Although the best areas to stay in Warsaw are Srodmiescie and Stare Miasto, these are not the only ones we recommend.
Warsaw is a very different city from all the others in Poland Not exactly because it is the capital of the country, but because of how it has come to be.
The World War II , with the German occupation, with the terrible consequences of the days of the Uprising of 1944, with the mark of the Soviet past and the one of their old constructions that have survived; they left on their streets a m peculiar mixture of gothic restored , of Stalinist concretes to which has been added the steel and the glass of the new vanguard architecture of today.
A Warsaw , you must go in summer, with the best of times, to discover a very little known heritage, to enjoy its green areas and to let yourself be dragged by its European and oriental food at the same time. Warsaw is only for those who want the genuine.
The best areas to stay in Warsaw
There are many districts that are perfect for to sleep in Warsaw , however, almost a dozen of them promise an added value that should certainly be valued.
Some are very close to the attractions and what there is to see in the Polish capital; others provide accommodation options Warsaw with a balance between prices and quality very interesting Some areas are perfect to stay in Warsaw with good access to the most recommended leisure and dining options.
Our selection of areas where to stay in Warsaw includes the areas of Sródmiescie and Stare Miasto in the city centre, the part of Wola, the neighbourhoods of Prague Poludnie and Prague Północ and those of Mokotow, Zoliborz and Wilanow.Let’s go by parts, let’s see what the district of Sródmiescie has to offer.
1.Sródmiescie
Next to Stare Miasto, Sródmiescie is the best area to stay in Warsaw.This district borders on a short stretch of one of the banks of the Vistula River and is the centre, centre of Warsaw.
It is a shopping area and where you can find mainly main headquarters of companies and public and government buildings of the city and the country.it is also the location of cultural and educational institutions such as the University of Warsaw and Warsaw University of Technology.
If you want to see the key historical sites, you should include in a travel guide the Palace of Culture and Science , Ulica Bednarska Street, the Ogród Saski, the Column of Sigismund and, of course, the Royal Castle of Warsaw.
The Palace of Culture is a building from the time of socialist Poland dedicated to Stalin that was completed in 1955 and is a clear example of Soviet architecture, as it is almost a copy of the Moscow University.
A symbolic building that the Poles hated for what it represented as an (imposing) example of Soviet domination, especially with its central tower that was, with its 237 meters, the highest building in Warsaw. Today it is still one of the highest in the European Union.
At the foot of the Palace of Culture and Science is the Parade Square, the place where the most important events and gatherings of the Soviet era took place in Warsaw.
Ulica Bednarska is one of the key streets in the centre of Warsaw, originally a ravine and a rubbish dump, then, in the 19th century, it became a bohemian area.
Today it is one of the streets that allows you to move around the centre of the capital.The Ogród Saski is an impressive public park built in the 18th century in the style of English gardens and was designed by James Savage, a renowned British landscape architect.
The park covers more than 15 hectares and includes 21 baroque sculptures, a monumental fountain, a palace, the Blue Palace , memorials and a tomb of the unknown soldier.
The best time to enjoy this huge green area is undoubtedly in summer, ideal for family picnics, to make a stop on the way between visits in the center of Warsaw.
The Column of Sigismund is one of the icons of the city of Warsaw, was built in 1644 in memory of King Sigismund II, is located in the Castle Square, next to the Royal Palace And since we speak of the Royal Palace , say that the construction is a must in Warsaw.
The imposing building was the royal seat until 1795. It is a building of baroque-neoclassical style, with a characteristic red colour, its central tower with a dome ending in an onion bulb is striking and, at present, it is the seat of the Polish Foundation of History and Culture that has fitted out the palace as a museum, the so-called Castle Museum.
In the district, you can also see the Powazki Cemetery which houses the tombs of very important personalities of the country. It is the most important cemetery in Poland in many ways.
To move by transport from or to Sródmiescie , you can choose to use the metro which runs through the city from north to south and has stops in this district. The bus is also recommended, but if you are going in a hurry, it is best to use the tram which has preferential passage in the congested streets of central Warsaw during rush hours.
Warsaw’s metropolitan transport network is divided into two zones and there are combined tickets for different types of transport that can be purchased from vending machines and, best of all, from many hotels.
Sródmiescie is perfect, as mentioned, for those who prefer to stay in Warsaw on foot than there is to see in the city .There is a wide range of hotels of all categories although the prices are significantly higher on average than those of other districts that we also recommend to sleep in Warsaw.
– Accommodation in Śródmieście
2.Stare Miasto
If Śródmieście is the administrative centre of Warsaw, Stare Miasto is the historical centre , the oldest part of the city.The district extends along one of the banks of the Vistula River and the references are, without a doubt, the streets Grodzka, Mostowa and Podwale , streets that are also key to make purchases .
In them, you can find boutiques and brand shops, as well as restaurants and cafes with quite charm .It is a perfect place to walk on footpaths.
In restaurants, you can order something typical of Warsaw cuisine , for example starters: barszcz czerwony, a kind of broth with beetroot; grochówka, a pea puree; a flaki wolowe, another soup, in this case based on tripe; or a zurek, more soup, here with rye flour, potatoes and sausage.
Stare Miasto was the historical location of , the market square The space has reached the present day, the four sides of the square have different names, each one carrying the name of an illustrious person who lived in the buildings on its side.
This effort to faithfully recover what was Stare Miasto was rewarded in 1980, when the neighborhood was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site The arrangement of the square still recalls the Dutch influence, not surprisingly it was designed by the Dutch architect Tylman van Gameren.
Finally, do not leave out the visit to St. John’s Cathedral , rebuilt after the war with the appearance it must have had in the fourteenth century.
On the transport in the area , the recommended means are also the tram (access to 30 lines), the underground (21 stations) and the bus (100 lines in the city), in addition to the bicycles, the latter to see Warsaw in another way.
On accommodation in Warsaw to stay a few days in the city visiting, the same, Stare Miasto is a location unbeatable There are quite a variety of hotels of all categories that allow you to stay in Warsaw at affordable prices, especially around the Central Station (which also provides connections to other cities in the country).
– Accommodation in Stare Miasto
3.Wola
Wola is a neighborhood located immediately west of the historical center .originally it was a village separated from the Polish capital, today is a residential and office neighborhood .its location makes it an option to consider for accommodation in Warsaw.
In the area, you can see the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising which tells in detail the facts of the struggle of the city’s population against the German occupiers in 1944 during the Second World War.As a complement, you can also see Pawiak Prison where the patriots of the uprising were tortured (Dzielna, 24/26).
In the district is very visible – because of its height – the office skyscraper of Warsaw Spire of 180 meters high and completed in 2016.A spectacle, especially at daybreak when the sun reflects its light on the windows.
A recommended visit is to see the POLIN, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews The architecture of the exhibition is impressive, especially with the night lighting (Mordechaja Anielewicza, 6).
A shopping centre reference in the area is Zlote Tarasy (Zlota, 59).Next to the shopping centre you can see a piece of the wall that was part of the perimeter of the Warsaw Ghetto also during the Second World War (Zlota, 60).
Some references about transport that can be interesting: One is to take advantage of the route offered by the city’s tourist bus, and the other, a unique experience, to ride around the city centre in a horse-drawn carriage.
The horse-drawn carriage is taken at the Castle Square, but you can ask your driver to go to different key places in the capital and to the attractions of Wola.
– Accommodation in Wola
4.Prague Poludnie
Prague Poludnie is a residential district of Warsaw located across the Vistula, on the eastern bank, opposite the historical centre. During the Second World War, this area was not affected by the bombings, maintaining its original appearance that has survived in its peaceful, quiet nature.
The highlights of the district are the impressive and ultra-modern Stadion Narodowy (the National Stadium), the Skaryszewski Park (58 hectares of green), Lake Kamionok (next to the Skaryszewski Park) and the Olszynka Grochowska Nature Reserve (59 hectares).
Prague Poludnie is ideal for to stay in Warsaw and do the closest thing to a neighbourhood life in the Polish capital.Prague Poludnie has its alternative point and can be perfect for those who love to immerse themselves in local cultures and are attracted to living in popular neighbourhoods.
To get around the area, to and from Prague Poludnie, the best thing, the bus lines.
– Accommodation in Prague Poludnie
5.Prague Polnoc
Prague Polnoc is a residential neighborhood located at north of the historical center of Warsaw also on one of the eastern banks of the Vistula.
In the area, it is worth seeing the Polskiej Wódki Museum , a permanent exhibition on the history and processes of making the famous Polish vodka (Konesera Street, 1) Another museum reference is the Muzeum Warszawskiej Pragi , a district museum (Targowa, 52/54) that includes very curious old objects of everyday use.
Another picturesque exhibition is the Neon Museum , whose collection consists of a collection of illuminated posters rescued after the Second World War (Minska, 25).
A fact about bus transport in the area and a reference for the whole city.Lines with numbers starting with 1, 2 and 3 have the most stops, lines with 4 and 5 the least stops.
Lines with the letter E in the numbers are the ultra-fast lines, the express lines, the lines with 7 and 8 going to and from the suburbs of Warsaw and finally those with the letter N running night services from 11 p.m. to 4.30 a.m. every day.
Staying in Warsaw in the Prague Polnoc area is also ideal for a totally local experience in a suburb but well connected to the city centre.
In the district, there is a b uena offer of apartments which are perfect for staying in Warsaw in groups and families, for sharing costs and eating like at home with your own kitchen.
– Accommodation in Prague Polnoc
6.Mokotów
The district of Mokotow is located immediately south of the historical centre of Warsaw . it is a predominantly residential district and a good part of the embassies .Most of the area was developed in the 1920s and 1930s.
The area was not destroyed in the Second World War either and there is a very interesting offer of restaurants and bars with a modern profile The district is quiet and there are many green areas, the largest of which is the Morskie Oko Park.There are pre-war lampposts, and it has a certain small town flavour.
A remarkable museum, that of the Polish Military Technology Another reference to see is the Monument to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, whose base is made from the remains of the rubble of the buildings destroyed in those days.
Arkadia and Galleria Mokotów shopping centres are two references for buying souvenirs to take home after a trip to Poland.
In Mokotów, there is a with a good range of two and three star hotels , very affordable, apartments, aparthotels and holiday rentals with more advantages for families and groups of friends travelling to the capital of Poland.An option for to stay in Warsaw at affordable prices .
– Accommodation in Mokotów
7.Zoliborz
Zoliborz is a neighbourhood in the northwest of the historical centre of Warsaw.It is worth visiting the Hibner Park where you can still see the remains of the Warsaw Citadel built by Tsar Nicholas I after the repression that followed the Warsaw Uprising in 1830.
The Church of St. Stanilaswa Kostki , dedicated to the Polish saint, and a series of old cottages that are still preserved and correspond to the houses of the agricultural owners who once cultivated the area, also deserve attention .
The Peka Potocka Park, the Olimpic Center, home to the Museum of Sport and Tourism and the Threes and Comedy theatres are other points of interest in the area.
Another valuable piece of information about transport in the Polish capital.You should always look for official taxis that are distinguished by their red and yellow stripes, the colours of the Warsaw flag.
In the area, you can find cheap accommodation to stay in Warsaw at very interesting prices (hotels with less facilities, hostels and guesthouses with a family atmosphere).
– Accommodation in Zoliborz
8.Wilanow
Wilanow is an area of Warsaw situated south of the historical city centre on the west bank of the river Vistula.An imposing baroque palace built at the end of the 17th century as a summer residence for the kings of Poland
The whole complex is rightly called the ‘Polish Versailles’ .You should take your time to see the huge ensemble and its galleries with decorative objects and a picture gallery with portraits of historical Polish figures.
To reach the palace, you can take several different bus lines: 116, 180, 519, 700 and E2, express.in the Wilanow area, there are hotels of international urban brands that offer very affordable prices.
– Accommodation in Wilanow
Apart from knowing the best areas where to sleep in Warsaw you might also be interested in knowing the same thing about other Eastern European capitals: Where to stay in Prague, where to stay in Budapest, where to stay in Bucharest, where to stay in Krakow
Warsaw is well worth a quiet visit, one of those that allow you to savour its essences.
What is the best area to stay in Warsaw?
The best option to enjoy the beautiful capital of Poland is to stay in the center , which houses the old town and is where you can find quality hotels and landmarks such as the Palace of Culture, the National Museum of Warsaw or the Frederick Chopin Museum, as well as a wide variety of cafes, restaurants, cinemas, pubs and shops where you can buy clothes or a souvenir of the city.All these services can be easily reached on foot, as it is a very accessible area that also houses the main underground station, Centrum.
Within the centre, and located to the north, is the Old City , the old town of Warsaw, where there are also many hotel establishments and houses the most emblematic monuments of the Polish capital: the Market Square, St. John’s Cathedral, the Royal Castle, the walls surrounding the old town and the city hall, among other tourist attractions.
If you are interested in knowing where to stay in Warsaw , you may also be interested in knowing where to stay in Krakow, where to stay in Moscow, where to stay in Berlin and where to stay in Prague.
The centre, the best area to stay in Warsaw
The large area in the centre of the city which also includes the old town is an excellent place to stay because of its good location and because it has many shops, theatres, cinemas, jazz clubs and restaurants located next to points of interest such as the Palace of Culture, (Palac Kultury i Nauki), which, with its 231 metres high, was once a sign of Soviet domination, but today is an icon of the city.This building houses an auditorium, a cinema, a theatre, an ice-skating rink and even a discotheque.
Here you will also find the National Museum of Warsaw, which houses paintings by national artists and others by renowned painters such as Botticelli, Tintoretto and Rembrandt, and the Frederick Chopin Museum, which pays tribute to the talented composer who was born in Warsaw.This museum, which has the world’s largest collection of objects related to Chopin, including autographs, notes, letters, manuscripts of works, a piano and some personal effects of the musician, is located in the beautiful Baroque style Castle of the Ostrogski (Zamek Ostrogskich).
In the northern part of the centre of Warsaw, very well connected with it by tram, underground and bus, is the Old City (Stare Miasto), rebuilt thanks to the efforts of its citizens after it was devastated during the Second World War and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.Here you can also find good hotels, as well as the most emblematic monuments of the city and a wide variety of cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops where you can buy clothes or a souvenir of the city.
All these services can be easily reached on foot, as it is a very accessible area.The old town is a picturesque space that has managed to maintain its essence, accessed through the extensive walls that surround this part of the city and that take the visitor to the Old Town Square (Rynek Starego Miasta), which was founded in the late thirteenth century on the road linking the Old and New Town.
Very close to this emblematic square is another equally or more popular one, the Market Square, a reconstruction practically identical to the original one, destroyed by the Nazis, in the centre of which there is a mermaid (Sirenka), an icon of Warsaw, and which also houses the Warsaw Historical Museum, which recapitulates the last five centuries of history of the Polish capital.In the surroundings of this square there are charming restaurants, cafes and traditional shops with original facades containing Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic elements.
And continuing with the squares, in the historical part and very close to the two previous ones, is the Castle Square, which houses one of the greatest treasures of the city, the Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski).In front of this representative monument is the Column of Sigismund III, in Corinthian style and another symbol of the city.
Near the castle is another emblematic building, the Cathedral of St. John, the oldest in the Polish capital and the scene of many coronation ceremonies of various Polish monarchs.Next to it is the Church of St. Martin, created in the 14th century by the Augustinian Order and located just 100 meters from the pleasant Piwna street, famous for its jewelry, book and antique shops. In the surroundings of both churches there are numerous restaurants, some of them are part of well-known international chains and others are more sybaritic, as well as bistros, design cafes, private art galleries, and museums.
Hotels in the Centre of Warsaw
Other interesting areas where to stay: the New Town, the Wola district and the Prague quarter
Adjacent to the Old Town is the New Town (Nowe Miasto), initially called New Warsaw and an independent town from Warsaw until the 18th century.Today it is a well-connected area with many hotels, restaurants and shops (most of them are located on Freta Street, the main street), the birthplace of the famous scientist Marie Curie and, a few steps away, the former Market Square of the New Town, which houses the Baroque Church of St. Casimir (Kosciol Sw.Kazimierz), with its characteristic green dome.
Another interesting area is the Wola district, located to the west of the centre and adjacent to it, it is a large office and residential area that houses interesting hotels, and the Powazki Cemetery, the most famous in Poland, where many famous celebrities are buried.
And, located on the right bank of the Vistula River, is the picturesque Stara Prague, which was an independent city until the end of the 18th century.
This area has a wide variety of affordable accommodation for all budgets and also places worth visiting, such as the Zoo, the Church of Our Lady of Loreto and the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel.
