Tonic Trek: Warsaw

Krakow and Gdansk might be the two hottest tourist spots in Poland, but Warsaw is an excellent spot for those who love history, architecture and clubbing. At least that was my experience spending five days in the country's heart.

So, for starters, where is the best place to stay? Naturally your first choice should be a hotel, hostel or apartment rental near Old Town. Look for the words Stare Miasto on the map or for streets like Dluga, Solidarnosci or Miodowa as points of reference. Other good options are Nowe Miasto (New Town) to the north and Powisle to the south. I stayed a bit further south near the main train station in the business district, and while it was a bit of a walk, the location wasn't a problem since the trams and buses are relatively easy to figure out.

Warsaw is a city steeped in history, and there are a few spots you must visit. I highly recommend the Warsaw Uprising Museum for an inspirational look at the rebel movement during World War II, and it's a must to visit the stunning Old Town Square that the city spent nearly two decades restoring with painstaking accuracy. I actually suggest visiting the square both during the day and night as each gives you a different look.

Other popular buildings include the Royal Castle and Barbican, while World War II buffs will want to visit the Pawiak Prison and Gestapo HQ as well as the old Jewish neighborhoods.

For many of the other sights, most people take the Royal Route, which you can find on most tourist maps. This one-time communications route starts at Castle Square and heads down Krakowskie Przedmiescie to Nowy Swiat to Aleje Ujazdowski to Belwederska to Sobieskiego and then to Wilanow. Among its many highlights, you'll see St. Anne's Church, the Presidential Palace, Tyszkiewicz Palace, Staszic Palace, Ujazdow Park and Castle and Belweder.

The capital city is also a great spot for nightlife. The touristy stuff resides around Old Town, but you'll find more palatable bars and restaurants along Nowy Swiat. The best dance clubs, though, seem to be clustered near Wierzbowa and the Saxon Gardens just south of Old Town. The most exclusive place is the Platinum Club on Fredry, a velvet rope venue that resembles the hot spots in L.A. and NYC. I started my Saturday night at the Platinum Club with its flashy interior and mainstream music before heading to the venues across the way for edgier DJs spinning house and drum 'n' bass. So far on this trip, Warsaw only trails Kiev in terms of great clubs, though Krakow is a close third.

Warsaw might be ground zero for the worst of WWII in Europe, but it's also a city that strove to pick itself up and now stands with pride for all it's accomplished. The people are friendly, the sights are magnificent and the history is unparalleled. Past events might have been tragic, but the strength of the Polish people is an inspiration and light for all who ever have to rise above adversity.