Six must-do things to check out on a gay trip to Warsaw
Looking for an affordable, history-packed adventure in Europe? Warsaw may tick your boxes.
Mark
Looking for an affordable, history-packed adventure in Europe? Have you ever considered Poland’s capital city, Warsaw?
Yes, it has something of a grey reputation. It suffered extensive damage during the Second World War, and great swathes of it were destroyed. It was rebuilt, often in austere fashion, post-1945, when it fell under communist rule.
The communist government crumbled in 1989 with the country’s first, partially free elections in decades.
Poland remains a conservative, largely Catholic country. It actually decriminalized same-sex activity in the 1930s. However, that’s about as far as it’s gone in the advance of gay rights. There is no legal recognition of same-sex relationships, and a large chunk of Warsaw’s 1.9 million population wants to keep it that way, according to opinion polls.
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However, if you’re looking for queer life in Poland, Warsaw is your best bet. It’s one of the only countries in the world with its own Queer Museum, and its annual Pride March is the biggest in the country.
You’ll also find cheap hotels, a culinary scene that extends beyond pierogi (Polish dumplings), beautiful parks and a multitude of coffee shops.
Here are just half a dozen suggestions for things to do.
The Old Town
Because of the WWII damage, the cobbled alleyways and medieval buildings that make up the ‘Old Town’ are largely a meticulous reconstruction. However, you’d be forgiven for not being able to spot the difference. Browse the tourist stores, check out the lovers’ padlocks on a wire fence overlooking the Vistular River, or grab a bite to eat in the picturesque Rynek Starego Miasta (a historical square in the centre of the district).
From the Old Town district, wander up Nowy Świat, Warsaw’s main shopping street. Besides the many stores, it also offers many restaurants. In addition to Polish cuisine, the dishes of other Eastern European and former Soviet states are also well represented.
Palace of Culture and Science
Warsaw’s most recognizable building and its tallest skyscraper, the Palace of Culture and Science (plac Defilad 1, 00-901 Warszawa, Poland) dates back to 1955. And yes, if it looks a little familiar, it was partially inspired by the American art deco style that also spawned the Empire State Building in New York.
Besides offering a viewing platform near its summit, the building also houses a number of cultural institutions. These include a theater, a transport museum, a cinema, a concert hall, and the offices of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Opened in 2014, the impressive Polin Museum (Mordechaja Anielewicza 6, 00-157 Warszawa) is a large, immersive institution reflecting on the history of Jewish communities in Poland over the last 1,000 years. It goes into depth about dark chapters in 20th-century history, such as the Warsaw Ghetto.
Handsets with headphones talk you through (in English) the various rooms, which include reconstructions of streets and train station waiting rooms. It’s impossible to remain unmoved by the stories of persecution experienced by so many innocent souls.
For further historical background to the city, the Warsaw Uprising Museum is another immersive experience that reflects Poland’s plight during the 1930s and post-1945 years under communist rule.
QueerMuzeum Warszawa
Poland’s first queer museum — only the fifth such museum in the world — opened in Warsaw in December 2024. An initiative of Lambda Warszawa, the country’s leading queer rights organization, the small venue is located at 83 Marszałkowska Street, one of the main streets in central Warsaw. The main, white-walled, gallery-like room offers a timeline of the progression of LGBTQ+ rights in Poland. Many of the items on display illustrate the underground nature of so much of gay life in Poland in the past decades. A mezzanine floor stores the Lambda Warszawa archives.
Ramona Bar
This long-running, cosy little gay bar (Widok 18/1, 00-023 Warszawa, Poland) Ramona an old-school vibe. With its wood panelling and striped wallpaper, it feels like something from the early 1960s, in a retro-chic sort of way. Modern pop videos on a couple of TV screens add a more modern touch. Grab a table or seat at the semi-circular bar on one side of the room. Regular promotions include a board game night on Wednesdays and karaoke on Tuesdays.
Lodi Dodi Bar
A small, cosy, friendly gay bar popular with locals and tourists alike thanks to its friendly staff and welcoming vibe. Lodi Dodi attracts a predominantly male crowd over its three, small floors. These consist of a ground-floor cocktail bar, an upstairs mezzanine with tables, and a cruisy basement area. The downstairs boasts a small cinema room that specializes in adult entertainment. Furtive glances and wandering hands may be encountered.
It all lies behind a very discreet entrance (Wilcza 23/00, 00-544 544Warszawa) that’s easy to miss, so make sure you know where you’re heading.
Visit a bathhouse
If you’re looking for a gay sauna in Poland, Warsaw is the place to head. It offers three queer establishments. Sauna The Fire is the biggest and offers all your usual amenities. This includes a large hot tub, dark steam room, and cruisier areas to explore.
Heaven Sauna is very clean and modern in feel. It hosts several themed nights, including a mixed bi session and a ‘Bald and/or muscled’ event.
Galla Klub and Sauna is probably the smallest but is still popular, especially for its Sunday ‘aufguss’ sessions. The European ritual, popular in Germany and neighboring countries, involves a “sauna master” throwing fragrant oils on to the coals and whipping a towel in the air to drive up the heat and circulate the aromas.
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