Our journey to Warsaw Old Town began near the Palace of Culture, the Stalinist skyscraper looming like a stone relic. From there, we rolled into Krakowskie Przedmieście, the elegant Royal Route. To get there, you must dodge plush teddy bears, kebab stalls, and other tourist traps.
At least Warsaw understands basic needs – clean public toilets are free and everywhere. A civilized idea more cities should copy.
Legend has it that beneath St. Anne’s Church lies a secret passage leading straight to the Royal Castle. We didn’t investigate – hard to squeeze Kostka footbikes into medieval tunnels, and time was short. Still, we passed Warsaw University, the Presidential Palace, and the statue of Copernicus. Unlike our outlaw Jánošík, Poland can proudly claim thinkers who moved humanity forward.
The Royal Castle
The Royal Castle is where history meets ghost stories. They say when the clock strikes midnight, the ghost of King Sigismund III appears to check if Warsaw is still awake. During the war, he must have been on leave – everything around was reduced to rubble.
After the war, the castle rose again. Today, visitors can wander through the throne room, admire Rembrandt and Canaletto paintings, or remember that here, in the Senator’s Hall, Europe’s first constitution was signed in 1791. And if you’re lucky, you might bump into Queen Barbara Radziwiłłówna, who still haunts the halls, centuries after her untimely death.
We faced a choice: castle tour or Kostka ride. Kostkas won. Instead, we shared a beer with a local carriage driver and rolled toward the heart of the Old Town.
The Old Town
On Krzywe Koło Street, legend warns of a basilisk that once lived in a cellar, killing with a single glance. A brave tailor defeated it with a mirror. Our advice to tourists: “Drink in moderation.”
The Old Town, rebuilt after being flattened in WWII, looks centuries old. Its centerpiece, the Market Square, is ringed by colorful townhouses and guarded by the mermaid statue – Warsaw’s symbol.
From the square, narrow cobbled alleys twist like a Polish version of Prague’s Golden Lane. It’s small, but don’t miss Świętojańska Street leading to St. John’s Cathedral, Piwną Street with its historic cellars, or Szeroki Dunaj, once a river channel. The whole area is wrapped in medieval brick walls.
Some whisper that a Templar treasure is hidden beneath the Old Town. Sadly, our schedule – and Kostkas – didn’t allow treasure hunts. However, we found an amber chess set where the pieces alone cost a whopping 29,000 zlotys, and the chessboard itself another 18,000. Don’t buy poland souvenirs. 🙂
The Mermaid of Warsaw
Do you know how Warsaw got its name? According to legend, a fisherman named Wars fell in love with a mermaid named Sawa – sister of Copenhagen’s little mermaid. Together they gave the city its name and became its guardians. Unfortunately, even they couldn’t protect it from bombs.
The New Town
Beyond the Barbican lies the “New” Town. New only in name – it dates back to the 14th century. Less crowded, more peaceful. We glided through New Town Square with its dolphin fountain, then stopped at the house where Marie Skłodowska-Curie was born. Poland can be proud of her too.
As for the legend of the golden duck – a cursed princess guarding treasure under the Ostrogski Palace – we decided not to test it. We were neither pure nor brave enough. Still, a hidden treasure would’ve been nice.
Ujazdowski Castle and the Parks
We headed fast toward Ujazdowski Castle. A wrong turn gave us a bonus workout: a hundred stairs uphill with footbikes in hand. Breathless, but worth it. The 17th-century castle is now the Center for Contemporary Art. We never skip a modern gallery, and thankfully, the lady at the counter kindly watched over our Kostkas.
Warsaw’s parks are vast and green – Pole Mokotowskie (nicknamed Warsaw’s Central Park), the multimedia fountains, and Ujazdowski Park all roll beautifully under two wheels. Here, bikes and footbikes aren’t banned, unlike in some “overregulated” cities.
Łazienki Królewskie
Finally, we reached Łazienki Królewskie – Warsaw’s largest park. Beautiful, endless, and exhausting. Imagine gardens, lakes, palaces stretching for kilometers. A place to spend a whole day, unless you arrive with forbidden footbikes. Two hours of pushing Kostkas turned into a crash course in patience.
The Palace on the Isle was under renovation, the orangery closed for a corporate event, and no Chopin concert by his statue that day. Still, the park breathes elegance – this was the summer retreat of Poland’s last king. Too bad he didn’t think about future footbikers.
We escaped to the Vistula riverbank, rolling freely again. As evening fell, we noticed tired tourists watching us with envy – their feet sore, ours still flying.
Closing
Warsaw Old Town may be newly built, but it’s alive with stories, ghosts, and legends. On Kostka footbikes, history feels faster, fresher, and somehow even more real.
What to See in Warsaw – Top Tips
- Royal Route (Krakowskie Przedmieście) – elegant boulevard with St. Anne’s Church, University of Warsaw, Presidential Palace, and Copernicus statue.
- Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski) – rebuilt palace with royal apartments, Rembrandt paintings, and ghostly legends.
- Warsaw Old Town (Stare Miasto) – UNESCO gem with Mermaid statue, Old Town Square, and St. John’s Cathedral.
- New Town (Nowe Miasto) – birthplace of Marie Skłodowska-Curie, charming squares, and the legend of the Golden Duck.
- Ujazdowski Castle & Park – 17th-century castle now housing the Center for Contemporary Art.
- Łazienki Królewskie – sprawling 18th-century royal park with the Palace on the Isle and Chopin monument.
- Warsaw’s Green Parks – Pole Mokotowskie (the “Central Park of Warsaw”), Multimedia Fountain Park, and riverside Vistula paths, best explored on two wheels.
