Most of the action is still in the central part of the city, though some of the trendier places are pioneering areas farther afield, like the still-dingy but cool district of Praga. The pace is fairly lethargic on weekday nights but goes into overdrive on weekends. Most places are open Tuesday to Thursday until midnight. On Friday and Saturday, it’s party till you drop at dawn. Drinks on average cost 20 z. Some clubs have covers ranging from 5 z to 30 z. There’s also the somewhat sexist practice of letting in women for free and charging the men. The door policy (or “door selection,” in local lingo) is quirky.

The city’s opera and classical music offerings are some of the best in the country, and the availability of relatively cheap tickets means the performances are accessible to just about anyone. Aside from the box office, you can also buy tickets at most Empik stores or online at www.ebilet.pl.

Classical Music — The Filharmonia Narodowa is the home of the National Philharmonic. The box office is located at Sienkiewicza 10 and is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 2pm and 3 to 7pm. They are closed from June to mid-August. Tickets are from 15 z to 90 z. Arrive just before show time to get cheaper last-minute tickets.

The grand opera venue is the Teatr Wielki. Here, you’ll find everything from the Italian classics (its production of Madame Butterfly is very well-received) to bolder works featuring Polish avant-garde composers. The box office is open Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 7pm. The Warsaw Chamber of Opera stages performances in several venues around town, including the Great Ballroom of the Royal Castle. The box office is open weekdays from 9am to 6pm, and on weekends an hour before the performance starts.

The Museum of Modern Art at the Ujazdowski Castle not only holds exhibitions, but also has concerts of contemporary music and screenings of indie films. Congress Hall, in the Palace of Culture, is an atmospheric rotund concert hall used by a range of stars, from the Rolling Stones to Goran Bregovic.