Wide-ranging Warsaw

Warsaw has seen hard times more than once, and history has savaged the city on many occasions. Strolling in the streets of the old downtown district it is hard to believe that the entire city of Warsaw was virtually razed to the ground by bombing in the Second World War. The old centre has been restored with extraordinary skill. So much so, that it is now one of the sites on the UNESCO world heritage list.

Beyond the confines of the old centre we may again take note of how modern skyscrapers are gradually overshadowing the imposing contributions of the Stalinist period to the city's architectural heritage.

Cost-conscious and slightly unusual shopping
Poland is still a fairly inexpensive country to visit, which tends to encourage the shopper. Besides the usual designer labels, Warsaw offers a great many local specialities that add a certain spice to any shopping expedition. A wide variety of local music and art publications, for example, are readily available. Nowy Swiat remains the most important shopping street in the city.

The chef recommends game
In Warsaw, as in Poland more generally, the finest dishes on the menu are generally game. In surprisingly many restaurants, however, the menus are still only available in Polish, so it may be a good idea to bring a dictionary or phrasebook in order to decipher the various items before ordering.

One final recommendation is a trip to the Wilanow Museum Palace, which has been described as the Versailles of Warsaw, and particularly to its museum of posters. This extremely interesting exhibition reflects the traditionally very high standing of graphic design in Poland.