FREE THINGS TO DO IN Warsaw

One of the biggest and most beautiful parks in Warsaw, Royal Lazienki is a definite must-visit when in the capital city of Poland.

Renowned for being a place where you can spot wild deer and squirrels, as well as hosting free, live piano concerts during the summer months, Royal Lazienki Park is an idyllic place to spend a few hours in the city.

There are also numerous palaces residing in Royal Lazienki Park, including the Palace on the Water, and there’s even an amphitheatre and countless orangeries!

It’s a place full of history, art and beautiful architecture and is sure to be the source of entertainment for the whole family on an action-packed day out in Warsaw.

Address: Agrykola 1, 00-460 Warszawa, Poland

Bazar Olimpia is often cited as the best flea market in Warsaw and is a place that you could easily spend hours getting lost amongst all the trinkets and treasures.

It’s somewhat of a tradition to visit flea markets on a Sunday morning when in Warsaw so if your trip to the city coincides with the weekend Bazar Olimpia, make sure you’ve added it to your itinerary!

More often than not, you would likely purchase something at a market, you certainly don’t have to splash the cash to enjoy the authentic atmosphere at Bazar Olimpia.

Simply just wandering around the many different stalls and vendors is more than enough to sample a slice of Polish culture in Warsaw.

Address: Górczewska 56/60, 01-401 Warszawa, Poland

While it’s certainly not what you’d expect from most university libraries, the Warsaw University Library is utterly unique and completely charming and offers a little slice of heaven within the city walls.

At the Warsaw University Library, not only will you find thousands of books and documents, you will also be able to enjoy fairy-tale-like gardens on its premises.

There’s various levels of gardens for you to discover, as well as a fishpond, a stream and dozens of species of plants and flowers.

Make sure you head up to the upper level of the gardens in the University Library for unparalleled views of Warsaw city.

It’s a great place to take children who aren’t too interested in the history of the city, but still want to see some pretty awesome sights.

Address: Dobra 56/66, 00-312 Warszawa, Poland

Brzeska Street certainly isn’t somewhere that you’d want to take kids and it’s definitely not the most fun and light-hearted place in the city, but it is somewhere that’s incredibly important to see and learn about.

Considered to be the “poor and rough” area of Warsaw, Brzeska Street offers an authentic and rustic charm that dates all the way back to before the war.

Most of the houses and buildings in the area are pre-war structures so they have an almost eerie and ethereal feel to them.

Brzeska Street isn’t all doom and gloom however, as there’s plenty of street art decorating the archaic brownstone houses that add a certain life to the area and inject a bit of positivity into it somewhat.

Address: Brzeska, 00-001 Warszawa, Poland

If you like to combine city life with your love of relaxing and unwinding on the sand when you go on holiday, then Warsaw’s offering of the Vistula Beaches will suit you just perfectly!

The Vistula Beaches are incredibly popular amongst both locals and tourists and they’re conveniently located within close proximity to the city centre, so you don’t have to travel too far.

Some of the top Vistula Beaches in Warsaw include Poniatówka beach, Saska Beach, Zoliborz beach and Rusalka beach which has a particularly lovely view of the Old Town.

Each beach has its own offering of bars, restaurants and cafés and they’re the perfect place to take the whole family out on a day trip.

Address: Wybrzeze Helskie, Warsaw, Poland

If you’ve spent any length of time travelling in Europe before, you’ll know that most major European cities will have an Old Town and Warsaw’s offering is arguably one of the very best.

In Warsaw Old Town, you’ll be treated to a lively hubbub and vibrant atmosphere thanks to all the authentic and quintessentially Polish eateries.

The Old Town is also most famed for the Rynek Starego Miasta; a bustling square right in the heart of the town that’s lined with burgher houses and plenty of delectable restaurants and cafes.

You don’t even need to buy anything in the Old Town; just a leisurely wander around while admiring all the fascinating medieval buildings that were reconstructed after World War II is more than enough to sate your cultural needs.

Address: Warsaw, Poland

Similarly to the kinds of Royal Routes you’d find in other cities in Europe, Warsaw also has its own version that offers visitors to the city the chance to soak up as much of the city’s top sights as possible.

Beginning in the Old Town, the 6-mile Royal Route takes you on a journey across the city to see top attractions such as Lazienki Park, the Royal Castle and Wilanow Palace.

Of course, you don’t have to complete the entire route, especially if you’ve got kids in tow as it can be quite an adventure making your way around.

However, if you do have a couple of hours to spare while in Warsaw, it’s definitely worth adding the Royal Route to your list of free things to see and do.

Address: Royal Route, Warsaw

The Multimedialny Park Fontann, or simply put “Multimedia Fountain Park”, is one of the top free attractions in Warsaw that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

The incredible fountain complex consists of 367 water jets that perform an incredible light, water and music show at night during the spring and summer months.

It’s well worth seeing if you’ll be in Warsaw between May and September and you certainly won’t be disappointed by the spectacle that is the Multimedialny Park Fontann.

It’s a very popular tourist attraction in the city centre so make sure you arrive early to get the best chance of seeing it in all its magnificent glory.

The show usually begins at around 9pm, but make sure to check the exact timings beforehand so you know the best time to arrive.

Address: Pomnik I Dywizji Pancernej gen. Stanislawa Maczka, skwer I, 00-221 Warszawa, Poland

The Marszalkowska Housing District is definitely one of the most unusual free things to do in Warsaw listed in this guide.

Often nicknamed “MDM”, the Marszalkowska Housing District was built by the Party as a showpiece district for all the good communists.

The Marszalkowska Housing District isn’t used in the same way nowadays, and it’s a great place to wander around and take in the early socialist realist influences on architecture and design.

Children won’t necessarily enjoy a visit to MDM, but history buffs are sure to enjoy seeing the main marching route along Marszalkowska Street, the monumental lampposts at Plac Konstytucji as well as the 1950s sculptures in Constitution Square; it’s a World War II history fanatics’ dream!

Address: Downtown Warsaw, Poland

Situated in Warsaw’s beatific Old Town, the Royal Castle once housed generations of the Polish monarchy before it was near-fully destroyed in World War II.

It’s one of the most prestigious structures in the whole city and is notably famed for its impressive restoration after its severe damage during the war.

You can tie a visit to the Royal Castle in Warsaw with your trip to the Old Town as it’s situated right at the entrance to the town.

Bring the kids along to the castle and show them intriguing Bernardo Bellotto paintings, as well as historic pictures of Warsaw during WWII.

Only certain days to the Royal Castle offer free entry so make sure to check out their website before you go to make sure you can enter for free!

Address: plac Zamkowy 4, 00-277 Warszawa, Poland