The offer in the SAS Julekalendar 2008 for Warsaw was tempting, so we decided spontaneously to get tickets for "The city of Phoenix". Well, the Polish capital has well deserved this name for all the wars and tragedies in has gone throughout its history. Personally, I will not dare to talk more about the city's past apart from "rising from the ashes" is for me a more recent observation: In 2001, during my last visit to my motherland with friends I experienced the city as horrible-post-communistic-service-mentality-and-no-entertainment-desert! But once again the city has risen from the ashes and Warszawa has shown us its beautiful sides during a great (though too short) weekend.
We arrived on a late Friday afternoon in Warsaw Fréderic Chopin Airport. As our chosen hotel was located in the city center there was no need to take a cab but just hopped on the bus 175 that brought us all the way to Krakowskie Przedmieście. There it was a short walk to our hotel Castle Inn that is located just next to the Royal Castle. Just after check-in we knew it had been the right choice: We got a cute and clean room with a view directly on the castle square. The chosen hotel is among the first designer hotels in Warsaw and all rooms are decorated by a different artist. A suggestion for other travellers could be to be more persistent on getting on of the more special rooms. Nevertheless, we were happy with our 1920s movie style decorated room. After check-in we immediately got ready for our walk to our dinner place for the first evening: Restaurant Belvedere. Located at the South end of the beautiful Łazienki Park, it is usually a nice 4km walk from the old town to get there. However, with a hungry stomach, an even more hungry girlfriend and a closed park it can be quite an effort. Better catch a cab as the place is also not so easy to find. Nevertheless, we got compensated for all the struggle: Belvedere offers an unique location, a great Polish menu and probably the most attentive service in the Polish capital! Our recommendation:
Starters
- Traditional polish “Pierogi” served two ways: delicate veal or sauerkraut and mushrooms stuffing (a classic!)
- Plate of traditional Polish starters / Talerz tradycyjnych polskich przekąsek (if you can not decide)
Main dishes
- Roasted sturgeon served on a bed of spinach with red caviar sauce / Pieczony jesiotr podany na szpinaku z sosem z czerwonego kawioru (if you feel like traditional Polish fresh water fish)
- Beef tenderloin with boletus according to a recipe by Tremo the Head Chef of King Stanislas Augustus / Polędwica z duszonymi borowikami według receptury Kuchmistrza Stanisława Augusta – Jegomościa Tremo (a meat feast!)
Desserts
both great :-)
After that great dinner we were really in need for a good drink in pleasant surroundings. Unfortunately I had no clue where to go apart from a classic: The panorama bar of the Marriot hotel. So if there any good suggestions for cool bars / lounges in Warsaw, let me know!
We started the next day with a light brunch at the Batida café before exploring the city further. We decided to visit the sights around the old town by following the walking route suggested by the lonely planet. I think you can skip the last bit of it and just walk down Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Swiat until you find a place for a Polish snack. We can highly recommend some pierogarnia where you can get the delicious Polish pierogi, for example check out Zapiecek (really cheesy but lovely food). The rest of the afternoon we spent shopping and strolling in downtown Warsaw, just around the PKiN.
As most larger Eastern European cities Warsaw has amazing theaters and opera houses. Therefore, we got tickets for a classic "Carmen" opera on Saturday night. The opera had an impressive set-up and it was interesting to attend the opera in the Warsaw opera house which was rebuild after WWII.
The last couple of hours in Warsaw we spent by having breakfast at Café A. Blikle (a Warsaw must!), getting relaxing massages in Terra Spa (check out the couple's massage) and another lovely Polish lunch.
We left the Polish capital with a smile, a lot of good memories and 2kg frozen pierogi. Warszawa, we will definitely be back soon.
