Curated Travels: Warsaw

How would you feel about booking a holiday, but knowing absolutely nothing about it until you get to the airport? It’s an idea of hell for some — but I snapped up the chance as someone who loves both travel, and surprises. I have a list of destinations I want to visit in my lifetime, but I’ve found that the ones I visit unexpectedly are those that I get the richest experiences from (Nuremberg is a great example!).

My travel buddy Rachael and I were about to do a game of Skyscanner roulette (find cheap flights, book them — no matter the destination) when we remembered seeing posts on Instagram from Journee, a trip planning company who do all the work for you. You fill out a questionnaire to make sure you get matched with a place that suits your tastes, and they propose dates, flights, and two trips.

Everything looked pretty promising in our proposal, so we decided to book four days in our mystery destination. Everything was taken care of from the flight to the hotel, and we spent a few weeks receiving clues (quite abstract ones, so the answer wasn’t so obvious) and wondering where we’d be heading. We decided to open the envelope revealing our destination at the terminal in Heathrow, where we learned we’d be visiting Warsaw!

I’ve been wanting to visit Poland for a long time, so I was really happy with this result. I must admit, I would’ve chose Kraków — so being sent somewhere I wouldn’t have initially chosen was actually a real blessing.

First stop: learn the history

Warsaw is a city steeped in history. The one thing that I insist you do is go on a history tour. We went on a bike tour, but there are also many walking tours available — it’s an essential way to start your trip and really put the city into perspective. It was completely obliterated during the second world war after the inhabitants rose up against the Nazis. Reading the story is one thing, but learning about the events whilst standing in the middle of the place where it happened is so moving. The fact that we did this on our first day made me love the rest of my time there even more, as you can see how everything in front of you came to be what it is today.

You’ll never be hungry

My second tip? Eat. There are so many amazing places in Warsaw to eat and drink that you will never be hungry. I’ve saved all of my favourites on Google Maps for you — from a food hall where I had the most incredible Warsaw breakfast, to a traditional restaurant in the old town serving pierogi and potato pancakes — arrive with an empty stomach and eat until you feel sick. There are a whole range of cuisines available, from Polish milk bars to pierogi cafes, Israeli platters to luxury doughnuts — and I was constantly shocked by the prices.

Budgeting and costs

I’ve heard that Poland is a cheap place to visit, but I did not expect the variety and quality of food we experienced for prices as low as they were. You can choose to do this trip on a budget, or visit some of the more artisan restaurants, but even these were priced at what I would expect to pay at an average place in Manchester. We could get a two course meal with alcohol for £15-20, and this was some of the most delicious food I’ve ever had.

Hala Koszyki — the food hall. Prices were similar to the UK

MOD — artisan doughnuts, ramen and coffee

Karmnik — right by the Old Town Square

Być może — coffee shops and bakeries dotted around the city

Tel Aviv — Isreali restaurant (this platter was around £8!)

Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie — traditional food and cosy atmosphere

This trip really gave me a love for Poland, and I hope to go back soon. The history, the sights, the food and the people were all incredible, and I couldn’t fault it. If you’re planning a trip to Warsaw, you can find all of the destinations I loved on Google Maps here.

Let me know if you’re adding this destination to your list!