sLOVEnians travel

Warsaw has quite a turbulent history; when it thrived it was home of great leaders who built breath-taking palaces. The castles and chateaus were exchanged between Polish, Prussian and Russian leaders, dukes and kings. The so called Royal Route that combines the three most important Warsaw palaces had an important role.

1. Wilanow Palace

Wilanow Palace is a-U shaped baroque building built in 1677 on the outskirts of Warsaw. It saw different owners. Worth mentioning is Stanislaw Kosta Potocki who opened the first museum in Poland in this building in 1805. We found the queen´s bedroom most interesting with velvety walls surrounding the huge red bed and ceiling covered with baroque art. Two buses from the city centre will take you there (30 minutes, 80 cents one-way), entrance fee is 20 zloty (app. 4-50€). If you are there on a Thursday or in November the entry is free. The gardens behind the palace are accessible for 5 zloty (app. 1,10€) extra.

2. Lazinski Palace

Lazinski Palace was built as a garden pavilion at first and served as a bath house. In 1764 king Stanislaw August bought this property and turned into a beautiful neoclassical palace on an island and used it as a summer residence. You can see the royal gallery in this palace. The palace is in the middle of a huge park filled with paths and squirrels that eat out of your hands. In the summer this is a venue for concerts and recitals at the entrance at the Chopin statue. Park entrance is free; the palace is admission free on Thursdays and in November, in other times you will have to pay 25 zloty (5,60€).

3. The Royal Castle

Standing proudly in the middle of the Royal Castle Square, The Royal Castle offers an excellent starting point for exploring the Old Town. The castle was home of the Poland´s greatest men, but it (as many other buildings in Warsaw) didn´t survive the horrors of World War II. Along with the Old Town it was levelled to the ground, but thanks to some curators many art works were saved. After the war the Poles stuck together and rebuilt the palace and opened a museum of true art treasures – among them also two Rembrandt´s works. Entrance fee is 30 zloty (app. 6,80€). Sundays and November is admission free.

Visiting these palaces is like travelling back in history, to times we never experienced. Giant paintings, glorious furniture and scent of royalty will leave you daydreaming about you being royal at least for a day.

Visiting Poland and need inspiration what to eat? Check out our blog about Must try food in Warsaw 😉