I was really impressed by Warsaw. I had heard some pretty mediocre reports about the city from others that had visited, however I really enjoyed the two days I spent there at the start of my little jaunt.

The World Heritage Site itself is the reconstructed old town, and whilst it may not be as glorious as some of the other Central European cities on the list, it has an incredible story of rebuilding after near total destruction. It was actually a little bigger than I was expecting it to be, and the sgraffito wall decorations were some of the finest examples I have seen. It is pretty evident that this site has been rebuilt, however I think this is quite good as it enables people to ‘read’ the restoration, instead of just trying to pass it off as being more authentic. I kept on returning for strolls down different streets and think I probably walk down every one with-in the WHS.

Aside from the old town I really liked Warsaw, admittedly the Central station is a little grim looking but there are plenty of other worthwhile places to visit; most strikingly the Palace of Science and Culture, but we also had great fun venturing off to more remote parts of the centre to see the monuments and museum relating to the history of the city in the Second World War. Perhaps my favourite thing though was the relaxed atmosphere we found, from queuing in Milk Bars to bar hopping in Praga, however my favourite ‘find’ was the network of ‘Pawilony (Pavilion)’ bars located just behind Nowy Swiat, these slightly shabby looking exteriors actually housed some of the best drinking establishments I have come across in Europe. If you are wanting to uncover a few more of Warsaw’s hidden gems then I can highly recommend the free 'Use-It' map ) this was almost invaluable to us.

Overall I really enjoyed my time in Warsaw, it was a fun relaxed city and the Historic Centre was the icing on the cake. It has a great story to tell and the restoration is done in such a way that you can read this story in the reconstructed townscape.