20pm on Friday evening, then departs the following Monday at 12.55pm, giving two full days and plenty of relaxed time for transit on either side.
A similar timetable is possible from many European airports. You could also fly budget from Luton and arrive at 6.30pm, returning late on Monday afternoon.
In contrast to our more rigorously-structured two-day and three-day itineraries, this offers a looser, more improvised approach, so you can follow your interests and whims. This itinerary appreciates that visitors have different tastes and needs for a weekend break. Rather than rushing through a checklist, this encourages a more leisurely pace, with lots of exploration and coffee breaks. Warsaw is not as walkable as Kraków, but the transport system is smart and you can get pretty much anywhere within 20 minutes.
The Palace of Culture and Science
Some Things to Keep In Mind About Exploring Warsaw
Whilst Warsaw’s Old Town area is largely pedestrianised, most of the city is very traffic heavy with a grid of six-lane roads carving up other areas. Waiting to cross the street gets a bit tedious and can dent your schedule if you walk everywhere. Instead, we recommend you get to grips with Warsaw’s excellent public transport system and use it to move more efficiently from place to place.
All the same, you are bound to do a lot of walking, so make sure you wear comfortable footwear, and take advantage of bars and cafes. Also, be prepared for a sudden change of weather, and change your plans accordingly. The cliché is of cold and snow, but the city is just as likely to be hot and sunny. The wide streets also mean it can be very windy.
Tourism isn’t as much of a problem here as in Kraków, where things can get very crowded. In fact, you may find bigger queues during the off-season, when locals prefer to head indoors. On the other hand, attractions like the Royal Castle will always be popular with large groups. Mostly, tickets are timed to ensure an efficient flow of visitors. It makes sense to book in advance.
It’s also worth considering which area of the city you stay in, as this bears on how much time you have available for your preferred activities. Our Where To Stay In Warsaw page links to recommended accommodation for different budgets. This weekend itinerary works best with accommodation in one of the central Śródmieście (downtown) districts, or the Old Town.
If it’s a special occasion or you’re just looking to splash out a bit, we recommend the Hotel Verte or the Nobu Warsaw. Both are well located and are fantastic examples of high-end Warsaw style.
For a more modest budget, I like the Motel One, directly opposite the Chopin Museum.
It’s not possible to see everything in a couple of days, so focus on the things that interest you the most. If you’d prefer to have your time managed, there are some really excellent introductory tours available. All are fluent in English – and other languages – and will help get you up to speed on Warsaw’s extraordinary history, with entertaining stories and helpful recommendations. These can serve as a general introduction to the city or focus on specific aspects, such as food and drink, or around certain attractions. We’ve made some suggestions below.
English isn’t spoken as widely or as fluently here as in Kraków, but it won’t often be a problem, especially at the main attractions. Don’t take it personally if you’re on the receiving end of some frostiness or impatience.
Cards and contactless are accepted practically everywhere. Try to carry a bit of currency, however, for toilets, tips, and occasional cash-only transaction.
Many restaurants cater to a range of dietary restrictions, including vegetarian and gluten-free. Vegan options are widely available.
Warsaw Old Town at night
Friday: Arrival
In our example, the Friday afternoon flight from London Heathrow arrives at Warsaw Chopin Airport at 5.20pm. If you book a private transfer to meet your plane or make the 10km journey to the city centre by train, you can expect to be checked into your accommodation by 7.30pm. See our guide for how to get from the airport to Kraków city centre for full details.
Once you’ve dropped off your luggage and freshened up, it’s time to find somewhere for an evening meal. Warsaw is full of excellent restaurants, with exciting new additions all the time, as well as a number of Michelin-listed eateries. See our list of recommendations and Warsaw restaurants map to find somewhere near to where you are staying.
Warsaw Holiday Essentials
- Where To Stay In Warsaw: Find available Warsaw hotels on Booking.com – you can usually reserve with no upfront payment. Pay when you check out and, if necessary, cancel for free.
- Things To Do In Warsaw: Get to know Warsaw with a professional guided tour – Get Your Guide has a large range of activities, including river tours and day trips.
- Flights to Warsaw: Find Warsaw flights with 12go - a single search shows times and prices from all available airlines for your trip, saving you time and money.
- Warsaw Packing List: Don’t forget to take any of the essentials with our comprehensive Packing List For Poland.
- Travel Insurance: World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
A good area to try is Nowy Świat, the former Royal Route, leading to the Old Town. This street contains dozens of restaurants and bars, including Bursztynowa Bistro and Oto! Sushi.
Further up, in the Raffles Europejski Hotel on Krakowskie Przedmiescie, are two Michelin-listed restaurants – the Europejski Grill and Epoka.
The streets south of the Palace of Culture and Science are also full of restaurant choices. Try Żebra i Kości on Poznanska, for example, or Nolita on ul. Wilcza.
There’s a concentration of bars and clubs to the east of the Palace of Culture and Science through to Nowy Świat, including Pijana Wiśnia and PiwPaw Beer Heaven. Mazowiecka is one of Warsaw’s main streets for clubbing. See our Warsaw Nightlife Guide for suggestions to start you off.
Restaurants tend to close around 10pm, but bars will generally stay open until 1-2am and clubs like Room 13 kick out early next morning.
A Warsaw food tour is an excellent introduction to the city while learning about local culture with the insight of a knowledgeable guide.
If you’re in a party mood, there are many kinds of drinking tours, from pub crawls to vodka and craft beer tasting and other seasonal specials. Check with GetYourGuide to see what’s currently on offer.
Warsaw Mermaid
Saturday: Warsaw Old Town and Royal Castle
Your first full day is all about getting to know Warsaw’s reconstructed Old Town – it’s difficult to believe that this area lay in complete ruins at the end of the Second World War. Lovingly and carefully rebuilt, the story of the Old Town is a fitting a symbol of the city’s character.
Rather than cram the day with activities, we’ve chosen a looser, more leisurely approach, with pointers, rather than a strict itinerary. Take your time and follow your nose.
If you are more comfortable with a structured day, or simply want to cram in as much as possible, there are lots of comprehensive tours available. These will introduce you to the highlights and give all the necessary background in a concise and entertaining way. You can book some great Warsaw guided tours in advance through GetYourGuide and read feedback from genuine participants, to make sure you know exactly what to expect.
This longer, more comprehensive full-day tour of Warsaw takes in most of the attractions listed below, including the Old Town, Royal Castle, Palace of Science and Culture, and Wilanów Palace Gardens.
To Lubię
9.00am: Breakfast: To Lubię
Well-placed to the north of the Old Town, and just outside the tourist zone, To Lubię is a cosy cafe located in one of the towers of St. Hyacinth’s Church. With a continental breakfast of cheese and meats, with warm rolls and croissants, and a delicious tea or coffee, you can eat outside on the pretty street if the weather is good. The cafe also specialises in Dominican mead.
You can reach the café from the centre of Warsaw by getting a bus to the Plac Krasińskich 02 stop, walking back down plac Krasińskich and turning left into Długa. Here, you’ll pass one of Warsaw’s 15 Chopin Benches – monuments to the composer scattering around the city – and the Monument to the Warsaw Rising.
Walk until you reach Freta and you’ll see To Lubię ahead to the left. The walk takes 5 minutes.
Once you’re done with breakfast, you could take a brief detour along Freta into the so-called New Town. You’ll find a museum dedicated to Marie Curie, a market square, and some attractive shops and bars. St. Hyacinth’s is a Dominican church with a fine, white Baroque interior, and is definitely worth a quick look.
Warsaw Royal Castle
10.00am: Old Town Wandering
Once fortified, the morning is dedicated to exploring Warsaw’s Old Town. Most of the highlights are covered on our dedicated Warsaw Old Town page. These include: Warsaw Barbican and fortifications, the Museum of Warsaw and Heritage Interpretation Centre, the Market Square with its famous mermaid statue, The Little Insurgent monument, St. John’s Archcathedral, and St Anne’s Church, overlooking Castle Square.
If you walk back down past the cafe and look ahead, you’ll see the red brick curve of the Barbican at the end of the road. You can enter the Old Town through the passageway, but first take a short detour into Mostowa, to the left of the Barbican. The last house on the right (number 9) has some pretty 1960 Communist murals on three of its walls, by the artist Zofia Czarnocka-Kowalska. There are some other murals on buildings in this street.
Warsaw’s Old Town is compact and blocked in on all sides by fortification walls, so it’s difficult to get lost. There are some pretty side streets and surprising visual details all over. So, spend the next few hours leisurely getting to know your way around and any of the museums or churches that appeal to you. There are plenty of places to stop off for coffee and snacks. Parts of the western side near the main square overlook the river, so don’t be afraid to step away from the main streets.
Cafe Zamek interior
1.00pm: Lunch: Café Zamek
You’ll find plenty of restaurants around the Market Square but we recommend, Café Zamek, built into the castle complex itself. The entrance is less than a minute away on plac Zamkowy. Facing the Castle Square entrance to the Royal Castle, turn left and follow the castle walls around. You should see Café Zamek ahead at the other side of this small square.
There is a powerful but faded aristocratic charm about the restaurant’s antique furniture and chandeliers. The menu features Polish classics and there are fine cakes and coffee to be had. Best of all, the terrace looks out over the castle grounds and the Vistula river, which is great in the warmer season. You’ll pay a little bit extra here but it’s generally worth it.
The Castle Square view from St. Anne’s bell tower
2.00pm: St. Anne’s Church
Sometimes considered the cathedral of Warsaw, St. Anne’s rich baroque interior is spectacular, and the church has several features unique to Warsaw. The splendour of the church aside, the adjacent bell tower is one of Warsaw’s must-see attractions, as it gives a panoramic view of the city and one of the photogenic perspectives of the Old Town.
You’ll find the church on the south side of Castle Square, roughly 5 minute’s walk from Café Zamek, at the top of Krakowskie Przedmiescie, the road leading up to the Old Town. See our guide to St. Anne’s Church, Warsaw, for full details.
The Great Assembly Hall
2.30pm: Warsaw Royal Castle
Originally dating back to the 14th century, and remodelled as a royal residence in the late 16th century, Warsaw Castle was was destroyed by the occupying Nazis in 1944, as a specific act of revenge for the Warsaw Uprising. What you see today is a meticulous reconstruction from 1971, with authentic items reclaimed for the interiors. In 1980, the Royal Castle and Warsaw Old Town were granted UNESCO World Heritage status. The almost miraculous rebirth of the Castle makes it powerful symbol of the city’s resilience and Poland’s independence.
We have a complete walkthrough of Warsaw Royal Castle, so you have some idea of what to expect, with practical information on visiting.
Please note: the castle closes at 5.00pm. Two-and-a-half hours should be enough time to have a good look round, but go earlier if you’d prefer to spend the whole afternoon. To get the most from this attraction, we recommend you take part in a professional guided tour of Warsaw castle.
Copernicus Monument
5.00pm: Krakowskie Przedmiescie
No doubt you’ll be looking forward to a rest and a sit down by now. Leading south of the Old Town are the two main streets of the original Royal Route, where the court entourage would process from the palace at Wilanów. Krakowskie Przedmiescie, in particular, is of historical interest, whereas the area around Nowy Świat is full of restaurants and bars. Feel free to wander down here until you find somewhere to stop off for a break. You may decide to stay in the area for a meal.
hub.praga
7.00pm: Dinner And Nightlife: Praga
Alternatively, you may want a complete change of scene on the other side of the Vistula river. The post-industrial Praga district can be a little hard to navigate but there’s plenty to uncover.
For food, head to the Koneser factory complex, a vast industrial space, converted into restaurants, shops, and bars. There is plenty of choice, including the Michelin Bib Gourmand nominated Koneser Grill for good quality and value. You can also visit the excellent Polish Vodka Museum while you’re there. Praga’s excellent hub.praga is also Michelin listed.
If you arrive a little earlier in the evening, you can unlock the secrets of Praga with a guided tour.
Once you’ve eaten, you can spend the rest of the evening at the eccentric W Oparach Absurdu bar – which retains some of the ‘edginess’ of Praga’s legend. They have a good range of craft beers and you can sit outside when the nights are warm. Lots of live music too. Make sure you bring cash, though, as they don’t accept cards here.
Getting to Praga will depend on where you’re coming from and which part of the district you want to explore. There’s a Metro station (Dworzec Wileński) on the M2 line, a 12-minute walk from the Koneser complex. And you can get buses and trams from one of the Stare Miasto transit stops close to the Castle to the Rzeszotarskiej stop in Praga. In this case, however, it might be best to get a cab direct to the Koneser factory complex.
Synagogue bimah
Sunday: Choice Of Museums Or Parks And Palace of Culture and Science
Your second full day offers of a choice of Warsaw’s main museums or royal parks, based on your own personal tastes, followed by one of the city’s must-see experiences: at trip to the 30th-floor viewing platform in the Palace of Culture and Science.
Again, it’s possible to fit in an extra museum but we prefer the leisurely approach, with plenty of stops for drinks and treats.
Due to the looser nature of this itinerary, there are few instructions for how to find each place, but Warsaw has an excellent public transport system. Services like Google Maps are generally reliable, but I personally prefer to use the dedicated Jakdojade journey planner – see our Getting Around Warsaw page for details.
9.00am: Breakfast
Where you start the day will depend largely on which attraction you choose. Most museums have a cafe on-site or in close proximity. You can use our Warsaw restaurants map to find places to eat.
If you’re starting from the centre of town, Charlotte Menora on Próżna has a variety of baked French breakfasts, while Aioli on Świętokrzyska has a variety of Italian and English-influenced breakfasts.
Alternatively, ask at your hotel for a recommendation. You’re bound to get some excellent suggestions.
Lake at Łazienki Park
10.00am: Choice Of Museum Or Park
Warsaw has a number of excellent attractions, including world-class museums and historical parks (if the weather is good). Pick from one of the following:
- Warsaw Rising Museum: One of the city’s most compelling museums, Warsaw Rising tells the story of the Polish underground and the 63-day resistance against the Germany occupation. It is an emotional and oddly inspiring experience and hugely recommended.
- Łazienki Park: It surprises many people how green many parts of Warsaw are. If you’re visiting during fine weather and want to stay outside, then Łazienki Park is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. This 76-hectares space is less than 20 minutes away from the city centre and is full of things to see. It should be considered one of the top 5 things to do in Warsaw. A number of tours of Łazienki Park are available, often combined with visits to other attractions, such as Wilanów Palace. They usually include a hotel pickup and handle all tickets.
- POLIN Museum of the History of the Polish Jews: An award-winning attraction housed in one of Warsaw’s most fantastic buildings, the museum ambitiously tackles the entire millennium of the Jewish experience in the country. The complexities of history are well dramatised through the very design of the galleries. Entry comes with a good audioguide. However, nothing beats taking part in a professional tour. These will often include hotel pickup and take you around the remains of the Warsaw Ghetto.
- Copernicus Science Centre: The Copernicus Science Centre is a fun, hands-on museum, designed principally to give kids a practical engagement with scientific principles. The Centre also has a Planetarium and free rooftop garden with impressive views.. Places can sell out in advance, so check to see if Get Your Guide has any skip-the-line tickets available.
- Fryderyk Chopin Museum: Virtuoso pianist and Romantic composer Fryderyk Chopin was a key creative figure in Poland’s quest for independence. This state-of-the-art museum takes a comprehensive look at his life and work within a splendid palace building. Several excellent Chopin tours of Warsaw include the museum.
- National Museum: Poland’s largest museum has a dizzying 830,000 items in its collection to choose from. A showcase of the country’s artistic heritage, the National Museum also features a unique collection of Medieval Nubian painting and works from many other countries.
- Wilanów Palace: Built in the 17th century, this Baroque royal palace and grounds was the residence of King Jan III Sobieski with opulent rooms and exquisite gardens. A guided tour of Wilanów Palace remains the best way to experience one of Poland’s key attractions, especially if it includes pick-up and transport.
You could also opt for the brand-new Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, which offers visitors a chance to engage with cutting-edge art in a striking new architectural space. However, this is only open from midday, so you would need to rearrange the day’s schedule or squeeze it in before visting the Palace of Culture and Science, which sits next to it.
SZUM
1.00pm: Lunch
As with breakfast, where you decide to have your lunch will depend on where you happen to be. The Warsaw food scene is truly excellent, so you’ll find somewhere good close to most attractions. See our list of Restaurants In Warsaw for some recommendations and a map.
Having said that, the area south of the Palace of Culture and Science has a fantastic choice of places to eat. Try Nolita or Nobu on ul. Wilcza for something more upmarket or Beef and Pepper for a properly cooked Polish steak.
The Palace of Culture and Science
3.00pm: Palace of Culture and Science
For good or ill, Stalin’s ‘gift’ to Warsaw remains a defining landmark of the city and no first-time visit is complete without an elevator ride to the viewing platform on the 30th floor. But there’s much more to this vast building than just the observation deck. It houses theatres, museums, cinemas, bars, cafes, and even a public swimming pool.
So, rather than just making a quick trip to the top, why not spend a bit of time exploring what else there is to see? Here, we strongly recommend taking part in a tour of the Palace of Culture and Science, which gives you access to areas that most of the public don’t get to see. It’s a fascinating insight into the history of the building. We have a full walkthrough on our dedicated Warsaw Palace of Culture and Science page.
Kulturalna
6.00pm: Dinner And Nightlife
Once you are done, you can wind down the weekend with a meal, some drinks, and perhaps some live music. With an atmospheric retro feel and arty ambience, Kulturalna will satisfy all three and is located on the ground floor of the Palace of Culture and Science. It is open until midnight on Sundays.
To really go out with a bang, try the Bond-lair vibes of the astonishing Warszawska. The food is Polish and prepared to a high standard, based on seasonal ingredients.
Warsaw Chopin Airport
Monday: Departure
With our hypothetical example, the flights back to London Heathrow leave Warsaw Airport at 12.55pm, enough for a leisurely breakfast, and perhaps even a bit of a lie-in. You’ll probably want to checkout about 9.30am, to leave plenty of time for getting to the airport and passing through security.
The simplest option is to book a private transfer directly from your accommodation to departures, without any of the bustle and stress of catching the train.
There are a few options for lunch once you get there, so you can board the plane without a rumbling stomach. See our guide to Warsaw Airport for details of what to expect.
The ease of transport, value for money, and the wealth of things to see, do, eat, and drink make Warsaw a brilliant weekend destination at any time of year.
Warsaw Map
Plan your Warsaw visit with Warsaw map of Warsaw’s attractions, restaurants, sightseeing and hotels.
Each type of landmark has a different colour marker on the map:
- YELLOW: Warsaw Sightseeing
- BLUE: Warsaw Hotels
- RED: Warsaw Places To Eat – Michelin restaurants are DARK RED
- ORANGE: Warsaw Nightlife
- PURPLE: Shopping In Warsaw
- GREEN: Warsaw Transportation
Click on a marker and it will give you the name of the landmark, with a brief description and links for more information and directions. You can pan, scroll, and zoom around the map, or use the + or – buttons in the bottom left of the map to zoom in and out.
Click on the icon in the top left corner for an index of every location, sorted by category. Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want. Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
Each category is on a different layer, which can be switched on and off. So you can just see the Hotel or Restaurant pins, for example.
If you are using the map on your phone, open the Visit Warsaw map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.
Warsaw Itineraries
See our range of itineraries to suit your stay in Warsaw:
- Warsaw One-Day Itinerary
This tour is for visitors to Warsaw with limited time who want to get a flavour of the city. Here, you’ll find a window into the history and culture of Warsaw. - Warsaw Two-Day Itinerary
Warsaw is packed with things to do, but you can still see a lot in two days. This itinerary is perfect for getting the most out of two full days, such as a long weekend. - Warsaw Weekend Itinerary
With regular flights, excellent restaurants, and world-class museums, palaces, and parklands, Warsaw is a vibrant European capital, perfect for a weekend getaway. This itinerary contains suggestions for a great getaway Warsaw itinerary. - Warsaw Three-Day Itinerary
This three-day schedule includes many key attractions, such as the Royal Route and the Old Town, as well as a mix of classic and contemporary Warsaw. But a day trip to Kraków is also part of this itinerary. - Sightseeing In Warsaw
This page summarises the key attractions you won’t want to miss during your trip to Warsaw, with information on how to visit them. - Things To Do In Warsaw
This page is full of suggestions for some essential and fun things to see and do in Warsaw. Here, we offer an overview of different activities and link out to where you can find out more information.
Start Planning Your Warsaw Trip Now!
:: Get to know Warsaw with a professional guided tour – Get Your Guide has a large range of activities, including harbour tours and day trips.
:: Find available Warsaw hotels on Booking.com – you can usually reserve with no upfront payment. Pay when you check out and, if necessary, cancel for free.
:: Find Warsaw flights with 12go - a single search shows times and prices from all available airlines for your trip, saving you time and money.
:: An airport transfer is the hassle-free way to arrive. A driver will meet you in Arrivals and take you direct to your hotel.
:: World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
