Attractions in Warsaw

There will be Tourist Office kiosk open close to registration desk on the conference first day for all participants willing to book excursions or sightseeing

Dear ECS 2010 Participants,

For the very first time the ECS meeting is being organized in Poland. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and to visit plenty of the unique historical, cultural and natural attractions in Warsaw and other Polish tourist destinations.

The organizers of ECS 2010 will provide offers of local guides who can take you for a walk, e.g. through the historical Old Town, or give a taste of how life was during the communist era on a special tour entitled "Sladami PRL". You may contact the guides before the conference using the links provided below or at their stands, which will be located next to the conference registration office. A hop-on/hop-off bus which stops at the ten most popular locations is also available in Warsaw. Those who prefer riding a bike can rent one at www.warsawbybike.pl.

Some very brief information for you to start with:

Warsaw is the capital city of Poland with about 1.7 million inhabitants (3 million in greater Warsaw). The center of Polish business, politics and science, it is a city on the rise towards being a true European metropolis. Severely damaged during World War II, it has been rebuilt and boasts a unique combination of contemporary and communist architecture. The extent of this can be seen on Plac Defilad, Warsaw's biggest downtown square which, surrounded by skyscrapers, has the socialist-realist Palace of Culture and Science in its center.

Must-see places in Warsaw:

  • The Royal Route, leads from the Royal Castle, through the streets of Krakowskie Przedmiescie, Nowy Swiat and Aleje Ujazdowskie, up to the beautiful Lazienki park and further towards the Wilanow palace. Recently renovated, it provides the best chance to get a sense of pre-war Warsaw. If you enjoy walking, the Royal Route with its monuments, historic buildings, parks, bars and restaurants is the perfect place.
  • The Old Town of Warsaw has been placed on the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites as "an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century". Totally destroyed by the Nazis after the Warsaw Uprising, it was painstakingly rebuilt. The reconstruction project lasted from 1949 to 1963 (the Royal Castle was only rebuilt in 1970/71).
  • The Palace of Culture and Science, built as a gift from Josef Stalin, is still Warsaw's tallest building. A lift ride to the 30th floor terrace gives you the possibility to see the entire city from on high.
  • The Warsaw Rising Museum, a truly breathtaking historical museum which guides you through the 63 days of the city's fight against the Nazis in 1944. Combining modern technology with thousands of wartime exhibits (including a full-sized plane), the museum quickly became one of Warsaw's landmarks.
  • The Warsaw Judaica tour - it should not be forgotten that before the World War II, Warsaw had a huge Jewish population (>350,000). It was the only city which rivaled New York in this regard. Even though not a single house in the Warsaw Ghetto survived the war, several monuments to the Ghetto and the Ghetto Uprising are scattered about the area. A lot of information is presented at the Jewish Historical museum.
  • The once industrial district of Praga with its unique climate and many nightlife hot spots is slowly being revitalized to welcome locals as well as visitors from all over the world.

Chopin Year 2010

The 200th anniversary of Fryderyk Chopin's birth, will be celebrated throughout the year. If you are into classical music, you should certainly take a look at the events that will take place during your stay: chopin2010.pl

Nightlife

With many clubs, bars and restaurants, Warsaw is yet another city that never sleeps. Numerous hot spots are scattered throughout the entire city center, so no matter where you go, there will always be a place to have fun.

Outside Warsaw

If you plan a longer stay in Poland, what we strongly recommend, there are many places that are also worth visiting:

  • Krakow, the historical capital of the country. Most important landmarks include: the Royal Castle at Wawel, St. Mary's Basilica, Europe's biggest marketplace with the Cloth Hall and the once separate Jewish town of Kazimierz.
  • Wieliczka, a salt mine just outside of Krakow. Its underground facilities have been declared a world class historical monument and are a part of the UNESCO list of Cultural and Natural Heritage.
  • Gdansk, where the "Solidarnosc" movement started. It is located in northern Poland on the coast of the Bay of Gdansk and attracts tourists from the entire country and abroad. It is best known for the beautiful post-hanzeatic Old Town.
  • Lodz, a post-industrial city just over a 100 kilometers from Warsaw. Its old cloth mills are now transformed into clubs, shopping centers and theatres.
  • Wroclaw, a city in the south-western part of Poland. Famous for its clubs and bars is known as "the meeting place".
  • Bialowieza Primaeval Forest is one of the last and largest remaining parts of the immense European primeval forest. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve.
  • Mazury Lake District, consisting of over 2,000 lakes. The region takes part in an international run for one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature organized by the New7Wonders Foundation.
  • Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz and place after nazi death camp at Treblinka. Tha traces after europe infamous modern history.

To help you with planning your sightseeing in Warsaw and Poland we gathered several links to some useful websites, which are listed below:

Warsaw:

Official website of Warsaw
Official Warsaw city tourist office
Professional Warsaw guides
“alternative” Warsaw guides
The Royal Route
Warsaw Old Town
Palace of Culture and Science
Warsaw Rising Museum
Jewish Warsaw
Praga district

Poland:

Poland's Official Travel Website
Poland at World Travel Guide