Fascinating place that feels like a throwback to the Iron Curtain days, with fur-coat wearing, sharp-eyed merchants selling everything from gas masks and old Soviet coins to bootlegged pornographic DVDs. There is also plenty of, ahem, knock-down vodka and cigarettes on offer, but not to the naked eye. And whatever you do, don’t try to take any photographs. Stalin may be long dead, but paranoia is still alive and well in certain parts of his old domain.

Location: Stadion Dziesięciolecia.
Getting there: Number 12 tram from Srodmiescie Station.

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This is the tallest skyscraper in central Europe and is the symbol of Warsaw. It was built as a “proof of friendship” of Russia to the Polish people. It is one of Poland's most modern buildings. Inside are art galleries, theatres and shops.

Plac Defilad 1, in the very centre of Warsaw, next to Centrum metro station;
www.pkin.pl

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If you want to see something a bit different to the average high street stuff then go to the covered market on the Marszalskowska. There’s hundreds of little stalls selling clothes, food,fake perfumes, boots, hats, gloves etc.

An unmissable experience is the so-called Russian market in the
Stadion Dziesieciolecia.

Get there early as it closes at 11am. The best way is by local train service from Srodmiescie station. You can buy tickets from any of
the many kiosks around the station. Don't walk as we did, as it took ages through the dangerously icy streets and it was closed by the time we got there.

Our second attempt the next morning was rewarded by the sight of countless stalls - mainly Vietnamese run - cheap clothing
predominated.

This is the place to buy fur hats, Russian military badges, caps medals, leather gloves, caviar, fake designer labels, spirits, pirated CDs, DVDs, amber jewellery, fake perfume any sort
you'd care to think of.

The most impressive thing for me was those Vietnamese traders had
actually learned to speak Polish - what a linguistic achievement!

More up-market and elegant shops are on the Nowy Swiat. Lots of
hats and shoes.


Poles seem to read a lot and to spend a lot of time in bookshops
which is not surprising as most are warm, cosy and unhurried, often
combined with a cafe.

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