Warsaw

Warsaw is set on the Vistula River about 230 miles from the Baltic Sea. Its mixture of architectural styles reflects the city’s turbulent history — Warsaw was razed by the Nazis in World War II, resulting in the deaths of around 200,000 civilians. Nowadays, the Old Town has been completely restored, and its fine medieval architecture includes the city walls and the majestic 14th-century St. John’s Archcathedral. Many of Warsaw’s museums suffered irreparable damage in the war; however, in July 2004 the Warsaw Rising Museum opened in the district of Wola. The renowned International Chopin Piano Competition takes place in Warsaw every five years, the next occasion being 2020.