Warsaw Tour Guide, Ela Rudniak

04/06/2026

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a guide is taking visitors to places where, decades ago, their ancestors lived, worked, and built their communities.

One such place is Żuromin, a small town north of Warsaw. Before World War II, the Jewish community made up nearly half of the town's population - around 1,900 people. Those who were unable to leave before the war perished. The descendants of those who escaped now return to learn about the lives of their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, and to reconnect with a place that remains an important part of their family history.

These visits also create opportunities to meet people who have dedicated years to preserving local history. As a guide, I am fortunate to work with individuals like Marek Markowski, a local expert whose knowledge of Żuromin and the surrounding region brings the past vividly to life. Conversations with people like him often reveal stories and details that cannot be found in archives or history books.

I feel extremely privileged to take part in these journeys of discovery. Walking the same streets, sharing stories, looking at old photographs, and helping visitors piece together fragments of family history is far more than guiding. It is an opportunity to witness the restoration of memory and the rebuilding of connections across generations.

Experiences like this remind me that history is never just about dates and events. It is, above all, about people.

28/05/2026

Sweet chaos, melted chocolate, and truly serious artistic decisions. 🍫🐱

The other day I joined a workshop at the E. Wedel Chocolate Factory Museum where participants decorate their own Wedel chocolate wafer cake (“torcik wedlowski”) by hand.

First comes the chocolate base, then the sketching stage, and finally the real challenge: decorating with liquid white chocolate while pretending your hands are perfectly steady.

The best part? Once finished, every cake is carefully packaged like a proper little masterpiece and ready to take home… assuming it survives the journey without being eaten first.

A genuinely fun Warsaw experience for adults and kids alike… and proof that chocolate museums can be dangerous places for perfectionists. Are you one? 🍫✨

20/05/2026

Yesterday, I accidentally became Queen of Poland. Very briefly though. 👑

This photo was taken beside a replica of the funeral crown of Władysław IV Vasa currently displayed at the temporary exhibition at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. The original regalia were discovered in the king’s coffin in 1840 together with royal orbs and a sceptre (NB The king died in 1648). What makes them fascinating is that Władysław IV was buried with double regalia - a symbolic reminder that he was both the hereditary ruler of Sweden and the elected king of Poland.

The crown itself carried a powerful meaning. The king’s motto was: „Honour as a reward for virtue.” The crown symbolised that honour.

And Władysław IV certainly dreamed on a grand scale. Despite serious illness and political setbacks, he imagined himself leading a crusade against the Ottoman Empire and entering Constantinople in triumph. History, however, had other plans. When the Sejm blocked his war ambitions in 1646, theatre became his escape - a world of spectacle, costumes and performance where, for a moment, he could still control the script.

There is something wonderfully theatrical about this crown too. It is not only a royal object but also a prop in a larger story about power, ambition, identity and illusion. What a splendid topic for a guide, isn’t it?

The exhibition THE GREAT PLAY: LADISLAV IV AND HIS OPERA THEATRE is now open at the Royal Castle in Warsaw.

16/05/2026

It magically stopped raining just before the Maria Skłodowska-Curie walk. A small miracle in Warsaw this week (Dziękuję Mario 🙏). And here we are two hours later: a lovely little group of visitors from Canada, France (bien sûr), the Philippines, and Poland. Maria is clearly still an inspirational figure for the young.

15/05/2026

Did you know that there are three monuments to Maria Skłodowska-Curie in Warsaw?

My live tour this Saturday during the Night of Museums 2026 will start at the monument on the escarpment overlooking the Vistula River https://maps.app.goo.gl/uK6aZAoPonHpu8ry5

But here is a perhaps lesser-known monument to the brilliant scientist at the Warsaw University of Technology (Politechnika Warszawska).

BTW This year, Warsaw University of Technology is celebrating its 200th anniversary and... the 100th anniversary of awarding an honorary doctorate to Maria Skłodowska-Curie.

13/05/2026

🚲 Did you know that Maria Skłodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie were enthusiastic cyclists?

Today, during my practice walk before the Museum Night tour 👆, I stopped by the Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum to catch a glimpse of a temporary exhibition about the cycling side of the famous scientists.

One of the highlights? A wonderfully entertaining collection of “dos and don’ts” for women cyclists from the period. The advice sounds like it came straight from a very nervous 1900s etiquette manual. It also shows just how much has changed in over 100 years! Apparently, laughing too loudly or wearing the “wrong” outfit could threaten civilization itself. Thankfully, bicycles - and women cyclists - survived.

A small exhibition, but full of charm, humour, and unexpected details about everyday life at the turn of the century. Definitely worth a stop if you are curious about the human side of the Curies beyond the laboratory. 🚴‍♀️✨

11/05/2026

11/05/2026

10/05/2026

Just outside Warsaw, there is a place where nature, history and peace&quiet meet.

The Stawy Raszyńskie Nature Reserve was created in 1978 to protect one of the most important bird habitats in the region. Today, around 100 bird species nest here regularly, while many more appear during migration seasons. Herons, marsh birds, dragonflies, beavers and even otters can be spotted among the ponds, reeds and wetlands. I spotted wild geese today (brown-grey geese, not the white ones).

But this landscape also carries history. Near the reserve stands a memorial connected with the 1809 Battle of Raszyn, where Polish troops led by Józef Poniatowski (the king’s nephew) resisted the Austrian army. Another monument commemorates civilians and prisoners murdered here during World War II.

What I love about places like this is that beyond the Old Town and royal routes, there are hidden spaces where nature and memory quietly coexist.

Sights like this one remind us that sometimes to come across an interesting story, one needs to go slightly off the main tourist trail.