Warsaw

Bialowieza National Park is a heavily protected UNESCO World Heritage site. It guards the last remnants of the primeval forest that used to cover most of Europe at the time of the last ice age. The park is the last place on earth that tourists can see European bison, huge beasts that once roamed across the continent, living undisturbed in their natural habitats. An ecotourism destination of international repute, the nearby town of Bialowieza has launched numerous luxury spas and elite lodgings. Bialowieza National Park is a short train ride from Warsaw (two and a half hours) making it possible to visit the park on a daytrip, but it is best to spend at least one night in the area if possible.

The Museum of Warsaw is one of the best of the city's impressive array of museums. Its three storeys are crammed with fascinating exhibitions, covering every aspect of Warsaw's history and life from the city's establishment to the present day. It occupies almost an entire side of a square in Old Town, housed in quaint historical buildings and boasting 52 rooms with permanent exhibitions, four with temporary exhibitions, a cinema, a library, and a reading room. A special feature is a documentary film showing the destruction and reconstruction of the city, with footage shot by the Nazis during their calculated and systematic annihilation of Warsaw, and footage of the careful rebuilding after the war. The film is shown in English at 10am and 12pm from Tuesday to Friday, and at 12pm and 2pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Address : Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42, 00-272 Warszawa, Poland.

Website : www.muzeumwarszawy.pl

Telephone : +48 22 277 43 00

Opening times : 10am to 6pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

The Old Town is an historic focal point, rebuilt in original 17th and 18th-century style following the war. The picturesque Old Market Square (Rynek) is at the centre, surrounded by restored buildings and colourful three-storey merchant houses with Baroque and Renaissance facades, lively open-air restaurants, art stalls, and the Historical Museum of Warsaw. Buskers, painters, and musicians provide entertainment, while cobbled streets and alleyways contain beautiful Gothic churches and palaces. The impressive Royal Castle was once the home of the Polish Kings while ramparts and watchtowers dot the medieval walls surrounding the old city.

The Galeria Grafiki i Plakatu (Polish Poster Gallery) is located in the old town district of Warsaw, housing the finest collection of graphic art and posters in Eastern Europe. Established in 1975, it now exhibits over 5,000 pieces of art, many displaying facets of Polish culture. Visitors will see theatre, music, and cinema posters, as well as Polish Solidarity political posters. The gallery also displays some iconic American, British, French, and German posters, and tourists may be excited to see classics like West Side Story, Moby Dick, and Dirty Dancing. Thankfully, the museum has a great selection of prints for sale.

Address : Hoża 40, 00-001 Warszawa, Poland

Website : www.poster.com.pl

Opening times : 11am to 6pm (Monday to Friday); 10am to 3pm on Saturdays.

Known as the Royal Way, this two-and-a-half mile (4km) route stretches from the Royal Castle in the Old Town to the stately King's Palace at Wilanów on the outskirts of the city. It bisects the central city from north to south, and is lined with galleries, museums, and historical buildings St Anne's Church. Along the way are the royal gardens of Park Lazienki with its lakes, peacocks, and charming 18th-century Lazienki Palace, which was the royal summer residence. A monument of the famous Polish composter Frederic Chopin stands in the park, with summer concerts held on the lawns. The Royal Way ends at the splendid Wilanów Palace which was modelled on Versailles, containing a museum and an art gallery called the Orangery.

Website : www.wilanow-palac.art.pl