Hiking, But Make It Urban

Normally, I chase peaks, but recently, I found myself back in my hometown- good old Warsaw. A city I love…but let’s be honest, it’s flat as a pancake. Born and raised here, I never noticed the lack of mountains growing up. But now? Now I crave elevation like coffee on a Monday. So I did what any restless hiker would do, I turned my gaze from the skyline to the actual lines on the skyline. Murals. Massive ones. Weird ones. Beautiful ones. And suddenly, Warsaw wasn’t flat- it was layered. Stories, colors, protests, and poetry, all painted loud and proud across the walls.

Forget trail heads and cairns. In Warsaw, your hiking cues are bold splashes of colour peeking out between balconies, alleys and parking lots.

Stop #1: Tytus Brzozowski’s Dreamy Warsaw Stack

Tytus Brzozowski, a local watercolour wizzard who paints like he’s building dreams out of rooftops and balconies. This mural is like someone hit “shuffle” on Warsaw’s architecture, added a sprinkle of fantasy, and somehow made it all float just right. If murals were trailheads , this one is perfect place to start.

Location: ul.Grochowska 215

Stop #2: Dziura w Calym (A Hole in Everything)

This one is called Dziura w Calym – literally, a hole in everything- by German street artist 1010, known for turning flat walls into optical illusions. It messes with your senses of space: are you looking into a void or a portal? Either way, it felt like standing on a ridge, trying to decide whether to go forward, backward, or just lie down and rethink your plans, and definitely not what you’d expect to find on your average Monday walk through Praga.

Location: ul. Antoniego Mackiewicza 1

Stop #3 The 508 – Metre Dachshund

Behold: the longest building in Warsaw, Jamnik, personified as a giant sausage dog. Painted across the side of a housing block in Praga, Jamnik winds cheerfully along the wall like he owns the block (he kind of does). A mural with personality and paws.

Location: ul.Kijowska 11

Stop #4 The Giant Goose

Just when i thought Warsaw couldn’t surprise me anymore…along came a giant goose. Painted in 2012 by Italian street artist Diego Miedo, Wielka Gęś towers over the street like an unhinged guardian of Praga. It’s wild. It’s weird and it looks like it’s seen things.

Location: ul.Brzeska 14a

Stop #5 The Wall of Faces

Tucked into a quiet Warsaw side street, this wall stares back. Literally. Painted over metal doors and brick, these hand-drawn portraits feel like ghosts of stories past – some warm, some haunting. There is no plaque, no artist name, no title. Just a crowd of eyes quietly watching as you pass.

Location: ul.Brzeska 6

Stop #6 Desperados

When Desperados was first painted in 2016, it was bold, loud, and unmistakably alive. Now? It’s giving day-after-the-party energy. Much of the paint has flaked off, leaving behind faded shapes, eerie eyes, and jagged bursts of colour peeking through the grey. But there is still magic here. Even in decay.

Location: ul.Zabkowska 2

Stop #7 Urban Jungle by Tytus Brzozowski

Tytus Brzozowski strikes again- this time his Urban Jungle wraps Praga’s iconic buildings in a riot of greenery. A vibrant mash-up of city and nature. It’s part Warsaw postcard, part dream logic. It’s dense, wild and full of little discoveries hiding in plain sight. If this mural were a trail, it be of those no clear summit, just endless wander and wonder. Also, zero elevation gain, unless you count getting lost in the details.

Location: ul.Okrzei 27

Stop #8 Praski Grajek

You know you’re in Praga when a red-haired accordionist is floating upside down above the skyline like it’s normal. This mural honours Praga’s beloved tradition of backyard street musicians. Just your average day east of the river.

Location: ul.Wrzesińska 6

Stop #9 Rozwin Skrzydla na Pradze

Part mural, part pep talk. In Praga, even the walls believe in your potential.

Location: ul.Księdza Ignacego Kłopotowskiego 15

Stop #10 Legia

Because no mural crawl is complete without a side of football fanaticism and spray-painted passion. And honestly? Iconic.

Location: ul.Zwycięzców 43

Final stop: Culty Eats

Rurki with whipped cream, oranzada in glass bottles, and Donald bubble gum that still tastes like 1997.

Not All Mountains Are Made of Rock

No switchbacks. No summit selfies. But this Warsaw walkabout gave me a different kind of high. One made of bricks and paint, imagination and concrete. Big love to my niece for mapping out every mural stop like a pro. She’s better with Google Maps than I’ll ever be with AllTrails.

Was it the same as hiking in the mountains? Nope. I’ll admit- I had a bit of FOMO watching my friends climbing actual peaks back home. But Warsaw showed up in its own way. The murals were bold, the vibes were strong-but now it’s time to swap paint for peaks. Back to real hikes and real summits.

Warsaw, thanks for the art. Mountains, I’m coming home!