Located in the very heart of Poland, Łódź has shaken off its industrial past and transformed itself into a creative city, offering art, film, and lots of great food. VisitLodz will help you make the most of your trip to this exciting destination.
Łódź Manufaktura – image © Guillaume Speurt / CC BY-SA 2.0
Set in the very centre of Poland, Łódź (pronounced “woodge”) may lack the historical majesty of more famous Polish cities, but the former industrial capital of the country has plenty to offer as a travel destination. The vibrant brick textile factories are now shops, bars, and galleries, reflecting the other Łódź tradition of creativity. Fans of Polish cinema may already know that Kieślowski, Polanksi, and Wajda studied and worked here and this heritage is fully represented in today’s artistic culture.
Joining the monumental industrial architecture, splashed with bright murals and street art, are some stunning contemporary buildings. There’s a strong food scene and the city has a reputation for nightlife that matches the Polish capital. Perhaps the most surprising aspect is the 1,200-hectare forest on the northeast boundary.
Piotrkowska Street at Dusk – image © Adam Jones / CC BY-SA 2.0
What Should I See In Łódź? What Are Łódź’s Must-See Attractions?
Łódź has a much more recent history than Renaissance Kraków – its heyday was during the textile revolution of the 19th century. Museums lean heavily on this industrial heritage and the wealth this brought. But the city also has a lot of unique architecture, much of which has been repurposed for art galleries. Perhaps most surprisingly, Łódź butts up against a forest, something of an idyll for a day out.
Łódź, undeniably, still has some rough spots, and so benefits, in particular, from a professional guided tour. You’ll get to know the highlights in a morning or afternoon, with lots of suggestions for what to see next. A guide can steer you to the best locations, with insights and points of interest that only a local would know.
- Manufaktura is Łódź’s industrial past brought into the 21st century. These huge red brick textile factories have been transformed into shops, restaurants, bars, and art spaces.
- Piotrkowska is Łódź’s main street with some of the city’s best architecture. Most recently it has become a symbol of Łódź for the huge murals on the sides of buildings. Keep an eye out for Off Piotrkowska, the indie version of Manufaktura, with food trucks, live music, and bars.
- Some of the repurposed sites around the city are now inventive galleries. Muzeum Sztuki ms2 is part of the Manufaktura complex, with a permanent collection of 20th- and 21st-century work.
- Łódź has played a central role in Polish cinema and many of the country’s greatest directors studied here, reflected in the film museum. The exhibition includes an excellent section on animation that will appeal to kids.
- Łódź’s textiles empire was pioneered by industrialist Izrael Poznański in the 1870s. His grand palace, on ul. Ogrodowa, has opulent Art Nouveau interiors and is now home to the City Museum.
- The founding of the Jewish Cemetery coincided with the rise in Łódź’s industrial fortunes. Visiting here gives an insight into the early decades of the 20th century and the brutal events of the Second World War. The Radegast train station, once the departure point for the extermination camps, is now a memorial.
- To the north of the city is Łagiewnicki, an atmospheric 1,200-hectare forest with a lakeside beach, hidden monastery, and playgrounds for kids.
In addition to finding tours, Get Your Guide is also handy for buying entry tickets and suggesting events. There’s a big range of options and prices, and customer reviews mean you aren’t taking a risk when you book.
PURO Łódź Centrum – image © booking.com
Where Should I Stay In Łódź?
Accommodation will depend very much on your budget and what is available for your dates. You can get a solid 3-star room for less than 200zł per night (45€), but you should expect to pay 350-400zł (79-90€) during the summer months.
Use an online portal like Booking.com to get detailed information and genuine guest reviews. You can reserve a room with no upfront fee and pay when you check out. Free cancellations too.
Here is our selection to get your started:
- Best Łódź Luxury Hotel: PURO Łódź Centrum
- Best Łódź Boutique Hotel: Fabryka Wełny Hotel & Spa
- Best Łódź Family Apartment: Art House
- Best Łódź Mid-Range Hotel: Novotel Lodz Centrum
- Best Łódź Business Hotel: Hampton by Hilton Łódź City Center
- Best Łódź Budget Hotel: Hotel Ibis Łódź Centrum
Łódź Fabryczna – image © Travelarz / CC BY-SA 3.0 PL
How To Get To Łódź
Łódź is in the centre of Poland, roughly 140km from Warsaw and 280km from Kraków.
Łódź Władysław Reymont Airport is currently served by Ryanair and Wizz Air with flights to and from Alicante, Brussels, Dublin, Luton, Stansted, and Milan, and new routes coming online in winter 2023. You can see a handy breakdown of arrivals and departures on the airport website.
You can find the cheapest flights to Łódź with 12go. A single search will show you all available prices and times for your dates. Change the search options as required
These are the current routes:
- Alicante to Łódź: flights on Mondays and Thursdays
- Brussels Charleroi to Łódź: flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays
- Dublin to Łódź: flights on Thursdays and Sundays
- London Luton to Łódź: flights on Mondays and Fridays
- London Stansted to Łódź: flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays
- Milan Bergamo to Łódź: flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays
How To Get A SIM Card In Łódź
If you have a phone contract registered in any EU country, you should automatically be able to use your existing plan in Poland at no extra charge. Check with your provider before you travel.
If you have a contract from the UK, you should still be able to use your existing plan in Poland, although there may be a nominal fee. Again, you’ll need to check with your provider.
There are theoretically a number of options available if you are travelling from outside of the EU. If you have already bought a SIM in another EU country, this should also work in Poland. Otherwise, you could buy an eSIM online, for example, or a pre-paid SIM card via Amazon before you arrive. The drawback is you cannot test these before you arrive, so you may end up wasting your money.
Instead, we recommend you get a SIM card directly from a branch of Plus, T-Mobile, or Orange. They can talk you through the best deals and make sure everything is working properly. Most young Poles speak excellent English and customer service is usually very good.
This means you will have to make it from the airport to the city centre without a connection, but you’ll save money if you do.
There are branches of Plus, Orange, and T-Mobile stores at Jana Karskiego 5 in Manufaktura, so you can even shop around.
If you are travelling on from Poland, be aware that you may not be able to take your minutes and data with you. So check this with staff before agreeing to purchase.
You’ll need your passport to buy a SIM. Also, make sure your phone is unlocked before you travel.
Travel Insurance For Łódź
Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
Main exhibition of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw – image © Magdalena Starowieyska, Dariusz Golik / CC BY-SA 3.0 PL
Other Polish Cities You Can Visit From Łódź
At the very crossroads of the country, all Polish roads lead to Łódź. This makes it a fantastic starting point to explore other great cities, most of which can be reached via public transport in a matter of hours.
You can check timetables and prices for buses and planes with 12go and book instantly online. Trains can be booked via the national rail network.
- Gdańsk: On the Baltic coast, historic Gdańsk is one of Poland’s most popular destinations. You can read more about Kraków on our sister site GdanskVisit.com.
- Kraków: Beautiful and historic, stunning Kraków should be on everybody’s wishlist during a visit to Poland. You can read more about Kraków on our sister site VisitKrakow.com.
- Toruń: Mostly untouched by the Second World War, Toruń is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Vistula River. Dominated by the huge Gothic cathedral, the city feels less hectic than more famous tourist destinations.
- Warsaw: Poland’s capital city makes a good weekend destination. Much of Warsaw was built after 1945. Even the pretty Old Town is mostly reconstruction. But there are excellent museums and places to eat. You can read more about Warsaw on our sister site WarsawVisit.com.
- Wrocław: Wrocław is a charming city to the west of Poland, with islands and bridges criss-crossing the water and a strong Gothic flavour to the architecture. Built out from the 10th century Ostrów Tumski, Wrocław has a stunning UNESCO-listed market square.
- Zakopane: Poland’s outdoor capital and winter resort, Zakopane is gateway to the Tatra mountains. The area is excellent for hiking, skiing, and a range of other activities. However, there is also unique folk architecture and plenty of more spectacular attractions. You can read more about Zakopane on our sister site VisitKrakow.com.
Łódź Map
Plan your Łódź visit with our comprehensive Łódź map to explore Łódź’s attractions, restaurants, sightseeing and hotels.
Each type of landmark has a different colour marker on the map:
- YELLOW: Łódź Sightseeing
- GREEN: Łódź Transportation
- BLUE: Łódź Hotels
- PURPLE: Shopping In Łódź
Click on a marker and it will give you the name of the landmark, with a brief description and links for more information and directions. You can pan, scroll, and zoom around the map, or use the + or – buttons in the bottom left of the map to zoom in and out.
Click on the icon in the top left corner for an index of every location, sorted by category. Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want. Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
Each category is on a different layer, which can be switched on and off. So you can just see the Hotel or Restaurant pins, for example.
If you are using the map on your phone, open the Visit Łódź map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.
Start Planning Your Łódź Trip Now!
:: Find things to do and get to know Łódź with a professional guided tour via Get Your Guide. You’ll see the biggest highlights in a morning or afternoon, with lots of suggestions for where to go next.
:: Find available Łódź hotels on Booking.com – usually you can reserve a room with no upfront payment. Pay when you check out. Free cancellations too.
:: Find the cheapest flight to Łódź with 12go - one search will show you the prices and times from scores of airlines for your trip. A real timesaver.
:: World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.