The Polish capital is having a moment, but the magnitude of history,
culture and hipster hangouts can be hard to navigate. Here’s where to get the
most out of the ‘phoenix city’ during a short weekend visit.

by Anna J. Kutor

Palace of Culture and Science

Since much of the appeal of Warsaw lies in its rough-and-tumble history, start by walking
around the ‘wedding cake’ palace, a Socialist-Realist monolith that was gifted
to Poland by Stalin in the 1950s. What was once seen as a Communist-era eyesore
now an instantly-recognizable city icon, which upholds its role as a culture
venue by boasting two museums, a cinema and a 3000–seater concert hall. Ride to
the 30th floor viewing platform to see the city and its evolution
laid out beneath you like a map or save the entrance fee and admire the brawny
young Communist statues and stone-clad colonnades for free.

Plac Defilad 1, Viewing Platform open every day
from 9:00-18:00, Adult admission: 20 PLN

Zlote Tarasy

When strolling around the Stalinist skyscraper turns stodgy, it’s time to step
across the street to see Warsaw’s shiniest beacon of retail excellence.  Beneath a massive wave-shaped glass dome, you’ll find a premium lineup of branded clothing boutiques, jewellery shops and
entertainment outlets. If you don’t feel the urge to splash some cash, grab a seat near the fountain and
watch as go-getting Poles strut their stuff in style.

MiTo Art. Café. Books

To have enough power for the late afternoon activities, it’s best to stop by this sleek
café-cum-culture emporium off of Plac Konstytucji for a quick fuel-up of coffee, cake and
contemporary art. Crisp white walls, black and red furnishings and a smattering
of avant-garde Polish art blend together to create an atmosphere that is
sophisticated and cosmopolitan.

Chopin Museum

There’s plenty of places around town to soak up the musical genius of Chopin, Poland’s
most cherished composer who spent his formative years in Warsaw, but none quite
so interactive and engaging as the recently revamped museum dedicated to him.
Housed inside the 17th-century Ostrogski Palace, the museum charts
the life, travels and timeless classics of the composer through eleven
high-tech, multi-media exhibits.

Ulica Okolnik 1, Open Tues-Sun 12:00-20:00; Adult admission: 20 PLN (adult)

Multimedia Fountain Park

As the sun sets, make your way through the historic Old Town to the edge of the
Vistula River, where a multimedia fountain park has been making a splash since
summer. The fancy water show, held every Friday and Saturday at 8pm, sees over
350 water jets, 300 LED lights and fine-tuned Chopin classics come together in
perfect harmony.

Escape room games, a new breed of urban adventure playgrounds in Budapest, combine puzzle-savvy test solving with trapped-in intrigue

by Anna J. Kutor

In the quest for a powerful life-enhancing experience, would you consider getting locked inside a basement rigged with an elaborate series of puzzles leading to freedom? If the
freak-out-calm-down-find-your-way-out scenario - the sort normally reserved for
Saw-like horror movies - tickles your curiosity, challenge you and your friends
to an enthralling room escape game the next time you’re in Budapest.

Set up beneath the beatnik Gondozo Garden ruin bar, ParaPark (literally Fear Park,
Vajdahunyad Street 4) beckons thrill-seekers with an intriguing
convergence of urban puzzle solving, mystery challenges and tactical
team-building activity. In each two-room vault, marked with names such as 113
Garzon, Experiment Number 5 and Passageway Number 9, a teams’ mission is to
unravel a series of clues, hidden messages and solve complex challenges before
the sixty-minute timer runs out.

“There’s a child-like draw to the clue-cracking detective work”, says Attila Gyurkovics, the trend-setting
mastermind behind the of the wildly successful ParaPark, whose background in
psychology and group dynamics helped create the unique obstacle course.
Out-of-the-box thinking and constant info-sharing between the 4-5 team members
adds to the odds of breaking out, he says, but even players who stay trapped
find themselves completely caught up in the moment, resulting in the europhic
‘flow’ feeling described by American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
“It’s the focused get-out-if-you-can rush that offers a lasting sense of
pleasure.”

Since its inception in 2011, ParaPark has not only mushroomed into a nation-wide chain of captivity rooms,
including two new foreigner-oriented courses set to launch in downtown Pest in
February, but also inspired a dozen similar operations throughout Budapest. For
those who prefer their thrills to include a high-tension narrative then
Szobafogsag (Szinyei Merse Street 15, +36 70628 3568) will
be an exciting alternative. In the ‘Murder Scene’ room,  a group of crime-scene investigators are
tasked with helping to save a girl from the hands of a serial killer, while in
the ‘Party Secretary Office’, a team of agents have to stop a planned
assassination attempt by collecting incriminating evidence against the
conspirators.

Panikszoba (Bajcsy Zsilinszky Street 2, +36 70 408 4686) takes all the
thriller-esque elements of room escape games – claustrophobic, off-kilter
setup, impressively crafty quizzes and puzzles, countdown timer – and
transports them to a reinforced concrete bunker near St. Stephen’s Basilica.
The result is a labyrinth of twisted reality which is simultaneous
invigorating, fascinating – and completely bad ass.

Hot on the heels of hosting Europe’s premier football event, Warsaw’s dining scene is thriving and expanding with diverse selection of eateries.

by Anna J. Kutor

Dom Polski

While much of the local cuisine tends to come in the hearty and affordable
meat-and-cabbage variety, the elegant and upscale Dom Polski aspires to greater
things. Set on a quiet corner of Warsaw’s leafy Saska Kepa neighborhood, inside a grand two-floor building,
this gourmet spot pleases discerning palates with a sophisticated atmosphere,
white-glove service and traditional flavors made with contemporary culinary
flair. The classics are executed flawlessly: sour beetroot soup, dumplings with
a variety of fillings, smoked salmon and juicy catfish with peppers and
spinach. But it’s the progressive seasonal offerings that make the strongest
impression, including veal liver served with apples and onions and zucchini
pancakes topped with smoked trout. Eating here feels like having a Polish grandma with an added gourmet touch.

Le Cedre

After earning a great reputation for their decadent decor and authentic Lebanese kitchen in Warsaw’s
artsy Praga precinct, Le Cedre turned up their Middle Eastern charm by opening
a “big sister” outlet closer to the heart of town. The new locale is
even more lush and exotic, with plum and gold hues accented with dark woods and
native artwork, and the attentive service makes
life all the more pleasant for patrons. But it’s not just about appearance -
the food too offers a lavish assortment of Lebanese inspirations that include the
predictable (hummus, falafel, tabbouleh and baba ghannouj), but also feature a
few newfangled dishes (fried trout served with sesame sauce). With the
seductive treats, admirable attention to detail, and slick
service, it’s a good spot to impress a date or even a visiting business
associate.

Qchnia Artystyczna

With a finger on the pulse of style and gastro trends, high-spirited owner Marta Gessler has kept
this creative culinary institution at the forefront of Warsaw fine dining scene
throughout its two decades of operation. An air of artful finesse permeates Qchnia Artystyczna, from the stylish setup inside the Ujazdowki Castle - a former king’s residence
that also houses the Centre of Contemporary Art - to a  menu that melds homespun
with interest-piquing nouveau twists. The design is a visual palate-cleanser of
crisp-white furnishings, offbeat wall art and floor-to-ceiling windows
overlooking the lush parklands below. Among the changing array of seasonal
treats, fusion-style soups and locally-sourced fish dishes steal the show.
The chill of autumn is forgotten in the face of cream
of pumpkin soup with ginger and coconut milk; red
lentil soup with tomatoes and chili; and whole sea bass with avocado mousse.

Soaking up the feel-good properties of
thermal waters may be a national pastime in Hungary, but  Budapest’s historic bathhouses are also making
a splash as crazy clubbing locales

by Anna J. Kutor

On a crisp autumn afternoon in Budapest,
throwing on a bathing suit to take the plunge in an open-air pool may sound
more like a cruel practical joke than a blissful wellness centre activity. But
as you take to the mineral-rich thermal waters, surrounded clusters of
gossiping ladies and well-groomed gents standing in a steamy mist around
plastic chessboards pondering their next Big Move, the tension-relieving appeal
of this aquatic landmark becomes abundantly clear.

This
is the Széchenyi Bath, one of the most emblematic and extravagant hot water
havens in Budapest, which sits atop a metro station in the middle of City Park.
A sprawling egg-yolk yellow complex built in a palatial neo-Baroque style in
1913, Széchenyi houses a variety of saunas, and steam baths and over a dozen
pools ranging from glacially cold to blazing hot, including the iconic
mist-covered oval outdoor ones.

Cashing
in on the mineral springs percolating deep within the Earth’s core, Hungary’s
liquid resources were first put on the map by ancient Romans, followed by the
Turks around the 16th century, who bestowed an aquatic obsession on the
nations’ psyche by building several bathing temples - a few of which are still
operating today. One place continuing to ooze Ottoman-period charm is the
Király Bath, situated just a few steps from Batthyány Square. The octagonal
thermal pool and surrounding corner baths - boasting temperatures between 26
and 40 ºC -, are atmospherically lit by tiny skylights in the ‘moon crescent’
dome. Age-old traditions are also adhered to in the dressing department, with
single-sex bathing days being bare-all affairs with only the more recent co-ed
opportunities requiring proper cover-ups.

Far from being just rejuvenating relics of the
past, bathhouses across the city are rolling with the tide of the times by
hosting hedonistic aqua parties. This winter, the Turkish-style sanctum of the
renovated Rudas Baths, for example, gets an electrifying overnight makeover
during the Magic Baths sparty series. Organized by the riotous Cinetrip crew
every Saturday evening from November throughout March, these steamy raves are
some of the wettest and wildest events in town. In the larger pool area glowing
lasers and cinematic projections stream across domed and colonnaded interiors
as hundreds of bikini-clad revelers wriggle like mermaids to electro music spun
by the country’s hottest DJs. Meanwhile, in the chill-out zone, oriental beats
and sultry belly-dancers and acrobats entertain more laid-back crowds. Now
that’s taking liquid therapy to a whole new level.

Breaking the sugary mold with adventurous flavors and modern design, a
fresh cast of Hungarian confectioners is paving the way for a high-style
take on the classic pastry shop. These patisseries will satisfy your
craving for the sweets on any end of the spectrum.

Creative Confections

For Budapesters with intense cravings for unusual sweet treats: Sugar Design Confectionery (Paulay Ede utca 48, Budapest 1061, +36 1 321 6672)
is your salvation. Tucked away on a side street in central Pest, steps
away from the tourist hoards on Andrássy utca and Liszt Ferenc tér, the
gleaming interior of this dessert outlet draws a gasp at entrance. The
audible surprise comes from the sensory overload of the kaleidoscopic
collection of cakes and candies set against a radiant white backdrop.
It’s a Willy Wonkaesque wonderland, only better because it is real.

“By incorporating design into all segments of our business, from the
style, texture, and ingredients of desserts to interior layout and
visual communication, we wanted to push Budapest’s sweet scene with
something contemporary, cool and wild,” says Gergely Lábady, CEO of
Sugar. Together with owner and chief cake designer Eszter Horváth, a
scion of a well-known confectioner family as well as an established
stylist, they have raised the bar for cool confectionaries in Hungary.
The Circus Collection, Sugar’s newest concept and reinvented dessert
line debuting in the winter of 2014, takes dazzling liberties with the
spangled world of clowns, performing artists and magic. Recalling
childhood memories of technicolor cakes, there are peanuts shaped like
mini éclair donuts, walnut-chocolate pretzels, and the “Clown”—a ball of
Sicilian mascarpone-pistachio mousse coated in white chocolate and sour
cherry jelly.

Another innovative dessert outfit embracing over-indulgence to its fullest is Zazzi Confectionary (Bécsi utca 57-61, Budapest 1036, +36 1 240 0688),
located just a few streets down from Kolosy tér. The aesthetic has a
prim and polished vibe, but the clean-cut displays highlight resolutely
artisanal treats, handmade daily by doctor-turned-confectioner Dr.
Melinda Erdős and Margit Varga, who turned to dessert making after
receiving a bachelor of arts degree. Following their vision of
introducing new flavors to the Hungarian palate, the enterprising duo
have created strawberry-and-cactus cream cakes, lime-and-basil baskets,
and cookies dense with ginger, to name a few.

Cake

As the name suggests, contemporary cakes are the rigueur de jour at Cake Shop Budapest (Jozsef Attila utca 12, Budapest 1055, +36 30 721 0773),
a little spot near the buzzing Erzsébet tér. Dessert maven Fanni Sallay
is the mastermind behind this cool visual feast, which boasts
stylish fixtures in mute tones, as well as cool flavor combos inside the
low-lying counter. A rotating team of eight confectioners work on their
individual cake creations throughout the month, while also hosting a
range of courses for sweet-tooth lovers and baking aficionados. For
every familiar dessert there’s a delightfully reinvented one, filled
with seasonal and preservative-free ingredients like chestnuts, caramel,
and chocolate in winter, as well as trays of cupcakes, macaroons, cake
pops, and curd-cheese dumplings.

Cookies

“Our aim is to reignite and develop palates in an engaging way,
especially for the growing group of customers who are paying closer
attention to the quality of what they consume,” says Peter Oczella, who
did a career swerve with his wife Eva to open La Delizia (Jókai utca 13, Budapest 1066, +36 30 304 0531),
Hungary’s first boutique biscuit factory. You won’t find
like-Grandma-made-simplicity here, just a menu of revisionist biscuits
that lists rosemary-vanilla, pruned apples with oatmeal, white
truffle-cream with pruned apricots, chili-pumpkin seeds with Belgian
chocolate, and giant lavender-cream macaroons. The pair’s commitment to
premium-quality also plays on the design front, from hand-made antique
furnishings across the split-level space to air-tight metal containers
covered in “100 Grams of Love” and “Greetings from Hungary” stickers.
But it’s the first-rate edible ingredients used in the 30-strong
assortment of bite-sized baked goodies and other sweet treats (think
melt-in-your mouth mousses and fruity milk rices) that make these not
only the most delectable in town, but guilt-free to boot. “It’s not
cheating on your diet if it’s all natural,” he says.

Donuts

Doughnuts in Hungary used to be synonymous with dense sugar bombs topped with sugar. Enter The Donut Library (4 locations),
a chain of new-wave doughnuts shops that have not only raised the
profile of these sugary orbs with the culinary gentrification previously
focused on pizza and burgers. Successfully marrying American-style
doughnuts with local flavors beloved by Hungarians, the locally made,
seasonally-changing line-up features heavy-hitters such as the ones
topped with chocolate and vanilla glaze, but there are also more
adventurous ones with walnuts and pistachio shavings, alongside fruit
and jam-filled varieties.