You know the drill – the weekend is approaching, and you need to make plans! When meeting friends, these are the spots that capture Warsaw at its brightest…
You know the drill – the weekend is approaching, and you need to make plans! When meeting friends, these are the spots that capture Warsaw at its brightest…
The overbearing block that stands at Nowy Świat 6/12 once famously housed the Communist Party Headquarters. Well, it’s lost the communism, but kept the party. In the courtyard, find a battalion of millennials spilling from the nearby clubs to cavort around the fountain. More chilled out, head out to the front with the grownups, and to an area decked out with hundreds of deckchairs overlooking the iconic palm tree on the street outside. With a craft beer in hand from Cuda Na Kiju (Warsaw’s first tap bar), it’s the epitome of this city at sunset.
Żelazna 51/53
Without fail, the big winner of the summer has been Norblin Factory – hell, we’ve even spotted the coolest man on the planet, Kieran Culkin, ambling around here with his family! But why exactly has it become such a major, city-wide attraction?
We could easily talk about the luxury KinoGram cinema with its champagne vending machines, cultural hotspots such as the immersive ArtBox Experience or the legendary BioBazar – the pioneering farmers’ market loved by every foodie. But whilst these details and venues have undoubtedly enriched the Norblin Factory experience, it is above all else the atmosphere that has charmed the Polish capital and acted as the most unique selling point of all.
Occupying a 19th century metalware factory, the meticulous (and miraculous) restoration of this former industrial plant has to be seen to be believed (and wouldn’t you guess, you can find out more about this heritage and background at the Factory Museum). Cutting through its heart though, find a street lined with outdoor seating and venues such as the elite MOXO restaurant and music club, the craft-minded Uwaga and the effortlessly glamorous Piano Bar.
Lit at nighttime by an overhead trail of blue lights, it’s become the sexiest street in Warsaw – a cosmopolitan catwalk whose ambiance is lifted even further by the sounds of live music that whisper all around. Mixing elements of the past, present and future, it is representative of everything that makes the city great, and in this way it’s become the dynamic face of summer 2023.
Nocny Market brings together dozens of food vendors to form a patchwork of uber cool traders and hip little stands. But more than just an ultra-fun collection of ethnic cook-up spots, the Nocny Market has become the place to get tattooed in front of hollering strangers, stock up on artisan donuts, swag some crazy-patterned Warsaw-themed socks, get the whiskers waxed or simply boogie on down to side-burned DJs rescued from the Lost Years of Hipster. That this happens on a disused train platform lit by funky strips of neon lends this weekend market-party a unique energy.
Exciting things are happening in the office district more commonly known as Mordor, and by in large they’re happening in Postępu 5. Set around rows of disused garages, these have been infilled by a selection of vendors and food outlets that represent a radiant burst of light for the office droids more familiar with cellophane wrapped sandwiches and ready meals. And beyond good food, it’s become a place in which to gather in and savour.
Of Warsaw’s clutch of river-side bathing spots, then Poniatówka at the base of Poniatowski Bridge is easily the city’s fave – you know summer has officially started from the first moment you cross the bridge by tram and see hundreds of sunbathers dotted down below. Sitting practically in the shadow of the National Stadium, bringing a bag of beers here and watching the sun dip down is a local rite of passage.
Acting as a natural buffer between the riverfront and the rest of Powiśle, Elektrownia’s biggest advantage is its proximity to the water. Just steps away from both the metro and the Copernicus Science Centre, this makes it a natural gathering spot – outside, that means taking a place on the immaculate lawn by the front with the fountain tinkling away. The back, too, has also been opened up to feature an array of shaded seating as well as rooftop perches crowning the plush Dock 19 (pictured above).
Browary has utilised the surviving elements of the 19th century Haberbusch & Schiele brewery and set them against a backdrop of freshly mapped streets and fresh new build that feel contextually suited to the area. Assuming the feel of a swanky micro-district, this feeling runs particularly high around the woonerf that runs through the development, as well as a sunken plaza that finds itself framed by the Food Hall, a flagship brewpub and various other F&B points. Decked with greenery, and featuring a towering brick archway that affords protection from summer downpours, it’s simply a stunning space to enjoy.
