Lazienki Palace

This is the biggest and most beautiful park in Warsaw, and one of the loveliest palace/ park locations in all of Europe. Łazienki Park, the favoured residence of Polish royalty, was constructed between 1774-1784, at the command of King Stanisław August Poniatowski. Stanislaw August was a great patron of the arts, and this is reflected in the sumptuous interiors of the main palace. A good deal of the monarch's original collection has survived. Lazienki Palac stands over 76 hectares, and combines elements of a traditional French garden within the landscape of a classically English park. This is the centre of numerous natural, cultural and scientific events and sources of entertainment, and is a much-loved place for residents and tourists alike to stroll.

The palace is built on an artificial island that divides the lake into two parts, a smaller northern lake and a bigger southern lake; it is connected by two Ionic colonnaded bridges to the rest of the park.

Major highlights during the summer months include sailing around the Palace pond in a gondola, feeding the lazily swimming carp, and watching the park's peacocks freely wander about the grounds. Definitely make time to see the amphitheater (situated at the southern pond, not too far from the Palace itself), modeled on an antique theater, which retains the original feature of separating the Palace observers from the audience, who watched the action on the stage from the other side of the water. One of the most popular places in the park is the Fryderyk Chopin Monument. Between May and September, at the foot of Chopin's statue, free concerts are given at the weekends, which showcase the works of the World's greatest composers.