The northern district of Żoliborz is one of Warsaw's most attractive areas and has long attracted the creative class of this capital city. Largely suburban and known for its leafy streets, its name comes from the French Joli Bord, which translates to “Beautiful Embankment” in English. While Żoliborz may sound like a quiet area, its sophisticated flair, verdant parks, and rich food and drink scene shouldn't be dismissed.
The birth of Żoliborz happened between World War I and World War II. Once the site of an 18th-century estate, the area became a training ground for the military in the 1920s and 1930s. Featuring well-designed housing, the district's urban design is based on the model of Paris, with streets radiating in many directions. One of Żoliborz’s best attractions is the Warsaw Citadel, built under the direction of Tsar Nicholas I following the 1830 November Uprising. The 89-acre (36-hectare) citadel complex is also home to the award-winning Katyń Museum and Museum of the 10th Pavilion of the Warsaw Citadel.
Check out the café scene on Alojzego Felińskiego street for delicious cakes and good coffee.
On Saturdays from April to September, visit the buzzy Breakfast Market (Targ Śniadaniowy) near Plac Inwalidów for delicious meats, fresh foods, and ready-to-eat meals.
Żoliborz has long been a district of the intelligentsia, and neighborhood names still reflect the professions of their inhabitants: Żoliborz Dziennikarski (Journalists) Żoliborz Oficerski (Officers) and Żoliborz Urzędniczy (Civil Servants).
Żoliborz is easy to reach from central Warsaw. Take a private taxi or the Warsaw Metro to Plac Wilsona (Wilson Square), named after President Woodrow Wilson in 1953. From here, several buses and streetcars will take you to where you need to go.
While this area of Warsaw is an interesting place to visit all year round, summer is the most lively time to visit, when residents are out socializing at places like the Breakfast Market and Żoliborz Beach.
A huge mural of David Bowie on Marii Kazimiery street memorializes the singer's short visit to Żoliborz in either 1973 or 1976 (depending on who you ask). Bowie is said to have been inspired to write the song, “Warszawa,” after an unscheduled walk in the area during a train ride from Moscow to Paris.