3 Days in Warsaw: Everything You Should Know

Warsaw is an amazing place to visit, and you should not feel panicked if you only have a few days to make the most of your time in Poland. Warsaw offers so many things to do and see that you might be feeling overwhelmed by your choices. That is okay because this guide will help you to plan the best 3 days in Warsaw! You will not miss out on anything that you might have wanted to see when you use this guide to plan the perfect 3 days in Warsaw.

From the Royal Castle to the Warsaw Ghetto and the city center, there are amazing things to see in this city on nearly every corner. You don't need to be overwhelmed by choices, however, and we can help you to narrow down your options to the very best that Warsaw has to offer. From the city centre to old town, you will have a great time visiting Warsaw, no matter what you choose to do during your stay.

The first thing that you need to do when you visit Warsaw is to make sure that your bags are secured. You will want to be sure that you get your bags into secure storage in Warsaw before you do anything else. Once you have your bags placed in a safe place, you will feel free to make the most of your time in the Polish capital. Your Warsaw itinerary awaits you once your bags are safe!

Warsaw itinerary - Day 1

Morning

The first day that you are in Warsaw, you might have been lucky enough to arrive early at the Warsaw airport, but if you have arrived later in the day you might need to condense your first day a bit. Grab some breakfast that is portable, and head to your first stop of the day at Royal Łazienki Museum. This was the last Polish king's home and the garden is absolutely incredible here. You can also catch a concert here dedicated to Chopin if you are in the city from May to September. Make sure to check out the Chinese garden and the peacocks as you wander the grounds.

The next destination for your morning should be the Royal Route. This is the street where the Polish nobility and other royals might have lived, shopped, and spent time. The Royal Castle is located at the end of this route and so is the Wilanów Palace. Both palaces can be toured and are some of the loveliest in all of Europe. This is the heart of the city center and it is often quite busy during peak season, so expect some lines to see attractions.

There is often street food to partake of along the Royal Route, but there are also lots of eateries that are clustered near the Royal Route itself. These range from traditional Polish cuisine to fast food, so you will have your pick of things to eat for lunch.

Afternoon

During the afternoon, you will want to check out the Warsaw Uprising Museum. Poland has an extensive history of turmoil and political strife at the hands of various ruling groups or usurpers and much of this history is recorded in the city centre. You can learn all about the Warsaw Uprising against Nazi occupiers here at this museum and even go down into a replica of the sewers which were used to help the uprising to complete its work.

If you love art, the Polish National Museum needs to be your next stop. There are 830,000 works of art housed here from all around the world. This is one of the largest collections of art in Europe and it is well worth spending the end of your afternoon wandering through the collection here.

Night

The Praga district is one of the prettiest parts of the old city, and it avoided much of the damage that was wrought on the rest of the city during World War II. You can head here for dinner, cocktails, and to wander through the cobbled streets and old buildings. There are also lots of art galleries to enjoy here, and street art is scattered throughout this part of the city. This is a great place to have an authentic first evening in Warsaw and to grab a great bite to eat.

Warsaw itinerary - Day 2

Morning

Consider grabbing breakfast at To Lubie or you might want to just get a coffee and pastry to start your day. There is more of the old town to see today, so you might not want to spend a long time at breakfast before getting started on your day of fun.

The old town area was rebuilt after the war, so much of the area around the old town market square is not the original buildings. However, this area was made to be much like it was before World War II and there are still some incredible things that you need to see in this area. One of these things is Plac Kanonia. This is the home of the 17th-century wishing bell, and you will be steps away from the Gnojna Góra terrace where you can get an amazing view of the Vistula River.

Make sure to drop into Market Square and take a picture by the beautiful mermaid statue as well. The Warsaw Barbican is also in this area and this is the last segment of the original city walls. Other notable things to see are Sigismund’s Clock and the Mały Powstaniec monument to the child soldiers of World War II.

Afternoon

Grab some lunch near Market Square and make sure that you give the amazing street food vendors in this area more than a second glance. If you have decided to take portable food with you, you can start your afternoon adventures with a visit to Taras Widokowy Tower where you can see the entire city spread out in front of you.

You can also choose to wander along Vistula Boulevard as you enjoy good weather and better food. This area is well-cared-for and offers a pleasant break from anything more serious than wandering through old town.

Your next stop should be the POLIN Museum. This is a sobering, but important place to visit during your trip to Poland and it is just as big a part of Polish culture as the Royal Castle. The history of Polish Jews in this city is both tragic and also inspirational, and you will find that this museum details all of the struggles and strife that this group of people has experienced in Poland since before World War II. Jewish History is Polish history and you must learn about both to get a good picture of the history of Warsaw.

Night

If you are not feeling too serious after you leave the POLIN Museum, you could choose to spend your evening at one of the many nightclubs in the city. There are so many rooftop bars in the city centre that offer amazing views, great music, and excellent drinks. You can also elect to have a quiet meal at one of the many authentic restaurants in the old town area that serve Polish favorites like Polish dumplings as well as delicious vodka and wine.

Warsaw itinerary - Day 3

Morning

There are two more museums that you really must see while you are in Poland and this morning should be dedicated to the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów. This home is lauded as the Versailles of Warsaw and the art and beautiful interior of this palace are worth a visit. There are tours that take you through the property many times a day, but you can choose to just wander through the palace on your own time as well.

You should also make some time to see the Saxon Garden and War Memorial. The tomb of the unknown soldier is here and you can also see information about all the places that Polish soldiers have fought throughout the years of conflicts all around the world.

Afternoon

The place to spend your last afternoon in Warsaw is the Palace of Culture and Science. This building was a gift from the Soviets to the Poles and it can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. This location has been called the Eiffel Tower of Warsaw and it is a good idea to come here to tour the museum portion of the Palace before evening falls. This is one of the top museums in Warsaw, so don't forget to check it out.

The entire palace is beautiful at night and there are lots of great places to eat here. You can even catch a movie at the cinema if you wish! This is a location where you can spend a big part of the day with ease, so make sure that you allow enough time to make the most of your hours here.

Night

For your final night in this lovely city, consider something really unusual and very authentic. You might have had dinner or a late lunch when you were visiting the Palace of Culture and Science, but if you still have room for a meal, you need to visit a Polish Milk Bar or a bar mleczny. These traditional Polish cafeterias that date to the Great Depression era. You can get cheap, but delicious Polish cuisine at these locations and maybe you will find your new favorite dish!

You can also head back to the Old Town area and sit down for a glass of wine and watch the world go by. Being able to ponder what all you have learned about this part of the world and Polish culture itself is important, and where better to do so than in Old Town?

You Can Enjoy Warsaw Even in 3 Days!

If you have been worried that 3 days in Warsaw is not enough, this guide should have put your mind at ease. There are many things to see and do in this lovely city, but so many of the best things to experience are clustered right in the heart of the city. This means that you can choose to arrange all of the cultural experiences that you wish to fit in with ease since you will not have to travel around a bunch to get to see and do everything on your list.

If you love history, there is a lot of it to take in here and if you love food, there are just as many opportunities to enjoy this part of Polish culture as well. If you have come to the city during the colder part of the year, some of the outdoor markets and street food vendors might have closed up for the winter, but at any other season, you will probably run into amazing things to see and do just when walking through Old Town or the city center.

Make sure that you consider booking tour tickets in advance if you are going to be in the city during the peak travel season. This can help you to avoid lines and prevent issues with being unable to see certain parts of the attractions and museums that you want to check out due to long lines. If you are in the city when the weather is less ideal, you will probably never have to worry about lines or booking in advance, but this is a good rule of thumb for travel outside of shoulder season or the winter.

No matter what you plan to do during your 3 days in Warsaw, you will want to be sure that you have your luggage securely stored before you start having fun. Nothing makes a trip more stressful than worrying about your luggage! With your bags securely stored with us, you will be free to make the most of your long weekend in this amazing place!