If you enter the park via any of the entrances on Al. Ujazdowskie, chances are you will end up, willingly or not, via some surprisingly hilly paths set with tall trees, at the vast artificial lake in the park’s centre, straddled by the magnificent Palace on the Water. In doing so however, you risk missing out on a few treasures, so try to circumnavigate the park instead.
Make your first port of call the Chopin Monument, a Secessionist monument sculpted in 1908 and set at the side of a small pond. Chopin is depicted right here in Łazienki, sheltering from the sun under the branches of a tree. Almost hidden in the trees a few meters from Chopin is the astonishing Temple of the Sibyl (closed to the public) an 1820s replica Greek Temple, built entirely in wood. Look out too for a gaggle of other little buildings around here, such as the Hermitage, the Egyptian Temple and the Water Tower. None are als open to the public.
Head next for the Belvedere Palace (ul. Belwederska 52, (G-5), 022 695 19 80.) residence of the Polish President from 1918 to 1995 (it is today used to house visiting foreign heads of state). Built in 1694 but thoroughly remodeled in 1818, most of the building is predictably off limits, though a small exhibition dedicated to Marshal Piłsudski is open to the public during summer weekends when the president is not in residence. For the best views of the palace and some outstanding photo opportunities, you should look at it face on from Al. Ujazdowskie: it is a wonder of Neo-Classical design, complete with tympanium and oversized Corinthian columns.
Less grand but equally impressive is the little White House (Biały Dom, ul. Agrykoli 1, G-4, closed till May) a gorgeous summer house built in 1774 for the king’s sisters, and now open to the public, displaying a fine collection of period furniture and decorations. A few steps away is the impressive Old Orangery, one of very few surviving court theatres in the world. It dates from 1774 and is still used today to host chamber concerts, as well as being a popular wedding venue for Warsaw’s wealthy. Part of the building houses a museum of sculpture. From here head back past the White House, resist the temptation to head straight for the Palace on the Water and instead head south, towards the New Orangery. Built in cast iron and glass it was designed by Józef Orłowski and opened in 1861. It is home to the upmarket Belvedere restaurant.
Crossing the tail of the serpentine lake, follow the path that leads along the embankment until you hit the Amphitheatre, also known as the Theatre on the Island. Built to resemble the amphitheatre at Herculaneum, the theatre hosts productions throughout the summer, though unless you fancy seeing Henry V in Polish these will hold little interest for foreign visitors. It is enough just to admire the setting before heading for one of the kitsch (one features an enormous swan) but irresistible gondolas which ferry up and down the lake. A short trip costs 7 zł per person, and trips depart throughout the day – you may have to wait for the boat to fill up before the gondolier sets off however.
Dropping you off exactly where you departed, your next stop should be the Palace on the Water (Pałac na Wyspie, ul. Agrykoli 1, (G-4). Admission free. Open 09:00-16:00, Closed Mon. Last entrance 30 minutes before closing.) Łazienki’s raison d’etre. Today a museum almost all of the palace can be visited, including the main reception room, Solomon’s Hall, decorated in the most extravagant of Baroque styles. Many of the king’s personal rooms are also open to the public, set in their original context. To get the best out of the palace we recommend taking one of the excellent (though pricey) guided tours (usually available in English twice a day).
North of the Palace on the Water the Museum of Hunting & Horsemanship (Muzeum Łowiectwa i Jeździectwa, ul. Szwoleżerów 9, (H-4), 022 522 66 30 , Admission:6/4zł.  Open 10:00-15:00, Closed Mon, Tue. Closed Mon. www.muz-low.com.pl) is worth a quick visit, though make sure you have time too for a guided tour of the magnificent, semi-circular and recently restored Myśliwiecki Palace (Pałac Myślewicki, ul. Agrykoli 1 (G-4),  Admission free. Open 09:00-16:00. Closed Mon. Last entrance 30 minutes before closing.). The residence of the king’s nephew, Józef Poniatowski, the palace is very much ‘as was’ complete with original murals, furniture and art. Guided tours are obligatory and depart every half an hour throughout the day.
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Any number of buses stop in front of the park’s three main entrances, on Al. Ujazdowskie, including Nos. 116, 166, 180 and 195. From the city centre however perhaps the easiest way of reaching Łazienki is to take a tram from Centrum to Pl. Unii Lubejskej, and walk 100 metres along Ba [...]

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Anyone who still thinks that Warsaw is a city of concrete and cement has clearly never been to the city’s lung, the incomparable Łazienki Park (G-4). Quite simply, this glorious, 17th century park, spread over 74 hectares, is one of the jewels in Poland’s crown, which might explain why half of Warsaw chooses to spend its summer Sundays here. Fear not though, for so big is Łazienki that it never gives the impression of being crowded, and even on the busiest of days you will always be able to find a quiet, shady corner somewhere.
Łazienki – meaning baths - takes its name from the Palace on the Water, originally built in the 17th century as a bathhouse. Bought by the last king of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski, in 1772, the baths were converted into a private residence – taking the name Palace on the Water - and the grounds formally laid out as a private garden by Karol Ludwig Agricola and Karol Schultz. Today dotted with palaces and mansions, cafes, restaurants, lakes and theatres, there is much to see in Łazienki and to make the best of it you should plan to spend close to a full day here. [...]

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