We spent a day exploring the Polish capital, Warsaw on our Polish road trip. We started with Poland’s tallest building, the Palace of Culture and Science, before wandering through the park to the historic Old Town.
Getting around Warsaw
We explored Warsaw on foot. My itinerary covers a distance of a couple of miles, with lots to see along the way.
Where to stay in Warsaw
We stayed at the Mamaison Residence Diana. It’s a lovely hotel. The building is 19th Century, but inside is sleek and modern with well equipped apartments. The hotel is tucked down a side street, so we found it rather difficult to locate. There is on site parking, although reaching it involved driving down a pedestrian street and through an archway a few centimetres wider than the car. Once you’ve found it, the hotel is conveniently located, just a 10 minute walk from the Palace of Culture and Science.
Warsaw in 1 Day Itinerary
| Day 1 | Palace of Culture and Science Warsaw Ghetto Wall Saxon Park Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Old Town Royal Castle St John’s Cathedral Dinner at Specjaly Regionalne Accommodation: Mamaison Residence Diana |
Palace of Culture and Science
We start our sightseeing at the Palace of Culture and Science; an enormous building – the tallest in Poland. Gifted by the Soviet Union in the 1950s, it is true to Stalin’s crazy gothic/socialist realist style.
You can take a lift to the 30th floor to admire the view of the city. However, it takes forever to reach the front of the lift queue due to the huge number of people and our inability to hold our ground in a crowd. Eventually, we reach the top and can admire the views. The wait to descend takes even longer.
The Viewing Terrace is open daily from 10 am until 8 pm. An adult tickets costs 28 PLN (around £5.80).
Once down, the old man decides to visit an exhibition of metal sculptures. I opt instead to take a walk around the building. The fact is, it’s so tall, I’ve completely misjudged how big it as ground level (it houses a range of theatres, a cinema, museums, restaurants, bars and clubs). Walking round the base takes quite a while.
Warsaw Ghetto Wall
On the way round, I pass a plaque which marks the remains of the Warsaw Ghetto Wall.
Twenty minutes later, I have completed my circumnavigation of the Palace of Culture and Science to find the old man sitting on the steps waiting and huffing.
Saxon Park
Next stop the old town, via the pretty Saxon Park with its lakes and gardens.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The park also houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tomb was erected after WW1 and contains the unidentified body of a young soldier who fell during the Defence of Lwów. It is lit by an eternal flame and has a military guard. There is a changing of the guard on the hour every hour.
Old Town
We wander round the Old Town, which is very picturesque. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the area, which can trace its origins back to the 13th Century, was almost totally destroyed during World War II.
Royal Castle
The huge, red brick Royal Castle dates back several centuries, although the current building is a post-war reconstruction.
It is possible to visit the royal apartments and various galleries within the castle, as well as the royal gardens. Further details can be found here.
St John’s Cathedral
St John’s Cathedral, another post war reconstruction, was originally built in the 13th century and has been the site of royal coronations and other national celebrations.
Dinner at Specjaly Regionalne
After taking plenty of photos, we stop for dinner at Specjaly Regionalne; excellent local cuisine including duck pierogi washed down with a Polish beer or two.
Accommodation: Mamaison Residence Diana
Back to tonight’s hotel; the very pleasant Mamaison Residence Diana, which is clean, comfortable and centrally located.
- Trip taken: May 2019
- Updated: October 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
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