Five Things I Still Love About Warsaw

I complain about Warsaw often enough that a clarification may be required: I love the place.

1. It works without constantly advertising the fact

The transport moves. Shops exist exactly where panic predicts you will need them. The city is practical in a way that feels almost personal.

2. It has no need to charm you immediately

Warsaw is not performing for visitors every minute. You have to notice it. I respect cities that do not beg for approval.

3. The skyline has nerve

Old wounds, glass towers, Soviet weight, neon confidence. It should not cohere. Somehow it does.

4. People understand difficult history without turning every conversation into theatre

The past is present, but life still has errands.

5. The city rewards staying

After enough winters, tram rides and arguments about food, Warsaw stops feeling like a location. It becomes the place from which everywhere else is measured.