Zelazowa Wola
A petite manor annex and park whose claim to fame is being Chopin's birthplace, thus a key pilgrimage point for Chopin fans. It is one of three places in Poland (the other two are in Kraków) listed in Patricia Schultz's 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Even though the property was given a facelift for the 200th anniversary celebration of Chopin's birth in 2010, that is still a debatable accolade. Looted in World War II, the interior has no original fixtures. The family portraits are reproductions of the ones on display at the Chopin Salon in Warsaw. The Chopin memorabilia is sparse, and the 7-hectare (17-acre) park is nothing sensational. Having said all that, the property truly sparkles during the Sunday piano recitals, when you can bask in the sunshine while listening to renditions of Chopin's polonaise and mazurkas by international pianists.
Zelazowa Wola is 55km (34 miles) west of Warsaw. The route sees heavy traffic, resulting in a longish travel time of about 1 1/2 hours. In season, the Chopin Museum runs daily buses to Zelazowa Wola. From Monday to Thursday, the bus leaves at noon from the Chopin Museum and gets you back to Warsaw at about 5:30pm. From Friday to Sunday, the departure time is 10am, and the return leg reaches Warsaw at about 3:30pm; bus fares are 30 z. Seats are limited, so book early. Adjacent to the park, there is a branch of the Polka Restaurant (tel. 46/863-21-68), where you can also listen to the live concerts while digging into fairly priced Polish meals.
A petite manor annex and park whose claim to fame is being Chopin's birthplace, thus a key pilgrimage point for Chopin fans. It is one of three places in Poland (the other two are in Kraków) listed in Patricia Schultz's 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Even though the property was given a facelift for the 200th anniversary celebration of Chopin's birth in 2010, that is still a debatable accolade. Looted in World War II, the interior has no original fixtures. The family portraits are reproductions of the ones on display at the Chopin Salon in Warsaw. The Chopin memorabilia is sparse, and the 7-hectare (17-acre) park is nothing sensational. Having said all that, the property truly sparkles during the Sunday piano recitals, when you can bask in the sunshine while listening to renditions of Chopin's polonaise and mazurkas by international pianists.
Zelazowa Wola is 55km (34 miles) west of Warsaw. The route sees heavy traffic, resulting in a longish travel time of about 1 1/2 hours. In season, the Chopin Museum runs daily buses to Zelazowa Wola. From Monday to Thursday, the bus leaves at noon from the Chopin Museum and gets you back to Warsaw at about 5:30pm. From Friday to Sunday, the departure time is 10am, and the return leg reaches Warsaw at about 3:30pm; bus fares are 30 z. Seats are limited, so book early. Adjacent to the park, there is a branch of the Polka Restaurant (tel. 46/863-21-68), where you can also listen to the live concerts while digging into fairly priced Polish meals.
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