01 TIME MACHINE 02 For TECHIEs - Use It Warsaw

owska
DA
just a branch of Pobank
– PKO Bank Polsis
one of the icons of the
r its architecture (extravagant,
pavilion), but also for its history
re killed in a gas explosion here
r its convenience. Located near
ion and dozens of bus and tram
pular meeting point for people
first and then decide were to
urprised if somebody proposes
at the Rotunda!
ska 100/102
/ THEATrE
ne of the employees, a child
to the MURANÓW CINEMA and
om, I thought we were going to
KIJOWSKA
Tarchomińska
Korsaka
Skaryszewska
AL. ZIELENIECKA
Radzymińska
ZAMOYSKIEGO GROCHOWSKA
Walecznych
Dąbrowiecka
WAŁ MIĘDZYSZYŃSKI
Lubelska
Katowicka
Most
Łazienkowski
Francuska
Siedlecka
Rondo Waszyngtona
Poselska
Francuska Paryska
Zwycięzców
20 FILTErING DoWN
CAFE FILTRY is a double play on the word for
coffee filters... and the nearby water filtration
station. It is a charming café in the leafy neighbourhood
of Ochota run in a former laundry
shop. Strictly non-smoking. Open: Monday-
Friday 8-21, Saturday 10-21, Sunday 10-18
ul. Niemcewicza 3
21 KoLoNIA CAFE
Relax at KOLONIA CAFÈ, set up in a tiny
house by two local young mothers for other
locals who visit Park Wielkopolski across the
street.
Open: daily 10-20
ul. bł. Władysława z Gielniowa 9/11
22 THE rEPorTEr’s TrAIL
Kawęczyńska
You can walk around Pole Mokotowskie
following the footsteps of the great reporter
Ryszard Kapuściński who used to live in the
area. Each morning he’d have a walk around
the park and today this same meandering
route (Ścieżka Kapuściński ) is dotted with
quotes from his writings. For those who’ve
always wanted to be able to read and walk at
the same time.
23 GrEETINGs FroM
23 JErUsALEM
It may look like a joke, but in fact it’s
a work of art by Joanna Rajkowska.
Named “Greetings from the Jerusalem
Avenue”, it is meant to remind passersby
of the void left by the absence of
the once-thriving Jewish community in
Warsaw. Erected as a temporary installation
on a traffic island in 2003, it became
a landmark and stayed for good.
Rondo de Gaulle’a
Mińska
24 CoMMUNIsT PArTY HQ
One of the most despised places in the
country for almost 40 years. Opened in 1951,
officially named DOM PARTII (House of the
Party) it was jokingly referred to as the White
House. Ironically, after the fall of communism
it was taken up by an arch-capitalist institution
– the stock exchange. Now it is a normal
office building with some exceptional history
and a Ferrari salon on the ground floor. Lenin
is turning in his mausoleum.
ul. Nowy Świat 6/12
25 CHEAP AND CHIC BArs
PAWILONY - a cluster of shabby pavilions in
the back of the touristy Nowy Świat is one of
the main meeting places for young people,
catered to by a dozen or so funky bars.
PEWEX is the oldest and perhaps still the best
of them. Despite some signs of gentrification
(sushi bar! air conditioning!), all places remain
affordable. Enter the courtyard through two
gates from Nowy Świat.
ul. Nowy Świat 22/28/33
AL. WASZYNGTONA
Saska
Obrońców
Saska
26 EXTENDED FUN
MAGDA
JENSEN
USA
My absolute favourite thing about Warsaw are
the parks and green spaces. In the summer,
the city comes alive with frisbee at Plac
Zabaw, coffee and badminton at Kafka, biking
around in Praga and dancing at Cud Nad
Wisla until the sun comes up over the river.
One must do: lunch during the week at U
Kucharzy. A 20-zloty culinary dream!
When the bar Plan B got too popular to
accomodate the punters and still keep the
neighbours happy, its owners decided to
open a bigger, neighbour-free place. Come to
POWIĘKSZENIE (Blow-Up) for evening drinks,
theatre performances and an ambitious confamous
for its monthly Tour de France night
and sets from hot local indie/electronica Djs.
An occasional indie rock concert keeps the
Rolling Stones memories alive.
Open Mon-Fri from 16, Sat from 20, concerts
and club nights on Thu, Fri, Sat, occasionally
on other nights. Happy hours 16-20. ul. Krakowskie
Przedmieście 13, entrance from
ul. Ossolińskich.
32 BrAVE NEW CULTUrE
The elegant café Nowy Świat (New
World) fell prey to the real estate market
slowdown a couple of years ago – the
city, who owns the space, could not find
a new tenant. Thanks to this twist of fate,
the premises were offered up to NGOs for
an affordable rent and Nowy Wspaniały
Świat (Brave New World) emerged, hosted
by the leftist think tank Krytyka Polityczna.
The space downstars is a great bar
with cheap lunchsets in the daytime and
parties in the evening. The space upstairs
is for talks, debates and other cultural
activities.
Open: daily from 11
ul. Nowy Świat 63
33 TAsTE IN ArT
EUFEMIA – the basement bar/cafeteria at ASP
Fine Arts Academy is a great place for lunch.
Look out for their weekend parties too.
Open: Mon. – Fri.: 11 – 24, Sat. – Sun.: 14 – till
late.
ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 5
34 FUN PArK
From mid-May to mid-September this is one of
the places to see and be see in - an outdoor
bar in Agrykola Park (down the steps from
the Centre for Comtemporary Art), with food,
drinks and culture, including an all-summer
live music programme. Frisbees available,
bring your own sunglasses. Open daily from
11.
35 oBIEKT oF DEsIrE
ANNA
WOHLESSER
Austria
Toan Pho, vietnamese place in Chmielna, I just
love the place!
By day OBIEKT ZNALEZIONY (Found Object)
is a modestly priced (25 zł for soup+main
course) lunch venue, by night it transforms
into a beast – one of the most popular indie
clubs in the city, located in the basement of
the Zachęta Art Gallery. Open daily from 12.
pl. Małachowskiego 3
36 ArTIsTIC ENCoUrAGEMENT
Housed in a pompous fin-de-siecle building
since 1901, ZACHĘTA is Warsaw’s oldest
contemporary art gallery. Hosts exhibitions
of leading Polish and foreign 20th and 21st
century artists, an art book shop with a modest
souvenir section. Its name is drawn from
the historic Society for the Encouragement
of Arts. Open daily 12-20, closed on Monday,
free on Thursday.
ul. Małachowskiego 3
37 TrIBUTE To THE UNKNoWN
37
soLDIEr
The three arches of what once was part
of the Saxon Palace houses the Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier. The site was initially
dedicated to the victims of WWII in the 1920s.
In a miraculous twist of fate, the three arches
survived also the Second World War. There’s
a story that Wehrmacht soldiers escaping
Warsaw in 1945 simply refused to blow up
this part of the building as a sign of respect to
soldiers buried there 20 years earlier.
pl. Piłsudskiego
39 VIEW oF THE oLD ToWN
St. Anne’s church (kościół św. Anny) is one of
the most popular wedding venues. It also offers
a great view of the city and the Old Town
from the belfry. Open 11 – 18, extended till 21 –
22 in the summer, depending on the weather.
Tickets 3/4 zł.
Krakowskie Przedmieście 68
40 TAsTE oF MosCoW
The first ESCALATOR in Warsaw, opened in
1949 is no longer a wonder of technology but
it’s worth seeing – as a downscaled version
of the lavish interiors of the Moscow metro.
It was actually a gift from the Russian capital
to Warsaw. Check out the piece of original
machinery in the basement by the (free and
clean!) public toilet. Also survey the Stalinist
décor on the lower platform.
41 MoVEr AND sHAKEr
When approaching the Old Town, you will see
a slender column topped by a statue of a man
with a sword and a crucifix. The monument in
plac Zamkowy, popularly referred to as KO-
LUMNA ZYGMUNTA, is a token of gratitude to
King Zygmunt III Waza who in 1596 moved his
seat from Kraków to Warsaw and sparked the
endless fued between the old capital and the
new. After four centuries we are still a bunch
of chancers and nouveau riche scum to the
people in Cracow. Get over it, Cracow!
pl. Zamkowy
42 oLD MArKET sQUArE
Crowded with tourists and local families trying
to have quality time together. Dead at night.
Allow yourself ten minutes to look around,
don’t eat or drink (expensive) and go somewhere
else.
43 oLD ToWN BIsTro
For a shot of vodka and a quick (affordable)
bite to eat in the Old Town, visit KARMNIK, an
artsy little spot with a flock of stone pigeons
congregating nearby.
ul. Piwna 4a
44 DALAI LUNCHEoN
There are several classic milk bars in the centre,
all combining great prices and good food
with the thrill of sharing a table with a smelly
bum. BARBAKAN (named after the medieval
gate to the Old Town) stands out because it
is the only one where the Dalai Lama popped
by for lunch. It also boasts a pleasant summer
terrace.
ul Mostowa 27/29
45 sWEET FAITH
If you find yourself in the touristy Old Town
and desperate for a cup of coffee, head
straight to the only place respected by the
locals – the miniature café TO LUBIĘ (I Like
It), housed in the belfry of the Dominican
church. Make sure to try the baked apple with
ice cream (jabłka zapiekane pod kruszonką,
12 zł).
ul. Freta 10
46 PoLIsH-JEWIsH rEsTAUrANT
Given the amount of people who visit Warsaw
to experience Jewish culture, it is incredible
how hard it is to find a decent Jewish
restaurant. POD SAMSONEM is really the only
place worth recommending, their Jewish and
Polish fare is delicious and affordable. Try the
goose necks (gęsi pipkes) or the hering and
you’ll excuse the lazy service and the extra
charges for toilet and cloak room. Packed
in the evenings and on weekends, relatively
empty lunchtime on weekdays (main courses:
10-30 zł).
ul. Freta 3, 5
47 oPErA
One of the biggest opera houses in the