Warsaw is quite a large city and there is plenty to be seen here. Once you book your stay, and you should be sure that all the Warsaw apartments are located in the central zone near the places of interest and the main landmarks, there are a few things that you should know which concern your safety here and are in connection to the tourist help line in Poland. Visitors that are coming to Warsaw should be cautious and should have common sense in order to keep them safe. Big amounts of cash, many credit cards and other valuables should not be carried around. The wallets should not be carried in the back pockets and the backpacks should have small locks, if they are carried on the back and are out of direct sight. The dangerous place is the city of Warsaw is considered to be the district of Praga, which is placed near the Vistula River. The area is not popular among the tourists and they do not often end up here, but still a warning is advisable. Otherwise, the city of Warsaw is a safe place with friendly people.
Usually, the problems one could have are connected with the alcohol and to be more specific to the hangover and the possible collision with the police. In the center of Warsaw there is a strong police presence. The other problem that one can face is with the pickpockets, so be careful about your belongings when you are riding on a bus or happen to be in a crowd. At the night clubs one should also keep an eye on the phone, the money and the passport. In case you come with a car, you should park it at a guarded parking lot. There is yet another problem that has to be pointed out and these are the bar girls, who can be quite inventive, so better just stay out of their way. The football hooligans are also dangerous and could be quite destructive, especially around Lazienki Park when there is a football match.
If you have any problems or cases of emergencies, you should call the common emergency number for Europe, which is 112. Otherwise, the number of the police is 997, the number of the fire-fighters is 998 and the number for the ambulance is 999. There is also a hotline for foreign tourists operating in Polan for almost two years now. This line is operated by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, along with the Polish Tourist Organization and the Headquarters of the Police. The tourist information lines800-200-300 or 0-608-599-999 shall operate in three languages, namely English, German and Russian. It will work every day from 10 o’clock in the morning until 10 o’clock in the evening.
As for health issues, Poland does not require special vaccinations. The tap water is considered safe in the big cities, though many people usually drink bottled mineral water. The medical standards are good, but still one needs a good insurance.
A post by Ania Zajac who also writes about Krakow apartment and Prague apartments.