23 Great Things to Do in Lodz, Poland

Located only an hour by train from Warsaw, Lodz is one of the most unique yet overlooked places to visit in Poland. Known for its industrial heritage and multicultural past, the city offers so many attractions that you can easily spend a weekend in Lodz, and you won’t be bored.

Even though Łódź still has a somewhat mediocre reputation among Poles, I believe it’s one of the coolest places in the country, definitely worth visiting. It’s actually one of my favorite cities in Poland, the one I like returning to to enjoy it and get inspired. 

After visiting Lodz many times, I finally put together this guide so you can give the city a chance and see for yourself what a great place this is. Below, you will find all the best things to do in Lodz, as well as practical information that will help you plan your trip there. While you can easily visit Lodz as one of the day trips from Warsaw, I think it’s worth spending a bit more time there, enjoying all the attractions in Lodz. 

Read on, and plan your perfect Lodz trip!

How to pronounce “Łódź”

First things first, the name of the city is actually “Łódź,” but for your convenience, I use the version without the Polish letters here. If you say “woodge,” it will sound almost like the Polish “Łódź”. The Polish’ Ł’ is pronounced like an English ‘W,’ the ‘ó’ is pronounced like an English ‘oo,’ and the “dz” sounds like ‘dge’ as in ‘ledge.’

A brief history of Lodz

The settlement, conveniently located in the middle of Poland, at the crossroads of trading routes, has been a sleepy place for centuries. This changed at the beginning of the 1800s when Lodz became a “Promised Land”, attracting people from all over Europe (even as far as England or Portugal). The first factories opened, changing the city forever. 

Lodz was once the largest textile production center in the former Russian Empire; the city was also known for its multicultural character, being home to large Polish, German, Russian, and Jewish populations. Even though the city was dealing with numerous industrial and workers’ issues, it was doing rather well; the peak of the prosperity of the city occurred just before the First World War. 

The troublesome history of Europe, especially the occupation by Nazi Germany, had a big impact on Lodz and its inhabitants. The city lost half of its population during World War II, but it was quickly regained due to migration. Lodz was once again the main textile center of Poland and the second-largest city in the country (today, it’s fourth). 

After communism collapsed, the industry in Lodz slowly faded away, leaving the city with numerous problems to deal with. Recently, Lodz has been trying to redefine itself, drawing inspiration from its industrial past and becoming the alternative hub of Poland.

Things to do in Lodz

And now, without a further ado, let me tell you about the best things to do in Lodz, Poland.

Wander along Piotrkowska Street

Most cities have market squares in old towns as their main venue, but Lodz has Piotrkowska Street. It is the second-longest street in the city and one of the longest commercial streets in Europe, spreading for almost 5 km in the heart of the city. However, the most beautiful part is between Plac Woloności and Piłsudskiego Street.

Even if Piotrkowska is such a long street, it doesn’t get boring to walk it all the way. The key to fully appreciating it is to look up and around to admire all the beautiful buildings you pass (many of them built in the eclectic and modernist styles, reminiscent of the wealth of times) and peek inside the gates to find some of the most charming yards. That was actually one of my favorite things to do in Lodz. 

The street is lined with endless cafes, pubs, and restaurants, serving delicious food and drinks. If you get hungry or want to sit down and relax a bit, Piotrkowska Street is your place to go to.

Check quirky yards

While the architecture of Piotrkowska Street might get your full attention, be sure to check the yards on this street as well. The more, the better, as you never know what kind of wonders you can find there: hanging umbrellas, hidden cafes and restaurants, quirky art installations, and so much more. 

The most spectacular yard is located at Piotrkowska 3. It’s Rosa’s Passage, decorated with countless pieces of mirror. When the sun shines, the effect is mind-blowing! The whole place is glittering and looks like it’s from a fairy tale!

Enjoy the former factories turned into cool hangout spots

Lodz very quickly learned that former industrial sites can serve people in a new way. The city was something of a pioneer in transforming former factories into places locals and visitors want to spend time in.

The first and still the most popular place of that kind is “Off Piotrkowska”, located at Piotrkowska 138/140. The former spinning and weaving factory was transformed in 2011, and now around 50 small businesses operate there: designers, architects, restaurants, clubs, galleries, and concept stores (to name a few). In 2014, the place was named a new wonder of Poland in a contest organized by National Geographic. 

But “Off Piotrkowska” isn’t the only place of that kind that you can find in Lodz. At Piotrkowska 217, in the former iron foundry, a culinary scene of Lodz is blooming. That’s where the street food festival and food market take place, but also where some really nice cafes and restaurants are located. 

A newer addition to the city’s scenery is Monopolis, located in the former spirits production complex. Here you can also find numerous restaurants, cafes, and cultural institutions. Even if Monopolis is located a bit farther from the center, at 60/62 Kopcinskiego Street, it’s definitely worth a small detour.

Admire amazing street art

Lodz was the first Polish city to introduce and promote large-scale murals. Back in 2009, the local foundation Urban Forms started promoting the street art, inviting international artists like ROA from Belgium (known from Berlin street art) or Inti from Chile (you can find his works in Kosice, Slovakia too) as well as promoting local – and now world famous – artists, like ETAM Cru. 

Of course, that’s not everything you can find in Lodz. Just keep your eyes open, and you will stumble across numerous Lodz murals all over the city, including old grand format advertisements. If you, however, need a hint on where to look for the street art works, the app “Street Art Cities” is a great help.

Even with so many works, they are spread out all over the city, and you don’t feel overwhelmed like in Gdansk. Big murals are just part of the local outdoor scene; they simply blend in.