Praga Północ (North Praga)

The creative/artistic neighborhood with good cafes, bars, and street art. Development is patchy - safe during the day around cultural centers but take taxis after 10pm. Better for visiting than staying unless you pick your location carefully.

Praga went from run-down industrial area to trendy neighborhood over the last ten years, though it still has a reputation. Street art everywhere, the Neon Museum brings tourists, and Soho Factory has restaurants and design shops. The area around Soho Factory and Ząbkowska Street has specialty coffee, craft beer, and restaurants that locals go to. During the day and evening the developed parts are safe and more interesting than the tourist center. Artists and students moved in when rent was cheap - kind of like Berlin's Kreuzberg. The southern sections closer to the river developed faster. Some northern parts still look rough after dark. Lighting varies a lot between streets, and the atmosphere can change within a block or two. If staying here, pick somewhere near the main cultural spots. Good for daytime and dinner, but most people take a taxi back late at night rather than walking through the less-developed areas.