Written by Megan Hart

If you’re looking for an inexpensive city for your next winter break, Warsaw might just be the perfect place. The capital city has so much to offer from its historic Old Town to its lively nightlife, and flights are extremely cheap at this time of year, particularly after Christmas when a return flight can be as little as £21!

There is so much to do in this vibrant city, such as touring the Royal Castle or visiting the award-winning Museum of the History of Polish Jews. You might just want to wander the streets of the Old Town and admire the beautiful architecture – but make sure you cross the road at crossings; jaywalking is illegal in Poland! After a day of exploring and soaking up the culture an evening of drinking with the Poles may be just what you need. Bear in mind, however, that they have stricter laws on alcohol in Poland than we do in the UK. Use the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s travel advice pages to ensure you’re clued up before you jet off. 

With a vodka museum you can visit, and bars that boast over 200 different types of beer, it’s clear that the Poles like a drink or two. You won’t struggle to find a bar in Poland’s largest city, and some of the best include the Panorama Bar & Lounge to soak in the view or Piw Paw if you want good beer. Finding a bar to head to is a good idea because drinking or even being drunk in a public place isn’t allowed. You could be taken to a drying out clinic to sober up, which you will have to pay for, and not the best way to spend your money or your time away! 

Drink-driving laws are also very strict in Poland, you cannot drive even if you’ve had just one unit of alcohol, so always use public transport if you’ve been out drinking. Warsaw has two metro lines which run until 2:30am at the weekends, and there are also night buses which run every half an hour after 11pm. If you have an International Student Identity Card be sure to take it with you as you’ll receive a 50% discount on your tickets. One thing to remember when travelling by public transport in Warsaw is that there are no conductors; you have to validate your own ticket in order to travel. Do this by feeding it into the machine on board the bus or tram, or at the metro station, to avoid a fine from a ticket enforcement officer. Obviously there are also plenty of taxis around the city, but be wary of unlicensed taxis which target tourists in particular by waiting outside airports and tourist hot spots. 

So why not take advantage of those cheap flights? Wrap up warm, soak up some culture and enjoy yourself! Keep this information in mind and always check the FCO’s Travel Aware site before you travel. 

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