Our time in Warsaw was short — just two days — but it was definitely worth the stop.
We started by visiting the Warsaw Uprising Museum, which was a powerful and sobering experience. Warsaw’s history, especially during World War II, is heavy. The loss and destruction woven into the story of this city is harrowing, but there is also resilience.
Although it is difficult to learn about, it is incredibly important to understand the history of the places we visit. For me, visiting Poland is meaningful because I have ancestors from Poland. Walking through Warsaw and learning more about its history made the connection feel a little more personal.
We also spent time wandering through Old Town, taking in the colorful buildings, cobblestone streets, churches, squares, and the beautiful architecture. It was hard to believe that so much of the city had been destroyed during the war and then painstakingly rebuilt. It doesn’t seem like it was all burnt to the ground.
And, of course, no family travel story would be complete without a little chaos.
At some point, our clothes became trapped in the washing machine at our Airbnb. Our host was great and managed to get everything out — but our clothes stank, so we needed to find a laundromat. It wasn’t our first choice to spend the morning at a laundromat when we only had two days, but we are flexible, and our clothes came out so fresh and clean.
Two days wasn’t nearly enough time to really explore Warsaw, but we’re glad we made the stop. Between the history, the beautiful Old Town, the personal connection to my Polish ancestry, and even the great washing-machine adventure, Warsaw gave us plenty to remember.
