The story of Warsaw can be divided in two: before August 1, 1944, and after. 2004 marked the 60th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprisisng, a battle which has come to define the spirit of the city and its people. Brutalized and butchered it was effectively wiped from the map – blown to smithereens by dastardly Nazi’s. The city has gone to pains to rebuild itself, but even so, the reminders are visible – from the execution memorials on every street corner, to the 50’s tenements slowly sinking into the rubble they were built on.

Always destined to do the right thing, and pay the price for it, it’s easy to see Warsaw as the doomed hero in a romantic tragedy. It’s a remarkable city; and not just for its ability to commonly find itself in the wrong place at the wrong time. For all the sushi bars and designer hotels Warsaw still has its own distinct flavour. The brothel flyers that clog up the drains, and the concrete bins filled with broken glass, are as much part of the city as the Bond girls and lounge bars. Always loud, vaguely seedy, and often glamorous, this is an addictive town built on hardship and history.

Transport:

Warsaw's municipal transport consists of trams, city buses, suburban buses and the underground (metro). Buses and trams are the safest and the cheapest means of transport in big cities in Poland. You can use most of the lines between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. on working days. The bus and tram tickets can be bought in kiosks, ticket machines located at stops or you can buy them directly from drivers.

Warsaw's subway has one line, which joins the city centre (Pl. Wilsona) with its southern part: Ursynów (Kabaty).
The subway operates between 5 a.m. and 0.41 a.m., and the trains run every 3-4 minutes during peak hours, and every 4-6 minutes outside peak hours.

Travelling by train is rather cheap, comfortable and safe in Poland. There are four kinds of trains to be chosen: InterCity, EuroCity and express trains, fast trains and local trains. The local trains network is well developed and popular in the Warsaw.

Taxis are available all day long. They charge lower fares between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. and higher fares between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Shopping:

Despite the rumors you may have heard Poland does now have toilet roll, in fact Poland represents somewhat of a shoppers paradise. A fantastic selection of shops, and generally cheaper or, much cheaper then the prices you'll find at home. Poles are particularly fashion conscious and accordingly there is a dazzling array of clothes to choose from.

Shopping malls – Blue City: Poland’s first mega mall, and dubbed the ‘city within a city’. In the center of it all, a 26 metre fountain positioned under a giant glass dome.