N67Poland - 5z (w tym 8% VAT)UK - 5EU (excl. Poland & UK) - 3warsaw.inyourpocket.comISSN 1641-5264HotelsRestaurantsCafsNightlifeSightseeingEventsMapsWARSAWEuro 2012Tournament time closes in on Warsaw. Are you ready?Copernicus Science CentreHands-on fun for the whole famil y February - March 2012WeinvileyoulolheIaceofyourdreamsvilhamagicgardenvhichIeavesanunforgeabIeimressionYouviIInolbedisaoinleduIChocimskaWarszavaleIleIfaxvvvreslaurac|arozanacomIDuelolhecIosureoflheTradyc|areslauranloneIvederskaSlreelveinvileyoulooursecondreslauranlonChocimskaSlreelinWarsavwarsaw.inyourpocket.com4Warsaw In Your PocketCONTENTSArrival & Transport14The Basics19Culture & Events 22Where to stay30Dining38Cafs72Nightlife76History90SightseeingWhat to see93Palace of Culture and Science107Old Town108Praga110Warsaw Uprising112azienki116Wilanw118Jewish Warsaw122Treblinka 125Leisure126d128DirectoryShopping 130Directory136Maps & IndexCity centre map139City map140Country map142Street index144Listings Index145Feature Index146ContentsIts almost here! Its almost here! Warsaw has been preparing, building and planning in anticipation of hosting Junes Euro 2012 football tournament for the past five years, and the home stretch has finally arrived. Read about the new National Stadium and how to create your ideal footballing experience during the tournament on page 8. Photo: NCS/ J. KonikWarsaws Copernicus Science Centre can easily take up a day of your visit with over 350 hands-on experiments, a robotic theatre, four laboratories and a 137-seat planetarium. Tots and teens will find sections of the CSC dedicated specifically to their interests, making the CSC the ideal place for families. To get the most out of your visit see our feature on page 12.6Warsaw In Your PocketFOREWORDwarsaw.inyourpocket.comCopyright notice Text and photos copyright WIYP Sp. z o.o. 1999-2012. Maps copyright cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76).Editors noteThe editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. Sponsored listings are clearl y marked as such. We welcome all readers comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.Arriving in Warsaw during the span of this February/March guide means youre getting an inside glimpse of Warsaw in the home stretch before its foray onto the national stage: The Euro2012 football tournament kicks off here in June, and every restaurant, bar, hotel and attraction is scrubbing up for the influx of fans. And you? You get to be a guinea pig of sorts, testing the waters well before the crowds arrive.One area in which Warsaw has needed no assistance is the nightlife scene. Seemingly overnight the city has churned out so many must-visit hot spots that our dance card is filled almost every weekend. Just when Beirut (page 76) and neighbouring Bar Tektura (page 76) set the standard for laid back cool, in comes Znajomi Znajomych (page 83) to steal the title. The two-level bar has everything you could want in a night out: late night eats (pizza!), live DJs (playing keytars!) and a smoking room (no going outside in the wintery weather for a puff!).Of course man cannot exist on booze and cigarettes alone (weve tried), and our culinary wanderings have brought us to some cant-miss spots that will surely be packed even in the lead up to the tourist season. One standout is Sony (page 66), local celebrity chef Magda Gesslers seemingly billionth contribution to Warsaw dining. But unlike some of her more staid ventures Sony breaks new ground by being a snack bar geared towards adults. Gessler offers up Polish-style canaps and a boatload of wine choices, and the homemade white sausage with onion jam is not to be missed.After youve filled your belly check out our feature, which takes an in-depth look at one of Warsaws newest and biggest tourist attraction in the Copernicus Science Centre (page 12). Were pretty sure we tried every experiment and contraption in the modern building on the Vistula, all in the name of research. Put our efforts to good use by checking out the CSC and the attached Heavens of Copernicus Planetarium yourself and we promise you wont find a more enlightening experience anywhere else in the city.As always we sincerely hope you enjoy your time in Warsaw and the guide we have put together, and we welcome your feedback at [email protected],withnew guidespublishedinBulgaria(VelikoTurnovo), Netherlands(Tilburg,Utrecht,Amsterdamand Sittard-Geelen), in Austria (Vienna), in Croatia (i-benik), in Switzerland (Zurich), Slovenia (Posavje) andinBelarus(Minsk);2012promisestodeliver many more new Pockets.The number of cities we cover has now climbed past 70, and the number of In Your Pocket guides published each year is approaching an amazing five million. To keep up to date, like In Your Pocket on Facebook (facebook.com/inyourpocket) or follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/inyourpocket). You can also now follow our tips on Foursquare (foursquare.com/inyourpocket).Europe In Your PocketEditorial Editor Monica Wright, MGWResearch Manager Anna HojanResearchers Dorota Konkel, Aneta Roszak, Maria RulaffEvents Klaudia Mampe, ukasz Jankowski,Vaughan ElliottDesign Tom HamanPhotography In Your Pocket unless otherwise statedCover Courtesy of Copernicus Science CentreSales & Circulation Director: Magorzata Drzszcz 606 749 676Krakw/Katowice/ZakopaneManager: Anna Szumniak 668 876 351Warszawa/dManager: Marta Ciepy 606 749 643Wrocaw/PoznaManager: Anna Wyrzykowska 606 749 642Gdansk/BydgoszczManager: Bartosz Matyjas 58 555 98 18PublisherWIYP Sp. z o.o.ul. Paderewskiego 1, 81-831 SopotCompany office & AccountsBasia Olszewska58 555 08 [email protected] www.inyourpocket.comPrinting CGSPublished 25,000 copies, 6 times per yearMapsAgencja Reklamowa POD ANIOLEMul. Wenecja 26/5, 31-117 Krakw, tel./fax 12 421 24 48agencja@pod-aniolem.com.plCzechRepublicPolandRomaniaSerbiaBosniaKosovoAlbaniaGreeceFYR MacedoniaBulgariaMontenegroItalyCroatiaSloveniaAustriaSwitzerlandUkraineBelarusLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaRussiaGermanyNetherlandsNorthernIrelandIreland8Warsaw In Your Pocket warsaw.inyourpocket.comEURO 2012The decision to make Poland a co-host of Euro 2012 was greeted with surprise both inside and outside Poland as well as by jubilation that Michel Platini and his UEFA committee hadtheforesightandcouragetobringsuchasuccessful tournament here. Once the hangovers wore off however it became clear what a huge task the country had taken on. The country was already trying to repair the damage of 50 years of Communist rule and decades of under-investment. Progress was being made and EU entry 3 years previously promisedhugeinwardinvestmentviatheEUsStructural Funds--Polandwasmodernisingalready.Theawardof EURO2012meantthatthisprocesswouldhavetobe accelerated and a few new stadiums would have to be built while they were at it.Despitegettingofftoapotentiallydisastrousstartwhen UEFAthreatenedtosuspendPolandandwi thdrawthe tournament after the government of current Prime Minister Donald Tusk tried to impose change on the Polish FA (PZPN), disagreements were settled and work began in earnest. The task has been nothing short of huge. Motorways have had to be built from scratch; an aged railway network and rolling stockneededtobemodernised;andthesmallissueof3 brandnew(and1updated)stadiahadtobeaddressed. While much has been achieved rumours continue to circulate thatUEFAisnotentirelysatisfiedwiththeprogressthat has been made so far. While Gdansk and Wroclaws entirely new and Poznans expanded stadia are complete and have already hosted competitive matches, the National Stadium in Warsaw -- where the opening match of the tournament will be played was only just completed in December with the first actual game pencilled in for February 2012 (the original completion date was June 30, 2011). For fans looking to visit Poland for the tournament there is plenty to be excited about: the best summertime weather (temperatures in the 20s Celsius); prices for food and beer are a competitive steal when compared to western Europe; andthetraditionallyhospitablepeopleofPolandarewell preparedtoshowtheirhostingcapabilitiesforEuropes biggest football event.While much of the news coming out of Poland is good at the moment especially compared with other countries in the Eurozone -- there are still a number of issues the country has had to tackle. As you might imagine from a country of over 300,000 square kilometresthat is attempting a complete overhaul of its dated infrastructure, there are plenty of issues that fans should be aware of in advance. Getting hereWhilegettingtoPolandwillbeafarsimpleraffairthan gettingtoUkraine,navigatingyourtraveltothecountry requiressomeforethought.Forexample, Ryanairdoes notfl ytoWarsawfromanywherewhi l eunti lrecentl y domestic flights in Poland could only be booked with LOT Polish Airlines and meant always being routed through itsWarsawhub.Allthingsconsideredyourbestbetis tobookflightstoPolandwellinadvance.WhileRyanair doflytoWroclaw,GdanskandPoznanamongstothers youwillalsofindbudgetcarrierWizzair,whoserveall four Polish host cities from various cities around Europe. Polands national carrier, the aforementioned LOT, has a numberofdirectroutestoPolandfrommajorEuropean cities and is also a member of Star Alliance, which adds to your potential flight options. We recommend looking at the game schedules and searching for flights between host citiesfortheeasiesttransport.Eurolot andOLTJetair nowal sofl ysomedomesti croutesdi rect,wi thnew routesbeing introduced all the time. Fans are advised to look at the various carriers in the coming months to book flights as a timesaving transport plan for getting between cities for the games. Warsaw itself FootballfanswhodrawPolandscapitalcityareinfora treat. After a long, cold winter Warsaw comes alive in the summer, with the Old Town streets filled with restaurant gardens that keep the food and booze flowing long after the sun goes down. The city has taken its hosting duties seriously and is creating the largest Fan Zone in history (weretalkingroomfor120,000revellers),whichwillsit in the shadow of Warsaws most recognisable landmark fromitsCommunistpast,thegothicPalaceofCulture. Whennotcheeringonyourfavouriteteamthecityhas plentyofsightstokeepyoubusy,fromthespellbinding Warsaw Uprising Museum (which will explain why the city had to be reconstructed from ruins after World War II) to theup-and-comingbohemiandistri ctofPragaacross the Vistula River. With the 16 Euro 2012 finalists now knowing where they willbeplayinginPolandandUkraine,therehasnever been a better time to check outIn Your Pockets guides to the host cities. With over 20 years of experience in writing guides to the rapidly changing central European region we have all the most important information you need to plan your trip. As the tournament approaches we will continually update allourinformationandkeepyouuptodateonwhats happening in each of the host cities Warsaw, Gdansk, PoznanandWroclawinPolandandKiev,Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lviv in Ukraine via our colleagues there.The tournament promises to be a landmark event in the history of both nations while the visiting fan is promised a fascinating experience quite different from those you may have had at previous tournaments. In Your Pocket knows these countries like no other travel guide publisher. Let us help to make your visit as simple to organise and as enjoyable as possible once you are here.The full Warsaw In Your Pocket guide can be downloaded in PDF format for freeand there is also an iPhone app available via the AppStore.WarsawInYourPocketisalsoactiveonTwitter(@WarsawIYP) or find our Warsaw In Your Pocket page on Facebook. Feel free to ask us any question you like about the city or the tournament itself. Euro 2012 In Your Pocket10Warsaw In Your Pocket warsaw.inyourpocket.comEURO 2012SpeakingoftheVistula,itshardnottonoticethemost exciting new addition to Warsaw that sits on its banks: the new National Stadium. The most important of all the projects connected to the tournament was the construction of 3 new stadia and the upgrade of Lech Poznans existing stadium. WhiletheWroclaw,PoznanandGdanskstadiumshave allbeencompletedandhostedmajoreventsthe130 million Wroclaw stadium saw the Vitaly Klitschko vs. Tomasz Adamek fight last September Warsaws National Stadium fell woefully behind schedule. Despite employing over 1,300 workersaroundtheclockandsettingacomfortableJune 30,2011completiondate(nearlyafullyearbeforethe tournaments start) little of the stadiums construction has goneaccordingtoplan.Wordthatfifteenoftheeighteen flightsofevacuationstairsfromtheuppertiersmaynot havebeenproperlysecuredsurfacedandwaspromptly followedbynewsthattheelectricalsysteminstalledwas not capable of powering the whole stadium. Additional work to address these and other issues added time (the stadium wasconsideredcompletedinDecember)andmoney(to the tune of 8 million PLN) to the much-anticipated project. Yet all can be forgiven when you see the final result, which is easily spotted from across the river in the Old Town: space for 58,000 fans and 860 journalists, with hundreds of 45-metre supportpillarsdrivenintothegroundtostabilisethe25 metresofwarrubblethestadiumfindsitselfatop.Priced at 1.2 billion PLN, the stadium is quite impressive, and fans of commie history will be pleased to learn that the Socialist era Relay statue at the entrance has been preserved in a nod to the sites past heritage. The stadiums official opening took place on January 29 with five hours of local bands and a fireworks display, with the first official football match the Polish Supercup between hometown boys Legia Warsaw and visiting Wisla Krakow taking place in February. Getting aroundGettingaroundthecountrytocatchgamesatmorethan one of these stadiums during your stay in Poland may cause some problems. Major road and rail construction is ongoing, and we can confidently say all the work wont be completed on time. Add to that the strange composition of the groups, with Wroclaw/Poznan and Warsaw/Gdansk far more natural partners in terms of infrastructure available and distances thatwillhavetobecoveredthantheactualgroupingsof Warsaw/WroclawandPoznan/Gdansk.DrivinginPoland, while not completely discouraged, is not as straightforward as it is in most western European countries and travel times can be outlandish. Visitors are surprised to find there is no direct motorway between Poznan and Gdansk, for instance, and the 300km haul will take at minimum 4 hours despite astretchof100kmonthenewA1dualcarriageway.On therailstheIntercitytrainbetweenWarsawandWroclaw currently takes 5-6.5 hours and more trains are expected to be added during the tournament, hopefully shortening that journey to a solid 5 hours. AccommodationWhenhopingtoensureacomfortabl eandconvenient ni ghtsrestawayfromhome,earl ybookingisal ways recommended, but never more so than in this case. While the accommodation options available in every Euro 2012 host city have expanded dramatically since Poland won the right tohostthetournamentin2007,manyrooms,andindeed entire hotels, have already been reserved by UEFA and the football family for the duration of the tournament, meaning availability is already limited. While accommodation prices are generally affordable in comparison to Western Europe, the high demand around match days will no doubt drive their value upwards. Rooms will likely become available again in February,soitsworthkeepingyoureyespeeledformore accommodations. Being the capital city Warsaw benefits from having the largest array of accommodations for fans to choose from, and with only the Russian and Polish teams from Group A choosing to stay in the city the Russian team is based at Le Meridien Bristol and the Polish team at the Hyatt, while the Greeks are staying outside Warsaw and the Czechs in Wroclaw that frees up even more space for you. Plenty of the reliable major chains can be found here, including the Marriott (President Barack Obamasawfittostayhereduringhisvisitlastsummer), InterContinental,Hilton,Radisson,Sheraton,Westin and Novotel. If you want to dig a little deeper try Mamaison Hotel Le Regina and Polonia Palace for two cream of the crop accommodations without the corporate logos. One way fans win by staying in Warsaw is by taking advantage of the largenumberofmid-rangehotelsthatcallthecityhome Campanile, Gromada, Golden Tulip and the Ibis hotels all provide comfortable rooms at competitive prices. Sleepwell Apartments on Nowy Swiat boasts amenities that will come in handy, including mini-fridges home theatres in rooms that are decorated in unique styles (think glittery carpeting and murals of manga assassins) while P&O Apartments can give you all the comforts of home in modern surroundings. If youre just looking for a place to rest your weary head then a hostel can easily fulfil your basic needs. We like Emmas eco-friendly take on accommodations while Moon hostel has one of the best locations in the city on busy Foksal street. Matches to be played in Warsaw (all kickoffs CET)Group A FixturesPoland vs. Greece, Friday June 8, 18:00Poland vs. Russia, Tuesday June 12, 20:45Greece vs. Russia, Saturday June 16, 20:45Quarter finalWinner Grp A vs. Runner up Grp B, Thursday June 21, 20:45Semi-final Thursday June 28, 20:45The Warsaw Fan ZoneWe can safely say the Warsaw Fan Zone will be the Fan ZonetoendallFanZones.Thelocationisabrilliant choice:sittingintheshadowofthePalaceofCulture, DefiladSquareiscentrallylocated,offers120,000 squaremetresofspaceandiseasilyaccessibleby public transit. By all accounts this will be the largest Fan Zone in history, with eight screens airing matches and twostagesforhostingconcertsandliveevents.The 7,000 square metre catering zone ensures no one will go hungry, and 400 bathrooms will hopefully minimise lines.Acommercialandentertainmentareawilloffer activitiesoutsideofmatchesandthechancetobuy allyourEuro2012gear.TheentireZoneitsel fwillbe fencedinwith13entryandexitpoints,andonmatch daysyoucanexpecttoseeoverathousandsecurity personnel ensuring your safety. The Fan Zone will be open from 10:00 to 01:00, though on major match days its expected to bump that time to 04:00. Your first chance to experience the Zone will be June 7, the day before Poland and Greece square off in the tournaments first match. Euro 2012 In WarsawTast epol i sht r adi t i onU Fukiera, Warszawa, Rynek Starego Miasta 27,tel. 022 831 10 13, tel./fax 022 831 58 08www.ufukiera.pl;O LV SK L Z [ Y L Z [ H \ Y H U [PU > H Y Z H ^asta 27,8ani nvi t at i onf r om 13February - March 2012 warsaw.inyourpocket.com12Warsaw In Your Pocket warsaw.inyourpocket.comCOPERNICUS SCIENCE CENTRE COPERNICUS SCIENCE CENTREWhiletheworldsattentionwasdrawntowardsthehighly-visible, round-the-clock construction of Warsaws amazing new stadium on the left bank of the Wisa, work was also being carried out on the rivers right bank on a building that might well outshine the stadium once the Euro 2012 hoopla has died down. Built on time and on budget (well, just about), the Copernicus Science Centre (CSC) -- which stands almost directly opposite the stadium along the river -- looks set to become Warsaws top tourist attraction for years to come. Getting thereThe centre can be found in the shadow of the Swietokrzyski BridgeonthebanksoftheWisaRiver.Servedbybuses 102, 105, 118, 128 and 162, a journey to the CSC from the centreofWarsawshouldtakearound10minutes.Buses will drop you at the Biblioteka Uniwersytecka stop, requiring a short walk around the corner to the unmissable building. Al ternativel yvisittheAboutussectionoftheEnglish language website www.kopernik.org.pl, where you can get directions by car, by bus, or by foot by typing in your address.IntroductionA rare example of European Union funding being used in a genuinely visionary way, the CSC is many things, not least (in the words of Polands Education Minister shortly before the opening) an attempt to restate the case for science and research in what can still be an intensely and deeply religious country. In that sense, giving the centre the name of the man who did so much to end the churchs monopoly of education in the first place is little short of a masterstroke.Not that Copernicus did it all his own way; in the aftermath of the tragic death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski in April 2010thepresidentspoliticalparty,PiS(Law&Justice), lobbied heavily to have the CSC renamed for him. The request was politely, respectfully, refused.Given the stunning, futuristic sight all glass and steel -- that greets visitors at the 93 million (half of which came from the EU, half of which came from the Polish taxpayer) CSC today, its a little ironic that the buildings origins are slightly more humble. The idea of creating the centre first took shape at the informal SciencePicnics--outdoorscience,cultureandartevents aimed at the general public that have been held in Warsaws RynekNowegoMiastasince1997.Theideaofthepicnics (whichwereorganisedbyPolskieRadio,strangelyenough) was to bring popular science to the masses through hands-onexperiments.Eachyear,asthenumbersofscientists, universities,schoolsandmembersofthegeneralpublic taking part grew, it became clear that there was an expanding interestinscienceinWarsaw,whilethelargenumbersof foreign visitors who came to the events suggested that there was an untapped market in the region for hands-on scientific learning. Construction of the CSC was the natural next step, though it took a number of years to secure the site and funding. GiventheadhocSciencePicnicoriginsoftheCSC,itis nosurprisethatthemuseum(i fwecancallitthat)was openedinaslightlyadhoc,it-will-be-all-right-eventually fashion. The opening show, Wielki Wybuch (The Big Bang), directedbyPeterGreenawayandSaskiaBoddeke,wasa littleunderwhelming(andatcertainpointsquitebizarre), while visitors to the centre in the first couple of weeks were greetedbyanannoyinglylargenumberofthisexhibitis temporarilyoutofordersigns.Yetthroughout2011as the CSC rolled out sections of the museum to the public it quicklybecameclearthatthisisunquestionablythevery best science centre in Europe, and today visitors can enjoy a fully completed attraction. Visiting TodayArriving at the main doors at the north end of the building, youwillbemetbythecentresveryownRobothespian.A full yprogrammablehumanoidrobot,theRobothespian wasdevelopedinBritainbytheEdenProjectinCornwall. Hespeaks,interacts,mimicsandperforms,andvisitors can prompt him to make a number of sounds, speech and movements by the adjacent control panel. This will keep the kids busy while you queue at the central ticket desk where you will be given a set of credit card-style entrance passes. Youshouldkeepholdoftheseasnotonlydotheyallow youtoenterandexitthebuildingthroughouttheday,but they will also become your ID card as you move through the exhibitions, many of which allow you to record your results (which are stored and then emailed to you afterwards). Passingthroughthebarriers,thefirstdisplayyoucome to is a huge swinging ball. The ball swings backwards and forwards,periodicallyknockingovermalletsthatstrikea bell as they fall. These bells are lined up around the swinging ball in a circle and although the ball swings in a straight line backwards and forwards, the knocking over of the mallets proves that the earth is constantly, actually rotating.Having admired this, the interactive exhibitions begin. First of all, register your card with your name and email address atoneoftheterminalssothatyouwillbeidenti fiedas youprogressthroughtheCSC.Youcurrentlyhaveover 350experimentstovisit,spreadovertwofloorsandsix areas:RootsofCivilisation,Buzz!(forpreschoolchildren) andRE:generation(foryoungadults)onthegroundfloor, andHumansandtheEnvironment,LightZoneandOnthe Movelocatedupstairs.Eachareademonstratesarange ofphenomenonbywayofexperiments,buttonpressing, quizzes and in some cases physical exertion with the aim of helping you to discover the secrets of the world around us.Not only will you learn an awful lot, but the place is great fun, especially if you are (or are with) a child. Theres a genuine flyingcarpet,youcanpilotaspaceship,takeapictureof your own eye (and then try to recognise it among the others photographed that day), discover who or what is living next to us in a major city, get involved in some crime solving or - and this was our favourite - try to outdo animals at their own game by out-hanging an Orangutan or beating a hippo in a race at the arena. Theres plenty to do and you can easily spend a whole morning or afternoon there trying everything, particularly if you stumble on a day free of the ever-present school groups.Additional hands-on activities geared especially towards teenscanbefoundintheRe:generationZone,where vi si torsover14canexperi mentwi t hpsychol ogy, soci ol ogy,economi csorbi otechnol ogythrough80 multimedia exhibits we swear weve never seen teens moreef fusi veandexci tedastheytri edtoi denti fya monkeysemoti ons,orfi nishl yri cstopopularsongs. Theres also four interactive labs dealing with chemistry, bi ol ogy,physi csandroboti csthatof fersuper vi sed experimentsforkidsover13(instructionsareinPolish however)andanoutdoorDi scover yParkfi l l edwi th installations lining the Wisa.Theat tachedHeavensofCoperni cuspl anetari um addsyetanotheropti onforvi si ti ngsci encebuf fsas i timmersesattendeesin20millionstarsthankstoa giant spheri cal screen that surrounds the 137 seats on al lsi des.Thesevendi f ferent40-mi nutefil ms(whi ch requi reheadsetsforEngl i sh)aregearedtowards di fferent age ranges and interests tots will delight in the Sesame Street show One Worl d, One Sky whil e teens willpreferthemoremysteriousBlackHol es:Journey i ntotheUnknown.Beforeeachfi l mi sa20-mi nute li veshow(whi chisunfortunatel yonl yinPolish,though still interesting due to the impressi ve venue) about the ski esoverWarsawthatchangeswi ththeseasons. School groups dominate the Planetariums seats during daytime hours, and booking ti ckets in advance is hi ghl y recommended when we dropped in only one of the eight dail y shows had availabl e space.I tseasytodeclarethatthecentreiswell -worthafew hours of your time and will impress you with its design and range of experiments. Factor in the main fl oor cafeteria and the packed Sci ence Store (potentiall y the best spot for chil drens gi fts in Warsaw) and i ts a one-stop day of fun. The staf f is keen, very helpful and English-speaking; we saw many interacting happil y wi th ki ds and helpfull y controllingthechaos.I fthereisonegripewehavei t woul dconcerntheRoboti csshow,whi chcanbefound insi detheRootsofCi vilisationsection.The20-minute showwesawtol danembarrassingl ybadstoryabout a robot that wants to become human in order to marry apri ncess,andusedl anguagethatseemedsl i ghtl y outofreachforyoungchi l dren.Thevari ousaccents canalsobebaf fling(onerobotsoundslikeadrunken Sean Connery) and the robots themsel ves are like sti f f mannequins that move back and forth on a small track. Compl etel y skippabl e. Considering the size and scope of this operation, one minor flaw in an otherwise awe-inspiring complex is a feat unseen in Warsaw. And if truth be told, it would have been very hard to imagine such a potentially world-class visitor attraction being built in this city just a few years ago. Yet here it is, which ought to be worth an exhibit in and of itself about how the impossible can become possible.Copernicus Science Centre (Centrum Nauki Kopernik)G-2,ul.WybrzeeKociuszkowskie 20,(+48)225964100,www.kopernik.org.pl.QOpen09:00-18:00,Sat,Sun10:00-19:00. Cl osedMon.Lastentrance1hourbeforecl osing. Note that the Planetarium has di fferent opening hours. Open09:30-20:00,Fri,Sat,Sun09:30-21:30. Closed Mon. Admission 22/13-16z, family ticket 57z (2adults+2children). Use of the labs costs an additional 18/14z and are only available to non-school groups on the weekends. Note that you must buy a separate ticket for the Planetarium. Admission 18z/11z, fam-ily ticket 47z.Getting inCourtesy of Copernicus Science CentreCourtesy of Copernicus Science Centre Courtesy of Copernicus Science Centre14ARRIVAL & TRANSPORTWarsaw In Your Pocket warsaw.inyourpocket.com15ARRIVAL & TRANSPORTFebruary - March 2012 warsaw.inyourpocket.comWhile Warsaw is generally well linked with both the outside worldandtherestofPoland,bothroadandrailnetworks are undergoing major regeneration work, in part to ensure smoothconnectionsintimefortheEuro2012football championships.Improvementworkalsoextendstothe airport,Forthetimebeingatleast,travellersmoreused to the streamlined transport links of the west may find both patience and nerves severely tested.By CarWarsaw is located in the heart of the country and has ex-tensive road links with other major Polish cities. Having said that the competition on the roads front isnt fierce. Roads leading into Warsaw tend to be of decent dual carriageway standard, though once you enter the city limits Warsaw traf-fic can become a serious problem - particularly during the week. Most major hotels are located in the central area and you should be heading in most cases for the Central Train Station(DworzecWarszawaCentralna)anditsneighbour, thePalaceofCulture(PKiN).Parkinginthecentralarea isgenerallyavailableon-streetwheretherearestandard parking charges payable at roadside machines. Most major hotels will offer some form of off-road guarded parking. Be warned that Polish roads and Polish drivers are not the best especially if you have driven in western Europe.Indeed,PolandisoneofEuropesleadingnationsinroad fatalities, a statistic that will surprise few who have had the pleasure of using the roads here. A lethal combination of poor road surfaces, networks unsuited to the volume of different traffic and, most of all, drivers who have no consideration for anybody else result in the common sight of mangled car wrecks around the country. Police seem unwilling to control irresponsibledriving,anddontbesurprisedtoseecars shooting through red lights, cutting each other up and staking a claim for the Formula 1 championship.Thespeedlimitis50km/hrincities(60km/hrbetween 23:00 and 05:00), 90km/hr outside urban areas, 120km/hr on dual carriageways and 140km/hr on motorways. Seat belts must be worn at all times and it is illegal for drivers to usehand-heldmobilephones.Followingtheletterofthe law all cars should be equipped with a first aid kit, warning triangle, fire extinguisher, rear mud flaps and right and left hand outside mirrors. Flouting the rules will cost you 200z (for using a mobile), 100z (not wearing a seat belt) and up to 500z for speeding. The legal limit for drink driving is 0.2 blood/alcohol level. Put simply, if youre driving, dont drink. EU citizens may use their home driving licenses as long as they are valid, however citizens of countries that didnt ratify the Vienna Convention (tsk, tsk Australia and America) will find their licenses invalid (though that hasnt stopped any-oneweknowfromdrivingtheirgirlfriendscar).Carryyour license and passport at all times when driving. For roadside assistance call tel. 981.Since April 2007 it has been compulsory for headlights to be switched on at all times.Guarded Parking B-3, ul. Krlewska 11 (Sofitel War-saw Victoria Hotel).By BusCoaches arrive and depart - unless otherwise stated - from the Warsaw West Bus Station (Dworzec Autobusowy Warsza-waZachodnia).Findacurrencyexchangeinthemainhall. An ATM (bankomat) operated by PEKAO bank can be found in the main hall to the left of Kasa 1. There is no Tourist Info point, for the closest youll have to make the journey into the Palace of Culture, Pl. Defilad 1 (entrance from ul. Emill Plater). You can leave any bags you have at left luggage by following the signs to skrytki bagaowe where youll find lockers (15z for a large bag for 24hrs, 9z for a small one), as well as multi-lingual explanations on how to use the contraptions. There are five payphones located in one of the side corridors though youll need to buy phone cards to use them. You can do that byvisitingoneoftheRelaykiosksinthemainhall.Youll also be able to buy SIM cards, prepaid cards and transport cards from here. HALO taxis stand outside the entrance and will charge you about 20z to the centre. Refuse a lift from any of the smiling unlicensed operators who offer you a lift. The bus running to the centre is found right across a busy highwayandgettingthereisanadventureinitselfseeing there are no signposts in the subway leading there. Basically from the main hall duck down under the sign saying Dworzec PKP, head down the stairs, turn right, follow the corridor to its conclusion, turn right again - youll see two stairwells leading tothesurface.Taketheleftoneandpresto,theresyour busstop.Confused?Nothalfasmuchaswewere.Good workWarsaw.TogettoCentralStationtakebusnumber 127, 130, 158 or 517. At night youll be needing and N35 or N85.Thejourneytakesapproximately15minutessobuy a 2,60z ticket valid for 20 minutes. Remember to validate your ticket on boarding.Main Bus Station (Dworzec Autobusowy Warsza-wa Zachodnia) D-4, Al. Jerozolimskie 144, tel. (+48) 703 40 33 30, www.pksbilety.pl. Q Ticket Office Open 05:30 - 22:00.By PlaneWarsaw Frederick Chopin Airport (Port Lotniczy im. Fryderyka Chopina) has seen numerous changes recently, in particular theopeningofZoneCD,aglassandsteelgiantthatsits rather awkwardly next to the older Zone AB. Collectively they are called Terminal A, and the spacious and user friendly CD now handles almost all incoming and most outgoing traffic. The hallway connecting the zones houses plenty of ATMs, exchange offices, tourist info, coffee shops and snack marts. Thetaxirankoutsideexits1and2offersthreecertified companies: Super Taxi, Sawa Taxi and Ele Taxi. The 15-30 minute ride to the centre costs around 25-40 zoty, though be on guard for unlicensed sharks theyll charge three or four times that.Cheapskatescangetbusnumber175tothecitycentre (which goes past the main Central Train Station) - find bus stops in front of arrivals at Zone AB and Zone CD. Tickets cost 3.60z and you no longer need an extra ticket for bag-gage. Remember to validate your ticket on boarding in one of the yellow electronically operated kasowniks. Buses run frequently between 05:05 and 23:05 with journey time tak-ing approximately 25 minutes. At night when the 175 stops runningtravelerscantaketheN32nightbus,whichruns every 30 minutes into the city.Warsaw Frederick Chopin Airport (Port Lotniczy im.FryderykaChopina)ul.wirkiiWigury1,tel. (+48) 22 650 42 20, www.lotnisko-chopina.pl.Warsaw Shuttle tel. (+48) 506 17 54 95, www.war-sawshuttle.com. The company offers private airport transfer services at competitive prices from 99PLN per run. Highest quality for the best possible price. Call in advance to book.Many of the great things we love about Warsaw are not immediately obvious, especially to the first time visitor, though we know at least one local who had also failed to notice a couple of these titbits we spotted while out researching this issue of the guide:Street Signs (1)EverysinglestreetinWarsawisclearlymarkedbya number of well-positioned and highly visible street signs. It is almost impossible to go more than 100 metres in Warsaw without knowing what street you are on. Whats more, the signs are almost always colour coded: each area of the capital has its own colour. As a visitor you are most likely to see blue signs (for the south and south-central part of the city) and brown (for the northern part of the city centre, and Old Town). Street Signs (2)Theres far more helpful information on those street signs than the mere street name, however. If you look closely, the vast majority of street signs also include the numbers of the building in the block to which they are attached. Whats more, there will often be an arrow showing which way the numbers climb. As anyone looking for ul. Mars-zalkowska 135 or such like will know, Warsaws central boulevards are incredibly long, and knowing which way to go makes life much, much easier. Whoever it was who decided to invest in the street signs (and they have been up for some time now, certainly for more than a decade) we hope that they became rich and famous. (We should also point out that there are loads of older style street signs and building numbers around. Many of these are gems from the past, often in the form of lamps over old apartment blocks. One day, we hope a keen photogra-pherwithtrainspottingtendencieswillcollectthemall together in what would be our dream coffee-table book).Tram Stops at IntersectionsMuch in the same way that arrows on Warsaws street signs have prevented us walking kilometres in the wrong direction, so a similarly cunning little arrow on the tram systemhassavedusfromgettingonthewrongtram hundredsoftimes.How?Easy:i fyoulookcloselyat tram stops at intersections (where the tracks go in two or even three directions), the numbers of the trams which stop there will be grouped according to the direction they travel in.Those which go straight on will be listed under an arrow pointing straight on, those which turn right will be accompanied by an arrow pointing right, and so on. Again,hardlycomplicatedstuff,butingenious,anda genuine case of travellers friend.Three useful Warsaw tipsAlina Zienowicz, pl.wikipedia.orgWhats going on in Poland? Subscribe free to the 9816ARRIVAL & TRANSPORTWarsaw In Your Pocket warsaw.inyourpocket.com17ARRIVAL & TRANSPORTFebruary - March 2012 warsaw.inyourpocket.comCar rentalBudget ul. wirki i Wigury 1 (Airport), tel. (+48) 22 650 40 62, www.budget.pl. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00.Dollar Thrifty Rent a Car ul. wirki i Wigury 1 (Air-port),tel.(+48)668663300,www.dollar-rentacar.com.pl. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00.Hertz ul. wirki i Wigury 1 (Airport), tel. (+48) 22 650 2896,www.hertz.com.pl.Alsoatul.Nowogrodzka27 (F-3). QOpen 07:00 - 22:00.Local Rent A Car B-3, ul. Marszakowska 140, tel. (+48)501216193.QOpen09:00-18:00,Sat,Sun 09:00 - 14:00.Avisul.wirkiiWigury1 (Airport ), tel. (+48) 22 650 48 72, www.avis.pl. Avis pro-videshort-termandlong-term rentals,chauffeurdriveserviceaswellascargovan rentals. Theres over 1,000 models available, equipped with air-conditioning, air bags and ABS for your guaran-teed comfort and safety. Also possible to exchange and swap cars. Also at Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (B-4, Marriott Hotel) and ul. opuszaska 12a, (Wochy) QOpen 07:00 - 23:30, Sat, Sun 07:00 - 23:00.Europcarul.wirki iWigury1(Airport), tel.(+48)2265025 64,www.europcar.pl. One of the worlds biggest car rental companies offers rental solutions tailor made for travellers (both short and long term) that will suit all needs (15 different categories ofcarsareavailable;EuropcarispresentatallPolish airports and many other convenient locations). Europcar creates flexible driving solutions to meet your individual mobility needs. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00.JokaD-2,ul.Oko-powa 47, tel. (+48) 609181020, www.joka.com.pl. A wide range of cars from the baby Fiat Panda to the spacious Mercedes E200 CDi station wagon. All cars areequippedwithpowerassistedsteering.Satellite navigationsystemsarealsoavailable.Specialrates offered to those who order through the Joka website, and go online to find the latest seasonal promotions. QOpen09:00-17:00,Sat09:00-12:00.Sunopen on request.Sixtul.wirkiiWigury1 (Airport), tel. (+48) 22 511 15 55, www.sixt.pl. One of the worl ds largest and ol dest carrentalcompani esof fersachoi ceofsol uti ons fromshortandl ongrentalperiodstoholi daycars. Theres even a fleet of limousines i f youre interested. Vehi cl esrangefromSeatstol uxur yMercedes. Bonusesi ncl udeGPSandSi xtcards.Al soatul . Emilii Plater 49 (A-4, InterContinental Hotel). QOpen 07:00 - 22:00.Tourist info can be found at the Service Point in the main hall or across the street at the Palace of Culture - - just look for the i sign (Open 08:00-18:00). They can provide you with maps, etc. Tickets for the public transport system can be bought from most of the newspaper kiosks. Left luggage is located in the underground corridor that runs below the main hall. Look for Przechowalnia Bagau, where stewards will look after your bag in return for 7.10z per day. Coded lockers are also available - 15z for 24hrs for a big bag, 9z for a small one. Payphones can be found in the underground tunnels with cards available from all the kiosks. Connect to a Polish network via mobile by getting SIM and pre-paid cards from the same newsagents. Both entrances of the main hall are covered by taxi ranks, and by passing via tunnels under the main road youll find bus and tram stops though once you enter the signs are more of a hinderance than a help and you may never be seen or heard of again. Officially sanctioned ELE taxis can be found attherankonAlejeJerozolimskieandSAWAtaxiscanbe found rank on the Zote Tarasy side.On the ground level there is a travel office run by Polish rail. Find it on the Zote Tarasy side of the building to the right of the stairs heading down to the platforms under the Centrum Obslugi Klienta sign (info line 197 57, www.intercity.pl). Open from 09:00 - 19:00, the multi-lingual staff (they can even assist the deaf) can search for the cheapest/easiest connection, sell you international and domestic tickets, and can help plan your trip for you.Aselectionofoutletssellingfoodanddrinkareavailable though quality is questionable. Head to Coffee Heaven for a range of good coffee, hot and cold snacks which are available to take-away. McDonalds can also be found by following one of the many signs. If you have time to kill, Champions in the Marriott can be reached via the underground passageway and offers a far better place to sit and wait than the station itsel f,asdoesthenearbyZoteTarasyshoppingcentre. DontbealarmedtofindWarszawaCentralnausedasa drop-incentrebyWarsawshomelesspopulation-while most are harmless some like to pass their time being drunk and abusive. Bizarrely, while the Polish rail staff manning the ticket booths are mono-lingual (try booths number 14 and 16, which now claim English-speaking staff), the tramps in Centralna seem adept at begging in a multitude of tongues.WarszawaWschodniaTrainStationH-1,ul.Kij-owska 16, tel. (+48) 22 473 72 97. Q Open 24hrs. Note that due to system maintenance seat reservations cannot be made between 00:00 - 01:30.WarszawaZachodniaTrainStationD- 4,ul. Tunelowa 1, tel. (+48) 22 474 50 12. Q The train station and ticket office are closed between 00:00 - 3:30.By TrainWarsawCentralStation(WarszawaCentralna)isexactly what it says on the tin: central. What it isnt is easy to navi-gate, and ongoing renovations can add to your frustration. Many of the stations shops are still empty, but tenants and amenities are coming. From alighting the train you should takeoneofthetwofacingescalators(i ftheyreworking) inthecentreoftheplatform,whichwillleadyouupinto one of the underground passages that flank the main hall. Whichever side you come up on you will be one level below ground level and the ticket hall. Kantors can be found in the underground passageway between Centralna and the Mar-riott. Signs for ATMs (bankomats) can be found everywhere, and they can be found in the main hall, in the underground passageway between Centralna and the Marriott or over at the Zlote Tarasy shopping center depending on where youre heading. Thedayswhencash bells would ring when-ever a cab driver would hearaforeignaccent might have passed, but itsstillalwaysbetter tori ngaheadrather than just hailing a taxi in the street. In particular avoid drivers who hawk their services in the arrivals hall at the airport; weve heard plenty of horror stories.All the companies we list will usually have someone on their switchboard who can speak English. MPT, the state-run firm, can boast the most reliable reputation. But you wont find many cheaper than Super Taxi. Find ELE taxis on the Marriott tower side of the central station; its the second row of cars. Tipping is not expected, but if your driver gets you from A to B without a detour through the countryside then by all means, feel freeEle Taxi tel. (+48) 22 811 11 11, www.eletaxi.pl.Halo Taxi OK tel. (+48) 22 196 23, www.halotaxiok.pl.Merc Taxi tel. (+48) 22 677 77 77, www.6777777.pl.MPT tel. (+48) 22 191 91, www.taximpt.pl.Sawa Taxi tel. (+48) 22 644 44 44, www.sawataxi.com.pl.Super Taxi tel. (+48) 22 196 22, www.supertaxi.pl.Taxis18ARRIVAL & TRANSPORTWarsaw In Your Pocket warsaw.inyourpocket.com19BASICSFebruary - March 2012 warsaw.inyourpocket.comPublic Transportwww.ztm.waw.pl. Warsaw has an extensive bus and tram systemcriss-crossingthecityaswellasagood,butvery limited,metrosystemrunningfromnorthtosouth.Over 1,200 buses operate in and around the city, and most run from between 05:00 and 23:00. After that night buses run on most routes twice every hour. All night buses display the letter N, followed by a two digit number. Fast buses (marked with red digits) skip the smaller stops. Tickets (all valid for use on metro, bus and tram) can be boughtfromsomekiosksbearingthegreenandyellow RUCH logo, or anywhere with a sign reading Bilety. There are now also a series of ticket machines with instructions in English dotted around the city, and English translations are printed on tickets.To save yoursel f the hassle of work-ing out which ticket you need or trying to buy to explain it to the lady in the kiosk.A standard public transport single ticket costs 3.60z. IfyouretravellingtothefurtherreachesofWarsawyoull be needing a ticket that covers both zones 1 and 2 - these are priced at 5.60z. Note that the airport is in Zone 1. Still with us? Good. Tickets are also available for specific time periods and come valid for 20, 40 and 60 minutes. These are priced at 2,60z, 3,80z and 5,20z. Tickets valid for 24 hrs are priced at 12 or 19z if travelling through both zones. Three day tickets cost 24z, or 38z for both zones. Children up to the age of 7 years travel for free (have proof of age ID handy). Everyone else pays full fare unless in possession ofanISICcard.Thisentitlesyoutobuyareducedticket (ulgowy) which costs approximately 50% of the full fare.You can buy single tickets from the driver, though you must have exact change. Once youve got a ticket you will need to validate it in one of the box-style kasowniks, thus activating themagneticstriponthe back. On the metro this must bedonebeforeyougeton board. It is no longer neces-sarytobuyanextraticket foranimalsorlargepieces ofl uggage.Pl ai ncl othes ticketinspectorsregularly stalkthelines,dishingout 180z fines for those without valid tickets. They often dont look very official and you are within your rights to request identification, or even do as the locals do, and attempt to bargain them down.ElectricityEl ectri ci tyi nPol andi s230V,50HzAC.Pl ugsockets are round wi th two round-pi n sockets. Therefore i f you arecomi ngfromtheUKorI rel andyouaredefi ni tel y goi ng to need a pl ug convertor. The best pl ace to pi ck theseupi sathomeasourresi dentsBri tswi l ltesti fy al though i f you do arri ve wi thout a covertor you can try yourhotelconci ergeorrecepti on.I ftheydon thave onethebestpl acetopi ckoneupi satoneofthebi g el ectri caloutl etsoftensi tuatedontheedgeoftown. Ouradvi cei ssaveyoursel fthehassl eandgetonei n the ai rport as you l eave.Health & EmergencyI n case of an emergency those di al l i ng from a l and l i ne or publ i c payphone shoul d use the fol l owi ng numbers: 999foranambul ance,998forthefi rebri gadeand 997forthepol i ce.Mobi l ephoneusersshoul dcal l 112tobefor wardedtotherel evantdepar t ment. Engl i shspeaki ngassi st ancei snot necessar i l y guaranteed,andrestsonthel i ngui sti ccapabi l i ti es of the cal loperator. Further help can be provided by embassies and consulates, of which a comprehensive list can be found in the directory section. If youve run out of money, however, then silly you. No embassy will bail you out, and and your hopes will rest on a Western Union money transfer. Most banks and many exchange bureaus (kantors) can now carry out such trans-actions,justkeepaneyeoutforanywheredisplayingthe Western Union logo. For a list of clinics and hospitals check the directory section at the back of this guide.TerritoryPolandcoversanareaof312,685squarekilometers andistheninthbiggestcountryinEurope.Itborders theBalticSeaandsevencountries,namelytheBaltic Sea (528km), Belarus (416km), Czech Republic (790km), Germany(467km),Li thuania(103km),theRussian exclaveofKaliningrad(210km),Slovakia(539km)and, Ukraine (529km).Longest RiverWarsaw is split by the river Vistula (Wisa). At 1,047km it is Polands longest river and flows into the Bay of Gdask (Zatoka Gdaska).Highest PointThe highest peak in Poland is Rysy (2,499 metres) found in the Tatra mountains in the south of Poland.Population (2010)Poland - 38.200.037Warsaw - 1.720.398Krakw - 756.183d - 737.098Wrocaw - 632.996Pozna - 551.627Gdask - 456.967Katowice - 306.826Sopot - 38.141Local timePolandisintheCentralEuropean(CET)timezone (GMT+1hr).Whenits12:00inWarsawits11:00in London, 12:00 in Paris and Berlin and 19:00 in Tokyo. Polish summer time (GMT+2hrs) starts and ends on the last Sundays of March and October.Twin TownsAstana, Berlin, Budapest, Chicago, Dsseldorf, Grozny, Hague, Hamamatsu, Hanoi, Harbin, Kyiv, Moscow, Ile-de-France, Istambul, Riga, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, St. Etienne, St. Petersburg, Taipei, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Vienna, VilniusFacts & Figureswww.warsawcard.pl. Pl easenotethatat press time the Warsaw touristcardhadbeen suspendedwi thno known date for its return. Wewi l l updateour informationregarding the City Card as soon as more information is released.City CardInstitute of Meteorology and Water Management, www.imgw.plClimate010203040506070801 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12Rainfall (mm)02468101214161820Temperature (C)RainfallTemperatureCustomsIf you are travelling within the EU those over 18 can now take 10 litres of spirits, 90 litres of wine and 110 litres of beer. Most countries will not allow more than 800 cigarettes from Poland. If purchasing art or books, you need to consider their ageandvalue.Inordertoleavethecountry,artmustbe either less than 50 years old or under a certain value (varies dependingbytype;photos
