As you walk down the Royal Route in the heart of the Old Town you will eventually come to the Lazienki district in which lies the leafy retreat of Lazienki Park and the Palace on the Water. Away from the hustle and bustle of this great city's roaring traffic and modern flurry of activity, the English-style gardens are a testament to King Stanislaw August Poniatowski, the last of the Polish kings (reigned 1764 - 1795), who acquired the gardens in 1764 and made them his life's work, turning them from their former baroque splendour to the classicist-style gardens we see today.

Among the treasures of this peaceful green area at the very core of Warsaw are the Lazienki Park Lake, the 18th Century orangery, and a Roman theatre, as well as several interesting follies and a number of well-known statues including that of Poland's most revered composer, Chopin. But the real gem of the garden complex is the Palac na Wodzie , or 'Palace on the Water'.

Lazienki means 'baths' and the park takes its name from the luxurious private bathing house built here by the aristocrat Stanislaw Lubomirski in 1683. The last Polish king remodelled the bathing house and gave it its current name.

This beautiful NeoClassical palace was once the summer residence for the Polish monarchy and is still a magical place to visit. Open all year round, this charming palace houses the royal baths, ballroom, rotunda and chapel, as well as the royal apartments and it is definitely worth a visit as you take a romantic, leisurely stroll through the park. In summer you may be treated to an open-air Chopin concert, or you might like to go for a gondola ride on one of the miniature lakes.

Nearby are the baroque Ujazdowski Castle which houses Poland's greatest contemporary art gallery and stunning views, as well as the Church of St.Alexander with its domed roof, and this area also boasts many former aristocratic villas which now home a number of foreign embassies and government offices. Also nearby is the National Museum with its collection of ancient and medieval art.