It's unfortunate that people felt unsafe and disappointed in this area because that is completely the opposite impression I had when visiting.
With some trepidation after reading other reviews, my mother and I decided to take a trip over the river to see if it really was as awful as people had said. Not so. In fact nothing like the scary, down trodden, and dirty place people had made it or to be.
We were dropped off by the bus next to Park Praski and walked up to Zabkowska street, walking past some beautiful old pre war buildings in the process (if you are into your history, these are for you). We stopped off for a coffee in Cafe Klitka, which also runs as a photography studio. The woman who runs it is lovely and will happily sit and have a conversation with you. No scary drunks in sight.
We then went on to the Praga museum. You only pay around £2 to get in and get to see four floor's worth of the areas history, including a section on how they are regenerating the area and its old buildings.
We finished the day there by having a late lunch in Cafe Galeria Sztuki, some of the best food I've had (they do a type of Polish fusion)
I've lived in London, and previously in Berlin. I enjoy the areas of these cities with history and character and locals who you can actually have a conversation with. Praga has this and reminds me of an up and coming Hackney, or in Berlin, Neukoln. It'll be regenerated fast, so you have to visit before a Starbucks or Macdonalds's moves in. I would say If you are staying in Warsaw and want a quiet Saturday away from all the tourists on the other side of the river, go and visit!
















