With one of the most intriguing histories among European capitals and a panoply of different architectural styles, Warsaw is well worth exploring. Be prepared for a skyline as full of Gothic architecture as it is communist concrete. Chopin's music rings in the streets and the tragic tale of the Jewish ghetto is still a palpable wound.
Counteract that sombre history at some of the city's rowdy bars and clubs, and an inexpensive yet impressive culinary scene completes the picture of this perfect European city break destination.
It's a straightforward task to book package holidays in Warsaw. Flight to and hotels in Warsaw are easily organised from the UK. Flights from Dublin to Warsaw are as common as flights from Cork, so you can book Warsaw hotels and flights easily. The Polish z?oty is the currency and Poland is one hour ahead of the UK. Many Varsovians speak English.
The weather in Warsaw is most hospitable between June and August, although these months are also peak season in the city. Rooms drop in price between December and February, and the periods from March to May and September to November balance middling temperatures with lower footfall.
Discover the majesty of the Royal Castle, a vast brick pile that was destroyed by the Germans in World War II and then rebuilt. It was a stronghold for Mazovian dukes back in the 14th century before housing royalty in the 17th. Take a tour to see fantastic artworks, including a ceiling fresco by Marcello Bacciarelli.
Retrace the city's uprising against its German occupation in 1944 at the Warsaw Uprising Museum. Interactive displays and film archives bring this fascinating period back to life. A huge volume of original material makes the museum easily one of the city's best.
Relax after all your exploration at ?azienki Park. This leafy hideaway is inhabited by picnicking families and peacocks. On Sunday afternoons between mid-May and September, the park becomes a venue for performances of Chopin.
Weekends in Warsaw proffer a rich array of fascinating heritage and contemporary culture that will keep you busy. Here are some of the sights you can spy:
Gastronomes will already be well aware of Warsaw's Restaurant Week, in which sixty restaurants take part. Enjoy a low-priced three-course meal during this wondrous Warsaw week. Lukullus Bakery, whose owners trained at Paris's Cordon Bleu and Ferrandi academies, serves up scrumptious rosewater jam doughnuts. A shining Michelin star hovers over Senses, where Poland's classic cuisine receives subtle and innovative treatment. Their pierogi are out of this world.
Though the jellied trotters at Ró?ana restaurant may be out of your price range, everyone can agree that the city's government-subsidised milk bars are a miracle. Prasowy Milk Bar serves two-course meals for next to nothing, and comfort food abounds, with pierogi leniwe ('lazy dumplings') serving as a prime Polish hangover cure. Vodka is available everywhere, but for top-of-the-range cocktails, install yourself at Solec 44, where the food is just as pleasing.
From amber jewellery to folk sculpture, Warsaw is an excellent place for souvenirs. Amber abounds here, and the best of the honey-coloured gems are found on Piwna, ?wi?toja?ska and W?ski Dunaj streets in the Old Town. Guardian angel statues are found throughout the Old Town, especially at ArtisGaleria and Anio?owo. You'll also find dolls clad in traditional costume and some of the world's best linen products in the city's shops.