We are so lucky that our apartment is just a few minutes’ walk from Łazienki park!

The Polish name, Łazienki Królewskie, means “royal baths,” from a bath house that was once located there. Though the park has a long history, most of the gardens, palaces, and other structures located within it date from the 18th century. It’s big, too: 76 hectares in total (187 acres), right in the middle of Warsaw.

The gardens are meticulously maintained, and treated with great respect by the mostly-Polish visitors. There is practically no litter of any kind, not even cigarette butts. (Yes, this park is even cleaner than an Austrian park, for that reason.) It’s a favorite place for parents to take their children, for lovers to cuddle on park benches, and for tourist groups to roam.

Łazienki is pretty at any time, but today, with the autumn leaves just past their peak, I explored with my good camera. Enjoy!