Vistula Boulevards

Warsaw turned its back on the Vistula for most of the twentieth century, and the boulevards built along the left bank between about 2010 and 2017 reversed that: several kilometres of terraced promenade with steps to the water, cycle paths, bars in shipping containers and converted barges, and beaches on the far side. The unusual part is what faces it. The right bank, opposite the city centre, was never embanked and is a wild strip of sandbanks, willow and poplar with beaver and beavers' work, nesting terns and a designated Natura 2000 area running through the middle of a capital city - a genuinely rare thing in Europe. Ferries cross to the beaches in summer and free boats run at some crossings. The left bank fills on warm evenings, with the Copernicus Science Centre, the Warsaw University Library roof garden and the mermaid statue along its length.

What you actually see

• Terraced promenade - several kilometres of steps and paths down to the water.
• A wild opposite bank - sandbanks, willow and a Natura 2000 strip facing the city.
• Summer bars and barges - containers and boats along the left bank.
• Ferries to the beaches - crossings to the sand on the right bank.

When to go

May to September. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The bars and ferries are seasonal - the boulevards are bleak in winter. Warm evenings are extremely crowded and noisy. The wild bank is fragile and access is limited in the bird breeding season.

Nearby

The Copernicus Science Centre and the old town are both on the left bank.