Backpacking in Poland: Touring the UNESCO Warsaw Old Town (Stare Miasto)
This is my 3rd time in Poland and my 2nd time here in Warsaw. The first time was in 2010. I had arrived by train from Gdansk, and I can remember the hot wind as I walked to my hostel. It had been 36 degrees C. Beyond that, recollections of my time here are a little vague.
Back then, I wasn’t a blogger. I was a pure traveller. I took photos and wrote my diary (a notebook with a pen – Old School).
Now I am a travel blogger, and my modus operandi has changed slightly compared to the early days.
The blog is going ok. It could be better, but it is what it is. The success of Nomadic Backpacker is proportional to the amount of effort I put in.
Some days, I am like, WTF. The rewards are minimal, it’s a massive time suck as each blog post can take 6 or 7 hours to do and I think it has made my travels so different, in a negative way. And sometimes I am like a neo-pro, full of enthusiasm.
So, back to the story. I am in Warsaw, on my way back to England, the 4-month jolly in Europe is almost over. And on my first full day, I backpacked the Stare Miasto. The Old Town.
It was completely destroyed in World War 2, so what you see now are the results of a massive reconstruction program. In 1980, it became a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE.
Warsaw is massive, so it makes sense to focus on one area rather than a post about Warsaw in general. The Old Town is the area between Ulica Boleść and al. Solidarmošci, west of the Vistula River. I blogged about the Nowe Miasto, the New Town, separately.
Here’s a photo of the map supplied by my hostel showing the Old Town in Warsaw (Warszawa):
And a map I saw in the street:
And a photo of General Dwight D. Eisenhower backpacking in war-torn Warsaw, back in 1945:
5 Top Sights in Stare Miasto Warsaw
The Old Town was just a 2 km walk from my hostel. I made short work of that. Weeks of pounding the pavements across Europe.
1. The Tin-Roofed Palace
I like this Tin-Roofed Palace. On seeing it today, I remembered it from 2010. I can’t really say why I found it inspiring, though.
2. The Royal Castle in Warsaw
At the entrance to the Old Town, the Royal Castle is Warsaw’s State Museum and a national UNESCO-listed historical monument.
The Castle dates back to the 14th century and was, over the years, the Royal Residence of various Polish monarchs.
I didn’t go inside, but tickets for general admission cost 50 PLN. Find and check their website for exact details. Closed on Mondays.
Selfies are a vital part of this blog. I hope they give my posts credibility. Better a crappy photo than a fake one eh!
3. Plac Zamkowy and Sigismund’s Column
Sigismund’s Column, located in Castle Square, is one of Warsaw’s most famous monuments. Standing 22 m, it dates from 1644 and commemorates King Sigismund III Vasa, who moved Poland’s capital from Kraków to Warsaw in 1596.
This photo is from a few hours later when the sun came out:
4. Rynek Starego Miasta and the Warsaw Mermaid
The Warsaw Mermaid is located in the Rynek Starego Miasta – The Old Town Market Square, known locally as Syrenka.
There is an interesting article on Culture Trip detailing the story of why there is a Mermaid Monument in the middle of the Rynek Starego Miasta in Warsaw.
It’s probably the 2nd most popular monument in Warsaw. With the beautiful buildings surrounding the square, on each side, it certainly makes a great selfie moment.
It’s also worth noting that the Old Town Market Square is not actually a square, as it measures 90 metres by 73 metres. Here are the buildings as seen on each side, north, east, south and west:
5. Eating Zapiekanka at the Restauracja Murzynek
As you head north from the Old Town to the New Town on Nowomiejska, there are a couple of small restaurants where you can get a Zapiekanka. This is Poland’s own version of the subs you can get at the Subway chain, yet they are positively more yummy.
They are one half of a 12-inch baguette, typically with ham or mushrooms or both with cheese on top. You can sit inside or order at the small hole in the wall for a cheaper experience.
Here are some random photos from the Stare Miasto (the day started grey with some light rain and then cleared up, so some of the photos in this post may look kinda different):
