free tours warsaw

Best things to do and see in Warsaw

Warsaw is considered the most important city in Poland . It is the capital of the country since 1596 (previously it was Krakow) and has a cultural and historical background very difficult to match. In 1939, before the Nazi holocaust, there were 1,300,000 settled Jews in the city, almost 30% of the population of the capital ... After 6 years of indescribable horrors, that same population was reduced to one third and more than 90 % of the city was reduced to rubble. Since then, the reconstruction of the city has been rehabilitating the most emblematic and essential areas, combining the before and after to make history clear. In Warsaw there are a large number of guided tours through the different neighborhoods and areas of the town. In fact, there are tours that focus on making routes through the most emblematic places that allow you to travel the city in 2-3 hours. You can also find more specific routes to visit the Palace of Culture and Science, Plac Zamkowy (in Stare Miasto), the Royal Castle, the little mermaid in Rynek Starego Miasta, the Barbakan, the Nowe Miasto, the Jewish ghetto, the Łazienki Park , the Wilanów Palace, the Saint John Cathedral or the Prague district. The advantage of the local guides is that they can tell you things not so well known in the city as well as recommend more exclusive places. It can help you to know better how are the free walking tours in Warsaw the opinions and ratings of travelers who have already done a tour in this city. In addition, other interesting cities to visit from Poland are Poznan and Wroclaw.

Free walking tour near Warsaw

Others cities to visit after warsaw, find other guruwalks in warsaw, where are you traveling to.

we never cancel tours due to bad weather

Orange umbrella free tour is the first and the best rated regular walking tour in warsaw. we run our tours every day, all year round. you can book one of the tours listed below:, old town free tour, monday-saturday at 10 am, best of warsaw free tour, sat-sun 10:30 am, mon-fri 3 pm, ww2 in warsaw free tour, sunday, monday, wednesday, friday at 1:30 pm, jewish warsaw free tour, saturday, tuesday, thursday at 1:30 pm, treblinka private car tour, 160 eur per group, praga by locals paid tour, from 80 eur per group, treasure hunt game in the old town, 20 eur per person, private walking tours, tours for organized groups, from 150 eur, free tours in cracow, explore cracow with orange umbrellas, weekly schedule, april – december 2024.

Starting point: Sigismund’s Column in Castle Square Book

World War 2 in Warsaw

Best of warsaw, jewish warsaw.

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OUR GUIDES’ RECOMMENDATIONS

People like you orange umbrella tours.

I’ve been on many free walking tours all across Europe and today’s Old Town tour with Goska was by far one of the best I’ve been on! Much better than the one in Krakow I did a few days ago with the main competitor. Goska was a very informative guide and in contrast with other guides, it didn’t sound like she was just going through all her facts and knowledge, but really brought it like if you are visiting the Old Town with a local that is your friend. She also brought pictures to illustrate her stories and added some personal notes. I highly recommend the free tours with Orange Umbrella and very much looking forward to the Jewish Warsaw tour I’m going to join tomorrow.

I love Orange Umbrella! We lived in Warsaw for more than 2 years and often used or recommended these tours to friends and family members. The guides are always locals and friendly. They provide a unique perspective about Warsaw’s history! Definitely recommended! And nice to give a tip at the end for the guide’s good work!

gerberagirl76, Great Britain

Anna and Gawel are very prepared and friendly guides. The tours we have followed (“old town” and “jewesh warsaw”) have made us discover and appreciate the many events, aspects and curiosities of the city to which we are fond of. Walking along the streets with their guide is a real pleasure and a real discovery. We highly recommend it for the quality of the guides and the knowledge you can acquire

We did three tours with them — old town tour with Beata, Jewish heritage tour with Gawel, and alternate Warsaw with Joanna who took us to Praga. They were all amazing, full of wonderful stories about Warsaw. No stop at a cafe or souvenir shop and buy this or that – just content based tour that we really enjoyed. Very smart way to see and learn about Warsaw. And, getting some local tips. Highly recommended!!

For the Warsaw at war free orange umbrella walking tour we had Piotr and he was fabulous. The passion that he spoke of in the pride for him to be Polish made me proud to be in an ancestral country. He let us take our time and gave us a few moments when it was overwhelming and sad like at the ghetto wall. Could’ve listen to him all day. So interesting so passionate about everything that he was teaching us. Read the trip advisor reviews before I went I was so excited to have Piotr. He lived up to their reviews. And exceeded it in some areas. I gave 100 zlotys as a donation. Well worth it thank you Piotr also went on the old town walking tour. Both tours were fabulous and incredible amount to history in these countries that needs to be shared. Polish people are very proud of people and it shows in everything they do.

travellersmith2015, Canada

We did 3 tours with Orange Umbrella. They were all excellent. Our first tour of Old town was with “Kate”. She has a wonderful understanding of her subject matter. Next, we did a tour with Gawel who was very informative. I think that tour was about WWII. And then, we did a tour about the Jews in Warsaw again, with Kate. I highly recommend this tour company. It was recommended to me and I’ll pass on the recommendation.

hikingnana, USA

I’m so glad I decided to do the old town walking tour, Gosia was a fantastic guide. Either you travel alone or in a group these walking tours are really a must do in Warsaw. I learned so many things about the city, its history, the habits and so many more… Everything is totally different when you see it with a local’s eye, I was so excited that I also had the alternative Praga tour, which was great as well! I had so fun! Thanks a lot Gosia and Piotr, keep on doing this excellent work! George from Greece

yiorgos160, Georgia

A ‘must’ for the short-time visitor to the city. My wife and I are sure that all the guides from Orange Umbrella are good at their roles but felt extremely lucky to have had Beata as our guide – she was excellant. The morning tour of the Old Town was so good – with local knowledge plus the history – put-over so well that we joined the later afternoon tour with the same guide. The afternoon tour, titled WWII in Warsaw, maintained thesame high standard. We were extremely grateful. The tours are billed as ‘free’ and they are, but we beieve that a tip at the end should be measured to the satisfaction gained. Well-done Beata. A gem.

DavidB027, Great Britain

Went on several, all amazing! Would recommend 100% if you want to learn and see the city. The guides are great.

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Free Walking Tour Warsaw

Explore the capital of poland with orange umbrella. the oldest and best-rated free tour in warsaw, free  warsaw walking tour.

Orange Umbrella Free Tour is the oldest and the best rated regular English walking tour in Warsaw. We run our tours every day, all year round, regardless of holidays and weather conditions. Our classics, in schedule since 2011 include: the Old Town Tour , the Best of Warsaw Tour , the World War 2 Tour and the Jewish Warsaw Tour .

We are a local Warsaw-based company . Our guides are true Varsovians who love their city and want to share their passion and knowledge. On each tour a tourist will get an original, different, local perspective. Our guides are trained, licensed professionals with university education and high language competence. You will easily identify them by orange umbrellas with the British flag mounted on top.

When guiding we focus on stories rather than bare facts. We talk as much about history as about everyday life in contemporary Warsaw. We are determined to show you Poland’s Capital as we see it : a colorful, lively city, with a turbulent past but with an immense energy to move forward.

Pictures from our walks

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Warsaw Historic Centre Tour by Walkative!

Overview of the tour in Warsaw

Today’s Warsaw is like a patchwork quilt. A few original, grand pre-war buildings; the fully reconstructed and colourful Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; hulking communist architecture and modern skyscrapers. It is different from any other place you’ve seen. The architectural fabric of the city reflects its unique, and often tumultuous, history. Over the centuries, Warsaw has been the setting for many extraordinary events and people: the adoption of the world’s second-oldest democratic constitution in 1791, one of the most decisive battles in history, the music and life of Chopin, and the birth of Marie Skłodowska-Curie, the only person to receive the Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields. The wartime deeds of Hitler and Stalin left an indelible mark on the city. During our tour, we'll discover both the past and the present. We'll start at Krakowskie Przedmieście at the monument of Nicolaus Copernicus to see one of the most beautiful and lively streets of the city with its astonishing buildings, wide pedestrian areas, restaurants, shops, and greenery, and we'll finish in the Old Town - the historical heart of Warsaw.

This activity includes:

• Krakowskie Przedmieście Foundation
• Castle Square, Warsaw
• Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum
• Nicolas Copernicus Monument

Meeting point

Nicolaus Copernicus Monument

Meeting point: Nicolaus Copernicus Statue on Krakowskie Przedmieście Street 2 (near to Metro Station: "Nowy Świat - Uniwersytet", line 2). Look for the guide with a yellow umbrella.

Things to note

ATTENTION - booking rules Please note that our free tours are designed for individual travellers and small private groups only. Hence, we do not accept parties of 8 or more people on regular free tours and guides have the right to deny participation to such groups. If you travel in a party of 8 or more, please book a private tour in advance. If you show up at the meeting point with the bigger group, our guide will ask you for the payment (10 eur/person) before the tour or cancel your reservation on the spot. To confirm your reservation, please arrive 10 minutes before starting. We can not guarantee participation when you will be late. Please note that multiply bookings (under different names) for 7 people who belong to one group will still be treated as one organized group and the guide has the right to deny participation to such parties. This policy is implied in the best interest of our individual visitors. Please respect our rules.

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You are free to cancel a booking anytime. We kindly remind you to cancel bookings you cannot arrive for. Being reported as absent decreases your customer level points and the benefits you can enjoy.

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Free Walking Tours in Warsaw

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Original Pub Crawl Warsaw (Optional Open Bar)

Free Warsaw Walking Tour

Free Warsaw Original Pub Crawl

Free Warsaw Alternative Street Art Tour

Free Warsaw Original Walking Tour

Free Tour of the Warsaw Ghetto

Free tours in warsaw.

Welcome to Warsaw, home of Original Free Warsaw Tours. The capital of Poland is packed with history and culture, and we would love to show it to you. From the food to the drinks it’s all unique here. Join us on one of our Original Free Tours to see some great places around town. Head over to the Original Free Warsaw Tour to see some of the cities famous historical landmarks, learn the history of Warsaw, and get some great tips about what to do while you are in town. 

Free Walking Tours

The Free Warsaw Walking Tours are a great way to familiarize yourself with Poland’s most polular city. Learn about the extensive history of Warsaw and how the city was shaped today. The Free tour covers famous Warsaw attractions, including the most influential historical sights while entertaining you with stories of past wars, triumphs, and tragedies. Learn how to get around and the different areas in the city. Socialize with other travelers and discover Warsaw’s history from its dark history during World War Two, to its early history and modern times.

Free Alternative Tours

This tour is great for seeing the sights and getting a feel for the city. Want to avoid the large crowds and hang out more in the cooler areas, try on of our graffiti tours, the Original Alternative Free tour. 

Our guides are great in what they do. They live for this stuff and love sharing their experiences of this city.

We will also talk about where to find the best restaurants, fun pubs, live music, or the best dance clubs. Our guides are active in the city and can provide some great insider knowledge.

Take a tour with us and let us show you what’s so great about this city!

There’s nothing like an evening stroll around a new city. You feel a bit more like a party, head over to the Original Warsaw Pub Crawl to check out some of our best nightlife areas around. Meet up with a fun group from around the world and rub shoulders with the locals on this one of a kind Warsaw Pub Crawl, By day or by night, come let us show you our home town!

The Free Warsaw Tours are made with the traveler in mind. We will hit the major attractions and also give you some tips as you learn your way around. This tour is perfect for anyone and we would love to show you why.

Your Experience:

• Get the best tips on where to find live music, what club to go to, and where to eat.
• Our tours may take one of the several routes through the city depending on the guide, the needs of the group, and the weather on the day.
• We will take the time to make sure you see a bunch of cool stuff while having time to chill out and enjoy all that the city has to offer.

About our Guides:

Our guides are the best in the business. They will also talk about where to find good restaurants, fun bars, live music, or the best clubs. Our guides are active in the city and can provide some great insider knowledge. So come with a group or come alone, this is a social tour and there will be plenty of time to make new friends!

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Free Walking Tour of Warsaw

• 9.40 / 10 7,586 reviews | 59,905 travellers Excellent guide Manuel 10 Antonio

This free walking tour of Warsaw is the ideal way to begin to discover the capital of Poland . During this tour, you'll see the Royal Castle, the Presidential Palace, the famous Market Square and much more!

At the scheduled time, we'll meet at the Copernicus Monument at the selected time and start a free tour around the historical centre of Warsaw. First, we'll visit the residence of the former kings of Poland.

Then we'll stroll through the market square looking at the colourful houses of Warsaw's Old Town . This part of the city had to be rebuilt after the Second World War due to the destruction caused by the Nazis.

During the tour, we'll discover the history of Warsaw and the main personalities who influenced its development, such as King Sigismund III. This monarch moved the national capital from Krakow in the 16th century.

The guide will take you to admire the imposing Warsaw Barbican and the medieval city walls . The visit to the historical centre will allow us to meet some of the most famous Polish personalities while strolling through the streets where Marie Curie or Frédéric Chopin were born.

Finally, after a 2.5-hour tour, we'll end our free tour at the Warsaw Rising Monument or near the  Warsaw Barbican .

It isn't possible to take the free tour if you're a group of more than 6 people, even if the bookings were made separately. In this case, we recommend booking a private tour.

More Information

2 hours 30 minutes.

The activity takes place with a guide that speaks in English.

English–speaking guide

Not included

When to book.

You can book up to the start time, as long as there are places remaining. Book now to guarantee your spot.

Type of voucher

Electronic. Show the voucher on your phone.

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible. This must be indicated in the reservation.

Sustainability

All services published on Civitatis are carried out in accordance with our Sustainability Code .

Our providers commit to:

• Provide a safe and satisfying experience.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle.
• Incorporate eco-conscious technologies.
• Uphold fair employment standards.
• Foster the growth of local communities.
• Preserve the integrity of local culture.
• Safeguard both cultural and environmental heritage.
• Ensure ethical treatment of animals.
• Operate with honesty and transparency.
• Encourage sustainable behaviors among customers and staff.

This particular activity contributes as follows:

• No printing of documentation required.

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Corporate name: Legendary Tours

Frequently asked questions

Q - Why do this activity with Civitatis?

A - At Civitatis we guarantee the best quality and prices, click here if you want to know how we select our activities.

Q - How to book?

A - To reserve the activity, choose the date and complete the form on this page. You will receive your confirmation immediately.

If you have any other questions please contact us.

Free cancellation

Meeting point.

Nicolaus Copernicus Monument

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20 Amazing Free Things to Do in Warsaw, Poland

The Polish capital is one of the top cheap European cities to visit . From accommodation to food, you don’t need to break the bank to experience the best of it. If that’s not enough, there are also plenty of free things to do in Warsaw.

You should spend at least three days in Warsaw to enjoy more than just its highlights. Whether you want to get to know its history and culture or engage in leisure activities, here are 20 great free must-dos.

* This post may contain affiliate links from which I earn a commission (for more info, read my disclosure ). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

* I try to keep the information on this blog as updated as possible, but I still recommend consulting the latest prices, opening hours, and other details on the official website of each site, hotel, and tour, as well as checking the updated public transport routes and timetables.

Table of Contents

Best Free Things to Do in Warsaw, Poland

Take some free walking tours.

While I love to roam around freely when traveling, I’ve embraced themed tours that uncover a specific side of a city.

Luckily, Warsaw offers quite a few of them, so if you want to explore the Polish capital with a guide,  book yourself a:

• Free walking tour of the UNESCO-listed Old Town
• Free street art tour
• Jewish history free tour
• Warsaw at war free tour
• Free tour of the unique Praga district

Explore the Old Town

It’s not for nothing that Warsaw’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It had to be reconstructed after WWII because most of the city was razed to the ground, and it was rebuilt in a way that preserved its pre-war architecture (fun fact: some decorative elements were saved).

Take your time to marvel at the colorful main square (Old Town Market Place – Rynek Starego Miasta), wander the lovely surrounding streets, take some photos of the beautiful Castle Square, and admire the Warsaw Barbican.

To learn more about this area and its history, consider taking a free walking tour of Warsaw’s Old Town .

Explore the Praga District

The unconventional Praga district is an area in Warsaw you have to explore. Unlike other parts of the city, it wasn’t utterly destroyed in WWII (“only” 20% of it), so it is now full of contrasts between the historic and the modern.

Alongside pre-war buildings, you’ll find 21st-century townhouses; hipster cafes and pubs are found next to milk bars (low-price Polish diners); alongside photogenic cathedrals are beautiful murals; quirky museums are waiting for you to visit (like the non-free Neon Museum and Vodka Museum).

While you can definitely enjoy this neighborhood on your own, consider taking a free walking tour of Praga .

Go Street Art Hunting

I don’t know what comes to mind when you think of Warsaw, but it is a city that preserves its history and heritage, yet it has become incredibly modern.

Its thriving street art scene is definitely worth exploring, especially in the districts of Praga and Muranów, where you can find giant colorful murals covering entire building walls.

To learn about the different pieces and artists, don’t skip out on taking a free street art walking tour .

Follow Warsaw’s Jewish History

Warsaw’s Jewish community was one of the largest in Europe up until WWII, so whether you’re Jewish (like me) or not, it’s incredibly important to get to know this aspect of Polish history.

From Nożyk Synagogue (the only one in Warsaw that survived the war) and the remains of the wall of the Warsaw Ghetto (the largest in Europe) to the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes and Mila 18, there are quite a few points of interest where you can learn about WWII and the Holocaust.

That said, Poland’s Jewish history is actually 1000 years old, so I highly recommend  taking a free Jewish history walking tour , which talks about the community’s life from the Middle Ages until the present day.

Visit the Polin Museum

The free Jewish history tour ends at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, located right in front of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews.

Free to visit on Thursdays, the 4000-m2 museum hosts an extensive permanent exhibition dedicated to the 1000 years of Polish Jewish history.

Even if you don’t take the free tour or see the places I mentioned above, don’t miss the POLIN Museum, which is a must-visit spot in Warsaw.

Check out the City’s Indoor Markets

Wandering through local markets is a great free activity in any city, and the most prominent ones in Warsaw are Hala Gwardii, the adjacent Hala Mirowska, and Hala Koszyki.

From savory & sweet food stands to handicrafts to traditional market stalls selling vegetables, cheeses, and whatnot, there’s nothing you won’t find at Warsaw’s cool indoor markets.

Stroll Through the Beautiful Parks

City break destinations that are home to lots of parks and gardens where you can unwind and enjoy some change in scenery are my favorites, and Warsaw is no exception.

From the infamous Lazienki Park to the Krasiński Garden to the Saxon Garden (home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier), there’s no shortage of relaxing green spaces in Warsaw (that you can visit for free!).

Visit the Palace on the Isle

Sitting on an artificial island in the heart of Lazienki Park, the 17th-century Palace on the Isle was a bathing pavilion converted into a summer residence for King Stanislaus II Augustus. It’s also one of the few landmarks in Warsaw that survived WWII.

While the palace’s main facade seems relatively modest, its interiors, decorated with paintings, sculptures, frescoes, marble, and golden embellishments, are worth seeing.

Along with other royal monuments in the park (Old Orangery and Myślewicki Palace), the Palace on the Isle is free to visit on Fridays.

Visit the Zachęta National Gallery of Art

If you love contemporary art, head to the Zachęta National Gallery of Art. Officially open since 1900, it houses a permanent collection of more than 3500 works of Polish art and also hosts temporary exhibitions.

The gallery is conveniently located in the heart of Warsaw and is free to visit on Thursdays (open from noon to 8 PM). 

Visit the Royal Castle

Originally constructed in the Middle Ages, the striking Royal Castle was the official residence of the Polish monarchs for several centuries, making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Old Town.

While touring the castle, you’ll get access to some of its most beautiful rooms, including the King’s Apartment, the Senators’ Chamber, and the Marble Room. It also houses two Rembrandt paintings, a Stradivarius violin, and many other works of art.

Situated at Castle Square, this unmissable Polish landmark is free to visit on Wednesdays.

Visit the Warsaw Uprising Museum

Free to visit on Mondays, this highly-visited museum is dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising, the 2-month operation of the Polish resistance against the Germans in 1944.

Interactively showcasing the city’s history before, during, and after the Uprising, it is a must-visit museum if you want to dive into one of the most significant events that ever happened in Warsaw.

Visit the Wilanow Palace

A short bus ride will take you from the city center to the 17th-century Wilanow Palace, the royal residence of King Jan III Sobieski and a Polish monument that survived both world wars.

The palace’s most notable features are its art collections, yellow outer walls, and magnificent gardens adorned with sculptures, fountains, pavilions, and more.

You can visit it for free on Thursdays, but the number of tickets is limited, so be sure to be at the ticket office right when it opens.

Good to know: From October to February, the palace hosts the  Royal Garden of Light , a spectacular evening exhibition turning the gardens into a magically illuminated wonderland.

It is not free, but I’m sure you’ll think it’s worth it and understand why Warsaw is a great European winter destination .

Walk the Royal Route

This photogenic walkable route connects the Royal Castle and the Wilanow Palace while passing alongside the city’s most significant palaces, churches, parks, and other points of interest.

Covering some of the landmarks I mentioned as well as other important monuments, it includes St. Anna’s Church, the Presidential Palace, Holy Cross Church, Nowy Świat Street, Lazienki Park, and  the list goes on .

Visit the National Museum

One of the largest and oldest art museums in Poland, the National Museum houses a collection of more than 800,000 pieces from all over the world, including ancient art, medieval art, and Polish art from different centuries.

On Tuesdays, you can visit the permanent exhibitions for free.

Unwind at the Warsaw University Library Garden

Not to be confused with the University of Warsaw Botanical Garden (located in Lazienki Park), the 1-hectare rooftop Warsaw University Library Garden is a free place to visit in the city you cannot miss.

The garden consists of a lower part (open year-round) and an upper part (open from April to October), boasting lush vegetation, ponds, statues, and much more.

Its unique layout and design, combined with the tranquility it offers, make it feel like a total hidden gem in Warsaw.

Check out the Multimedia Fountain Park

There’s no shortage of multimedia fountains in European cities that let you enjoy evening shows that combine sounds, colorful lights, and water, Warsaw included.

Taking place on Fridays and Saturdays in May-July (9:30 PM), August (9 PM), and September (8:30 PM), the shows are a free activity for the whole family.

They also have a Christmas edition in December on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (at 4 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM, 7 PM, and 8 PM).

Enjoy a Chopin Concert

You don’t have to love classical music to appreciate the cultural contribution of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin (who grew up in Warsaw).

But if you do, you’ll be happy to know that from mid-May to the end of September, free Chopin concerts take place each Sunday at noon and 4 PM around the Chopin Monument at Lazienki Park.

These open-air summer concerts are one of the most notable events in all of Poland, featuring gifted pianists from all over the world.

Consult the full program  here .

Stroll Alongside the Vistula River

If the sky is clear, one of the best things to do in Warsaw for free is to walk along the Vistula Boulevards, a lovely riverside promenade dotted with trees, benches, and a few cafes and restaurants.

Spanning several kilometers, it’s an ideal spot for a laid-back afternoon stroll (or even a bike ride if you feel like renting one).

Go to the Beach

It may sound odd, but if you’re visiting Warsaw in the summer, another free activity offered by the Vistula River is enjoying its beaches, including Poniatówka Beach, Prague City Beach, and Saska Kepa Beach.

While you shouldn’t expect them to remind you of the coast of a Mediterranean Island, they’re still a popular place to soak up some sun, have a riverside picnic, and appreciate the views.

If that’s not enough, you can also cross the river with  a free ferry ride , operating daily in July and August.

Need some more Poland travel tips? Read:

• Reasons to visit Poznan
• Things to do in Poznan
• Reasons to visit Warsaw
• Cities to visit in Poland

Are you excited to experience Warsaw on a budget? You might also like:

• Free museums in Vienna
• Free museums in Madrid
• Free things to do in Valencia
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• Free things to do in Lisbon
• Girls’ trip destinations in Europe

About Or Amir

Hey, I'm Or! I'm a passionate traveler with a severe coffee, chocolate, and pastry addiction (or any other carb for that matter). I'm always planning my next trip to Spain, Italy, or any other country in Europe, and my goal is to help you make the most of each destination.

2 thoughts on “20 Amazing Free Things to Do in Warsaw, Poland”

Extremely beautiful presentation and explanation about free things to do in Warsaw! This historic capital city of Poland seems to an ideal destination for a family vacation. Thanks a lot for all your efforts.

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I'm a passionate traveler obsessed with traveling in Europe and discovering hidden gems in each place I visit. For me, it's not about ticking destinations off the bucket list but experiencing each one of them to the fullest. Read more about me and my story.

Warsaw Free Walking Tour

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Warsaw Free Walking Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Alternative Warsaw

There is Warsaw you know. The Old Town, the modern centre, rich shops, and restaurants. But there is also another side. Neglected, dark, and forbidden. Are you ready to play Alice in Wonderland and adventure into the unknown? Let us take you to Praga, the thrilling right bank district of Warsaw.

For many years, the other side of the river was a separate city. Some would say the two sides of Warsaw are still completely different worlds. The architecture of Praga stands out from the rest of the city as it was mostly unharmed during the Second World War. For decades it was considered a no-go zone in Warsaw. Today, things have changed.

With our guides, you will see the multicultural and alternative Praga. Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish places of worship standing next to each other, dilapidated buildings and backyards, street art, and street trade. The so-called “Hollywood ghetto”, an area so run down that it could be used as a set in a Holocaust movie almost with no scenography. The only wild bank of a big European river, the bears (yes, bears), and much, much more! Are you ready to follow the white rabbit?

During this tour you will see:

· the infamous Praga district · architecture that survived WWII · courtyard shrines and places of worship · the heart of Old Praga

If you are interested in discovering the alternative face of Warsaw check out also our Warsaw Street Art free tour!

Amazing tour!

Had an amazing guide! So passionate and fun. Very interesting tour and learned a lot of info I wouldn’t have known myself.

An alternative view on Warsaw

You might think that after Old Town and Jewish Warsaw tours you have quite a good picture of Warsaw but this tour will change your mind!

This part of the city is so different and diversified- everyone can get surprised.

What is more, our guide was able to share info in a very light an fun ny way.

I recommend in 100%

Brilliant walk

Thanks, Anya, very good tour, surprising to see an orthodox cathedral in Warsaw, and the chapels were very quirky too

Very good tour

Maybe more interesting than the typical “European” old Warsaw, very intriguing explanations from the guide Lukas and a big contrast in sights! Had a nice drink after the tour in the Vodka Factory place.

Every city has it's alternative side

Warsaw is interesting: one bank is fully built up and the other is beaches, forests, a zoo and then like a separate universe, the Praga with its weird chapels, own identity, a bit drab townhouses and modern developments. The tour was really good, really good English!

This tour is also available as a Private Tour.

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Taylor Swift Concerts Increase Hotel Prices By Up to 154% — These Are the Destinations and Dates to Avoid

Let’s get out of this town ... away from the crowds …

Emma McIntyre/TAS23/Getty Images

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is rather popular. As in, it's made Swift a certified billionaire , popular. So popular that Swift is credited with bringing millions to local economies around the globe thanks to her thousands of fans flying in from all over the world just to see her sing. However, the one thing we could perhaps complain just a little about as travelers is that the tour is causing hotels to seriously jack up their prices in the days leading up to her tour. In some spots, as much as 44 percent. 

According to a 2024 study by Lighthouse , a travel and hospitality insights company, the increase in room pricing during Swift's European stops is "staggering." 

We can see that the effect on hotel room pricing in some cities is "staggering," including some spots seeing a more than 100 percent increase. 

"Overall, the median increase in rates for a standard hotel room compared to those nearby weeks was 44 percent, which is a huge boost to local hotel rates and indicative of the continuing star power Swift has in every geography she has visited so far," the study's findings read. However, it also noted, the effect is not universal and there is "massive variation between locations." 

There was also one other bit of good news in the study: "Most visitors are solely interested in the event's tour within the specified dates, with limited spillover demand." 

So, if you happen to want to be traveling to Europe this summer during her tour, we thought we'd give you the heads up on a few dates to avoid, and note a few cities where you may still be able to get a good deal over her concert dates, to ensure you can maximize deals and swerve the Swift Effect. 

Avoid: Warsaw 

Price increase: According to the study, prices for hotel rooms in Warsaw are experiencing a whopping 154 percent increase during Swift's tour dates.  Dates to avoid: Swift's tour stops in Warsaw from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3, so if you can, try to go the week following the concerts, when prices will be far lower. 

Avoid: Stockholm

Price increase: According to the study, prices for hotel rooms in Stockholm are experiencing a whopping 119 percent increase during Swift's tour dates.  Dates to avoid: Swift's tour stops in Warsaw from May 19 to May 19. Avoid that weekend and you should be able to find prices for less.

Avoid: Liverpool

Price increase: According to the study, prices for hotel rooms in Stockholm are experiencing a whopping 116 percent increase during Swift's tour dates.  Dates to avoid: Swift's tour stops in Liverpool from June 13 to June 15. After those dates, you should be great. 

Avoid: Vienna

Price increase: According to the study, prices for hotel rooms in Vienna are experiencing a whopping 88 percent increase during Swift's tour dates.  Dates to avoid: Swift's tour stops in Warsaw from Aug. 8 to Aug. 10, so skip those dates and find new ones to snag a deal in this fantastic city. 

Still go: Paris

Price increase: In an interesting twist, larger cities don't seem to have the same price increases as smaller ones, according to the study. Thus, spots like Paris are only experiencing a 5 percent increase in pricing for hotel rooms. So, if you plan to see the City of Lights between Swift's tour stops from May 9 to May 12, you should be in the clear.

Still go: London

Price increase: Like Paris, London too hasn't been hit too hard with Swift increases. The study notes that the city is only seeing a 9 percent increase in room prices, so feel free to still book a (slightly more expensive) stay during the tour dates from June 21 to June 23. 

There is, however, one more solution if you simply cannot avoid traveling over Swift's tour dates. According to the study, short-term rentals, like those on Airbnb and Vrbo, are seeing far less volatile pricing over the tour dates. In fact, the study noted that prices are actually lower than ever in London over her tour dates than on other days, so there's always a solution to your travel woes. Even if those woes are the fact that you couldn't score T Swift tickets.

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SYRACUSE — All three Wawasee elementary schools will welcome the incoming class of 2037 during “Warrior Round Up,” the event commonly known as kindergarten round up, from 3:30-6 p.m. Thursday, April 18. The event is open house style.

Along with any student who will be five years old on or before August 1, 2024, coming to tour the kindergarten classrooms, pre-K students are welcome to tour the pre-K classrooms.

Wawasee holds pre-K classrooms in each of its elementary schools in the district. Families looking for pre-K enrollment in the fall are welcome to attend and learn more about Wawasee’s Early Learning Center.

Any student turn who will be five on or before August 1, 2024, is eligible to enroll for the 2024-25 school year. Families preregistering students for the following year will need to bring: • Your child’s state-issued birth certificate; • Your child’s immunization records; • Proof of residency; • Be able to provide your current address, phone number and email address, if applicable.

Contact Syracuse Elementary School, (574) 457-4484; North Webster Elementary School, (574) 834-7644 or Milford Elementary School, (574) 658-9444 for more information.

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European cities hope jet-setting Taylor Swift fans will splash the cash for Eras tour

The superstar arrives in Europe next month – and Swifties, tourist boards and venues are already preparing

T im Brown, 44, and his wife, Marcella, 34, may not consider themselves bona fide “Swifties”, but when it was announced last June that Taylor Swift would be visiting their corner of the globe this summer they could not resist joining the scramble for a pair of tickets.

A post-pandemic appetite for live music events has fuelled huge worldwide interest in the American singer-songwriter’s Eras tour, which surpassed in $1bn sales in November to become the highest-grossing series of concerts in history.

The pop culture event of the summer will arrive in Europe next month, kicking off in Paris on 9 May and wrapping up in London on 20 August with 49 dates in between in Sweden, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Austria, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

The unique nature of the tour’s ticketing system, which was tweaked after a number of hitches last year, means there will be a mass movement of travelling fans who will not only be Swiftie in affiliation but swift-like in their willingness to travel across the continent.

In expectation of intense demand, Ticketmaster introduced a pre-registration system that rewarded some early applicants with access codes to the ticket sale proper, via staggered windows for each city.

Notionally designed to prioritise genuine fans over “scalpers” – people who buy and resell tickets for a quick profit – the pre-sales system also meant many fans registered for tickets in multiple destinations across Europe to increase their chances.

Tim and Marcella, who live in Norwich, registered not just for the nearest concerts – in London and Liverpool – but also in Amsterdam and Lisbon. The pair got lucky with a pair of €91 tickets in the Portuguese capital and have turned the trip into a weekend break. “I used to live in Lisbon so I thought why not kill two birds with one stone,” Tim said. “We booked ourselves flights and four nights’ accommodation the same day.” They are far from alone.

Katie Soo, the chief business officer of DICE, a rival ticketing company, said: “The excitement and uncertainty inherent in the ticket-purchasing process might have inadvertently incentivised fans to apply for tickets in multiple cities, thereby increasing the likelihood of travelling across Europe to attend the concerts.”

Hotel prices

Several European cities have already reported a sharp rise in demand for hotel and short-term rental accommodation over the summer, when the Swift hurricane will arrive. In Edinburgh, Liverpool and Cardiff, rooms at the Travelodge chain around Swift’s June dates have been sold out since August 2023, a month after tickets for the shows went on sale.

In Paris, where fans anticipate Swift to debut an updated version of the Eras show with songs from the new Tortured Poets Department album, 80% of hotels and apartments listed on Booking.com are already full up. In Warsaw on 2 August, only 9% of hotels listed on the same site are still available.

Not all of the 18 cities covered by the Eras tour are obvious tourism destinations. From 17-19 July, Swift will play three concerts at the 65,000-capacity home ground of the football club Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen in Ruhr valley, western Germany. The city’s less-than-familiar name prompted one US chatshow host to quip that “the place might not even exist”.

Yet even in Germany’s rust belt the influx of Swift fans is temporarily transforming the hotel market: any two-bedroom apartments that remain available are going for €800-2,000 a night, with cheaper accommodation available only in surrounding cities that are just as off the usual tourist track as Gelsenkirchen, such as Essen, Bochum or Herne.

Cities with stricter rules on allowing Airbnb-style holiday lets and a more limited stock of short-term rental apartments are reporting a particularly marked increase in rates during Swift’s visit, with about 30% year-on-year spikes in rental rates in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Milan, according to AirDNA, a data analytics company specialising in the short-term rentals market.

Of all the tour’s European stops, Vienna is experiencing the most notable impact on its rental market, with booking rates for the nights of Swift’s concerts recorded in February 44% higher than at the same point the previous year. By the end of March the number of nights booked in the Austrian capital for the length of Swift’s stay in the second week of August had risen by 430% compared with the same period in 2023.

When Luke Tilden’s wife, Tatjana, suggested last summer that the couple buy their 13- and 15-year-old daughters, Lena and Maya, tickets to a Taylor Swift gig for Christmas, the 53-year-old Briton initially waved it off. “There’s no chance in hell we’d get a ticket without paying through our noses, I thought,” said Tilden, who works as an interpreter at the European parliament in Brussels.

But after pre-registering for tickets in London, Paris and Munich, the Tildens got unexpectedly lucky for four tickets in southern Germany and have turned the concert visit into a mini-holiday: “We’ll visit the in-laws in Bavaria, enjoy the countryside, do a bit of hiking.”

The hope in cities across Europe is that this will be replicated on a massive scale, with fans’ excitement translating into generous spending sprees on food, shopping and leisure. In Stockholm, for example, where authorities are expecting 159,000 visitors to arrive from 135 countries in mid-May, the chamber of commerce has forecast a spending boost of €50m. “We hope the whole town will buzz from the Eras tour,” said Tomas Andersson, a spokesperson for the Swedish capital’s tourism board.

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Whether fans will necessarily act like ordinary tourists, however, is up for debate. “Pop-culture tourists do not necessarily care about traditional buildings and authentic restaurants,” said Maria Lexhagen, a professor at the European Tourism Research Institute, Mid Sweden University.

“Joining up with other fan communities is stronger motivation, as is the idea that they might get closer to the stars themselves. Many of them will map out where Swift is spending her time in the city – they will seek out seemingly marginal but meaningful places like back alleys or coffee shops.” Venues may be hoping for a repeat of Sydney in February, when Swift swept into an unassuming Italian restaurant in the suburbs and sent its name into global media headlines.

In Stockholm the tourism board said it was expecting bookshops and secondhand clothes stores, rather than museums and royal palaces, to attract most of the arriving visitors. Some venues are being proactive: one restaurant within walking distance of the multipurpose Friends Arena in the Solna municipality is putting on a “Taylor Swift brunch experience” with a karaoke stage; the waterfront nightclub Debaser is hosting a pre-concert party on 16 May, an all-ages all-day party with a Swift-themed quiz on 19 May and an afterparty the day after.

Environment

As the Swift circus rolls across the continent, the transport infrastructure of urban centres will also be put to the test. Around the tour’s three-night stop in Dublin at the end of June, Irish Rail has announced additional late-night services to Cork and Limerick to meet an expected increase in demand. Extra tram and bus services are likely to be announced nearer the time.

Unlike rail operators, most airlines do not have capacity to charter additional flights. Due to yield management – airlines adjusting prices based on expected demand – a scramble for airborne journeys into cities that host the Eras tour is more likely to result in more expensive tickets rather than additional flights.

Officials at Lisbon airport said no additional flights had been chartered around Swift’s concerts on 24 and 25 May but that demand would probably be reflected in slightly higher load factors. A spokesperson for Amsterdam Schiphol said general aviation slots could be requested at short notice but nothing out of the ordinary had been logged so far.

Calculating the environmental impact of the tour with any certainty was difficult, experts said. “We can expect that some Swift fans will travel a long way to see one, if not several, shows across Europe”, said Stefan Gössling, a professor of tourism at Linnaeus University in Kalmar, Sweden. “But measuring the environmental impact of these trips is extremely difficult – it would involve a lot of guesswork.”

This did not mean the carbon footprint was negligible. “Every flight taken by a person adds to demand and hence influences supply considerations,” Gössling said. “The greater the demand, the more aircrafts are in service.”

The pop star’s carbon footprint is easier to estimate. Swift owns two jets by the French manufacturer Dassault, whose journeys are trackable. During the 2023 leg of the Eras tour, Swift’s planes spent 166 hours crisscrossing the US in about 75 individual journeys, though it is possible they were used by people other than the singer.

According to data available through the open-access aviation tracker ADS-B exchange, Swift’s jets caused carbon emissions of about 2,830 tonnes of CO 2 equivalent over the course of the US Eras tour – about 1,700 times the annual contribution of an average person.

A spokesperson for Swift told US media last year that in advance of the tour’s start in March 2023, the pop star bought more than double the carbon credits needed to offset all tour travel. Carbon offset credits are tradable certificates that allow purchasers to compensate for emissions by investing in environmental projects that claim to reduce carbon emissions, though recent studies have questioned the efficacy of these schemes.

Additional reporting by Ajit Niranjan

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