Neon lights flicker, beats mix with laughter – Warsaw celebrates freely. Grown from ruins, the city is now Europe's most laid-back night-time metropolis.
A small passageway on the Nowy S'wiat leads into a courtyard: neon lights, graffiti, old posters; rock music from the left, electro beats three steps further on, tiny bars like public living rooms, cheerful confusion. Young people drink and smoke, talk and laugh, without a dress code or thoughts of tomorrow. "Pawilony" is the name of this microcosm of the night in perhaps the most exciting capital city in Europe: Warsaw, grown from ruins - into an underdog metropolis with a skyline.
Fans of electronic music dance the night away in "Jasna 1" and "Smolna". If you want to go to one of the clubs in Mazowiecka Street or to a rooftop party, for example to "Level 27", you should think about your outfit. In summer, the people of Warsaw are drawn to the spruced-up Vistula Boulevard - over in Praga, on the other side of the river, beach bars and the alternative scene beckon.
Warsaw is at its coolest and most casual in S'ródmies'cie Południowe with its classicist-socialist blocks, in the streets north of Plac Konstytucji: trendy wine bars, cocktail venues and bistros, young creatives. Here the future still meets confidence - Warsaw is the new star in the European night sky.
Warsaw's nightlife pulsates along the Vistula, where in summer the bars and clubs line up like pearls along the promenade. The hip beach bars by the river are particularly popular, where you can party late into the night with fairy lights, DJ sets and a view of the PGE National Arena. In Śródmieście, the central district, fine dining meets unpretentious "milk bars" - traditional "Bar Mleczny" with hearty pierogi, right next to new bistros with natural wines and modern interpretations of Polish cuisine. The cocktail scene is also on the move: Established addresses include the award-winning "El Koktel" and the stylish "Woda Ognista", while younger bars such as "Kita Koguta" play with experimental drinks.
Jasna 1
Where the beat is at home and gets pretty much everyone on the dance floor; the focus here is on electronic music - with a dynamic DJ line-up and live acts. jasna1.com
Level 27
Stylish design, selected music and a terrace with a view of the city skyline; the rooftop location on the 27th floor is made for unforgettable parties. level27.pl
El Koktel
Creative, sophisticated and a little unusual - that's how you can describe the style of the first-class drinks and cocktails here. The relaxed atmosphere is a plus.
Woda Ognista
Vintage vibes and sophisticated drinks; the golden era of the 1920s is the source of inspiration here - also for the regularly changing menu. Enjoy craft cocktails and regional cuisine.
