Cult British band Joy Division were originally called Warsaw before they hit the big time. They only changed their name after concerns that concert posters might be misinterpreted as adverts selling Poland’s capital to British holidaymakers. Quite who would visit Cold War Poland for a laugh is a question worth considering, but don’t let that stand in the way of a good anecdote. Warming to the musical theme, fans of David Bowie will no doubt be familiar with his instrumental masterpiece, Warszawa. Released in 1977 the song's inspiration was a morning walk around the then bleak wasteland that masquerades as Warsaw Gdańska Train Station.

On a more cheery note visitors will be delighted to learn Warsaw has its very own street named after Winnie the Pooh (ulica Kubusia Puchatka), complete with a stone tablet depicting the honey thief hand-in-hand with Piglet. You’ll find a million other snippets of info to dazzle hot dates and dinner guests with. How about starting with Leo Gerstenzang? He’s the guy who invented cotton swabs, and he did so here in Warsaw. Or that you’ll find over 20 towns in the US named after the Polish capital, and even one in Jamaica. Finally, if you’ve read our section on the old town you’ll already know where to find two of the narrowest houses in the world. But how about the smallest house in Poland? That’s on ul. Długa 1, and currently serving as a pokey newsagent.