Germany’s Der Spiegel hails Warsaw as Europe’s thriving metropolis
The German magazine Der Spiegel has spotlighted Warsaw as one of Europe’s most dynamic cities in a recent article, emphasizing its transformation and proximity to major European hubs.
A view of Warsaw from the Vistula River.Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
“Just a five-and-a-half hour train ride from Berlin,” Warsaw is a top destination in Europe to travel, it said.
In the article, Der Spiegel reflects on the past perceptions of Warsaw, recalling a time when the capital was seen as a less attractive destination than other Polish cities such as Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk.
Once overshadowed by its communist legacy and perceived as uninteresting, Warsaw has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis, according to the German magazine.
Voted the No. 1 destination in Europe for 2023 by the European Best Destinations platform, Warsaw has experienced significant changes, Der Spiegel says.
The city boasts an impressive skyline, a vibrant boulevard along the Vistula River, and old factories transformed into trendy food halls, it notes.
The city’s transformation, a blend of past and present, now offers an engaging encounter between the two. Der Spiegel also mentions Warsaw’s turbulent history, especially during World War II when it was almost entirely destroyed by the Nazis, and which is remembered through museums, memorials and monuments.
The magazine recommends visiting the reconstructed Old Town, a testament to the city’s resilience and postwar reconstruction. The Royal Route and the bohemian Praga district are also highlighted as must-visit areas.
Der Spiegel outlines Warsaw’s journey from the formation of the Solidarity movement in the 1980s through the end of communism to its current standing as a vibrant, modern metropolis on a par with other European capitals.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP, Der Spiegel
