Full Day Private Communist Warsaw Food Tour

We’ll start the day with a delicious breakfast – we’ll need the energy for everything ahead! Then we’ll walk around the Palace of Culture and Science. You’ll learn about its history, what stood here before, and hear some of the funny nicknames Varsovians gave this iconic building. After that, we’ll head up to the viewing terrace for a breathtaking panoramic view of the city.

We’ll walk along Wiecha Passage, next to the so-called “Eastern Wall” – a monumental architectural and urban complex from the 1960s.

We’ll admire the Ministry of Finance building, where architecture blends elements of modernism with the principles of socialist realism, while also incorporating palace-style features inspired by the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

We’ll stroll through the small backstreets behind Nowy Świat. While the main street was rebuilt in 19th-century style, the buildings deeper inside reflect the socialist realist aesthetic. We’ll walk through the Nowy Świat Zachód housing estate, and you’ll hear the curious story of Kubuś Puchatek Street – and why no one lives there. As we pass through Chmielna Street, we’ll stop for a moment to taste some of the best doughnuts (pączki) in Warsaw.

At De Gaulle Roundabout – known by locals as “Palm Roundabout” – we’ll see one of the few remaining socialist realist mosaics, as well as the historic building of the Bureau for the Reconstruction of the Capital. You’ll learn about the post-war rebuilding of Warsaw, the infamous Bierut Decree, and the lasting problems it continues to cause for the city and its residents today. Across the street, we’ll see the former Party House – the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers’ Party (KC PZPR) – once nicknamed the “White House” by locals.

On the way to the Ministry of Agriculture, we’ll pass the former SMYK Department Store building – now rebuilt, but once one of the most luxurious stores in Warsaw. It was the last major architectural project in the modernist style, completed just as socialist realism was taking hold. Next, we’ll head to the Ministry of Agriculture, known for its impressive colonnade.

On the way to Constitution Square, we’ll walk along Marszałkowska Street, lined with striking communist-era buildings. Here, we’ll stop for a traditional lunch at a bar mleczny – a classic Polish milk bar – where you’ll get to try a typical Polish set meal (vegetarian options available). Afterward, we’ll explore Constitution Square and the surrounding MDM district, known as a true showcase of socialist propaganda. “A stone wedding cake covered with balconies built of boulders,” as one critic once described it.

Next, we’ll visit the Museum of Life Under Communism – a nostalgic and interactive journey into everyday life in the Polish People’s Republic. You’ll step into a typical 1980s apartment, sit at a vintage desk in a government office, and see what daily shopping, media, and propaganda looked like. From iconic toys and fashion to ration cards and household appliances – it’s a fascinating glimpse into a not-so-distant past.

We’ll end the day with a walk through the Muranów district, which we’ll reach by tram. This will be a powerful and eye-opening contrast to the MDM area. Built quite literally on the rubble of the former Jewish Ghetto, Muranów was recently added to the register of historic monuments. You’ll learn about the post-war reconstruction of this unique neighborhood, the ambitious architectural plans that were never realized, and what everyday life has looked like for its residents over the decades.