Private Tour

Communist Warsaw: private tour by retro minibus with hotel pickup

Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Feel the vibe of a former Polish communist state on this 3 hours private tour with our guide and retro minibus. Stories about the black market, an idea of a garden city of Warsaw and new communist ideology combined with proper context and communist car will bring these past days back to life.

Guide collects you for the hotel with a unique retro minibus called Żuk (the beetle). Ten miles per gallon, wooden floor and produced in communist Poland – all that adds a meaningful piece of reality to your experience. Each stop represents different parts of communist Poland’s history - from the dusk of WWII and post-war reconstruction of Warsaw through the rough ‘60s and ‘70s to the first free elections on the 4th of June 1989. Disclose the secrets of communist Poland, learn how people managed to survive in the central-steered economy and find relics from those days in Warsaw.

Palace of Culture and Science, Constitution sq, former Communist Party HQ and more red stars are on the list.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

This tour can be booked instantly online for adults and children over 150 centimetres (4,9 ft). However, if you want to book a tour for a shorter child, please contact the tour operator to check the availability of seat boosters, which are obligatory in Poland.

Cars are used mainly for transfers between locations where guests walk with their guide - please wear proper clothing.

Classic vintage minibuses are not equipped with air conditioning, and some are not equipped with seat belts (which is legal with classic vintage cars). However, they have a heating system for the winter.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Proffesional English speaking local guide

Transport by retro communist minibus

All Fees and Taxes

Tip or gratuity

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Palace of Culture and Science

The first stop is a monumental Palace of Culture and Science, the undisputed symbol of Warsaw. It was built in 1952-1955 as a gift from the Soviet Union to the people of Poland. Varsovians still commonly use nicknames to refer to the Palace, notably "Beijing", "clown", and "nightmarish dream of a drunk confectioner".

20 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Warsaw, before WWII, was a typical European city shaped by capitalism. Thousands of victorian era tenement houses covered the city centre, pushing the proletariat out of the central districts. So when those people got power in 1945, they wanted an act of revenge. So did the modernist architects. One of their first achievements is the Muranów district, a green and spacious neighbourhood built in the late 1940s.

20 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Options

3 hours private tour

Language: English
Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

21 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Great Tour!
David P,
Nov 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Tom did a wonderful job describing the history of communism. The tour was amazing. We went all over downtown Warsaw, and he was very knowledgeable about buildings and statues.
Great Tour and English Speaking Tour Guide
RLCZ70,
Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent tour guide - speaks great English, picks you up at your hotel, educational and informative, would recommend to others.
Amazing historical tour of Poland linking the past with a present
davidmE5432AU,
Sep 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Marvin was great tour guide, linking the buildings and sites with all the history from the past. He made it come alive for us in a very real way. It was fascinating!
Excellent experience in a fun vehicle
alanjpotter24,
Sep 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Extemely informative tour and excellent experience. Martin was friendly and had so much knowledge to share about the history of Warsaw in its different eras. He was also honest and his pride and passion for sharing about his city shone through. Would highly recommend to any visitors to Warsaw.
Phenomenal bus tour with Tom
sammW474PU,
Jul 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
In 3 hours, Tom gave us an incredible bus tour of Warsaw incorporating elements history, culture, and geography into a very thorough overview of key sites, landmarks, and monuments. Not only was he very knowledgeable and able to answer all our questions, but he was incredibly warm, welcoming, and personable. In addition to the bus portion of the tour, we took a walk through Old Town where Tom explained all the details you’d miss out on without a guide. We would absolutely recommend this tour, especially with Tom - he does an amazing job!
Historic tour of communist Poland
959alistairk,
Jun 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Very informative tour with in an authentic post war bus. Tom was a great guide explaining the history and influence of communism in post war Poland .
Unforgettable
claytonh954,
May 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our guide was excellent. He enthusiastically shared his knowledge, taking us places and adding nuance to history that can’t be found in books or documentaries. History can be a gut punch and probably should be. I appreciated every minute of his time.
Insightful and Engaging Communist Warsaw Tour
Cristiano F,
Feb 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Absolutely recommended! This extensive and in-depth tour offers a fascinating journey through Warsaw’s Communist history, covering key landmarks and hidden gems that provide deep insights into the era. Marcin is an exceptional guide—knowledgeable, engaging, and always ready to share intriguing stories and historical context. His friendly and professional approach makes the experience both informative and enjoyable. If you’re interested in understanding Warsaw’s past from a unique perspective, this tour is a must!
Interesting!
fcoe2023,
Dec 22, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent information and very friendly guide. The interesting route and with the necessary arrests to learn about the subject
Behind The Scenes Warsaw Tour
Safari280255,
Jul 22, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had our Warsaw city tour today with Marcin and it was AMAZING. Not only was he so knowledgeable about the events before WW2 but had so many great things to show us about the Ghetto uprising the the Warsaw uprising of 1944. He had a great sense of humour and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour with him. I would definitely recommend this tour to anybody planning a trip to Warsaw.