ABOUT WARSAW

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ESMATS 2023

20th European Space Mechanisms
and Tribology Symposium
Organised by Astronika Sp z o.o.
20th - 22nd September, 2023

ABOUT WARSAW/POLAND

Warsaw

WARSZAWA (Warsaw) is the capital and the biggest city in Poland full of incredible history. It is a vibrant, flourishing place which attracts visitors with its history and special atmosphere. Modern architecture, friendly infrastructure and creative inhabitants. Each year Warsaw hosts thousands of business meetings including conferences, congresses and fairs. Here connect the scientific, cultural, economic and political interests from the entire region of Central and Eastern Europe.

Warsaw is known for:

The Mermaid Statue

The Mermaid: The Mermaid is a symbol of Warsaw and is included in the city’s coat of arms. There are statues of mermaids throughout the city and documented use of the symbol dates back as early as 1609. The mermaid is ready to protect Warsaw, as she always carries a sword and a shield. Look around carefully, because the Mermaid can be found in many places in Warsaw.

The Vistula: The Vistula – seen above – is Poland’s longest river. A kilometers-long riverside promenade on the Western side is a great place for a walk, a bike ride, as well as a night of fun in one of the seasonal clubs operating here. On the Eastern side of the river nature holds sway with meandering, wooded pathways leading to sandy beaches. In the evening, you can watch amazing sunsets over the Vistula River from there or take a boat and have a cruise down the river.

Warsaw Old Town

Warsaw Old Town: Warsaw Old Town, rebuilt after World War II was based on paintings from the 17th-18th centuries, is protected by UNESCO and is a perfect example of restoration of cultural heritage. The Castle Square, Old Town Square, and the Warsaw Barbican are some of the most visited touristic parts of Poland. They attract thousands of visitors daily who meet to pose by the famous mermaid statue, admire the coloured architecture and eat and drink in the bars, cafés and restaurants.

Warsaw is famous for its sweets

Sweats: Warsaw is also known as the Polish capital of chocolate because the country’s most recognizable sweets company, E. Wedel, started here back in the 19th  century, and a chocolate factory still operates in the Praga district of Warsaw. You can try delicious desserts in E.Wedel Chocolate Lounges. Each of them offers the magic of chocolate and unique atmosphere.

 

Poland

Polska (Poland) is a large central European country. Variety of nature, historical monuments, respect for traditions, intriguing modern times, and hospitality – these are some of elements which make the country very interesting for foreign visitors.

The name of Poland originates from the name of the tribe Polanie, which means “people living in open fields”. Polish is the official language of Poland. „W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie” (In Szczebrzeszyn a beetle buzzes in the reed) – this is the most known Polish tongue twister. But don’t worry, a lot of people in big cities speak English.

Poland is known for:

Food: Polish food is great for those who don’t count calories. Traditional Polish cuisine isn’t very fit, but it tastes delicious! The most iconic Polish food of all time is called pierogi (Polish dumplings) which come with hundreds of different fillings, but you must also try żurek (one of the most surprising, tasty and old-fashioned soups), and gołąbki (stuffed cabbage rolls).
While traditional Polish cuisine loves its meats, from kiełbasa (sausages), through kotlet schabowy (breaded pork cutlets), to golonka (slow cooked pork knuckles), if you follow a greener diet you will be pleased to know numerous vegan websites place Warsaw in the top 10 vegan-friendly cities worldwide, and most restaurants will have no trouble to accommodate both plant- and meat-eaters! Smacznego! (‘Smatch-NEH-go’, literally: wishing you tastiness!).

Amber: Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been admired for its color and beauty for centuries. Poland is the world’s largest exporter of amber. It can be golden, brown, reddish or even white and transparent. A lot of souvenirs and jewelry made of it are beautiful and ideal as an original souvenir.

Nature: Poland is famous for its beautiful, unspoiled nature. Białowieża Forest is considered one of the last vestiges of virgin woodland in Europe. Poland has some unique wonders of nature, including more than 2,000 lakes in the Mazurian region, the spectacular Tatra Mountains, and the amazing 30 km long Hel sandbar peninsula in the Baltic Sea.

Transportation

Warsaw is located in the heart of Europe and is one of Europe’s most accessible cities connected with the world via two international airports and a rail network.

  • High-speed train connections across Europe
  • Direct flights from more than 130 global locations operated by 45 airlines

Arriving by train: Warsaw provides direct train connections to i.a. Berlin (6h), Prague (8h), Vienna (8h), and Budapest (9h). There are also fast connections with Pendolino trains, which make tours to other major cities in Poland very convenient: Kraków (2,5h), Poznań (3h), Gdańsk (3h), or Wrocław (3,5h).

These connections are operated by PKP Intercity (Poland’s largest rail operator). Tickets can be bought online. Check the timetable and find a connection on-line.

Comprehensive details of travelling by train within Europe can be found on The Man in Seat 61 website

Arriving by air: Delegates can access Warsaw via direct flights from cities across the globe. Most of Europe’s principal cities are within two-hour flight. Visitors can reach Warsaw via 2 international airports:

Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) boasts excellent connections to the City Centre. The fastest route to central Warsaw is 25 minutes on a train, departing every 20 minutes. An alternative travel option is via bus #175.

Warsaw Modlin Airport (WMI) brings visitors into the north of the City. It takes about an hour to reach central Warsaw by train (connected to the airport via shuttlebus) or by direct coach.

Public Transportation

Warsaw offers an elaborate public transit network of tram, bus, metro and urban rapid rail lines. Public transport tickets are also valid on trains serving the Warsaw conurbation. Schedules at stops provide indicative travel times. Tickets can usually be bought from machines inside most urban trains, trams and buses, but we recommend purchasing them in advance from a ticket vending machine at a stop or in Passenger Service Points.  More information about Warsaw public transport can be found on: www.wtp.waw.pl

All of Warsaw’s centre is a paid parking zone. Curbside parking meters are placed in city streets to collect parking charges as applicable in specific zones. Read more about parking in Warsaw here: https://warsawtour.pl/en/parking-in-warsaw/

Accommodation

There are numerous hotels to choose from in Warsaw, offering various levels of accommodation in a variety of price ranges. Here are just a few of the hotels we can recommend for your stay within reasonable distance of Polin, where ESMATS will take place:

Sofitel Warsaw Victoria *****

Address: Królewska 11, 00-065 Warszawa
Distance to the Conference Venue: 2,1 km

InterContinental Warszawa *****

Address: ul. Emilii Plater 49, 00-125 Warszawa
Distance to the Conference Venue: 2,5 km

Radisson Collection Hotel *****

Address: ul. Grzybowska 24, 00-132 Warszawa
Distance to the Conference Venue: 2 km

Polonia Palace Hotel ****

Address: al. Jerozolimskie 45, 00-692 Warszawa
Distance to the Conference Venue: 3 km

Novotel Warszawa Centrum ****

Address: ul. Marszałkowska 94, 00-510 Warszawa
Distance to the Conference Venue: 3 km

Hotel Metropol ***

Address: ul. Marszałkowska 99a, 00-693 Warszawa
Distance to the Conference Venue: 3,0 km

Hotel ibis Warszawa Stare Miasto ***

Address: ul. Muranowska 2, 00-209 Warszawa
Distance to the Conference Venue: 850 m

Hotel ibis Styles Warszawa City ***

Address: ul. Grzybowska 43, 05-077 Warszawa
Distance to the Conference Venue: 2,2 km

Marker
Polin Museum (Location of ESMATS 2023  and cocktail reception Wednesday 20th September )
Arkady Kubickiego (Location of Conference dinner Thursday 21st September )
Central Railway Station
Chopin Airport (Located south of Warsaw – Zoom and pan map to expose)
Modin Airport (Located north-west of Warsaw – Zoom and pan map to expose)
Suggested Hotels
Astronika
ADN Conference Center (Training)