Warsaw/South

The districts of Warsaw south of Śródmieście have enjoyed a measurable growth in population numbers and importance in recent decades thanks to their proximity to the airport and the fact that the stretch of the Metro line first completed was one connecting Ursynów and Mokotów with Śródmieście. While primarily residential and filled with mostly 20th century developments, they contain their fair shares of historic buildings. There are also many parks that are lesser-known to tourists, and many leisure facilities serving the area's dense residential neighbourhoods.

For tourists, the biggest draw is the Wilanów Palace and its Park, but if you undertake the effort to get there, you may be interested in exploring the area further. It is made relatively easy by the well-developed public transit network in the area.

Districts
Mokotów has over 200,000 inhabitants and is the most populous district of Warsaw. It consists mostly of residential developments of varying density, and Warsaw's largest office district in its Western part. There are a few historic buildings in the district, and many places played a meaningful role in the Warsaw Uprising. There are also quite a few embassies in Mokotów, and some parks. The name "Mokotów" may originate from French mon coteau, which means "my hillside" or from Mokoto, the supposed name of the settlement's founder.

Ursynów is a primarily residential district, constructed from the late 1970s onwards, with the prominent use of plattenbau (prefabricated concrete elements). It therefore has very few historic buildings and indeed very few places of interest to most tourists. Due to the metro line crossing it, it is however a very convenient place for medium- and long-term accommodation, and the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW) has its main campus in the district, so many students and faculty would be based there. The name comes from Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, whose middle name Ursyn is derived from Latin ursus meaning a bear.

Wilanów district is most known for the eponymous baroque royal residence and park, which is a tourist favourite due to its unique beauty. Apart from the palace and park, the rest of the district is mostly low-rise upscalish residential developments and supporting infrastructure. A large part of the district's area remains undeveloped, providing good recreation grounds for walking, biking or picnicking. The original name of the settlement was Milanów, but it was renamed by the King Jan III Sobieski inspired by a French descriptive phrase Villa Nova.

By public transit
From the Warszawa Centralna train station, you can take 119, 131, 525 to get to Mokotów. From Marszałkowska, also in the Centrum, you can take 522. Or if you cross under the street, and pop up on al. Jerozolimskie, you can catch the 107. If you go further down to ul. Piękna, where the US, French, and Canadian embassies are located, you can also catch the 159. The 180, which is known as the tourist route, connects the Old Town and Nowy Świat with Wilanów, via the Mokotów. Most of these buses will end up taking you in the direction of the Sadyba neighborhood of Mokotów, toward Wilanów.


 * There are no trams or metro in Wilanów. The bus terminus closest to the palace is called Wilanów. Another bus terminus Sadyba (in Mokotów) is also in close proximity.

Warsaw's subway system immediately connects Mokotów with Śródmieście and Ursynów. The last station in Śródmieście before entering Mokotów is the Metro Politechnika stop, while the last stop before entering Mokotów from Ursynów is the Metro Ursynów stop. More or less, the subway line cuts down the middle of Mokotów. Warsaw's subway system has several stops in Mokotów, which can allow for travelers to quickly hop on and off the metro line and get north and south of Mokotów in just a few minutes. The following stops are in Mokotów - Pole Mokotowskie, Racławicka, Wierzbno, Wilanowska, and Służew. There are five metro stations in Ursynów. From north to south, the metro stations are: Ursynów, Stokłosy, Imielin, Natolin, and Kabaty. With the metro, it's possible to get to Centrum in 10 - 20 minutes.


 * From the Warsaw Chopin Airport, the most direct connection is the bus line 148, which goes straight from the terminal towards Ursynów, stopping in. al. at Metro Imielin.
 * The Park of Culture and the Botanical Garden are far away from other points of interest and can be reached from bus termini Powsin - Park Kultury and Ogród Botaniczny respectively, or if you prefer to take a walk, take the  M  to  Kabaty  (in Ursynów) and then walk through the Kabacki Forest.

is a local transport interchange. Several intercity buses stop here, though Flixbus no longer do.

By car

 * The two streets that lead to Wilanów are: ul. Powsińska/ul. Wiertnicza and al. Wilanowska (not ul. Wilanowska which is in Śródmieście), which earlier merges with ul. Sobieskiego. They intersect right in front of the Palace and merge into ul. Przyczółkowa, which leads to the Park of Culture in Powsin, the Botanical Garden and to Konstancin-Jeziorna.
 * By car, you can get to Ursynów by driving down Puławska (extends south from Marszałkowska) or Aleja Niepodległości (which extends south from Aleja Jana Pawła II, eventually merges with Puławska) from the city centre. Puławska is also a major entry point to Warsaw itself, so visitors driving in from the south can use it as well.

In Mokotów:
 * Main streets parallel to Vistula: ul. Czerniakowska-ul. Powsińska, ul. Belwederska-ul. Sobieskiego, ul. Puławska, al. Niepodległości, ul. Żwirki i Wigury
 * Main streets perpendicular to Vistula: ul. Spacerowa, Trasa Siekierkowska-ul. Witosa-ul. Sikorskiego

Mokotów






Czerniaków

 * St Anthony Church in Czerniaków ul. Czerniakowska 2/4
 * Folwark Czerniakowski
 * Gardener's House ul. Jodłowa 18
 * Manager's House ul. Bernardyńska 1

In Powsin

 * The Park of Culture. On the edge of the Kabacki Forest (Las Kabacki). Many sports venues including a swimming pool. Walk or cycle through the forest to Metro Kabaty.

Ursynów

 * The Pheasantry Palace (Pałac Bażantarnia) ul. Nowoursynowska 84
 * The «Delight» Palace (Pałac «Rozkosz») ul. Nowoursynowska 166

Do

 * The Royal Road ends in Wilanów, but you could do it backwards.
 * Kabacki Forest near  M   Kabaty  . You can walk through the forest to the Park of Culture and the Botanical Garden

Buy
As the area is densely populated and predominantly residential, you will find supermarkets and smaller grocery and convenience stores all over the place. Many are open 7 days a week, and some convenience stores, especially those serving alcohol, tend to be have long business hours. Owner-operated small stores and those in petrol stations stay open even during public holidays, when all other retail is required to close by law.



Cafés

 * Jar ul. Koński Jar 6
 * A hot chocolate at Café Wedel near Wilanow Palace.
 * Jar ul. Koński Jar 6
 * A hot chocolate at Café Wedel near Wilanow Palace.
 * A hot chocolate at Café Wedel near Wilanow Palace.