Warsaw is a thriving travel destination these days. While it may not have the global reputation of Paris as a city of love, there are no shortage of date ideas in the up-and-coming Polish capital.
In central Warsaw, on the prominent Marszałkowska Street, you might raise your eyebrows on sighting a Polish aeroplane. This one will not be taking off. It’s a former passenger jet converted into a trendy bar and restaurant called, wait for it… Aeroplane Bar (Bar Samoloto in Polish). Impress your date by boarding a plane and feeling like you have escaped Warsaw for the evening. This cool bar and restaurant is just a one minute walk from Świętokrzyska Metro station.
Speed dating is different to the other things on this list as you start the evening without a date. This monthly event involves 20 girls and 20 guys, all strangers to begin with. You write your name on a piece of paper, pay 25 złotych (around 6 Euros) and enter a room. Girls, you sit down at a table for all 20 dates. Guys, you start off sitting at a table with one girl. Then every three minutes, the guys get up and go to the next girl. You put a tick secretly next to the dates you like, and if they match you can connect and agree to date further. This is a fun way to meet new people and you never know where the love of your life could be waiting. You can find out about the next event by following Warsaw Social on Facebook or their website.
The legacy of Warsaw’s most famous pianist and composer Chopin lives on. His music is popular the world over. So when in Warsaw, treat your date to a Chopin evening with Chopin’s Warsaw. There are events every night, including recitals, Chopin piano concerts and young up-and-coming pianists. Finish the evening with some wine and cheese at a nearby wine bar. Most events take place at the Chopin Museum.
If your date for the night isn’t Polish, how about a challenge: a night learning Polish! One of the best Polish language schools in the country is Klub Dialogu, and they offer the chance of a trial lesson. What a perfect way to get to know your date while attempting to speak one of Europe’s tougher languages. Free tea, coffee and water is provided, and if it goes well, you’ll be signing up to a full course.
Welcome to Poland, where it is rude to say no to a shot of vodka. Head for a night out in Warsaw’s Pawilony zone. This cozy hidden bar district is just off Nowy Świat, and offers a range of poky, comfy and cheap bars in which to chat and drink the night away. Start off in the district’s Manhattan Bar and try the vodka shots in Shotgun. There are 12 more bars to crawl through, all within 20 metres of each other. It’s a dark and cozy area, so could well be the venue for your first romantic kiss.
Whether you can cook or not, cooking courses are always fun. What could be better than embarking on a Polish cooking course for a date? Head to this custom-built kitchen to learn some authentic Polish recipes with the well-titled Polish Your Cooking company. Soon you’ll be folding your own dough and filling up your own Polish pierogi or mixing up the ingredients of a hearty bigos. It’s all about sharing, so you’ll be eating from the same dish and drinking from the same cup.
On the edge of Warsaw, in the suburb of Mory, you can go indoor sky diving at Flyspot. Get briefed, put on your special clothes and goggles and enter into a wind tunnel, pretending to be up in the air and falling out of an aeroplane! This is definitely a date to get the adrenaline flowing. You also enter the tunnel separately so can give support, watch each other “in the air” and take photos of your date. You’ll need to book it in advance.
For sure a date with plenty of passion, singing and end-to-end entertainment, make a trip to the Polish Army Stadium to watch the famous Legia Warsaw football team. The team play in white in front of a vociferous crowd in the stadium, known as the Żyleta (razor blade). There are snacks available, such as Polish zapiekanka, popcorn and pizza, as well as hot drinks. When the local team, Legia Warsaw, score, you get to cheer and hug each other. Be sure to wear the teams colours though: white, green and red.
When you see a queue outside a restaurant it normally spells one thing: popularity. Manekin has two venues in the city, and during peak eating times it is always full. This is no normal date where you book a table and turn up, as that’s not an option. Instead you’ll have to queue outside (possibly in the cold) until a table becomes available. This is a perfect way to break the ice with your date, and by the time you sit down to order your meal you will already be chatting away. After that, get ready for the most delicious pancakes in the city, washed down with a good range of hot teas.
