Warsaw reborn

By Rick Steves, Tribune Content Agency on Jul 7, 2015

For me, the pleasure of Warsaw is just connecting with its big-city people, who are as warm and charming as small-town folk. Poles love Americans -- they think of us as big brothers and sisters from across the Atlantic. When the communist government gave the people a small shot at representative government in 1989, the "get out the vote" poster showed Gary Cooper from "High Noon" -- holding not a gun, but a voting card.

Remnants of Warsaw's earlier magnificence show up in the huge, idyllic Lazienki Park. It's sprinkled with neoclassical buildings, peacocks, and young Poles in love. Poland's very last king built the park in the 18th century for his summer residence and as a place for his citizens to relax.

A monument to Chopin, Poland's great Romantic composer and favorite son, graces the park's rose garden. Even though Chopin left Warsaw for Paris, his final wish was to have his heart brought back to his native Poland. And so it was, after his death in 1849. It now lies buried in a pillar in Warsaw's Holy Cross Church (the rest of him is interred at Paris's Pere Lachaise Cemetery).

Locals still proudly celebrate the composer's music. On a recent visit, I attended an informal Chopin salon -- an intimate evening of beautiful music, wine, and cheese hosted by my bed-and-breakfast. Joining a group gathered around a shiny grand piano, listening to young artists performing Chopin's etudes, felt "very Warsaw."

Besides listening to Chopin, eating apples has become a patriotic act here. Reacting to international sanctions brought on by the conflict in Ukraine, Russia has halted fresh produce imports from the European Union -- including Poland. Now Poland is awash in apples grown for export to Russia. Standing on Warsaw's Old Town Square, knowing how the Red Army had watched from across the river as the Nazis leveled the city, it's particularly poignant to see feisty Poles eating apples to irritate Putin.

The resilience of Poland's culture and the warmth of its people inspire me. Thankfully, these are good times in Poland, a nation with a rich past and an exciting future.

IF YOU VISIT...

SLEEPING: Hotel Le Regina offers tempting luxury in the quiet and charming New Town (splurge, www.leregina.com). Chopin Boutique B-and-B has more comfort and class than hotels twice its price (moderate, www.bedandbreakfast.pl).

EATING: A. Blikle, Poland's most famous pastry shop, serves delicious "paczki," the quintessential Polish doughnut (Nowy Swiat 35). Pierogarnia na Bednarskiej brags that "only our grandmothers make better pierogi" -- the classic Polish dumpling (near the Old Town at Bednarska 28-30).

GETTING AROUND: It seems to take forever to walk a few "short" blocks in Warsaw. It's worth getting comfortable with public transportation (www.ztm.waw.pl).

FOR TOURIST INFORMATION: www.warsawtour.pl.

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(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)