12 reasons to visit Warsaw in autumn
Looking for fun things to do this autumn? Take a trip to Warsaw. The capital takes on a unique ambience at this time of year—the parks shimmer with gold and red, and some gardens are already illuminated. There are prestigious music festivals, thrilling sports events, and new museums await you as well as flavours to warm you through on chilly days. Check out 12 reasons to spend a weekend in Warsaw and discover it afresh!
19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition
Autumn in Warsaw is a real musical feast! From October 2 to 23, 2025, the capital will provide the stage for the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, which has been running for almost 100 years. Concerts by pianists from around the world, broadcasts in hotels and at a special zone for music entusiasts on Central Square, and finally the winners’ recitals, will enable you to enjoy the music of Poland’s most famous composer. The whole of Warsaw is captivated by the competition, and in selected restaurants you can even order special desserts to celebrate it.
Jazz Jamboree 2025
As the pianists’ final notes fade, the capital starts pulsating to the sound of jazz. The legendary Jazz Jamboree (23–26.10) will kick off with a concert by Pink Freud, the first jazz band to play at Poland’s biggest rock festivals: from Przystanek Woodstock, through Open’er, to Off. In the days that follow, three jazz maestros will take to the stage: multi-instrumentalist Piotr Damasiewicz, virtuoso saxophonist and one of Poland’s most successful jazzmen, Adam Pierończyk—and drummer Kazimierz Jonkisz. Each of the festival days will culminate with a concert by an overseas star. The finale will feature star-studded septet ‘The Cookers’, made up of musicians who launched their careers in the 1960s.
Royal residences for free
Fancy a taste of history? November is the perfect time to discover royal Warsaw—and for free! Three residences of former Polish rulers await, each built in a different historical era. Take in the Palace on the Isle in Royal Łazienki Park, where the famous Thursday dinners took place, visit the Baroque palace of Jan III Sobieski in Wilanów, or stroll around the luxurious halls of the Royal Castle. It was in one of these that Europe’s first constitution was adopted in 1791. Magnificent interiors, the thrones of Polish rulers, and works by master artists, are just some of the attractions on offer.
Exciting events
Do you enjoy world-class entertainment? In the autumn, Warsaw provides it in abundance!
From October 10 to 19, 2025, the city will once again become the capital of groundbreaking cinema thanks to the Warsaw Film Festival. Make the most of this unique opportunity and watch exceptional movies before they hit Polish screens. But if it’s a thrill you seek, attend the premiere of the first Warsaw jazz opera based on the Leopold Tyrmand novel The Man with White Eyes and Diary 1954. You will be immersed in the jazz-tinged Warsaw of the 1950s, where communist rule coexists with suburban violence and eroticism blends with boxing. Or maybe you want to feel the power of the national community spirit? On November 11, at 11:11, the Independence Run starts. Its participants will create a white and red wave along the streets of Warsaw. You can choose from the classic 10 km, the Independence Mile (1918 m) or Nordic walking. Celebrate the day of freedom actively and feel at one with the whole city!
You can find information about many other events at go2warsaw.pl
The Polish golden autumn in Warsaw's parks
Can you believe that green space accounts for more than 40% of the capital? Within the city limits are historical gardens and secluded parks, as well as forests and nature reserves. See them in their autumnal robes, when they shimmer with purple, red and gold. This is when Warsaw is at its most photogenic—perfect for atmospheric photos or a romantic walk. The famous Royal Łazienki Park, the Wilanów Garden, Pole Mokotowskie, or Skaryszewski Park on the right side of the Vistula River, are just a few of the dozens of parks scattered throughout Warsaw. Brew up a thermos of coffee, take your camera, and discover how beautiful the city looks when the leaves form a carpet under your feet.
Garden illuminations
As the nights draw in, several of Warsaw’s gardens are illuminated with thousands of lights, creating fairytale landscapes. In the second half of October, the surroundings of the Palace at Wilanów become the Royal Garden of Light. The luminous decorations recall the era of Jan III Sobieski and the themes of love, war or diplomacy. Mythological creatures fill another part of the garden, creating the Labyrinth of Light. Meanwhile, ‘mappings’ are projected onto the palace façade, telling the story of its residents. Soon, light also floods the University of Warsaw Botanical Garden and the Botanical Garden of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Powsin. Colourful installations transform ordinary walkways into fairytale scenery, transport you to forest roads or flowery meadows, and even let you soar above the clouds. Take a stroll among the luminous sculptures and feel like a child again.
Warsaw cuisine
When the cold sets in, warm yourself with Warsaw cuisine, rich in seasonal products! You can enjoy traditional Polish dishes in swish restaurants, for instance in the Old Town. If you are looking for more variety, visit the renovated interiors of historic post-industrial and commercial buildings: Hala Koszyki, Praga Koneser Centre, Elektrownia Powiśle (Powiśle Power Plant), Norblin Factory, or the Warsaw Brewery. You will find a wide range of trendy restaurants offering cuisine from the world over. It is here that Varsovians are most likely to eat out. Dishes at exceptional prices will be served in selected Warsaw eateries as part of Restaurant Week, running from 1.10 to 19.11 . You should really try local sweet treats too—a doughnut from Blikle, or Wedel hot chocolate. If you enjoy gastro-tourism, Warsaw will delight you.
Warsaw for families
Bring the whole family to find that Warsaw is also a paradise for the youngest! Interactive experiments at the Copernicus Science Centre, huge locomotives at Museum Station, or tanks and military vehicles on display at the Polish Army Museum, will make sure children do not get bored! They will be happy to burn off excess energy on trampolines or in modern play centres, or find out how chocolate is made by tasting various types of it at the E. Wedel Chocolate Factory Museum. They will see that fun and learning can go hand in hand at educational towns such as Smart Kids Planet or Minicity, where they can play at many dream professions. You won’t find a better place in Poland for a family city break!
Renowned museums
For years, Warsaw museums have been drawing tourists both through their subject matter and their interesting way of relating history. At the Warsaw Rising Museum you will learn about the reality of one of the most dramatic events in the history of Poland, at the Fryderyk Chopin Museum you will hear the music of the country’s most famous composer, and at the Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum you will get to know about the world’s most famous daughter of Warsaw. Located in historic tenement houses, the Museum of Warsaw has prepared for this autumn season a special exhibition about the 1955 Youth Festival entitled ‘The Summer that Changed It All’. Modern exhibitions and unique multimedia exhibits, as well as free admission days, will satisfy anyone thirsty for both knowledge and excitement.
History lessons
Do you like history and monumental architecture? Museums that have opened new premises in recent years will surely appeal to you. At the Polish History Museum you can see an exhibition dedicated to the Kościuszko Uprising, and at the new building of the Polish Army Museum you can see a permanent exhibition entitled ‘1000 Years of Polish Military Glory’. You can enjoy the unique treasures of the National Library for free at the historic Palace of the Commonwealth. Can there be a better season to get to know Warsaw from the cultural side?
Modern Art—Kyiv Biennial 2025
If you are interested in contemporary art, check out the new seat of the Museum of Modern Art (MSN). The monumental, snow-white building houses four galleries totalling 4,500 square meters, presenting work by artists from recent decades. Each of the two exhibition floors features rooms with huge panoramic windows through which you can behold downtown life.
From October 3, 2025, the MSN will host the ‘Near East, Far West—Kyiv Biennial’. This is the sixth time the event has showcased works by artists from around the world. The guiding theme is war and its impact on everyday life. Walking around the halls, you will feel how art becomes a commentary on events taking place here and now.
The special atmosphere of historic cemeteries
In the autumn, Warsaw cemeteries are even more thought-provoking than usual. Be sure to visit the capital’s most famous cemetery, Stare Powązki, and look for the tombstones of distinguished Poles—artists, politicians, and heroes. Among the people buried here are composer Witold Lutosławski, director Krzysztof Kieślowski, poet Zbigniew Herbert and Fryderyk Chopin’s parents. Apart from an encounter with times past, a walk among the historic graves also imparts a unique atmosphere—especially on early November evenings, when thousands of candles light up the cemetery’s pathways.