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Guide to Masovia · Warsaw, Żelazowa Wola, Płock, Kampinos and lesser-known places

Warsaw, the city reborn, and the land of Chopin.

Warsaw's Old Town rebuilt from the rubble using Canaletto's paintings, the palaces of the kings, museums telling the story of the Uprising and a thousand years of Jewish history, the woods and dunes of Kampinos and Chopin's birthplace, but also the district that survived the war, the longest market square and the fortified church where Chopin was baptised.

places on the map
21places on the map
hidden gems, with their stories
4hidden gems, with their stories
ready-made itineraries
4ready-made itineraries
towns and villages
4towns and villages
Why go

Five reasons to choose Masovia

  1. Warsaw

    A capital destroyed and reborn, full of some of the best museums in Europe and new energy.

  2. Chopin

    His birthplace, the church of his baptism, his heart in the Holy Cross Church and concerts in the parks.

  3. 20th-century history

    The ghetto, the Uprising, communism and Solidarity are easier to understand here than anywhere else.

  4. Nature close by

    The Kampinos forest and the wild beaches of the Vistula are minutes from the centre.

  5. Off the beaten track

    Płock, Pułtusk and the castles of the dukes of Masovia are almost unknown to foreign tourists.

Atlas

Map of Masovia

21 hand-picked places: 4 towns and villages, 2 nature spots, 15 places of history and art. The gold star marks the hidden gems. Tap a point to open its card.

21 places

Places few people know

Four places in Masovia few people know

They don't top the most-visited lists, but each has a story to tell and a good reason for the detour.

★ Town · Warsaw

Praga, the right-bank district

Warsaw

The working-class district on the right bank of the Vistula, with pre-war tenements, courtyards with small shrines and factories turned into museums and bars.

The story

In September 1944, while the Uprising was being crushed west of the river, the Red Army reached Praga and stopped, without helping the insurgents. That is why Praga is one of the few parts of Warsaw where early 20th-century buildings survived, and it has served as a set for films about pre-war Warsaw. In the courtyards you can still see the small shrines to the Virgin built by residents during the occupation. The former Koneser distillery houses the Polish Vodka Museum, and another factory the Neon Museum.

Full page, why go and what's nearby →
★ History and art · Kampinos and the land of Chopin

Fortified church of Brochów

Brochów

A Renaissance church with three round towers and a moat, a few kilometres from Chopin's house, where the composer was baptised.

The story

The church of Saints Roch and John the Baptist was built in the mid-16th century as a small fortress, with towers and wall walks, to protect the villagers from raids and from the floods of the Bzura. In 1806 Nicolas Chopin, a French tutor, married Justyna Krzyżanowska here; on 23 April 1810 their son Fryderyk was baptised here. Damaged in both world wars, it has been restored.

Full page, why go and what's nearby →
★ History and art · Kampinos and the land of Chopin

Modlin Fortress

Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki

A huge 19th-century fortress where the Narew flows into the Vistula, with kilometres of ramparts, barracks and a monumental granary.

The story

Napoleon ordered this strategic point to be fortified in 1806; after his fall the Russians enlarged it and called it Novogeorgievsk, building barracks more than two kilometres long and a granary with towers like a castle. In September 1939 the Polish garrison held out against the German siege until 29 September, the day after Warsaw surrendered. Today many buildings are abandoned or under restoration and can be freely explored from outside.

Full page, why go and what's nearby →
★ Town · Płock and northern Masovia

Pułtusk

Pułtusk

A small town on an island in the Narew river with a market square about four hundred metres long, one of the longest in Europe.

The story

For centuries Pułtusk was the summer residence of the bishops of Płock, who built a castle on the river and a Renaissance collegiate church with a painted vault. The very long, narrow square was the market of a town of merchants and craftsmen; in the middle stands the tower of the old town hall. In 1806 Napoleon's troops fought the Russians here. The castle is now a hotel, and you can take a boat trip on the canals around it.

Full page, why go and what's nearby →
Itineraries

Four itineraries, one to three days

Warsaw is the base for all the trips: almost anywhere in the region is within an hour.

3 days

Warsaw in three days

The rebuilt city, the royal palaces, the great history museums and the Warsaw of today.

Where to stay: WarsawStops: 9
  1. D1

    The Old Town and the Royal Route

    The Old Town and the castle in the morning, the Royal Route to the Holy Cross Church in the afternoon.

    Warsaw, the Old TownRoyal CastleThe Royal Route
  2. D2

    Remembrance

    The POLIN Museum in the morning, the Warsaw Rising Museum in the afternoon, sunset from the terrace of the Palace of Culture.

    POLIN MuseumWarsaw Rising MuseumPalace of Culture and Science
  3. D3

    Parks and Praga

    Łazienki and Wilanów in the morning, the evening in Praga, on the right bank.

    Łazienki ParkWilanów PalacePraga, the right-bank district

Full itinerary, day by day →

On foot

Active Masovia: hiking

Trails with route maps, elevation profiles and downloadable GPX.

Hiking1 trail1 hidden gem · grades T
  • Kampinos: the Żeromski trail through the dunes T · 7.3 km
All hikes →

Find trails and spots near a town →

History

From duchy to capital

  1. 11th-12th century

    Płock

    For about sixty years Płock is the seat of the Piast rulers.

  2. 13th-15th century

    The Duchy of Masovia

    The region is an autonomous duchy; the dukes move their seat from Czersk to Warsaw.

  3. 1526

    The kingdom

    With the death of the last duke, Masovia passes to the Polish Crown.

  4. 1596

    The capital

    Sigismund III Vasa moves the court from Kraków to Warsaw.

  5. 1795

    The partitions

    Warsaw goes to Prussia, then to Napoleon's Duchy, and from 1815 to the Kingdom of Poland under the tsar.

  6. 1918

    Independence

    Warsaw is once again the capital of an independent Poland; in 1920 the Red Army is stopped at its gates.

  7. 1943-1944

    The two uprisings

    In 1943 the ghetto rises, in 1944 the whole city; after the surrender Warsaw is razed to the ground.

  8. 1945-oggi

    Rebirth

    The city is rebuilt; after 1989 it becomes one of the economic capitals of Central Europe.

Tips

Before you go

The things that don't change from year to year. Opening hours, prices and bookings change often: always check them on the official websites.

When to go

May to September, and at Christmas

May · Junparks in bloom, Chopin concerts
Jul · AugVistula beaches, festivals
Sep · Octautumn colours in Łazienki
Nov · JanChristmas lights, cold

The best season runs from May to September, when there are Chopin concerts in Łazienki and Żelazowa Wola and life moves to the Vistula. On 1 August at 5 pm the whole of Warsaw stops for a minute in memory of the Uprising.

Getting around

Metro and trams in the city, trains in the region

Warsaw has two airports, Chopin (close to the centre) and Modlin (low-cost flights). In the city the metro, trams and buses are fast and cheap, with a single ticket.

Regional trains and buses go to Płock, Pułtusk and Żelazowa Wola; for the castles and Treblinka a car is better.

Food and drink

What to try

  • Pierogi in the bar mleczny, cheap milk bars born under communism and still very popular.
  • Flaki po warszawsku Warsaw-style tripe, in broth with marjoram.
  • Pączki doughnuts filled with rose jam, eaten above all on Fat Thursday.
  • Zapiekanka half a baguette baked with mushrooms and cheese, a street food classic.
  • Wuzetka a chocolate and cream cake born in Warsaw.
  • Vodka to taste at the Polish Vodka Museum in the former Koneser distillery.

All the PDO and PGI products and wines →

Traditions

Festivals not to miss

  • Chopin concerts in Łazienki May-September · Warsaw, every Sunday at 12 noon and 4 pm.
  • Anniversary of the Uprising 1 August · Warsaw, at 5 pm the city stops and the sirens sound.
  • Night of Museums mid-May · Warsaw, museums open late into the night.
  • Warsaw Autumn Festival September · Warsaw, contemporary music since 1956.
  • All Saints' Day 1 November · cemeteries lit by thousands of candles, in Powązki and everywhere.

The festival calendar for all of Poland →

World Heritage

One UNESCO site

All of Italy's UNESCO sites on the map →

FAQ

Questions travellers ask

What is there to see in Warsaw?
The Old Town and the Royal Castle, the Royal Route, the POLIN Museum, the Warsaw Rising Museum, the Palace of Culture, Łazienki Park, Wilanów Palace and the Praga district.
What are the lesser-known places in Masovia?
The Praga district in Warsaw, the fortified church of Brochów, Modlin Fortress and Pułtusk with its very long market square.
How many days do you need for Warsaw?
Two days for the main sights, three or four to see the museums at leisure and take a trip to Żelazowa Wola or Kampinos.
Why is Warsaw's Old Town a UNESCO site if it was rebuilt?
Precisely because of the reconstruction: after its destruction in 1944 it was faithfully rebuilt through an enormous documentation effort, and it is considered a unique example in the world of heritage recovery.
What to eat in Warsaw?
Pierogi and soups in the milk bars, flaki, pączki, zapiekanka, the wuzetka cake and, in moderation, Polish vodka.
Index

All the places, area by area

Warsaw

Kampinos and the land of Chopin

Płock and northern Masovia

Eastern and southern Masovia

Itineraries

3 days Warsaw in three days1 day In the footsteps of Chopin2 days Płock, Pułtusk and the Vistula1 day Ducal castles and Treblinka

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