Touring Warsaw at Łazienki Palace

Touring Warsaw at Łazienki Palace

Touring Warsaw – Travel Photo Mondays

Warsaw was a complete surprise to visit. Full of contrast with old and new, urban and hip, the city is alive and exciting to walk through the re-incarnated old town, the trendy shopping promenades, to the beautiful green belt and park areas all around the city. Much of Warsaw was miraculously rebuilt from the ground up, brick by brick after World War 2. It shows by how amazing a galvanized community and dedicated people were to complete this monumental rebuilding task, and how proud they are of their heritage and history. From all their hard efforts of over 5 years of rebuilding their city from scratch, they have been rewarded a Unesco World Heritage site certification – only a few sites have been awarded  Unesco certification to a city that has been almost completely demolished from the ground up.

Here are highlights of seeing Warsaw a city full of contrast and excitement:

Touring Warsaw at Lazienki park and the Chopin memorial

Touring Warsaw at Lazienki park and the Chopin memorial

For a completely rebuilt city after World War 2, Warsaw has a lot of green areas and parks for locals and visitors to enjoy. Lazienki Park is the one park that was left intact with its palace and many monuments which the Nazi’s used as a base along with many of the beautiful buildings along this district and not demolished during the war.  The park has some beautiful botanical and natural gardens, lakes and the stately palace called Lazienki Palace.

Touring Warsaw: Statues and peacocks at Łazienki Park

Statues and peacocks at Łazienki Park

 Swan boat ride anyone?

Swan boat rides at at Łazienki Park, Krakow

Swan boat rides at at Łazienki Park, Warsaw

 The Jewish Ghetto of Warsaw

Warsaw Holocaust memorial and ghetto

Warsaw Holocaust memorial and ghetto

Towards the center of the city is the Jewish Ghetto with the Jewish museum and Holocaust memorial. We just missed the yearly memorial that happens towards the end of April where survivors and other dignitaries pay their respects and leave hundreds of gorgeous bouquets of flowers at the Holocaust memorial (photos above). Even in their wilting stage, it is an elaborate scene with these beautiful and fading flowers surrounding the monument and adding some color to the somber but poignant sculpture.

Warsaw Holocaust memorial details

Warsaw Holocaust memorial details

 The modern façade of the Warsaw Jewish museum

Warsaw Holocaust museum facade

Warsaw Holocaust museum façade

Closer to the University of Warsaw is a newer area of dwellings and mixed used developments with colorful street art applied to the blank wall facades of apartment buildings and parking garages.  This young and trendy area is bordered by many walking and shopping arcades including the popular Krakowskie Przedmiescie (below) pack with tourists and locals enjoying the street life in this busy corridor.

One of the best museums of Warsaw to explore, it really does hit you impactfully to see the images, collections and personal stories in this museum.

Warsaw street art close to the university

Warsaw street art close to the university

Warsaw street art along a shopping arcade

Warsaw street art along a shopping arcade

 Touring Warsaw at Krakowskie Przedmiescie 

Krakowskie Przedmiescie below is filled with trendy galleries, boutiques and restaurants, attracting a full range of locals and tourists to this popular street. Outdoor cafes spill out into the large promenade which is a perfect place for people watching and enjoying the street scenes unfold in this trendy district. You can dine on traditional Polish cuisine or try any of the international style restaurants that cater to the uber hip crowds and visitors hanging out in the streets and promenades.

Touring Warsaw: shopping district at

Touring Warsaw: shopping district at
Krakowskie Przedmiescie

The old and new architecture and skyline of Warsaw

Old and modern skyline of downtown Warsaw, Poland

Old and modern skyline of downtown Warsaw, Poland

Unesco site of the central historic district of Warsaw

Historic central district at Warsaw, Poland

Historic central district at Warsaw, Poland

The old historic center of Warsaw was completely demolished during World War 2 by the Germans and instead of building something completely new in the area, the community and citizens bravely saved all bricks and remnants around the center and slowly built it back up to where it is today. After more than five years of rebuilding, the city is a nearly complete replica of the original old town. Awarding the city a Unesco World Heritage Site certification for this elaborate and painstaking effort (the only one of its kind for a completely demolished site) pays tribute to those wonderful efforts of the community and those proud people.

Colorful cobbled streets in Warsaw's old center

Colorful cobbled streets in Warsaw’s old center

 Parts of the Warsaw ramparts and medieval towers of the Barbikan

Touring Warsaw at the ramparts and medieval towers of the city

Touring Warsaw at the ramparts and medieval towers of the Barbikan

Horse drawn carriages while touring Warsaw and the old town

Horse drawn carriages while touring Warsaw and the old town

Touring Warsaw and a park around the historic central district

Touring Warsaw and a park around the historic central district

Colorful annuals at the Saxon gardens in Warsaw

Touring warsaw - colorful gardens in the central district of Warsaw

Touring Warsaw – colorful gardens at the Saxon Gardens

Touring Warsaw - Beautiful fountains at the central district of Warsaw

Beautiful fountains at the Saxon Gardens

Sunset over the main square of Warsaw

Sunset and touring the old central district of Warsaw

Sunset and touring the old central district of Warsaw

It’s nice to spend some time late in the afternoon on the main square of the old town, you can actually sit in one of the many cafes and enjoy gorgeous sunset views over the old town, (picture above). It’s easy to sit, relax and enjoy being in the moment in this magnificent square, wouldn’t you agree?

Hotel Rialto, hotel lobby

Hotel Rialto, hotel lobby

Accommodations in Warsaw

While staying at Warsaw, I stayed at the lovely Art Deco inspired hotel – Hotel Rialto which is quietly located in the business center close to the main train station of Warsaw. Although relatively new, the hotel is Art Deco inspired and has period pieces tastefully placed in each room and the general areas of the hotel.

Bedroom suite details

Ornate Art deco details in the bath suites, Hotel Rialto

Ornate Art deco details in the bath suites, Hotel Rialto

Large beds and seating areas at Hotel Rialto

Large beds and seating areas at Hotel Rialto

Breakfast service at Hotel Rialto, Warsaw

Breakfast service at Hotel Rialto, Warsaw

An exceptional breakfast service

The breakfast service is truly exceptional and first class with a full service menu that you can choose any of a series of starters and main entrees from the complete menu. The food that is served is so beautiful not to mention delicious – it really is the perfect start of the day and after a wonderful nights rest.

Sausage entrée from the breakfast menu, Hotel Rialto

Sausage entrée from the breakfast menu, Hotel Rialto

Really, the breakfast experience at Hotel Rialto, is already worth the price of a stay in this luxurious and comfortable hotel in Warsaw. The service and quality of food is perfectly executed and a wonderful experience, that I really didn’t want to leave the hotel after such a nice meal.

Dessert waffles at Hotel Rialto, Warsaw

Dessert waffles at Hotel Rialto, Warsaw

Thanks for visiting today, I hope you enjoyed this post on Touring warsaw: a contrast of old and new. If you did, could you please share the post with any of the social media buttons around the post, thanks so much.

I had a wonderful stay in Warsaw and enjoyed my complimentary accommodations at Hotel Rialto, Warsaw. Details of my trip to Poland were arranged by JayWay Travel, experts in Central and Eastern Europe. Of course all thoughts and opinions are still my own and it is definitely worth the stay and excellent meals at this fine hotel.

Sharing is caring!