Łódź One-Day Itinerary

This itinerary is for visitors to Łódź with limited time and who want a good introduction to the city. You may be on a day trip from Warsaw, for example. This is a snapshot of the history and culture of Łódź.

Entrance to Manufaktura

Some Things to Keep in Mind About Exploring Łódź

To many first-time visitors, Łódź can be a little confounding. Ongoing renovation has given new life to areas of the city, but many streets are frankly still in a state of disrepair, after periods of neglect. It’s the sort of changing city where brand new buildings have appeared every time you go back.

This itinerary sticks to some of the prettiest and more dynamic areas of regeneration. And, as there is a limited amount that can be seen in a single day, we have focused on three core places that give the best introduction to what the city is all about.

Corner of ul. Piotrkowska

First, Piotrkowska Street is the main artery of Łódź and a fantastic illustration of the historic and contemporary culture here. You’ll get to see the sculptures, murals, and buildings by day, before the street has fully woken up. Then return to it by night, when the restaurants and bars are in full swing.

Museum of Łódź

In between, the Museum of Łódź explores the first great growth of the city in the 19th century, when a handful of textiles magnates made their fortunes here. The upper floor of the museum displays the fine urban palace one of these entrepreneurs was able to build, while the basement tells this story from a range of more everyday perspectives. There are numerous sumptuous palaces around town with equally fascinating exhibitions like the MS1 art gallery and the Łódź Film Museum.

Next door is Manufaktura, perhaps the defining symbol of contemporary Łódź. This complex of former red-brick textiles factories has been converted into a playground of restaurants, museums, shops, and other attractions. This reinvention has been taking place right across the city, in similar factory spaces such as OFF Piotrkowska, Monopolis, the Art Factory, and more.

Whilst Łódź has an excellent transportation system, key parts are all-but-pedestrianised. This itinerary involves a lot of walking – though you are never far from somewhere to sit. Make sure you have decent footwear and some kind of protection against the rain.

Łódź is still relatively unknown as a tourist destination, so it doesn’t have a big boom and bust seasonality. The Film Museum can get quite busy but I’ve never had to book in advance anywhere. Debit / credit cards and contactless are accepted virtually everywhere. And, for what it’s worth, I’ve always had glorious weather when I’ve visited.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that there are some excellent Łódź tours available. If you are interested in a particular place, it is always worth being guided through the experience.

Check Łódź Hotel Availability

Destination

Check-in date

Wed 09 Oct 2024

Check-out date

Thu 10 Oct 2024

Chances are you will be staying somewhere around the upper part of ul. Piotrkowska, but it’s worth consideration before you book accommodation, as this will impact any sightseeing or activities. Our Visit Łódź Google Map will help you work out how close you could be staying to the things you most want to see.

You can only really scratch the surface in a single day and its very easy to get sidetracked by unexpected details. If you find yourself rushing, stick with the things which interest you most. Łódź is actually a pretty relaxed city, so don’t be afraid to just sit outside with a coffee or beer and watch the world go by.

Although English isn’t spoken as fluently here as Kraków, I find the typical Łódźian is patient, friendly, and happy to talk. Communication is rarely an issue, even if there’s a language barrier.

Street dining on Piotrkowska

Łódź One-Day Itinerary Summary

• Duration: 10 hours of sightseeing (excluding evening meal and nightlife).
• Areas Covered: ul. Piotrkowska (day and night); Museum of Łódź; Manufaktura.
• Sights visited: ul. Piotrkowska murals, sculptures, buildings, and passageways; OFF Piotrkowska; Rose Passage; plac Wolności; Dętka Canal Museum; Manufaktura; Museum of Łódź; optional museums.

Morning

The lights of ul. Piotrkowska

9am: Pre-breakfast – ul. Piotrkowska
At roughly 4km, Piotrkowska is one of the longest, straightest shopping promenades in the world. With a wealth of restaurants, cafes, and bars, it also has a lot of surprising public art, including sculptures and building-high murals. The first part of this itinerary takes in a leisurely stroll along the northern half of Piotrkowska, with an early stop for breakfast.

Although we point out many points of interest along the route, the pleasure of Piotrkowska is letting your eyes and appetites lead you. The street is stuffed full of little gems, rather than must-see attractions. Feel free to break the route if you find something interesting or want to stop off for a coffee.

The Unicorn Stable

Start at Piotrkowska Centrum, the tram stop known locally as the Unicorn Stable. It serves any of the following trams: 3, 6, 8, 10 (A + B), 12, 14, 16, 18, and is a good arrival point to the city from the airport. See How to Get to Łódź City Centre from Łódź Airport for details.

Unicorn and Piotrkowska Centrum

Standing on the platform at Centrum, ul. Piotrkowska cuts across the road in front of you, with an Etno cafe on the south side and a huge mural of people in windows to the north. Turn right and cross the road. On the corner, you’ll see the 2019 unicorn sculpture by Tomohiro Inaba.

Turn back towards the tram stop and cross the road to the north. Here, you can enter Piotrkowska and leave the noise of the traffic behind. The name is strung across the street in lights – see image above, so you’ll quickly know if you’re in the right place.

Jaracz’s Armchair

Almost immediately on the right, you’ll see the first of six sculptures spread along the length of the street, celebrating individuals with a strong connection to the city. This is Stefan Jaracz, a figure from Polish theatre. And, as this is a working bench, you are invited to sit with him.

Mural “Łódź”

Continue for just a few steps on the same side of the road, until you reach some food vans and a car park. The side of the building has a huge mural of plac Wolności. The name Łódź actually means boat and you’ll see this symbol all over the city. Similarly, there are well over a hundred of these inventive murals across town, so keep your eyes open.

Mural “OsGemeos i Aryza”

Turn right into Roosevelta and you’ll see the OsGemeos and Aryz mural up ahead, painted by Brazilian twins and a Spanish artist as part of the Urban Forms festival.

U2 gate

Continue about halfway along Roosevelta, looking for number 12 on the left. You’ll find the U2 gate – yes, in honour of the band, leading to the OFF Piotrkowska complex of restaurants and bars.

Spółdzielnia

9.30am: Breakfast – Spółdzielnia
There’s no shortage of places to eat at OFF, but Spółdzielnia does a great breakfast until midday, including a hearty szakszuka and a breakfast brioche. You can sit outside and undercover, even if the weather isn’t so great.

Note, there are few if any public toilets along Piotrkowska. So, make use of the restaurant facilities and stop off for a drink or snack somewhere if you need to go later on.

OFF Piotrkowska

10.30am: ul. Piotrkowska
Once you’ve refilled your fuel cells, you can take a wander around OFF. The complex is mainly restaurants and bars at ground level, but there are a few arty shops and the upper floors include workshops and offices for artisans and creative businesses.

Once you’re ready, you can rejoin Piotrkowska Street via the western exit of OFF or retrace your steps past the OsGemeos and Aryz mural. The rest of the morning will be a leisurely stroll along the remaining 2km of Piotrkowska. Feel free explore side streets and the many alleyways and courtyards branching off. There are places to sit along the way but you can always hire one of the pedal-driven rickshaws if you don’t want to walk anymore.

The street is sprinkled with striking architecture and you’ll see the Art Nouveau Kamienica Lejbusia Lewka Jakubowicza on the left, just past Roosevelta, decorated dragons and flowers. Look out for the plaques which give more information about each building.

Władysław Reymont’s Trunk

Continue on the left-hand side of the road for a few minutes and you’ll see the second of the six ‘sons of Łódź’. This time, it is Nobel prizewinning writer Władysław Reymont sat on his luggage. These sculptures were instigated by the actor, director, and all-round Łódź fan Marcel Szytenchelm.

Piotrkowska passageway

Something like every third doorway on Piotrkowska leads to a courtyard or alleyway, with restaurants, hotels, and other surprises, and it’s always worth exploring if something looks interesting. The image above is outside the Stare Kino Cinema Residence in the passage at 120 Piotrkowska, where you’ll also find the Otwarte Drzwi restaurant.

The hotel has a small cinema in the basement. If fact, you’ll find that Łódź is very much enamoured with film and has little picture houses tucked into a number of unexpected buildings. Look for Kino Charlie at Piotrkowska 203/205 and Kino Tatry at Henryka Sienkiewicza 40, for example.

Kino Raj mural

The cinema theme continues with the Kino Raj mural, which pays tribute to the original picture house on this site and is sometimes used as an advertising hoarding (rather than just having a blank projection screen). This is a good spot to have a guide talk you through the many details. Some cinema seats have been placed in front of the mural in recently redeveloped aleja Leona Schillera (Schiller Passage). There are a few sculptures and a nice avenue of plants and trees. It’s a good place to take a break.

Walk on the right-hand side of Piotrkowska, past the McDonald’s and you soon meet a pedestrian walkway with a statue of Leon Schiller. The mural is behind you to the right of the passage.

Plaques for Łódź citizens

As you walk along this stretch of Piotrkowska, you may have noticed dozens of little tiles in the centre of the road, each with a small metal plaque. These are part of a delightful project, dating to the early 2000s, where citizens of Łódź could sponsor them to signify their connection to their city. There are now some 17,000 of these and the campaign was so popular that some applicants were left disappointed.

A little further up on the right, at 104 Piotrkowska, is the Juliusz Heinzl Palace. Again, this was formerly an urban residence paid for with the proceeds of textiles productions. Today, the building is used for local government. If you pass by at midday, a bugle call is played from the window at number 106, but it was, for many years, played from here.

Julian Tuwim Monument

The Julian Tuwim Monument is outside the Heinzel House, the third sculpture in the series of six, constructed by Wojciech Gryniewicz in 1999. Tuwim was a poet and it is considered lucky to rub the statue’s nose. Again, the statue doubles as a bench, and it’s perfectly fine to sit for a while.

A littler further on the left, you’ll see a curious double decker seating area right out on the pavement that looks a bit like a paddle steamer. Behind this is Cepelia, selling traditional blue Polish ceramics and other beautiful items. It’s an excellent place to buy gifts and souvenirs.

Miś Uszatek

You’ll spot many small statues on and around Piotrkowska, including a series of drinking fountains with children playing with fish. However, the little statue of Miś Uszatek, a beloved stop-motion TV series in the mid-70s, is easy to miss. With his backpack and map of the city, this adventurous little soul is part of a wonderful series of sculptures, called the Łódź Fairyland Trail.

Cross over the Struga / Tuwima road and continue to Piotrkowska 87 on the left. Opposite you’ll see the rather grand Teodor Steigert tenement house, a neo-baroque building, also paid for by the weaving industry. The house appears in a number of Polish films and currently houses a museum dedicated to the child victims of totalitarianism.

Gutenberg Tenement House

Back on the right-hand side of the street, a little further up, is the so-called Gutenberg Tenement House at number 86. This orange and red façade features scaly steel dragons, which dazzle on sunny days, as well as the statue of Johannes Gutenberg, which gave the building its name. The house originally belonged to a printer.

Artur Rubinstein statue

Another 80 meters further on the right is the next of our statues of Łódź influencers. The virtuoso pianist Artur Rubinstein sits at the keyboard which has sprouted wings. In truth, this monument isn’t beloved by everybody, not least members of the Rubinstein family, and there is permanent chatter that it will be removed.

Look up and to your left to see the Łódź in a Nutshell mural, containing 31 individuals – selected in a competition – who made a major contribution to the city. And, on the corner, to your right, you’ll find the Ludwik Geyer House, which signals the start of the Łódź Walk of Fame.

Łódź Walk of Fame

Łódź is justifiably proud of its key role in cinema history and has its own Hollywood-style Walk of Fame. The Avenue of Stars (Aleja Gwiazd Łódzkiej Drogi Sławy) lines both sides of the road outside the Grand Hotel.

The Herman Konstadt Tenement House at 53 Piotrkowska is a listed building in French neo-Renaissance style, and on the right at number 46 is the Apteka „Pod Białym Orłem”, a working pharmacy with a beautiful 19th century interior.

Lamplighter’s Monument

Look ahead, on the other side of the road, and you’ll see the Lamplighter’s Monument, the fifth of the sculpture series, built to commemorate the electrification of the city on the 100th anniversary of the power plant. In contrast to the others, this is an anonymous figure, rather than one of the great and the good.

Birth of Day mural

Turn left into Więckowskiego, when you reach the junction, and look for building number 4 with the words “NARODZINY DNIA” above the gate. The decorated courtyard by artist Wojciech Siudmak is free to enter, but respect the residents living there.

Then, when you come back to Piotrkowska, look for the old Magda department store on the right-hand corner. The final of the six Łódź statues is a table with textiles industrialists Izrael Poznański, Karol Scheibler, and Henryk Grohman having a meeting. As with the others, you are free to sit at the table and join in.

The block includes the Chaim Bławat House at number 17, which is relatively sober and which includes the entrance to the Museum of Light, a series of rooms showcasing different tricks of illumination, very designed for their photogenic potential. It’s just a bit of run but you may want to have a look.

Rose Passage

You should see plac Wolności up ahead, as you reach the end of Piotrkowska. You’ll find a passageway at number 3, the entrance to the Rose Passage, where artist Joanna Rajkowska has transformaed a dingy alleyway into a shimmering mosaic by completely covering it in fragments of mirror. You can follow the passageway all the way around, back to an exit on plac Wolności or retrace your steps back to Piotrkowska.

plac Wolności

Piotrkowska ends (or starts) at plac Wolności, the main square in the city. The name, meaning Freedom Square, was given to it in 1918 when the country regained independence. The crowning statue of military leader and national hero Tadeusz Kościuszko was recreated in 1960 after the occupying German army had destroyed it out of spite in 1939.

In addition to the square itself, there’s the Pentecostal Church on the corner of Piotrkowska, the old town hall building, the pharmacy and archeology museums, and the underground sewer museum.

Inside the Dętka Canal Museum

In truth, this list of things to see on Piotrkowska is not exhaustive. It’s remarkable how many other things there are hidden away behind the façades and inside the courtyards.

To finish off, there’s the odd but somehow interesting Dętka Canal Museum, which is literally a single loop sewer beneath plac Wolności with some photographs and a little bit of information about their construction. If nothing else, it’s a great way to cool down on a hot day.

Afternoon

Manufaktura

1pm: Lunch – Manufaktura
Where the past of Łódź meets the present, Manufaktura could be considered the symbol of the city today. Originally a complex of red-brick textiles factories, it has now been revitalised as an enormous shopping, restaurant, and cultural space. And thanks to the 50-odd restaurants, there is plenty of choice when it comes to eating lunch.

We recommend Hot Spoon, Anatewka, Szpulka, Bawełna, and Galicja, among others. Most have attractive outside dining. So take a wander and let your stomach decide.

It takes less than 10 minutes to walk to Manufaktura from plac Wolności. Head directly north from the square into Nowomiejska and carry on until you reach the main road. Cross into the park and veer slightly left, following the path across the grass in a north-westerly direction. Eventually you’ll emerge from the other side of the path on Zachodnia, a main road, close to the Manufaktura tram stop. Cross the road here and join the footpath into the complex. If you see a crowd of people all walking in the same direction, chances are they’re headed to Manufaktura.

Museum of Łódź

2pm: Museum of Łódź
One of the best ways to understand the history of Łódź is to visit the city museum. Based in the urban palace of factory owner Izrael Poznańki, it showcases sumptuous interiors from the late 18th century, and includes a basement museum telling the history of that rapid rise, fall, and rise again under Poland’s tumultuous modern history.

Note: the museum closes at 5pm, but three hours should be plenty of time to see everything, and it is open until 7pm at weekends. It is also closed on Mondays. Admission is free on Wednesday.

We have written a complete walkthrough of the Museum of Łódź, so you’ll know what to expect.

If you come out of the main entrance to Manufaktura on Zachodnia – you’ll see a tram stop and park in front of you. Then turn right on the main road and follow the Poznańki building down to the museum entrance, just around the corner on Ogrodowa. The walk takes roughly 5 minutes.

Museum of Art MS2

5pm: Manufaktura
You could probably do with a sit down and some refreshments after the museum, so head back into Manufaktura and find somewhere comfortable. It’s worth spending an hour or so here having a proper look round and maybe doing some shopping. In addition to the large mall, which is open until 10pm, there is also a museum about the city’s industrial past, a contemporary art gallery, a cinema complex, a bowling alley, and lots of other attractions. You may decide to stay here for an evening meal, depending on your schedule.

Getting back to Manufaktura is easy when you exit the museum. Either turn right, walk for a few minutes, and turn right again through the original factory gates or turn left, follow the building along the main road, then left again.

Evening

Ato Sushi

7pm: Dinner – Piotrkowska / Gen. Romualda Traugutta
It makes sense to finish the day back where you started off. Piotrkowska wakes up through the day and really comes into its own at night, particularly on a long, warm evening. The tables spill out onto the pavements and there’s very little traffic about.

The area around the Grand Hotel, on the junction between Piotrkowska and Gen. Romualda Traugutta is a good base, with a choice of Ato Sushi, the crêperie Manekin, the Georgian and Armenian Lavash and many others. Returning to OFF Piotrkowska is also an excellent choice.

Catch the 2, 3, or 11 tram from the Manufaktura stop on Zachodnia, just up the road from the Museum of Łódź. Ride 3 stops, disembarking at Kościuszki – 6 Sierpnia (stop number 1403). With Manufaktura behind you, turn left into 6 Sierpnia, and walk for a few minutes back to Piotrkowska. Gen. Romualda Traugutta is straight ahead. The journey takes about 15 minutes in total.

JABEERWOCKY Craft Beer Pub

8.30pm: Nightlife – Around Piotrkowska / Gen. Romualda Traugutta
This area of Piotrkowska is also great for nightlife, with popular bars such as the JABEERWOCKY Craft Beer Pub and Owoce i Warzywa. A little further down, tucked into a passageway is 6 Dzielnica – a ‘hidden’ bar and events space that’s like a private party in a pretty Łódź tenement apartment. Most venues are open until midnight and later at the weekend. Try out one or two until you find somewhere that suits your mood. Note, however, that many places will be closed at the start of the week.

Łódź Map

Plan your Łódź visit with our Łódź map of the attractions, restaurants, sightseeing and hotels in Łódź.

Each type of landmark has a different colour marker on the map:

• YELLOW / ORANGE: Łódź Sightseeing
• GREEN: Łódź Transportation
• BLUE: Hotels in Łódź
• PURPLE: Shopping In Łódź
• DARK RED: Restaurants in Łódź
• LIGHT RED: Nightlife 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.

More Łódź Itineraries

See our range of itineraries to suit your stay in Łódź:

• Łódź Two-Day Itinerary
  Łódź is packed with things to do, but you can still see a lot in two days. This itinerary is perfect for getting the most out of two full days, such as a long weekend.
• Łódź Three-Day Itinerary
  This three-day schedule includes many key attractions, such as Piotrkowska Street, the Museum of Łódź, and the Film Museum. But it also has a relaxing afternoon in the city’s aquapark.
• Sightseeing In Łódź
  This page summarises the key attractions you won’t want to miss during your trip to Łódź, with information on how to visit them.
• Things To Do In Łódź
  This page is full of suggestions for some essential and fun things to see and do in Łódź. Here, we offer an overview of different activities and link out to where you can find out more information.