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All aircraft heading to Warsaw land at Chopin Airport about 10 km from the city centre. You can find all information about airlines, departures and arrivals on the airport's website.
To reach the city centre you can use a taxi (the cost is 30-40 PLN, see useful numbers) or public transportation:
Bus number 175 runs to the centre and around the Old Town (Stare Miasto)
Bus numbers 148 and 188 run to the 'other' side of the river, to Praga, Grochów and Gocław - Night bus number N32 runs to the city centre
Services at the airport: For a full list of services offered at the airport (which as you would expect from a major terminal include post offices, banks, currency exchange, car hire and shops) visit the airport's website.
For access to the airport, check out this link.
Warsaw has three large railway stations serving international and domestic long-distance connections:
- Warszaw Centralna , Aleje Jerozolimskie 54
The Central Station is located in the heart of the city, and has very good connections with all districts of Warsaw.
- Warszawa Zachodnia, Aleje Jerozolimskie 144
Thanks to its location right next to the international bus station, it's a good connection and changing location for people using long-distance (both national and international) buses.
- Warszawa Wschodnia, ul. Lubelska 1, is located on the Praga side of the river.
The railway network in Poland is well organised both in respect of convenient connections and the standard of travel. Some people have even suggested that Poland is best visited by train. You will find all information about travelling by train, including timetables, reservations and prices, on their website (the site has an in-built Google Translate feature).
For further (and perhaps easier to access) timetable information, although not for booking tickets, try Bahn.de (the German railways site) which carries full timetable information for trains across Europe, including international services.
Fast and express trains run between the largest cities. Fast trains run between the larger cities without stopping at smaller stations. Express trains run between the main Polish cities.
Regional trains carry passengers to smaller towns. Travelling by slower trains you can visit smaller Polish towns and villages. These trains usually run over short routes and often stop at all the local stations.
Train fares depend on the route, the kind of train and the class of travel. Different promotional prices are always on offer, so it's worth checking and trying to book in advance for the best deals. For details ask at any railway station.
Polish trains have very diverse standards. Express trains are of the highest standard, regional or the slower trains are of the lowest standard. All trains, except for the slower ones, are divided into first and second class carriages. Intercity trains and many express trains have a separate restaurant car. Some trains also have special smoking compartments. Long-distance trains are often equipped with additional sleeping-cars.
You can reach most small towns in Poland by bus using the local buses, and all the host cities are all linked by long distance bus companies. The Polish national bus company is PKS (who have a website, but unfortunately it's only in Polish). Many long distance routes are served by Polski Express.
Most of the major bus terminals are in the centre of towns. Tickets are bought at the bus station in advance (recommended) or for a slightly higher price onboard from the driver of your bus. Pre-booking a ticket guarantees you a seat.
There are also many small, private bus companies which use micro-buses on special routes. To get to some of the really small towns and villages or more isolated parts of the country these small micro-buses are the only mode of transport. The micro-buses can be found near bus stations and railway stations and you buy your ticket from the driver.
The main way to access to Warsaw by road is to take one of four major European routes:
• from the north: Route E77 (from Gdańsk)
• from the east: Route E67 (from Białystok), route E30 (from Terespol)
• from the south: Route E67 (from Wrocław), route E77 (from Kraków)
• from the west: Route E30 (from Poznań)
The approximate mileage between Polish venues is as follows:
Warsaw – Gdansk = 209 miles / 336km
Warsaw – Poznan = 187 miles / 301km
Warsaw – Wroclaw = 214 miles / 344km
Gdansk – Poznan = 181 miles / 291km
Gdansk – Wroclaw = 270 miles / 435km
Poznan – Wroclaw = 102 miles / 164km
There are many places in the city centre where you can rent a car, as well as a couple of companies located at the airport (see the links above).
As in other parts of Europe when renting a car you sign a contract with the agency to undertake the following obligations:
• Full responsibility for the rented car.
• Only the person(s) mentioned in the contract can drive the car.
• The renter has to pay a deposit which and pay the fee according to the car hire company price list and the extra charges dependent on the client's requirements as stipulated in the contract.
The cost can range from as little as PLN 100 to PLN 400 a day depending on the make of car. With your rented car you can travel around Poland and to neighbouring countries (except those on the eastern border). To rent a car you will need a valid ID card or passport, a driving license and a credit card to use as a security deposit. In some places you can use cash, but these are rare.
The National Stadium in Warsaw is not only a football arena, but also a multipurpose facility which offers conference and office space, makes it possible to organize mass events, cultural events, concerts or exhibitions. The National Stadium is being erected in the trough of the former Stadium of 10th Anniversary, although neither of the two Warsaw Ekstraklasa-teams will play their matches there.
• 55,000 seats for fans on stands.
• 204,000 square metres Total area of stadium's premises.
• 100m The height level of the spire above the turf.
• 1765 Number of parking spaces.
• 900 Number of seats for media representatives.
• 106 Number of seats for disabled persons.
• >5 ha Total roof area
For more information about the National Stadium visit the stadium website.
The location of the stationary Fans' Embassy in Warsaw is yet to be confirmed.
Each host city will have a permanent, stationary Fans' Embassy throughout the tournament, as well as mobile Fans' Embassy teams operating in the days around matches played in that city. The mobile teams will be based at strategic points throughout the city (transport hubs, near the fanparks and stadiums, etc) and all Fans' Embassy staff will be on hand to offer advice and assistance to all supporters, either in person or by phone/email.
In each host city the Fans' Embassy will serve as a crucial source of information as well as a meeting point for all visiting supporters. The essence of a Fans' Embassy is to provide fan-specific services - such as ticket availability, public viewing facilities, locally applicable legislation, stadium regulations, match-day arrangements, etc.
However, you will also be able to obtain more general information you would normally find at a tourist office: accommodation, details of local transport timetables and routes, sightseeing opportunities, money exchange, etc.
The staff of the Fan Embassy will generally be drawn out of the local fan scene and will offer visiting supporters detailed and relevant information in their own language, as well as provide swift and simple solutions to any problems that may arise.
Fans' Embassies will be located in easy to reach central areas and will be open daily throughout the tournament. Find out where they are by visiting their dedicated section of the web page and drop by once you arrive in town!
Once the preparations and arrangements from the host cities are finalised we will put all information on public viewing here.
At the moment there are more than 30,000 beds available in Warsaw hotels and accommodation venues, and this number will significantly grow before Euro 2012. There are
- 10 ***** hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Rialto – for beautiful art deco design and good location)
- 9 **** hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Polonia Palace – perfect location, walkable to the fanzone and Stadium)
- 25 *** hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Hetman – close to the Stadium, far from the congestion problems)
- 16 ** hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Harenda – excellent location)
- 9 * hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Mazowiecki – in the center of the city, close to many clubs and pubs)
- 69 uncategorised venues (our local researcher's recommendation: Castle Inn – located in the Old Town, beautiful design)
- 21 youth and backpacker hostels (our local researcher's recommendation: Oki Doki Hostel – perfect location, a hostel bar)
- 4 campsites
In most hotels, breakfast is included. In guest-houses this can vary, and information about breakfast is usually provided at the point of booking. Check-out times are typically between 10am and noon. In the larger hotels you can pay by debit and credit card. In some smaller hotels, guest-houses, hostels or camping paying by cash is preferred. Some will insist on cash payments and be unable to process credit cards, so bear this in mind.
For a full list of hostels in and around central Warsaw, check out this link.
Our local researchers have recommended a couple of hostels (based on their location and quality):
ul. Jasna 22
phone:+48 22 828 86 00
e-mail: info@camerahostel.com
ul. Smocza 1
phone: +48 22 406 40 14
e-mail: info@elhostel.pl
You can book through the website links above, or alternatively try Hotels.com, Booking.com, Hostelbookers.com, Hostelworld.com. Before booking anywhere, we would advise you to check out independent reviews, if possible, through Tripadvisor.com.
The zone between The Old Town and Nowy Świat is the best place to eat and drink. There are a lot of kinds of restaurants, pubs, cafes and clubs so every one can find something for himself. So if you want to drink a beer in Irish pub or eat tasty dinner in a restaurant you should necessarily visit it! If you like sweets you should try 2 special Warsaw cakes: WZ (name connected with a road made under the Old Town built in times of comunismus) and Zygmuntówka (official cake of capital of Poland connected with king Sigmunt III Vasa, who had moved capital from Cracow to Warsaw).
Krolewskie beer, which has a symbol of Warsaw on its package is in fact not brewed in Warsaw. However, you will find at least two very good breweries that are local in the Mazovian Woiwodship – Browar Konstancin (all beers starting with "Konstancin...") and Browar Ciechan (all beers starting with "Ciechan..."). You will find plenty of places in Warsaw to buy these, but if you want something connected to football, you can try a pub located at the stadium of Polonia Warszawa, where they serve Konstancin beers – "Czarna Koszula"
If you want to go out in the evening, we can recommend the area around Nowy Swiat Street, also Chmielna, Mazowiecka and Sienkiewicza Street.
In the last few years Praga – a part of the city which was not very attractive before, is a much more desirable place, where artists and restaurateurs have moved to, and it has a growing reputation as a meeting point for people who like to have fun.
-Retrospekcja, Bednarska 28/30 st
-Pub pod Baryłką, Garbarska 7 st
-U sąsiada, Omańczyka 18 st
Remember that in Poland it is prohibited to drink alcohol in public places, with the exception of properly licensed designated places, such as bars, restaurants, open air cafés, etc.
Tipping – You should tip in restaurants and cafés, and it is also not unusual to tip taxi drivers. Typically around 10% of the bill is common, and to not tip implies that the food or service has been poor.
Be wary, however. If you present your payment to the waiter/waitress and say 'thank you', it is implied that they will keep the change. That could be an expensive mistake if you're paying a few PLN for a coffee with a 50 PLN note!
Polonia Warszawa is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw. Polonia is well known because of the commitment of their fans to tradition. This year Polonia celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Initially the players played in black-and-white striped shirts, but in spring of 1912, they switched to their now traditional design of all black shirts. This lasting devotion to tradition resulted in the club's popular name: "The Black Shirts". The uniform's white shorts and red socks come from the colours of the Polish flag. So the colours are black, red and white. The Ultras Group of Polonia Warszawa is called Enigma. Their choreographies do really look great, just have a look!
Polonia Warszawa won the Polish Championship in 1946 and 2000, and the Polish Cup in 1952 and 2000.
The average attendance at matches is around 6,000 Polonia fans.
Wielka Polonia Fans Association (The Great Polonia) was created by the fans of Polonia Warszawa. Its main aim is to aggregate the work, skills and experience of the club fans and sport activists in general. They manage a lot of activities – following the team trips, sponsoring the black jaguar in Warsaw Zoo, gathering money for an orphanage, and administering the fans' website and forum. Wielka Polonia are also the intermediary in discussions with the club and the city officials. They aim to create an alternative for those who are tired of aggression and violence being associated with football. The aim is not only to support the club, but also to educate.
Apart from Krakowskie Przedmieście, Nowy Świat and the city centre, which are undoubtedly the main places of entertainment and cultural life in Warsaw, we can also recommend:
Old Town & Sigismund's Column
Warsaw's Old Town has been placed on the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites as "an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century". Sigismund's Column was erected in 1644, and it is located in Castle Square. It is one of Warsaw's most famous landmarks and one of the oldest secular monuments in northern Europe. The column and statue commemorate King Sigismund III Vasa, who in 1596 had moved Poland's capital from Kraków to Warsaw.
Grzybowska 79 st
Ticket prices: 14PLN (regular); 10PLN (reduced)
Opening times: Mon, Wed, Fri: 8 am- 6pm; Thu: 8am-8pm; Sat, Sun: 10am-6pm;
Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20 st
Ticket prices: 22PLN (regular); 16 or 13 PLN (reduced)
Opening times: Tuesday- Friday: 9am-6pm (Cash desk till 5pm); Sat, Sun: 10am-7pm (Cash desk till 6pm)
Ticket prices: 20PLN (regular); 15 PLN (reduced)
Opening times: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat: 9am-4pm; Sun: 10.30am-4pm
The best souvenir from Warsaw is something connected with it. The symbol of Warsaw is the mermaid Sawa, who is also a main character of the legend, which explains the name of the city.
Friday 8 June 2012, 18.00CET
#1: Poland vs Greece
Tuesday 12 June 2012, 20.45CET
#10: Poland vs Russia
Saturday 16 June 2012, 20.45CET
#18: Greece vs Russia
Thursday 21 June 2012, 20.45CET
#25: Quarter-final 1
Thursday 28 June 2012, 20.45CET
#30: Semi-final 2
Once the arrangements from UEFA are finalised, we will put all specific matchday information here, including:
UEFA ticketing points
Match day transport (park and ride, etc)
EURO street signage
Cordons/checks, etc
To leave a social legacy in Poland and Ukraine UEFA supports, besides RESPECT Fan Culture – Fans' Embassies, three further programmes that aim on social change.
50% of all European disabled people have never participated in leisure or sport activities. EURO 2012 provides an opportunity to improve access to football and for the removal of physical, sensory and intellectual barriers in public places in the region. It is recognised that supporting and playing football is an integral and vital part of European culture and tradition. Football is increasingly diverse; this naturally includes many more disabled people. The Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE) has formed a disability alliance in the region to help to deliver the awareness project, Respect Inclusion – Football with No Limits.
EURO 2012 offers a unique chance to promote a positive message of diversity and inclusion. The programme will be delivered on behalf of FARE by the long established regional partner, the 'Never Again' Association. Civil society organisations, and ethnic minorities in particular, have been motivated to engage with the preparations. Important stakeholders have signed up to the anti-discrimination agenda. The FARE activities concentrate on minimizing the risk of racist incidents during the tournament as well as promotion of anti-discrimination measures.
RESPECT your Health - Euroschools 2012 is the official community health education programme of the UEFA EURO 2012. This one-year project aims to promote a healthy lifestyle, with a focus on smoking prevention, responsible alcohol consumption, healthy diet and physical activity among young people and their families in Poland and Ukraine. Through a train the trainers approach, local institutions and NGOs in the eight UEFA EURO 2012 host cities will be empowered to activate their communities and promote good health. A guide will help coaches, teachers, social workers and Orlik animators use the power of football and sport to engage communities, increase health literacy levels, and establish a common feeling of ownership for public (sport) grounds.
UEFA EURO 2012 will be tobacco-free. A complete ban on the use, sale or promotion of tobacco will be in force in both indoor and outdoor areas of all match venues. Put into place to protect the health, safety and comfort of all fans and other tournament participants, the tobacco ban complements other activities such as Respect your Health that use the force of football to promote social issues.
EURO tournaments bring people together on and off the pitch. All sorts of encounters are made, some closer than others. The fun may know no bounds, but there are of course rules. Encounters between people from all over Europe can be unforgettable, as long as they are respectful, good humoured and a danger to no one. Show HIV and AIDS the red card. The HIV virus doesn't play fair, so you have to. Unforgettable encounters should leave no lasting damage. When you think fun and passion, think health too: condoms protect!
All aircraft heading to Warsaw land at Chopin Airport about 10 km from the city centre. You can find all information about airlines, departures and arrivals on the airport's website.
To reach the city centre you can use a taxi (the cost is 30-40 PLN, see useful numbers) or public transportation:
Bus number 175 runs to the centre and around the Old Town (Stare Miasto)
Bus numbers 148 and 188 run to the 'other' side of the river, to Praga, Grochów and Gocław - Night bus number N32 runs to the city centre
Services at the airport: For a full list of services offered at the airport (which as you would expect from a major terminal include post offices, banks, currency exchange, car hire and shops) visit the airport's website.
For access to the airport, check out this link.
Warsaw has three large railway stations serving international and domestic long-distance connections:
- Warszaw Centralna , Aleje Jerozolimskie 54
The Central Station is located in the heart of the city, and has very good connections with all districts of Warsaw.
- Warszawa Zachodnia, Aleje Jerozolimskie 144
Thanks to its location right next to the international bus station, it's a good connection and changing location for people using long-distance (both national and international) buses.
- Warszawa Wschodnia, ul. Lubelska 1, is located on the Praga side of the river.
The railway network in Poland is well organised both in respect of convenient connections and the standard of travel. Some people have even suggested that Poland is best visited by train. You will find all information about travelling by train, including timetables, reservations and prices, on their website (the site has an in-built Google Translate feature).
For further (and perhaps easier to access) timetable information, although not for booking tickets, try Bahn.de (the German railways site) which carries full timetable information for trains across Europe, including international services.
Fast and express trains run between the largest cities. Fast trains run between the larger cities without stopping at smaller stations. Express trains run between the main Polish cities.
Regional trains carry passengers to smaller towns. Travelling by slower trains you can visit smaller Polish towns and villages. These trains usually run over short routes and often stop at all the local stations.
Train fares depend on the route, the kind of train and the class of travel. Different promotional prices are always on offer, so it's worth checking and trying to book in advance for the best deals. For details ask at any railway station.
Polish trains have very diverse standards. Express trains are of the highest standard, regional or the slower trains are of the lowest standard. All trains, except for the slower ones, are divided into first and second class carriages. Intercity trains and many express trains have a separate restaurant car. Some trains also have special smoking compartments. Long-distance trains are often equipped with additional sleeping-cars.
You can reach most small towns in Poland by bus using the local buses, and all the host cities are all linked by long distance bus companies. The Polish national bus company is PKS (who have a website, but unfortunately it's only in Polish). Many long distance routes are served by Polski Express.
Most of the major bus terminals are in the centre of towns. Tickets are bought at the bus station in advance (recommended) or for a slightly higher price onboard from the driver of your bus. Pre-booking a ticket guarantees you a seat.
There are also many small, private bus companies which use micro-buses on special routes. To get to some of the really small towns and villages or more isolated parts of the country these small micro-buses are the only mode of transport. The micro-buses can be found near bus stations and railway stations and you buy your ticket from the driver.
The main way to access to Warsaw by road is to take one of four major European routes:
• from the north: Route E77 (from Gdańsk)
• from the east: Route E67 (from Białystok), route E30 (from Terespol)
• from the south: Route E67 (from Wrocław), route E77 (from Kraków)
• from the west: Route E30 (from Poznań)
The approximate mileage between Polish venues is as follows:
Warsaw – Gdansk = 209 miles / 336km
Warsaw – Poznan = 187 miles / 301km
Warsaw – Wroclaw = 214 miles / 344km
Gdansk – Poznan = 181 miles / 291km
Gdansk – Wroclaw = 270 miles / 435km
Poznan – Wroclaw = 102 miles / 164km
There are many places in the city centre where you can rent a car, as well as a couple of companies located at the airport (see the links above).
As in other parts of Europe when renting a car you sign a contract with the agency to undertake the following obligations:
• Full responsibility for the rented car.
• Only the person(s) mentioned in the contract can drive the car.
• The renter has to pay a deposit which and pay the fee according to the car hire company price list and the extra charges dependent on the client's requirements as stipulated in the contract.
The cost can range from as little as PLN 100 to PLN 400 a day depending on the make of car. With your rented car you can travel around Poland and to neighbouring countries (except those on the eastern border). To rent a car you will need a valid ID card or passport, a driving license and a credit card to use as a security deposit. In some places you can use cash, but these are rare.
The National Stadium in Warsaw is not only a football arena, but also a multipurpose facility which offers conference and office space, makes it possible to organize mass events, cultural events, concerts or exhibitions. The National Stadium is being erected in the trough of the former Stadium of 10th Anniversary, although neither of the two Warsaw Ekstraklasa-teams will play their matches there.
• 55,000 seats for fans on stands.
• 204,000 square metres Total area of stadium's premises.
• 100m The height level of the spire above the turf.
• 1765 Number of parking spaces.
• 900 Number of seats for media representatives.
• 106 Number of seats for disabled persons.
• >5 ha Total roof area
For more information about the National Stadium visit the stadium website.
The location of the stationary Fans' Embassy in Warsaw is yet to be confirmed.
Each host city will have a permanent, stationary Fans' Embassy throughout the tournament, as well as mobile Fans' Embassy teams operating in the days around matches played in that city. The mobile teams will be based at strategic points throughout the city (transport hubs, near the fanparks and stadiums, etc) and all Fans' Embassy staff will be on hand to offer advice and assistance to all supporters, either in person or by phone/email.
In each host city the Fans' Embassy will serve as a crucial source of information as well as a meeting point for all visiting supporters. The essence of a Fans' Embassy is to provide fan-specific services - such as ticket availability, public viewing facilities, locally applicable legislation, stadium regulations, match-day arrangements, etc.
However, you will also be able to obtain more general information you would normally find at a tourist office: accommodation, details of local transport timetables and routes, sightseeing opportunities, money exchange, etc.
The staff of the Fan Embassy will generally be drawn out of the local fan scene and will offer visiting supporters detailed and relevant information in their own language, as well as provide swift and simple solutions to any problems that may arise.
Fans' Embassies will be located in easy to reach central areas and will be open daily throughout the tournament. Find out where they are by visiting their dedicated section of the web page and drop by once you arrive in town!
Once the preparations and arrangements from the host cities are finalised we will put all information on public viewing here.
At the moment there are more than 30,000 beds available in Warsaw hotels and accommodation venues, and this number will significantly grow before Euro 2012. There are
- 10 ***** hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Rialto – for beautiful art deco design and good location)
- 9 **** hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Polonia Palace – perfect location, walkable to the fanzone and Stadium)
- 25 *** hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Hetman – close to the Stadium, far from the congestion problems)
- 16 ** hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Harenda – excellent location)
- 9 * hotels (our local researcher's recommendation: Mazowiecki – in the center of the city, close to many clubs and pubs)
- 69 uncategorised venues (our local researcher's recommendation: Castle Inn – located in the Old Town, beautiful design)
- 21 youth and backpacker hostels (our local researcher's recommendation: Oki Doki Hostel – perfect location, a hostel bar)
- 4 campsites
In most hotels, breakfast is included. In guest-houses this can vary, and information about breakfast is usually provided at the point of booking. Check-out times are typically between 10am and noon. In the larger hotels you can pay by debit and credit card. In some smaller hotels, guest-houses, hostels or camping paying by cash is preferred. Some will insist on cash payments and be unable to process credit cards, so bear this in mind.
For a full list of hostels in and around central Warsaw, check out this link.
Our local researchers have recommended a couple of hostels (based on their location and quality):
ul. Jasna 22
phone:+48 22 828 86 00
e-mail: info@camerahostel.com
ul. Smocza 1
phone: +48 22 406 40 14
e-mail: info@elhostel.pl
You can book through the website links above, or alternatively try Hotels.com, Booking.com, Hostelbookers.com, Hostelworld.com. Before booking anywhere, we would advise you to check out independent reviews, if possible, through Tripadvisor.com.
The zone between The Old Town and Nowy Świat is the best place to eat and drink. There are a lot of kinds of restaurants, pubs, cafes and clubs so every one can find something for himself. So if you want to drink a beer in Irish pub or eat tasty dinner in a restaurant you should necessarily visit it! If you like sweets you should try 2 special Warsaw cakes: WZ (name connected with a road made under the Old Town built in times of comunismus) and Zygmuntówka (official cake of capital of Poland connected with king Sigmunt III Vasa, who had moved capital from Cracow to Warsaw).
Krolewskie beer, which has a symbol of Warsaw on its package is in fact not brewed in Warsaw. However, you will find at least two very good breweries that are local in the Mazovian Woiwodship – Browar Konstancin (all beers starting with "Konstancin...") and Browar Ciechan (all beers starting with "Ciechan..."). You will find plenty of places in Warsaw to buy these, but if you want something connected to football, you can try a pub located at the stadium of Polonia Warszawa, where they serve Konstancin beers – "Czarna Koszula"
If you want to go out in the evening, we can recommend the area around Nowy Swiat Street, also Chmielna, Mazowiecka and Sienkiewicza Street.
In the last few years Praga – a part of the city which was not very attractive before, is a much more desirable place, where artists and restaurateurs have moved to, and it has a growing reputation as a meeting point for people who like to have fun.
-Retrospekcja, Bednarska 28/30 st
-Pub pod Baryłką, Garbarska 7 st
-U sąsiada, Omańczyka 18 st
Remember that in Poland it is prohibited to drink alcohol in public places, with the exception of properly licensed designated places, such as bars, restaurants, open air cafés, etc.
Tipping – You should tip in restaurants and cafés, and it is also not unusual to tip taxi drivers. Typically around 10% of the bill is common, and to not tip implies that the food or service has been poor.
Be wary, however. If you present your payment to the waiter/waitress and say 'thank you', it is implied that they will keep the change. That could be an expensive mistake if you're paying a few PLN for a coffee with a 50 PLN note!
Polonia Warszawa is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw. Polonia is well known because of the commitment of their fans to tradition. This year Polonia celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Initially the players played in black-and-white striped shirts, but in spring of 1912, they switched to their now traditional design of all black shirts. This lasting devotion to tradition resulted in the club's popular name: "The Black Shirts". The uniform's white shorts and red socks come from the colours of the Polish flag. So the colours are black, red and white. The Ultras Group of Polonia Warszawa is called Enigma. Their choreographies do really look great, just have a look!
Polonia Warszawa won the Polish Championship in 1946 and 2000, and the Polish Cup in 1952 and 2000.
The average attendance at matches is around 6,000 Polonia fans.
Wielka Polonia Fans Association (The Great Polonia) was created by the fans of Polonia Warszawa. Its main aim is to aggregate the work, skills and experience of the club fans and sport activists in general. They manage a lot of activities – following the team trips, sponsoring the black jaguar in Warsaw Zoo, gathering money for an orphanage, and administering the fans' website and forum. Wielka Polonia are also the intermediary in discussions with the club and the city officials. They aim to create an alternative for those who are tired of aggression and violence being associated with football. The aim is not only to support the club, but also to educate.
Apart from Krakowskie Przedmieście, Nowy Świat and the city centre, which are undoubtedly the main places of entertainment and cultural life in Warsaw, we can also recommend:
Old Town & Sigismund's Column
Warsaw's Old Town has been placed on the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites as "an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century". Sigismund's Column was erected in 1644, and it is located in Castle Square. It is one of Warsaw's most famous landmarks and one of the oldest secular monuments in northern Europe. The column and statue commemorate King Sigismund III Vasa, who in 1596 had moved Poland's capital from Kraków to Warsaw.
Grzybowska 79 st
Ticket prices: 14PLN (regular); 10PLN (reduced)
Opening times: Mon, Wed, Fri: 8 am- 6pm; Thu: 8am-8pm; Sat, Sun: 10am-6pm;
Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20 st
Ticket prices: 22PLN (regular); 16 or 13 PLN (reduced)
Opening times: Tuesday- Friday: 9am-6pm (Cash desk till 5pm); Sat, Sun: 10am-7pm (Cash desk till 6pm)
Ticket prices: 20PLN (regular); 15 PLN (reduced)
Opening times: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat: 9am-4pm; Sun: 10.30am-4pm
The best souvenir from Warsaw is something connected with it. The symbol of Warsaw is the mermaid Sawa, who is also a main character of the legend, which explains the name of the city.
Friday 8 June 2012, 18.00CET
#1: Poland vs Greece
Tuesday 12 June 2012, 20.45CET
#10: Poland vs Russia
Saturday 16 June 2012, 20.45CET
#18: Greece vs Russia
Thursday 21 June 2012, 20.45CET
#25: Quarter-final 1
Thursday 28 June 2012, 20.45CET
#30: Semi-final 2
Once the arrangements from UEFA are finalised, we will put all specific matchday information here, including:
UEFA ticketing points
Match day transport (park and ride, etc)
EURO street signage
Cordons/checks, etc
To leave a social legacy in Poland and Ukraine UEFA supports, besides RESPECT Fan Culture – Fans' Embassies, three further programmes that aim on social change.
50% of all European disabled people have never participated in leisure or sport activities. EURO 2012 provides an opportunity to improve access to football and for the removal of physical, sensory and intellectual barriers in public places in the region. It is recognised that supporting and playing football is an integral and vital part of European culture and tradition. Football is increasingly diverse; this naturally includes many more disabled people. The Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE) has formed a disability alliance in the region to help to deliver the awareness project, Respect Inclusion – Football with No Limits.
EURO 2012 offers a unique chance to promote a positive message of diversity and inclusion. The programme will be delivered on behalf of FARE by the long established regional partner, the 'Never Again' Association. Civil society organisations, and ethnic minorities in particular, have been motivated to engage with the preparations. Important stakeholders have signed up to the anti-discrimination agenda. The FARE activities concentrate on minimizing the risk of racist incidents during the tournament as well as promotion of anti-discrimination measures.
RESPECT your Health - Euroschools 2012 is the official community health education programme of the UEFA EURO 2012. This one-year project aims to promote a healthy lifestyle, with a focus on smoking prevention, responsible alcohol consumption, healthy diet and physical activity among young people and their families in Poland and Ukraine. Through a train the trainers approach, local institutions and NGOs in the eight UEFA EURO 2012 host cities will be empowered to activate their communities and promote good health. A guide will help coaches, teachers, social workers and Orlik animators use the power of football and sport to engage communities, increase health literacy levels, and establish a common feeling of ownership for public (sport) grounds.
UEFA EURO 2012 will be tobacco-free. A complete ban on the use, sale or promotion of tobacco will be in force in both indoor and outdoor areas of all match venues. Put into place to protect the health, safety and comfort of all fans and other tournament participants, the tobacco ban complements other activities such as Respect your Health that use the force of football to promote social issues.
EURO tournaments bring people together on and off the pitch. All sorts of encounters are made, some closer than others. The fun may know no bounds, but there are of course rules. Encounters between people from all over Europe can be unforgettable, as long as they are respectful, good humoured and a danger to no one. Show HIV and AIDS the red card. The HIV virus doesn't play fair, so you have to. Unforgettable encounters should leave no lasting damage. When you think fun and passion, think health too: condoms protect!
Getting There
Stadiums 
Fans' Embassies
Public Viewing 
Accommodation 
Going out 
Local Club(s) 
Fans 
Things to do and see 
Match day Info 
Respect 
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