Discover Warsaw: Royal Route, UNESCO Old Town & Landmarks

Follow in the footsteps of medieval kings and historical figures along the Royal Route, which leads into the Old Town. With an abundance of significant monuments, including the 15th-century St. Anne’s Church, Warsaw’s oldest university, the historic Hotel Bristol, and impressive sculptural monuments revealing Warsaw’s rich history, the city’s main thoroughfare offers you the chance to journey through the past and relive Warsaw’s bygone era.

Among all the magnificent sights scattered along the broad thoroughfare, take some time to admire the majestic 17th-century Presidential Palace. It is Warsaw’s largest palace and the current residence of the President of Poland. You will also learn about Napoleon’s stay there in the 19th century.

At the end of the glittering street, the symbolic Sigismund Column—named after the king who moved Poland’s capital to Warsaw—invites you to explore the atmospheric Old Town. The column dominates the charming Castle Square at the southern gateway to the Old Town and is the best place to take wonderful souvenir photos with the Old Town and Royal Route in the background.

Continue exploring the vast courtyard of the majestic 14th-century Royal Castle, which stands prominently on the eastern side of the square. Surrounded by its impressive buildings, you can almost hear the echoes of Poland’s first parliamentary session in the 16th century and the solemn atmosphere of the Russian and German invasions that took place here during World War I.

Just a short distance away is the 14th-century Basilica of St. John the Baptist, steeped in historical stories, including the coronation and burial of the last king, the founding of the Constitution, and the mysterious covered passage connected to the Royal Castle. On the exterior wall, you will see fragments of the tank used by the Nazis to destroy the church. The church was rebuilt in a unique pseudo-Gothic style, giving it character and resilience.

Next, visit the Market Square, the heart of the Old Town, where the rhythm of its rich culture beats. The medieval marketplace, where everything from celebrations to executions once took place, has been transformed into a beautiful showcase of 17th-century architecture and a popular meeting place where tourists and locals enjoy relaxing in charming street cafés and restaurants. Don’t forget to take photos with the Little Mermaid monument, depicted on the city’s coat of arms.

The tour ends with a walk through the enchanting Warsaw Barbican, a symbol of the city’s beauty rising from destruction. The medieval military structure, which crowns the city’s defensive walls, tells visitors moving stories about the city’s reconstruction from the ashes of war and stands as a testament to Warsaw’s resilience.