Warsaw/Western Centre

The area to the west of Warsaw/Śródmieście, consisting of the districts of Wola, Ochota and Żoliborz, contains many parts of the historic core of Warsaw, Poland. While not as densely packed with touristic points of interest as Śródmieście, it is still full of interesting places to visit and discover.

Districts
Wola is immediately to the west of Śródmieście and blends seamlessly with it, the border between them being the Jana Pawła II Avenue.

Wola has been rapidly changing from a former industrial area into a prime business district with office buildings, and modern upscale residential highrises. Wola holds large parts of the area covered by Warsaw Ghetto during the Second World War, and many important places of remembrance can be found there. It also hold Warsaw's most important necropolis, the Powązki, and the Warsaw Rising Museum.

The word wola means "will" in Polish, referring to the fact that the royal elections (yes, Poland's noblemen used to elect their kings, they were not automatically hereditary) took place there over the vast expanses of open spaces it once encompassed.

Ochota is a district of Warsaw. The name means "willingness" or "fancy". It is a relatively small (by area), traditionally residential district. Ochota is further divided into Filtry, Rakowiec, Szczęśliwice and Stara Ochota (Old Ochota), which covers the traditional area of the district.

Żoliborz has traditionally been the intelligentsia district of Warsaw. It is further divided into Stary Żoliborz, Sady Żoliborskie and Marymont-Potok.

Get in
Wola
 * Main streets parallel to Vistula: ul. Towarowa-ul. Okopowa
 * Main streets perpendicular to Vistula: ul. Kasprzaka-ul. Wolska, ul. Leszno-ul. Górczewska

Ochota Żoliborz
 * Ochota's northeastern extremity is next to the Dworzec Centralny train station. The Warszawa Zachodnia train station is also within the district.
 * Local trains (SKM, Koleje Mazowieckie) will also stop at Warszawa-Reduta and Warszawa-Rakowiec on their way between the city centre and the Warsaw Chopin Airport
 * Main streets parallel to Vistula: ul. Żwirki i Wigury, ul. Grójecka-al. Krakowska
 * Main streets perpendicular to Vistula: ul. Wawelska-ul. Grzymały-Al. Jerozolimskie
 * Trams from the city centre run down Grójecka and Filtrowa streets
 * Main streets parallel to Vistula: Wyb. Gdyńskie, ul. Mickiewicza-ul. Słowackiego, al. Jana Pawła II-ul. Popiełuszki
 * Main streets perpendicular to Vistula: ul. Słomińskiego, Trasa Armii Krajowej

By tram
Trams run along Aleja Solidarności and Aleje Jerozolimskie (at the southern border of the district), and between them through Towarowa. Trams 8, 10, 22 and 24 will take you from the centre and the Dworzec Centralny (railway station) to the Rising Museum, 22 also to the Powązki cemetery.

Consult those official tram network maps and schemas for up-to-date information and tram stops: ,

On foot
For the areas closer to the city centre, walking is a reasonable choice and the sights along the way are worth it (especially if you are heading into Chłodna from Plac Bankowy, or walking along Grzybowska). You can even endavour to walk as far as the Warsaw Rising Museum.

Otherwise, Wola becomes a sprawling district with little interest to the tourist beyond specific points of interest. You may walk, but you would be better advised to take advantage of the public transportation.

Museums in Wola




Theatres

 * Komedia, ul. Słowackiego 19a, +48 22 833 68 80

Sports

 * Szczęśliwicki Park (Park Szczęśliwicki) between ul. Drawska and ul. Włodarzewska is a large green area with some lakes.
 * Pole Mokotowskie
 * OSiR Żoliborz (swimming pool), ul. Potocka 1, +48 22 832 46 00

Buy

 * The Arkadia shopping/entertainment complex in Śródmieście is also close to Powązki.
 * The Arkadia shopping/entertainment complex in Śródmieście is also close to Powązki.

Splurge

 * Meltemi ul. Opaczewska 43/1 (Kręgliccy). Greek.

Clubs and bars

 * Café Strauss Al. Jerozolimskie 45
 * Luzztro al. Jerozolimskie 60
 * Paradise ul. Wawelska 5
 * Proxima Żwirki i Wigury 99a
 * Luzztro al. Jerozolimskie 60
 * Paradise ul. Wawelska 5
 * Proxima Żwirki i Wigury 99a

Sleep
''You will find many more accommodation options in the neighbouring district of Śródmieście. Accommodations in Ochota are also convenient for visiting Wola.''

Splurge

 * There are also many furnished, and some also serviced, apartments in the modern residential highrises close to the city centre, available for both long-term and short-term rentals. Look for them online directly or via booking websites.
 * There are also many furnished, and some also serviced, apartments in the modern residential highrises close to the city centre, available for both long-term and short-term rentals. Look for them online directly or via booking websites.
 * There are also many furnished, and some also serviced, apartments in the modern residential highrises close to the city centre, available for both long-term and short-term rentals. Look for them online directly or via booking websites.
 * There are also many furnished, and some also serviced, apartments in the modern residential highrises close to the city centre, available for both long-term and short-term rentals. Look for them online directly or via booking websites.