✈️ TLV to Warsaw (WAW)
Poland
Warsaw
CityWAW
IATA2507.9 km
Distance3h 33m
Flight TimeCoordinates: 52.1657, 20.9671
Airlines:
About Warsaw
Weather in Warsaw
Understand
A city of 1.8 million inhabitants (2021), it sits on the Vistula River (Polish: Wisła ) in the middle of the country. Warsaw's history of rapid development after many wars that ravaged and destroyed the city has earned it a reputation as a "phoenix city", able to recreate itself from the ruins and regain its erstwhile glory every time. During the Second World War, it suffered a fate similar to Rotterdam and Dresden in that it was almost completely razed, although in the case of Warsaw it was a much more tragic story of successive destruction and defeat. Due to the great efforts of its surviving inhabitants and, indeed the entire nation, it was rebuilt from a field of rubble, with its historic core recreated, but much of its heritage was lost. Warsaw also had one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe, which for the most part perished during the war, making Warsaw an important place of Holocaust remembrance.
Climate
Summers in Warsaw can vary from mild to exhaustingly hot. In most residences and some hotels, there is no air conditioning, which means the days and nights can be hot to the point of interrupting one's sleep. Travelers should bring light, summer clothes for the day, but bring an extra jacket for evenings, which can sometimes get a little chilly. Winters, on the other hand, can get very cold (sometimes as low as -20 °C). Weather can often force the city to come to a standstill. When it snows, it may take up to an hour's time just to travel a few city blocks with traffic at a standstill and road crews seemingly caught off guard (despite warnings from meteorologists in several days in advance). Public transportation will also be utter chaos with buses and trams running late. On the first day of snow in 2010, it took upwards of three hours to travel from Wola to the northern tip of Mokotów ; a trip that usually takes no more than 30–45 minutes. Bring heavy, water-resistant shoes when traveling in Poland in late autumn to early spring.
See
This is the city of Frederic Chopin, Maria Skłodowska-Curie, Władysław Szpilman and Pola Negri. Warsaw Old Town is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List . Take a walk and explore the streets and squares which have been painstakingly rebuilt after the last war. Check out the tumultuous history of the metropolis on both sides of the Vistula river. Explore special places and associated with the uprisings, especially one, which took place in the Ghetto and second, which happened in 1944. Book a guided city walk across the city and discover how it has changed since the fall of communism. Most of the major sightseeing attractions are concentrated in Śródmieście , with some more in surrounding districts, the exception park and palace in Wilanów . Check the attractions of the Vistula river banks. That said, every district has something to offer if you have the time and want to research more, so do refer to district articles for details. That said, most tourists will probably: Visit the Old and New Town , the (recreated) oldest part of the city of Warsaw with the Royal Castle From there, stroll down Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat streets (parts of the "Royal Route" ) Travel along the Royal Route ( Trakt Królewski ) linking the Royal Castle to the Royal Palace in Wilanów ( Pałac Królewski w Wilanowie ), some 10 kilometers farther See Łazienki Park with the Chopin Monument (and attend one of the free open-air concerts in the summertime) Take the elevator to the top of Palace of Culture and Science for a panoramic view of the city, or at least take a photo of this modern-day symbol of Warsaw Visit the most important museums – Warsaw Uprising Museum , National Museum and the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews Relax on the Vistula Boulevards ( Bulwary Wiślane ), spreading out over 6 km (3.7 mi) of the Vistula banks
Buy
Warsaw has many touts, who mainly congregate at the subway station "Centrum", near the southeastern corner of the Palace of Culture and Science. They pass out fliers and brochures for all kinds of imaginable and useless services. If you don't want to start a collection of fliers, a simple and easy way to beat the touts at their own game is to simply make a gesture indicating stop with your hand while stating in English "No, thank you" or "I can't understand Polish". This works surprisingly well, especially on touts who pass out fliers for English language instruction schools. ATMs (Polish: bankomat ) are plentiful around Warsaw. Visa, MasterCard, Visa Electron, and Maestro are widely accepted at most establishments. AmEx and Diners' Club are not as commonly accepted. Indoor shopping malls (Polish: centrum handlowe pl. centra ~ , often abbreviated CH ) are also plentiful in Warsaw. Usually open 08:00—22:00, most malls will have a food court, restaurants, cinema, and some may have a sports hall with billiards tables or a bowling alley. Auchan and Carrefour are the largest supermarkets in Europe, and they are also present in Poland, offering just about everything, including groceries, at low prices. The biggest supermarket chain is Biedronka. Lidl can be found too and offers great quality at unbeatable prices. In 2019 a new law was passed that does not allow most of the shops to open on Sundays. If you find yourself in need of shopping on Sunday, you have to count on some smaller shops where the owners work for themselves.
Eat
Warsaw is not globally renowned for its culinary scene, but it lacks nothing compared to other European capitals with regard to it. There is a wide choice of eateries from the most basic and cheapest to very sophisticated, and many different types of food are available throughout the city. Finding a unique dining experience is feasible daily. For those on a budget, there are many kebab shops sprinkled around Warsaw, especially in Śródmieście , which offer decent food and portions for the fair price of 7-13 zł a kebab. Other cheap alternatives are milk bars, which are discussed later in the section, and Vietnamese restaurants.
Drink
Old Town and areas like pl. Trzech Krzyży, ul. Nowy Świat, ul. Chmielna, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście in Śródmieście are saturated with cafés. Coffee typically costs about 10-15 zł. Beer can cost 5-15 zł for half a liter (the supermarket price being 2.50-3 zł). Drink prices in clubs can go up to 50 zł. Drinking alcoholic beverages in public places is prohibited, but there are several places chosen by the local government where it can be possible. If you're looking to mingle with real Varsovians, there's a well-kept, secret row of nameless, dark bars off of Nowy Świat. They are reportedly good for those wishing to participate in the more decadent side of Varsovian night life. In truth, the places attract a younger crowd who want to socialize over a beer (usually a relatively low 6 zł for a half liter). If you'd like to give one of these bars a try, walk through the gateway at Nowy Świat 24. You'll find a few small buildings with bars tucked away. The number one tip about visiting one of these bars is go early if you want find a seat. You won't be able to find one after 22:00. At last count, there are three of the famous "Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa" bars in the city, all of which serve the cheapest beer around. Although these are mostly frequented by locals, Warsaw has a thriving international student community and more often than not, there are some English-speakers around to have a drink with.
Sleep
There are plenty of accommodation options in Warsaw at all budget levels. The most accommodation options are in Śródmieście , Wola , and Mokotów . There are also many business travel hotels in Włochy , near the airport. Warsaw has an oversupply of high-standard hotel rooms, as many luxury hotels were built in Warsaw after 1989. Almost every global upscale chain has at least one property, a few hundred rooms each. Therefore, you can easily snatch room at a modern four- or five-star hotel in the €50-70 range. Warsaw still sees more business than leisure travel, so your best bet to get a great rate are weekend stays. Look for offers and special rates in booking sites and hotel web pages. If you are on a budget, do not assume that hostels are your only option. Booking in advance at 3/4 star hotels can yield prices only slightly higher than backpacker hostels, for far greater comfort. Do your research in any case before booking to make sure you do not miss out on a great offer. Breakfast is not included in the room price in most hotels in Poland. Expect steep charges for breakfast, especially if you book a premium hotel at a low price. If you are staying in the city centre, you might find many other breakfast options around your hotel though. There are campgrounds in Włochy , Wawer , Wola , Ochota and Mokotów .
Stay safe
Warsaw is a safe city overall. The city center has a strong police presence and is generally a very safe area. The Praga districts used to be dangerous, but this is generally more hype than reality. Of course, it would be wise to exercise a little extra caution if you're in an area you do not know well. The bus and rail stations can be a magnet for homeless and drunkards, who, for the most part, will leave you alone. Some areas south of the Palace of Culture and Science and the train station have a rather seedy feel to them, especially at night. Same goes for much of the neighborhoods immediately surrounding Warsaw-Chopin airport. Though nowhere nearly as prevalent as in other major cities, pickpockets can sometimes be a problem and you should be careful to hold onto your belongings when in a large crowd or on buses (Number 175, which runs from the airport to city center, is reportedly infamous for pickpockets). At bars and clubs, a good rule of thumb is the cheaper the door entry and the laxer the bouncers are about letting people in, the more likely you're going to want to keep extra care of your wallet, passport, cell phone, and camera. Violent behaviour is extremely rare and if it occurs it is most likely alcohol-related. While pubs and clubs are generally very safe, nearby streets may be scenes of brawls, especially late at night. Try to avoid confrontations. Pub crawl tours are scams. Warsaw has no shortage of pubs to visit on your own time. Both male and female tourists have been sexually abused on organized pub crawl tours by guides. Please keep a wide breath of these. It is not uncommon taxi drivers will try to scam tourists by overcharging when driving people from the train station. A taxi trip from the train station should cost no more than 15 zł at the maximum. Consider using an alternative service such as Uber or Bolt. Visitors not knowing Polish may also be the target of " bar girls ," especially in Underground off of ul. Mazowiecka on days where there isn't a cover charge. Be cautious if you encounter a girl speaking English who will offer you a drink or a cigarette. She will then ask you to walk her to her car parked outside of the club and then explain how her friend still inside of the club has her car keys. Then she will ask if you would like to share a cab back to her place for 70 zł and then go back to the club. Doing so puts yourself in danger because you don't know where she lives, and you could be setting yourself up for possible harm or other scams. Football hooligans can be a problem before or after large football events. Naturally, it's best to avoid them, because they might be violent. At the same time, all major sport events are monitored and controlled by special police units, so unless you find yourself in the middle of the confrontation between hooligans and the police, you should be fine. It may be good idea to avoid areas close to Unknown Soldier Tomb on 10th day of every month (especially in April) as this area is subject to quite disruptive political happenings and demonstrations related to presidential plane crash in 2010. In case of emergencies, call emergency services. The number for the police: 997 , firefighters: 998 , Ambulance: 999 . The common European emergency number 112 works too.
Go next
Kampinos Forest (approximately 15 km (9.3 mi), take the 210 bus from Młociny underground station) – A wild and beautiful primeval forest, often called the green lungs of Warsaw, and an ideal choice for a day off from the noise of the city Konstancin-Jeziorna (approximately 20 km (12 mi), take the 700 bus) – A spa town with a spacious park. Famous for its clean air and high housing prices. Kraków (approximately 300 km (190 mi), in just under 3 hours by hourly IC/Ex trains) – The former capital of Poland, this was the European City of Culture in 2000. Lublin (approximately 200 km (120 mi)) – A medieval city with a well preserved old town, it is now the largest city and main tourist attraction in eastern Poland. Kazimierz Dolny (approximately 150 km (93 mi), less than two hours by TLK train to Puławy, then half an hour by bus) – A Renaissance town with a picturesque marketplace, it is a hub for painters and Boheme. Żelazowa Wola (approximately 50 km (31 mi)) – The birthplace of Frédéric Chopin. Brest , 200 km (120 mi) away in Belarus, on the border with Poland and rich with history from both the Soviet times and before. The Brest Hero Fortress is perhaps the most impressive Soviet monument ever built, and there's the train museum, and its incredible collection of Soviet-time locomotives, as well. You can go there by train (one train a day, that 4-5 hrs). Same visa regulations as rest of Belarus ; the new visa-free regulations for citizens of 80 countries since 2017 is not eligible when coming/leaving by train.