As recently time started to go by so quickly I like to go back to places that I know from my childhood – just to slow down a little bit and see that not everything is changing.

When I was a little girl we used to visit my grandma when she was staying in the sanatorium for the summer. It wasn’t a long trip, as the sanatorium was in Konstancin, one of Warsaw’s suburbs which today is known as the most posh one. The highlight of these trips was always a visit to the saline graduation tower. It sounds complicated but it’s simply a round place with walls made from brushwood.

Through that brushwood runs salty water which – because of the sun – evaporates leaving the air inside the structure full of minerals and full of salty breeze. In Konstancin they also have a structure cold “mushroom” which diffuses salty water into the air.

Tężnie really has a unique micro-climate. Add to that people from the sanatorium (who sometimes still belong to the previous époque) mixed with young families with children and you also have a special social micro-climate.

The air here is really good for your health – it has the same beneficial outcomes as a long walk on the seashore, but you can do it in Warsaw! After 30 minutes in the graduation tower you can walk in the vast Konstancin’s park or just marvel at old Konstancin’s villas and dream about buying one and turning it into your home.

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Tężnie | Relaxing | Ticket PLN 9.00
ul. Sienkiewicza 1, Konstancin-Jeziorna | Suburbs | +48227564010
10:00 – 20:00 daily

It’s time to introduce Magda Gessler to you. She is the queen of Warsaw gastronomy scene. With experience in design, she not only creates places to remember – with lush flowery, old-fashion atmosphere – but she also creates dishes that are a pure pleasure: both for your eye and for your stomach.

My favourite part of her kingdom is “Słodki…Słony” a tiny place squeezed between a shop with designers’ glasses, and a charming flower boutique. In the window chocolate biscuits, pink meringues, and cakes with raspberries sauce lead us into temptation. Inside, there are small tables – just for two people – and cakes all over the place. Honestly, I have never eaten such delicious desserts. Teta-a-tete on a short crust pastry with caramel and almond-y cloud on a top. Or buns filled with rose, plum, or cherry marmalade. Or crunchy yet fudge-y meringues with pistachios. Or the cake named after Osiecka (famous Polish author of witty and humorous songs’ texts) -bright pink icing and soft vanilla cream sprinkled with fresh flowers. Mmmm.

But “Słodki…Słony” is not only about sweets (its name means “Sweet…Salty”). If you have guts to pass by on all these cakes in the first room, you can discover more room upstairs with frescoes on the walls, and lunch menu on the tables. Salads, omelettes, sandwiches, pastas, soups – all of them are made from the best ingredients. They are great, but I rarely get there – I almost always stay in the kingdom of cakes.

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Słodki…Słony | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwich from PLN 13
Mokotowska 45 | Sródmiescie | +48226224934
10:00 – 00:00 daily

I still remember a Summer in southern France where I was indulging myself in French croissants, stone pierrades, fresh sea fruits, tender steaks, and always good wine. The next day after my return I had an occasion to celebrate (the end of the two-year project) and, as I heard about Rozbrat20 many times (mainly because it has won the best restaurant 2009 competition), I decided to go there.

The design is very simple, and very French. Small wooden tables are very close to each other, each one of them covered with starched white table-cloth. There are also plenty of beautifully arranged bouquets, a wall covered in wine bottles, and a cupboard with fresh bread just near the floor-to-ceiling window.

At Rozbrat20 there is always a crowd inside. Glasses of wine are tinkling, the cutlery is clattering, the air is buzzing with laughs.

They serve breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Each one of them is simply amazing. Scallops with black risotto and green apples, sardines with passion fruit (!) and pine nuts, duck with polenta and figs, cod served with mules and caviar. Everything is accompanied with glorious smell and taste of the fresh bread, and well-chosen glass of wine. No wonder everyone here is smiling. And they smile even more if at the end of a dinner they still have some place for absolutely amazing chocolate soufflé. Melting chocolate just starts to flow when you cut the first piece. Stunning and perfect.

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Rozbrat20 | Restaurants (French) | Main course from PLN 55
Rozbrat 20 | Sródmiescie | +48226280295
Mon – Fri 07:30 – till the last guest, Sat 08:00 – till the last guest, Sun 09:00 – till the last guest

This is Mokotów’s best known pub/cafe/restaurant. Whenever I am meeting with my friends we end up at Regeneracja, drinking ginger beer, eating Zapiekanki (long pieces of bread baked with cheese and herbs), or Biały (the best pasta with chicken cream sauce, slices of sundried tomatoes, and black olives). The kitchen is open till late, and you can order some of the dishes way after midnight.

But Regeneracja is not only about eating. It’s one of this places that you even do not know why you like so much. Maybe it’s because of cozy sofas in the non-smoking area, where you can sit and drink your coffee while reading the newspaper during a day. Or maybe it’s the wooden terrace where we watched so many transmissions of football matches, and gossiped in candlelight. Or maybe it’s because so many concerts and events are taking place there.

Even though very often you have to wait to be served, and the service is rather nonchalant, you still go out there – that’s the part of the climate. No one stresses you out, no one hurries you up.

And fortunately, although so popular amongst Polish celebrities, Regeneracja has never become a posh, snobbish place. No one puts on airs here. It’s like visiting a good friend, or friendly neighbour. And it’s always – according to its name – regenerating.

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Regeneracja | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (Polish) | Ginger beer PLN 9
Puławska 61 | Mokotów | +48226463808
11:00 – till the last guest daily

At Charlotte you can drink some wine and eat some bread (does this connection ring a bell? It should – at least in Poland). It might sound simple but nor the wine nor bread are simple here.

The wine list isn’t very extensive but it’s carefully selected. As for the bread, at Charlotte they have prepared their own leaven (it’s an important thing – it’s a kind of yeast but the bread is less puffy and healthier) and they bake great bread with it. You can buy it from the counter (bread with nuts and raisins! – try it and you would like to stay in Warsaw forever). They also have a selection of croissants, pain-au-chocolate, and other French viennoiserie.

But the best thing is that they serve breakfast from 07:00 to 23:00. So at any moment a day you can savor on granola, sweet and sour omelets, homemade jams, and sandwiches with fresh ingredients (goat cheese, honey, and thyme is my favorite).

My advice is to avoid crowded times – so don’t visit on weekends.

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Charlotte | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwich PLN 9
Plac Zbawiciela | Sródmiescie | +48226284459
Mon – Fri 07:00 – 00:00, Sat 09:00 – 00:00, Sun 09:00 – 22:00

This is one of the most popular jazz festivals in Warsaw. Some reasons for that: 1. The beautiful surroundings of the Warsaw Old Town make the concerts an unforgettable experience2. The Jazz Art Foundation in Warsaw happen to invite great guests from all around the world to play their concerts in the city3. It is free so, as opposed to many other jazz concerts, it will leave you with enough money for food this month4. The concerts are in the open air, so if the weather is nice there is just nothing that could be better than you + jazz + cold beer. (However, be careful when choosing a restaurant, as most of them are very expensive in the Old Town)

This year Jazz in the Old Town is hosting many great artists, among them well-known jazz giantsand fresh stars (for example Michael Wollny, a great German pianist & multi instrumentalist).

Remember to take your friends with you – it gets quite crowded there during the concerts so if you want to see the band as well as hear them, make sure you arrive early enough. Definitely a must-experience for all jazz lovers!

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Jazz na Starówce | Art & culture, Music, Festivals & events | Free
Rynek Starego Miasta | Sródmiescie | +48501140523
30 June – 25 Aug Sat from 19:00

After many accidents and chance events the National Stadium is finally here. It survived an inefficient communication system between the staff, huge bonuses for managers who did not really fulfill their tasks, stairs which were not adequately constructed to bear the load of the weight of so many fans and replacement of the faulty turf. All of these + jogging of the Minister of Sports, Joanna Mucha (she promised to jog around the stadium if it’s not ready on time), were closely watched by the public. 

Finally the stadium is completed and it definitely is one of the most modern stadia in today’s Europe. During the European Football Championship five matches will be played here: on 8, 12, 16 June and the quarterfinal (21 June) and semifinal (28 June).

Enjoy our newest toy and national pride.

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Narodowy | Relaxing | Ticket PLN 100
Al. Księcia J. Poniatowskiego 1 | Praga Poludnie | +48222959000
Matchtime

If you take pleasure in visiting fascinating architectural objects in Warsaw or if you are an architect looking for examples of previous architectural trends and eras, make sure you see the bent Goodyear and BenQ Siemens blocks of flats near Łazienkowski Bridge.

The spring and beginning of summer 2012 might be an ideal moment to visit, as the time of strolling around comes again.

The buildings seem to remind of Warsaw’s past and bygone epoques and when their greyness is most intensive. The best view may be admired from the other side of the street when you stand on ul. Solec, looking from the river towards the city centre.

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Bent blocks of flats | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
ul. Górnośląska | Sródmiescie
24 hours daily

What could be better than sitting on grass, listening to the music, eating some grilled kielbasa (Polish for sausage), and drinking light beer? Nothing. Well, maybe doing this with friends.

Plac Zabaw – the Playground – is a simple wooden open-air bar-like structure set in the corner of Agrykola Park (one of the central parks in Warsaw). There are only few chairs and sofas, but a lot more of deckchairs which you can place all around the park. You can also bring your own blanket, or just sit on the grass – in the end it’s summer. During the day people are playing badminton, volleyball, or just ball.

In the evening you may come across concerts staged on a small platform. All day you can eat some freshly grilled meat (chuck, and famous kielbasa), vegetables with cream sauce, and a roll with mozzarella. Nights tend to change into dawns here.

The best thing at Plac Zabaw is – as the place is open-air – that space is unlimited. Here you don’t need to be afraid that there won’t be any place or too much people. Just sit on your a…s on the grass and have fun.

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Plac Zabaw | Bars, Music, Relaxing, Snacks | Beer with sprite PLN 10
Mysliwiecka 9a | Sródmiescie
12:00 – 04:00 daily

Eryk Lipinski (1908-1991) was one of the best-known Polish caricaturists. His idea was always to collect many works by all possible caricature artists and to show them in one place. His dream came true when finally, after a long search, he found a beautiful 18th-century building in Kozia Street. The museum now has over 18,000 works in its vast collection and hosts various exhibitions all year long. It has organized over 300 exhibitions here and 200 abroad.

I must say I am very proud of having such a museum in Warsaw – this is the only place like this in Poland, and only one of about 50 in the whole world, so we definitely have something to be proud of. I have been here a few times and I find the exhibitions very up-to-date, interesting, tracing the important things you definitely have to know about.

This is a perfect place for people who don’t know the Polish language because there are also some works with no text, easily understood if you have a cultural knowledge of our times. If you want to have an intelligent laugh, or if you want to see today’s problems, please make sure you drop in and have a look at the current exhibition.

The museum is now reopened with a new exhibition (conspiration drawings).

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Muzeum Karykatury | Art & culture, Festivals & events | Entrance PLN 5.00
ul. Kozia 11 | Sródmiescie | +48228278895
Tue – Sun 11:00 – 18:00