Life Behind the Iron Curtain Warsaw Walking Tour
Description
Of all the things you think you know about communism, there’s one thing you can never wrap your mind around: its absurdity. On the outside it was a Cold War and the hammer and sickle, but to the average citizen it was just one ridiculous thing after another that made life difficult. Learn how the Poles managed to survive nearly 40 years of communist oppression with ingenuity, smarts, and a tractor full of humor. Join this walking tour to hear about: the most controversial building in the entire city (and for more than one reason!), the smallest icon of communism that’s so cute you’ll want one of your own, how people were able to buy things at completely empty stores, why “what can I get you?” was one of the biggest jokes at the time, how the state made sure Poles didn’t travel too far, socialist realism and why you’ll probably think it looks nice, but Poles won’t agree Don't just visit Warsaw, discover it! Tour duration: approx. 2,5h Distance: approx. 3 km
Tour Options
Itinerary
Let's meet at Constitution Square, where we'll start by exploring the square that was supposed to be the new city center of the Polish People's Republic.
From the Square, we'll go along the wide Marszałkowska Street, which was used for parades and marches. On the way, we'll see one of the most iconic places of the Polish People's Republic.
The building of the Ministry of Agriculture is a perfect example of socialist realism. We'll find out what characterizes this style and why the buildings were built this way.
On Mysia Street we'll see the Free Speech Memorial and talk about censorship and espionage.
The building that today houses the Banking and Finance Center was the place from which the entire country was managed during the Polish People's Republic. This was where the Communist Party HQ was located.
One of the most challenging aspects of life during the times of the Polish People's Republic was buying everyday things. Let's find out why in front of the former Central Department Store.
Let's take a look at the Central Railway Station and Downtown Railway Station and talk about local, regional, and international travel during the times of the Polish People's Republic.
We'll finish in front on the Palace of Culture and Science where we'll tell you everything you need to know about this symbolic, yet very controversial, building.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not recommended for travelers who have problems with walking long distances
Reviews(38)
An excellent informative tour. We really enjoyed Olivia's knowledge and wry sense of humour!
We had taken a Warsaw walking tour the day before and were lucky to again have Olivia as our tour guide for this tour. It was a small group and we covered a good area exploring the communist side of Warsaw. Olivia brought to life the architecture, culture and politics of living during this time in Warsaw. We saw a totally Warsaw from a totally different perspective. Highly recommend this tour.
The tour was great as you heard history from the perspective of everyday life from home life, shopping, work and travel etc. the guide was personable and shared many stories giving the group a glimpse into 1945-1989 and the lingering effects. Highly recommended.
Every 5 star review is telling the truth of how amazing and impactful this experience is! We did it as a family and enjoyed every minutes of it. Our guide was knowledgeable, passionate, witty, and a delight. In all honesty, if there’s only one tour you can fit in on your visit while in Warsaw, I’d highly recommend this one! If you have Polish ancestry, you’ll be even prouder and if you don’t, you will wish you had! At the end of the your tour, you receive a link to restaurants and must sees from an extraordinary local’s perspective! I always enjoy the other members of the tour group as well and our group was awesome! This tour does not disappoint. :-)
I've been on tours all over the world and this one was one of the very best! I highly recommend it. Our guide was witt, informative, and engaging. I wish I had time to go on another tour with her.
Super informative and interesting guided walk. Olivia was very engaging and we learned loads!
Olivia was great. Learned a lot. She gave great recommendations. Honestly, she set the standard for the remainder of the tours I did on this vacation.
Tour guide Agnieszka was great...a lot of knowledge, cheerful and good stories...couldn't be better...Thanks a lot from the 6 friends from Holland
This was such an amazing tour! Aga speaks easily about her city and what life was like under communism. Her ‘real-life’ accounts helped the time period ‘come to life’ for us. We enjoyed the tour so much that I wish we had booked another tour either her. Highly recommend!!
I had such a great time with Warsaw Undiscovered that I ended up taking two of their tours in just a few days! On Monday, I did the Life Behind the Iron Curtain tour with Oliwia, and it was so fascinating and well done that I signed up for their Historic Heart of Warsaw tour on Wednesday with Agnieszka. Both tour guides were fantastic storytellers who really knew how to make history come alive. They shared so many interesting stories that kept me engaged the whole time, and they gave great insight into Polish culture. I didn’t feel like a tourist—I genuinely felt immersed in the city’s rich history and culture. Oliwia’s tour gave me a powerful look at life in Poland during the Iron Curtain years, while Agnieszka’s tour brought the historic heart of Warsaw to life with amazing details and behind-the-scenes stories. Each tour was a different experience but equally captivating. If you want to go beyond the usual sightseeing and truly understand the soul of Warsaw, I highly recommend Warsaw Undiscovered. These tours were enjoyable and really opened my eyes to the city’s history in a way that stuck with me.
