48 hours in Warsaw – a capital packed with history

48 hours in Warsaw is the perfect length of time to get a good taste of the city. The Polish capital was my last stop on a road trip across the country. Two days was all we could spare and we packed them with history, food and shopping.

Staying in Praga

I was travelling with two friends and had found us a lovely apartment, adequately named “Apartment in the heart of Warsaw”. With 2 separate bedrooms, single beds and lots of space, it was perfect for 48 hours in Warsaw. The apartment sat in a posh residential building in the Praga neighbourhood, on the right bank of the Vistula river. Until not too long ago, any travel guide would list Praga as the edgy, even rough part of Warsaw. However, this has completely changed. As walked around, we saw old buildings converted into fancy flats and hipsters roaming the streets.

Evening walk and dinner

We arrived late on the day and as were itching to stretch the legs after a long train journey. So we dropped of our bags, agreed on the bedroom arrangements and headed out. We decided to walk to the old town for ease of finding a restaurant. A 10 minutes’ walk past the zoo and St Florian’s Cathedral took us to the Vistula River. Another 10 minutes took us to the centre of the old town.

We wanted to avoid the obvious tourist traps and walked down Krakowskie Przedmiescie. We were easily distracted by a little crafts market, but continued onto Ul Nowy Swiat to find a choice of restaurants. La Cantina, a cosy restaurant with a Mediterranean outlook, was our pick for that evening. After a week in Poland, we needed a break from pierogi! I opted for the daily specialty which was gnocchi with Mediterranean vegetables and had a lovely crème brûlé with a fruity twist for dessert. The walk back was just what we needed before winding down for the night.

Warsaw’s historic centre and old town

The next day we were keen to join the Free Walking Tour of the historic centre so we needed to crack on. We decided to have breakfast in the old town to make sure we were in time for the tour. Green Caffè Nero seemed like a good choice since it was very close to the starting point of the tour. I asked for porridge (my favourite breakfast staple). The staff gave me a blank look and frowned at each other. “Oats?” I tried “oatmeal?”. This is where free roaming comes in handy. Google translate brought relief. One of the waiters enthusiastically pulled a bag of porridge oats out of the cupboard and signalled I should take a seats. A few minutes later, the below delicacy arrived.

The free walking tour is something I’d recommend to anyone who just arrives in a town. The quality of the guides is in my experience very good and it is a great way to find your bearings. We got a flavour of the communist history of Warsaw, the second World War and the former Jewish ghetto.

The tour lasted two hours and when we finished we were ready for lunch. Once again we walked down Krakowskie Przedmiescie until we spotted a small place called Ceprownia. The interior felt like an alpine chalet – very warm and cosy. I ordered potato pancakes with salmon. They came with an extensive side salad and were delicious.

Warsaw – the city of Chopin

Warsaw is the city of Chopin and no visit is complete without going to the museum dedicated to the composer. My two friends and I quickly lost each other and wandered through the rooms at our own pace, taking in Chopin’s concertos that can be listened to at various stations and learning about his life and music.

There are also Chopin “benches” spread around the city where people can sit and listen to a piece of music after pushing a button. We encountered a few and really like the concept.

Shopping in Warsaw

48 hours in Warsaw are not complete without a few hours of good old shopping! After exiting the museum we decided it was time to hit the shops. The largest concentration of shops is around the Central Station so we walked over. We were keen to check out Reserved, a Polish clothing brand that is opening lots of high street shops across Europe.  We spent several hours around the shops, including a quick coffee break, and it was only when we started to get hungry that we realised it was getting late (so shops in Poland stay open late which is very convenient). I am a Hard Rock Café fan and I informed my friend that the Warsaw outlet turned out to be just around the corner. So our dinner was a delicious burger.

The walk back was just a bit too long to our liking, so we opted for the tram. We jumped on the tram at Central Station and were back in Praga in no time.

Jewish history and WWII  

The next day we decided on a lay-in and leisurely breakfast. My friend had Praskie Bistro online which was just around the corner. The menu is small and so are the servings (I ordered a second portion of their sweet pancakes). That said, the food is very nice and the value for money is fair.

We were keen to dive into the history of Warsaw. I had received two recommendations for must-see museums form a Polish colleague: the Jewish Museum and the Museum of the Uprising. They are both great and kept us busy all day. Both were quite far away from our apartment so we took the tram across the river to gain some time.

The Museum of the Uprising covers Poland during the second World War. The focus is on the infamous Warsaw Uprising instigated by the Polish Resistance toward the end of the war. We then had a quick (and late) sandwich lunch in the Jewish museum and spent several hours going the exhibits of Jewish history in Poland. Both museums are excellent and must-sees for anyone visiting Warsaw.

We found a nice wine bar on the way back and had a dinner of prosecco with a cheese and meat selection.

Memories of life under Communism  

On our final day, we wanted to learn more about the communist history of Poland. We had discovered a small museum focusing on life under communism at walking distance from the flat and in the right direction for catching the train to the airport.

After another delicious breakfast at Praskie we set off. The museum cannot be compared with the breadth of information in the Museum of the Uprising and the Jewish Museum. One hour will do for a visit. However, the entry fee is low and the quirky exhibits are well worth a look. The museum is hidden in a back road of Praga (it actually took us a while to find it). This part of town is still breathing communist legacy.

Extending your stay in Poland?

After 48 hours in Warsaw, are you up for exploring more in Poland? Check out my posts on “48 hours in Gdansk” and “Visiting Malbork Castle” for more inspiration.