22 Epic things to see and do in Lodz – The Ultimate Lodz Travel Guide

What if I tell you there is a city that is still overlooked by tourists, but has the most epic things to see and do like amazing architecture, street art, hipster bars, tasty food and a fantastic light festival? And that this place also houses the most friendly people and is incredibly budget friendly? Aren’t you excited to go there? I sure was when I found out I was going to Lodz, the third largest city of Poland! I had the opportunity to explore Lodz for four days and bundled my experiences and advice in this Lodz travel guide, so you know what are the best things to see and do in Lodz!

Lodz Travel Guide: 22 most epic things to see and do in Lodz

Lodz currently gets overshadowed by Warsaw and Krakow. Tourism here isn’t big yet. But I’m sure this will soon change. Lodz is expert in reinventing itself and knows like no other how to give back life to old factories and buildings. Its industrial look is unique and the city houses many cool hipster bars and restaurants with the most delicious food! In Lodz the past, present and future all coexist magically.

Where is Lodz?

Lodz is situated in the center of Poland, Southwest from Warsaw. It is easy to reach by plane, train or car.

How to get there?

Lodz has its own airport about 5 kilometers from the city center, but not all airlines fly directly. Most flights arrive at Chopin Airport in Warsaw. From there it takes about 2 hours driving (1,5 hours at Polish taxi driver speed) to Lodz.

When is the best time to visit?

The best time to visit Lodz is probably now! All jokes aside, Lodz is still one of the few off the beaten path locations in Europe. So if you want to experience authentic Lodz, it is best to visit as soon as possible! The city is undergoing many changes due to renovations. A lot of money is currently invested in infrastructure, public transport and old factories being turned into loft apartments, shopping centers, hotels and cultural projects like museums, movie theaters, restaurants etc.

A fun time to visit Lodz is during the Light Move Festival. During this period you can find numerous light installations accompanied by performances, concerts, deejays and art shows.

Where to stay in Lodz?

I stayed at the Tobaco Hotel, which in my opinion was the perfect base to explore all the amazing things to see and do in Lodz! This stylish hotel is located in the former Kretschmer wool mill. In 1925 the mill was converted into a tobacco and cigarette factory. You can notice this by the many posters and advertisements hanging on the walls in the hotel.

The rooms are spacious (even the single rooms), clean and colorful. The breakfast buffet is served in the restaurant “Kretschmer’s” located in the basement and offers plenty of food and drink options. You can also have lunch or dinner at the restaurant, which I recommend because their tomato soup, deer tartar and pierogi were absolutely delicious!

Another reason why I loved staying at the Tobaco hotel is its location. It is not situated near Lodz main street Piotrkowska or its most famous attraction Manufaktura, but you can easily take tram 12, which stops in front of the hotel. It only takes about 8 stops to reach Piotrkowska.

How long should you stay in Lodz?

I spent 3 nights/4 days in Lodz, but I felt as if I could’ve stayed a little longer to explore some more. 5 days would’ve been perfect.

How to best visit Lodz and experience its awesome things to see and do?

Lodz is a city you have to experience. You can’t find famous big monuments, but the red brick city has some very cool places to visit. Most of them are old factories turned into something else, like shopping malls, museums, etc. And thanks to its rich textile industry history there are also a lot of palaces to discover, once belonging to one of the textile kings (Izrael Poznański and Karol Scheibler). I am sure it won’t take much time anymore until these monumental factories become (insta)famous!

The trick to find the most epic things to see and do in Lodz is a guide! My trip definitely wouldn’t have been the same without my awesome tour guide Krzysztof! Not only did he have great stories to tell, he also showed things in the city I never would’ve noticed myself! He took me to little alleys and hidden corners proving Lodz is a city you have to experience by wandering around, exploring every alley, looking up, looking down, looking behind you… but more on that later!

Exploring a city on foot is always my favorite thing to do. But knowing Lodz has one of the longest shopping streets in the world (4,2 km) and museums spread all over the city, it is better to use public transport! Taking the tram in Lodz is super easy! You can even pay by credit card on the tram! (First time I ever saw this in my life)

A short history of Lodz

Lodz used to be the most important place for textile in Europe. The development of this once small settlement began in the 19^th century, when innovation in steam and electricity revolutionized the world economy. The city grew around its big factories and attracted a lot of people. A lot of the factories were owned by Jews (Izrael Poznański).

Lodz knew a huge Jewish population and after the invasion of the German army during WWII, they were forced into a walled zone; the Lodz Ghetto. Here, they needed to work for the Germans. Once they became useless to the Nazi (too old, weak or wounded to work), they were sent to German concentration and extermination camps. 

After the fall of communism, Lodz’ prosperity declined and factories had to close. Currently it are those factories that are getting renovated and turned into fantastic new projects.

Along with textile, Lodz was also the birth place of cinematography. The Lodz National Film school produced famous Polish directors such as Roman Polanski and Andrzej Wajda. “The Promised Land” is probably Wajda’s most famous film about Lodz’ textile industry and creativity. Even today Lodz is known to have produced the best directors, tv hosts and camera men in the country.

Epic things to see and do in Lodz

Piotrkowska Street

Lodz doesn’t have a big market square, but it does have Piotrkowska Street! It is 4.2 km long and one of the biggest shopping streets in the world. What makes this street so unique and fun to explore are the old houses, palaces, villas and churches. All built in different architectural styles, sizes and colors. You can also find a lot of statues of famous citizens of Lodz like Artur Rubinstein and the textile kings.

The part of Piotrkowska Street near the town hall is paved with several hundred metres of cobblestones with the names of the inhabitants of Lodz. The number of stones keeps rising as each citizen of Lodz can purchase a plaque to be part of it.

Another interesting part of Piotrkowska street can be found between Moniuszki Street and Rubinsteina Pasaz. This part is Lodz own personal Walk of Fame, also called HollyLodz. Here you’ll find brass stars with the names of famous Polish actors, directors, film composers, etc. After all Lodz is home to one of the best film schools in the world!

Side streets of Piotrkowska

Like I wrote previously, Lodz is a city you have to experience. You have to think outside the box. Not just move from one place to another. Take side streets and even walk through gates that look as if the courtyard behind it is private. Always with respect for the property and its inhabitants of course. But honestly, when I was taking photos at more private parts, the owners often just smiled or even opened the gate for me! These were some of my favorites:

Pasaż Róży, one of the most epic things to see in Lodz

This is the first alley you’ll find if you start exploring Piotrkowska from the Freedom Square (Plac Wolnosci) on the Northside. Mirrors completely cover the façades of the houses in this street. Some even shaped like roses.

Joanna Rajkowska is the one who created this piece of art. She got the idea from her daughter Roza’s rare eye cancer. After chemotherapy, she was able to see again and the idea of transforming the street from “not seeing to seeing” brought it all to life!

“Birth of the Day”

When you turn into the Wieckowskiego street, take the gate of number 4 on the left and you will discover the artistic yard of Wojciech Siudmak “Birth of the Day”.

What makes this place so unique is the recreation of Siudmak’s painting on 260 stoneware tiles, precisely arranged on the walls of the buildings in the courtyard – including windows that fit perfectly into the artist’s work. This installation covers a total of 350 sq m.

“Neighbors” of the Spanish sculptor Isaac Cordal

Next to Gen. Romualda Traugutta 8 you will find a third artistic yard with the art installation “Neighbors” of the Brussels-based Spanish sculptor Isaac Cordal. These little suited men on their terrace holding their cellphones stand for the social isolation, the disconnection from the real world.

Mural Aleja Leona Schillera

Also at the Aleja Leona Schillera you can find an enormous mural of what is hidden behind Piotrkowska 114. It refers to the place and its history. It shows the market hall and two men carrying a block of ice from the market ice shop and the facade of the building. You can also see the hair salon that is still there. The artist also added the original signboard from the mirror factory, which was located in this place before the war. Make sure to visit this place with a guide who can give you all the details of this masterpiece.

Charlie Chaplin & Cabinet of Illusions

At Piotrkowska 120 you will encounter an outdoor cinema with a painted cinema screen! Above the screen is a mural of Charlie Chaplin. On the other side of the alley you’ll discover another mural “Cabinet of Illusions” designed by Aleksandra Soćko. It presents the brothers Władysław and Antoni Krzemiński, who launched the first stationary cinema in Poland at this address in 1899.

Also situated in this street is Hotel Stare Kino. Which is a hotel I definitely want to stay at next time. All its rooms contain attributes used in movies and it looks amazing!

Mural by Aryz and the Os Gemeos brothers

Another wall is covered at the Franklina Delano Roosevelta with a mural masterpiece created by Aryz and the Os Gemeos brothers in 2012 for the Urban Forms project. They painted this mural in 10 days.

Lodz City Mural

The largest of all murals of Łódź and Europe, at 30x20m, representing the city, created by Meisal i Bary can be found at Piotrkowska 152. Because it was the largest graffiti in the world, it was mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records.

Off Piotrkowska

This “hipster area” is located between numbers 138-140 on Piotrkowska. It consists of the beautiful old cotton mill buildings of the former Ramisch factory, which are now turned into trendy restaurants, bars, clubs and shops. This is the perfect place to hang out on a sunny day to enjoy drinks on one of the many terraces or have a night out.

Piotrkowska Centrum Tram Station

Never before did I visit such a colorful tram station. Warsaw-based architecture practice Foroom designed this gem. Because of its many colors it received the nickname The Unicorn Stable.

Museum of the Sewer „Tube“

This underground canal system used to store water to clean the sewage. It is about 150 meters long and can hold the capacity of 300 000 liters. Today, as the first sewer in Poland open to visitors, it is a path-breaking museum project and a big tourist attraction of Łódź.

Księży Młyn

Karol Wilhelm Scheibler, the richest industrialist of Lodz founded Księży Młyn (Priest’s Mill) in the 19th century . This company town within the city included factory buildings, terraced houses for workers, shops, a school, hospitals, a fire station and a gas works building.

My guide was a big movie lover and added the extra info that scenes of the Belgian movie Daens were shot here. I only saw this residential and industrial complex by night. But even then it was impressive. I really started dreaming about living in one of those incredible loft apartments!

Center of Science and Technology/ EC1

The former first heat and power plant of Lodz is now the headquarter of the Center of Science and Technology, also called EC-1. Here you can “play” with all different kinds of installations concerning energy conversion, development of science and civilization and the micro and macro world. I especially liked the parts where you could see how the heat and power plant used to work. Another fantastic feature of EC-1 is the planetarium. Here I watched a movie about exoplanets called “Unexplored Worlds”. It is the most modern planetarium of Poland.

Did you know that Lodz was the favorite city of director David Lynch (Twin Peaks)? He even tried to move his own film studio to EC1. Unfortunately it didn’t happen.

Museum of the City of Lodz

This museum is inside the neo baroque palace of Izrael Kalmanowicz Poznański. Unfortunately they were renovating it during my visit, because I really loved the exterior in the back. Inside you’ll discover the over the top decorated rooms of the palace. It is obvious that Poznanski liked to impress. I loved the wooden columns with the carved playing cards in the gambling room. It was a nice detail to show what this room was used for. A few rooms are dedicated to Rubinstein, the famous pianist.

Museum of the Factory

This museum is located at the Manufaktura site. There are old textile machines that produce a serious amount of noise! I just couldn’t imagine what it must’ve been like in the old days, when people had to work in the middle of hundreds of these machines. They probably became deaf quickly!

You can visit the rooftop, where you have a few of the complete Manufaktura site!

Manufaktura

Manufaktura is the most impressive shopping and entertainment center I’ve ever seen! It is a massive factory complex (what else?) of 27 ha turned into museums, shops, discos, restaurants and bars, sport centers, etc. It is the most extraordinary revitalization of a former factory complex in Lodz in my opinion!

Museum of Textile Industry History

Located at Ludwik Geyer’s White Factory, this museum houses steam-driven looms and fabric-printing machines. You can see how people had to work and how they lived. Also the building itself is worth the visit. The only downside is that most things are in Polish. So definitely visit this place with a guide!

Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish Cemetery of Lodz is one of the biggest in the world (40 ha). You will discover about 230 000 graves here. It has a spooky vibe with all the broken grave stones. The most impressive graves were the graves of the King of Textile (Poznanski) who has the biggest Jewish tombstone in the world, the King of Crime (a small grave, but I found it interesting and funny that someone placed play cards on the grave an that he is placed in front of the massive grave of Poznanski)) and the ghetto field (45 000 jews who died in the ghetto are burried in this field).

Also the empty open graves are still kept. These were dug by the remaining jews of the ghetto. They had to dig their own graves, but the Nazi’s were surprised by the speed of the Sovjet soldiers and didn’t have the time to complete their execution.

Radegast Station, an emotional thing to see in Lodz

Not too far from the Jewish cemetery you’ll find Radegast Station. This station used to transport the Jews from the Lodz ghetto to the extermination camps. Inside there is a massive model of the Lodz ghetto to show how big it was. On the rails they placed three original Deutsche Reisebahn cattle trucks. I went inside and it gave me serious chills.

Fabryczna station

It is the biggest most modern train station of Lodz. They kept the facades of the large white townhouses as a reminder of the old Fabryczna station. The station’s modern architecture comprises of a lot of glass work and metal. It is very clean and white. I loved the waiting rooms with their modern cartoons on the walls!

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

This cute little orthodox church is so colorful! It was built during the period when Poland was a part of the Russian empire. Seeing this made me want to visit Saint Petersburg and Moscow! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to visit the interior. The gate was closed because of all the light installations for the Light Move Festival.

Light Move Festival, one of the most epic things to do in Lodz

Every year during the last weekend of September a huge light festival takes place in Lodz. Artistic illuminations and multi-format displays in 2D/3D mapping technology decorate monuments and facades of buildings. The idea is to change the perception of the city and the city image. There are DJs playing, stalls selling food and illuminated balloons and glasses and even the opera gives free open air performances accompanied by a light show!

Photos don’t do it any justice, so I hope the video I will post later will be able to show the festival at its best!

Where to eat in Lodz?

Galicja

This restaurant is located at the Manufaktura site. It is a cozy restaurant in a traditional decor offering delicious food! I loved the food and I strongly recommend the chocolate dessert!

Ogrodowa 19a, 91-065 Łódź

Cud Miod

In one of the side streets of Piotrkowska you’ll find the Cud Miod restaurant with huge tomato soup cans in the windows. I had the tomato soup (typically Polish) and a tasty salad here for lunch. It is a more modern restaurant, but very good.

Gen. Romualda Traugutta 2, 90-102 Łódź

Drukarnia

At the Off Piotrkowska center are a lot of good hipster restaurants and bars. I ate at Drukarnia and didn’t regret it! The mushroom pasta was delicious and my travel compagnon loved the duck! The chocolate cheesecake was the perfect dessert!

Off Piotrkowska, Piotrkowska 138/140, 90-062 Łódź

Piwnica Lodzka

This restaurant was my last stop in Lodz. So I decided to end with what I started this fantastic trip, because I loved it so much; the deer tartar and pierogi! Also at this restaurant they were absolutely exquisite!

Henryka Sienkiewicza 67, 90-009 Łódź

Practical tips

– Always try the fresh lemonade in every restaurant! It is the best!
– Learn some Polish words!

• hello / good morning / Good day: dzień dobry!
• thank you: dziękuję
• good: dobry (when someone asks if the food is good just answer “dobry dobry”, Polish people often say words twice)
• cheers: na zdrowie (prior to drinking alcohol)

– If you truly want to experience the most epic things to see and do in Lodz and its history hire a guide!
– Polish people are really sweet! If you need help don’t hesitate to ask them, they will gladly help you!

Lodz Video: best things to see and do in Lodz

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This article is sponsored by the Lodz Tourism Organisation and Polish Tourism Organisation. However, my opinion is, as always, my own.

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