A good place for refreshment after the museum and film. Modern, music a bit loud, handsome Polish barmen will correct your pronunciation.

Rynek Starego Miastra

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Features 70s décor and young customers, but there’s no discrimination against over 40s, perhaps the seats are rather low, which makes getting up out of them a bit of an effort, but that might have been caused by the half litre of Zwiec and the shot of Wyborowa.

Ul Freta 51

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The Foksal is full of restaurants and bars, but this cafe was pleasantly uncommercial. There's a list of drinks and dishes on a board and you order at the counter. The prices are very reasonable and the waitresses are helpful and charming.

Ul Foksal 21

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If you prefer to feel younger than the other patrons, then this is the best place to go. What Sacher is for the Viennese, this is the Warsaw establishment for creamy cakes and classic coffee.

Ul Nowy Swiat

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It’s a bit rustic and the menu is only in Polish but you can't go wrong because the charming waitresses are just dying to use their English and will help you decide what fillings you would like in your dumplings,- meat-potato, mushroom, cabbage.

Served with a kind of smoked bacon and mustard sort of relish, delicious washed down with a litre of Polish beer, not the import beer as it's too gassy and will fill you up and you won't manage the Piroggi.

After that you need a schnapps, preferably a vodka. Two doors
away there's a very cool bar called Matafora (al Jerozolimskie 30).

We thought we might be too old to get served there, but were given the same friendly and prompt service as the mostly young cool
clientele. Good minimalistic decor, effective drinks.

Piroggeria al Jerozilimskie 28

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It's not easy to find what was once the largest ghetto in Europe as it was completely obliterated by the Nazis in 1943. What you see in films such as The Pianist or Schindler's List was filmed in the
old town or in Krakow.

Now there are only rather poor looking housing blocks but nevertheless, it's interesting to walk around these streets as there seeems to be a sense of the past there.

The monument to the ghetto heroes is impressive in Soviet style and the remains of the gruesome Pawiak Prison are very moving. From there, you can easily walk back to the old town.

ul Dzielna 24/26

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You can't miss it, it dominates the city even though there are plenty of skyscrapers competing. It's the kind of building that King Kong
would climb. A weird mixture of Stalinist and American architecture, it's worth going up to the viewing platform.

Inside it's pompous socialism, but there's a rather nice cafe on the
ground floor with good cakes and coffee and a passable cup of tea if you are prepared to deal with separate hot water and tea bags. Good toilets in the basement.

Pl Defilad 1

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Completely rebuilt after 1945 and very beautiful. I think it must be
very busy in spring and summer, quite peaceful in freezing February.

The History Museum on the square shows a film every week day at 12 o'clock about the destruction of the city, it's very moving if a bit wobbly in parts. The museum also takes you through the history
of Warsaw from stone age to modern. Closed on Mondays, free on Sundays but they don't show the film.

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The view from the Panorama Bar on the top floor will give you a fine impression of just how modern and booming Warsaw is. The breakfast buffet left no wish unfulfilled, they even had Heinz baked beans in between four sorts of smoked salmon.

The best reason for staying there is that you can't miss it, good for getting back home again after a night out on the vodka. It is lit up too.

al Jerozolimskie 65/69;
www.marriott.com.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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An absolute gastronomic highlight in the Hotel Rialto on ul Wilcza. A famous Swiss chef offers delicious Polish cuisine at affordable prices. Perfect food, impeccable service, a treat not to be missed. Wonderful art deco surroundings.

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An institution, the cafe was the centre of Radio Free Europe in communist times and the decor has stayed that way. Nontheless, busy, popular and worth visiting for its friendly and quick service. Vodka selection extensive, food looked a bit pre-fall of wall.

ul Nowgorodza 56

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Be careful you don't get tangled up in the lacy tablecloths and stumble into an antique laden table, especially when you are wearing layers of bulky clothing.

This also makes a visit to the toilet a risky venture too, but worth the effort.

Good hot tea and cakes.

Ul Freta 18

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Beautifully restored hotel in art deco style, the prices are exorbitant by Warsaw standards, but a pleasant surprise was being informed that our bill would be 50% cheaper because it was
happy hour 5-8pm.

Luxurious warmth, nice biscuits with the coffee, a pound of peanuts with the beer. Actually, you could even save money.

ul Krakowskie Przedmiescie 42/44

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