Poland’s capital has had a tough fight for survival over the centuries and it wears its battle scars with pride. But it’s not all about the past, this is city with a vibrant and exciting future, with a flourishing creative scene and bold modern architecture.

When to book flights to Warsaw

Warsaw is at its best in the summer, between June and August. It can get hot but this sprawling post-communist city seems to come alive in the heat. And this extra burst of energy more than makes up for the longer queues at the attractions and higher flight and accommodation prices.

In the winter, it can get very cold in Warsaw. Yet, there’s something about the brutalist architecture and Soviet-era design that seems to work best when the thermometer is firmly below zero. During this season cheap flights to Warsaw for a winter city break are widely available.

How to find the best flight deals to Warsaw

Warsaw might not have the widely-publicised charms of Krakow but it’s still a popular city break destination with an arts and culture scene that is bringing more and more visitors each year. With regular flights to Warsaw from several providers, you can usually get good value tickets throughout the year.

These include:

Main airports in Warsaw

There are two main airports serving the city of Warsaw. The largest of these is Warsaw Chopin, sometimes referred to as Okecie. It handles around 40% of all the air traffic coming in and out of Poland, with 300 scheduled flights each day and 16 million passengers a year. It is connected to the city by an underground rail link.

Warsaw Modlin is the main budget airline hub, located around 25 miles north of the city. Currently it is serving around three million passengers a year. The easiest way to get into the city is by taxi, which is generally affordable, although the bus is a much cheaper, if longer, option.

Which airlines fly to Warsaw?

Direct Warsaw flights are available from a number of different carriers.

These include:

• British Airways
• Ryanair
• easyJet
• LOT
• Wizz Air

How to get around in Warsaw

While it is possible to rent cars in the city, it is not always the best option as parking can be an issue in many areas.

The public transport options are good and relatively very cheap. There are around 200 bus routes and 30 tram lines, covering most of the city, so getting around is cheap and straightforward. The Metro, which opened in 1995, is one of the newest in Europe and consists of two lines, although it does not run through some of the more popular tourist areas.

Taxis are plentiful, but different companies can charge varying rates, and some are way more expensive than others.

What are the must-sees in Warsaw?

Take a tour of Warsaw’s rebuilt Old Town, where you can get a real sense of what the city was like before the destruction of the Second World War.

For a taste of contemporary Warsaw, take a beer tour, sampling some of the many new brews in the city’s craft beer revolution.

There are plenty of museums to visit too, with the Warsaw Uprising Museum a real must, and Warsaw is also a very musical city, so a concert at the Polish National Opera or Warsaw Philharmonic will let you experience the sounds and composers that have made it so.