How we spent a weekend in Warsaw
In January, I travelled to Warsaw, the capital of Poland, for a weekend with seven friends. It was cold and snowy, which added to the festive atmosphere in the city where all the Christmas lights were still up.
How to get to Warsaw
Flying from London to Warsaw takes about 1.5 to 2 hours and costs under £100. I flew from Heathrow with British Airways, which allows for one cabin bag as well as hand luggage. This made the price about the same as going with a cheaper airline and adding a £30-40 bag.
Once you land, use Uber to get to your destination. The taxis you flag in the airport (and around town) will charge you as much as 10x more than the app. We used Uber all weekend in Warsaw and except for the very busy streets around the Old Town it was an easy way to get around.
Where to stay in Warsaw?
We found an apartment that could sleep eight people on Airbnb, although options were limited. But if you’re looking for smaller groups there are plenty of apartments, hotels, and hostels available in the centre of Warsaw.
We stayed right in the middle of Old Town, which had a lovely historic feel to it. But if you want to stay somewhere a bit quieter there are neighbourhoods like Muranow that have a more residential feel while still being within walking distance from the city centre attractions.
Is Warsaw cheap?
Generally, Warsaw is a cheap place for a holiday. Our accommodation cost about £65 per person and I spent about £150-180 across the whole weekend. This included eating and drinking out, getting around with Uber, and entrance fees to various museums and other attractions.
Is Warsaw safe?
We spent two nights out in Warsaw and wandered around the town all day and as late as about 3-4am. We were in a big group, but despite this I never felt unsafe at any point. Like any city, there will be crimes like theft and pick-pocketing that take place. But it definitely didn’t feel like an unsafe place for tourists.
The best things to do in Warsaw
We had three full days in Warsaw in the middle of January and found that this was plenty of time to fit in the main attractions. Our highlights were:
Exploring the Old Town
The Uprising Museum
The Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski w Warszawie)
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
The Neon Museum
The Jewish Cemetery
Drinking vodka and eating pierogi (find out where here)
For more information on what we did in Warsaw, check out our blog.
What to pack for a weekend in Warsaw
The weather in Warsaw in mid-January was around -4 to 1ºC throughout the weekend. There were times when the sun was out and it did feel warmer. But overall, this is a cold holiday and it’s worth packing extra to prepare for that.
As much as I love light packing, the key to dressing for Warsaw in January is layering. You’ll find that you’re warm in museums and restaurants, but immediately need to layer up again once you’re outside and exploring the streets.
This is what I packed for a three days in Warsaw in January:
One large coat
Two jumpers
One t-shirt
One regular long-sleeved top
Two thermal long-sleeved tops
Two pairs of trousers
One pair of leggings
A pair of sweatpants and a top for at the apartment
A hat
Gloves
A warm scarf
Sunglasses
A pair of Dr Martens
A pair of trainers
Regular daily toiletries, including hand cream and lip balm.