Area guide
The Royal Route: the back story
Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat: Raffles Europejski and the Bristol, the Holy Cross Church, the Chopin Museum and Blikle.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Igor123121 · CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsThe Royal Route runs south from Castle Square along Krakowskie Przedmieście and Nowy Świat, past the grand hotels, the University and the Holy Cross Church, where Chopin’s heart rests.
Sights
The Holy Cross Church, the Chopin Museum on Okólnik, Zachęta and the National Museum.
Eating
Europejski Grill and Epoka are in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide; Lourse Warszawa and Blikle for pastry.
Walk it early on a weekend morning, from Castle Square southwards.
Staying
Raffles Europejski, the Hotel Bristol, the Sofitel Victoria and the boutique hotels of Nowy Świat.
Our advice: stop at Blikle for a pączek.
Why it's on our list
- Sights
- Eating
- Staying
What’s nearby
Distances from The Royal Route: the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 14 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest metro and tram stops
- Stare Miasto 02Tram200 m3 min walk
- Stare Miasto 01Tram250 m3 min walk
- Metro Ratusz-Arsenał 09Tram800 m10 min walk
Key sights
- Royal Castle350 mWalk 4 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Old Town Market Place550 mWalk 7 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 7 min
- POLIN1.5 kmWalk 19 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Palace of Culture1.6 kmWalk 20 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Royal Łazienki3.6 kmWalk 45 minCycle 16 minCar or taxi 15 min
- Warsaw Chopin Airport9.6 kmCycle 41 minCar or taxi 31 min
- Wilanów Palace10 kmCycle 44 minCar or taxi 33 min
Main railway stations
- Warszawa Centralna1.9 kmWalk 24 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Warszawa Wschodnia2.7 kmWalk 34 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 12 min
Location
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More in depth
The back storyEating in Warsaw: the back storyHere is how Warsaw eats: four MICHELIN stars, ten Bib Gourmands from Praga to Wola, the old Polish dining rooms, the historic cafés and the vodka bars.
The back storyWarsaw CuisineŻurek in a bread bowl, pierogi, herring with a shot of vodka, flaki, pork knuckle in jelly, the wuzetka and the zygmuntówka, Wedel’s hot chocolate and the Wigilia table: the dishes of Warsaw, and where to taste them.
The back storyThe grand hotels of Warsaw: the back storyRaffles Europejski and the Hotel Bristol face each other on the Royal Route, the Sofitel Victoria looks over Piłsudski Square, and Nobu, the InterContinental and the Hotel Warszawa rise in the centre. Here is where to stay in Warsaw, district by district.