HER WAY.POLAND.
Łódź
Łódź
Poland. Your way. Three destinations, three different adventures.
THE CITY
Łódź. Her Way.
This is the city that reinvented itself, taking the enormous red-brick factory buildings of its industrial past and turning them into galleries, rooftop bars, boutique hotels and creative spaces. The street art alone is worth the trip. The food scene will keep you there longer than you planned.
Łódź moves at its own pace, more relaxed, with none of the tourist crowds you’ll find elsewhere. Piotrkowska Street, one of Europe’s longest pedestrianised streets, runs through the heart of the city and gives you everything you need within easy walking distance. It’s 75 minutes from Warsaw by train, good value, and one of the most underrated and undiscovered cities in Europe.
The pace is slower, the prices are lower, and the creative scene is genuinely worth discovering.
This is your guide to Poland. Her Way.
EXPERIENCES
What to do in Łódź
Culture & History
Manufaktura
One of Poland’s largest lifestyle and cultural complexes, set within the revitalised 19th-century textile factory of Izrael Poznański. The Museum of the Factory offers insight into Łódź’s textile heritage, with a particular focus on the lives of female factory workers who shaped the city’s identity.
Arts & Culture
Museum of Art (ms²)
Located within the Manufaktura complex, ms² presents one of the most important collections of modern and contemporary art in Central Europe, with highlights from leading Polish female artists including Katarzyna Kobro, Magdalena Abakanowicz and Ewa Partum.
Culture & History
Piotrkowska Street
One of Europe’s longest commercial streets and the vibrant heart of Łódź. Lined with historic townhouses, former factories, cafés and concept stores, it offers a dynamic mix of heritage and contemporary urban life, including the Rose Passage, art installations and the iconic chandelier at number 118.
Food & Drink
OFF Piotrkowska
A creative hub set within former industrial buildings, OFF Piotrkowska brings together fashion, design, gastronomy and independent culture. Explore local Polish designers and stay for dinner at Spółdzielnia, one of the courtyard’s standout restaurants.
Culture & History
Księży Młyn
Once the industrial empire of Karol Scheibler, Księży Młyn is a unique 19th-century self-sufficient factory complex transformed into a creative and residential district, combining historic architecture with modern design and attracting artists and filmmakers.
Culture & History
EC1 – City of Culture
A former power plant transformed into a multidisciplinary centre for science, culture and film. Key attractions include the Science and Technology Centre, the Centre of Comics and Interactive Narration, and the National Centre for Film Culture, with interactive exhibitions throughout.
SEEN THROUGH HER EYES
Courtney’s Łódź
Courtney has an eye for the overlooked, the quiet corner, the worn detail, the moment that doesn’t make the tourist trail. It’s what makes her the perfect guide to Łódź. Where others might walk past the red brick and patina of this city’s industrial past, Hannah stops, looks closer, and finds something beautiful. Her world is unhurried, atmospheric and deeply visual, and Łódź, with its street art, its creative courtyards and its refusal to be anything other than itself, is exactly her kind of place.
Travelling Łódź solo, what you need to know.
Getting Around
- Łódź is approximately 75 minutes from Warsaw by direct InterCity train, one of the most straightforward and affordable journeys in Poland. Trains run frequently throughout the day.
- From the UK, the most practical route is to fly to Warsaw and travel to Łódź by train. Łódź also has its own airport (LCJ) with some international connections.
- The city centre is navigable on foot. Piotrkowska Street runs north-to-south and acts as a natural reference point. Trams and buses cover wider areas, with the same ticketing system as other Polish cities.
Staying Safe
- Łódź is generally a safe city. The central areas around Piotrkowska Street and Manufaktura are well-used and well-lit throughout the day and evening.
- As with any city, exercise standard caution in quieter residential areas after dark. The old tenement districts away from the main streets are best avoided late at night.
- Piotrkowska Street has a lively bar and club scene, take normal precautions on weekend evenings in busier stretches.
- Keep an eye on your belongings in crowded areas. Use Bolt or Uber rather than unofficial taxis.
Where to Stay
- The most convenient areas to stay are close to Piotrkowska Street or near the Manufaktura complex, both of which put you within easy walking distance of the city’s main attractions.
- Łódź has a growing boutique hotel scene alongside more established international brands. Apartment rentals are popular and often excellent value.
- For accommodation recommendations, visit lodz.travel/en
Eating & Drinking Solo
- Łódź has a surprisingly strong food and drink scene, and its noticeably better value than Warsaw, budget around 25–45 PLN (£5–9) for a main course in a mid-range restaurant.
- Łódź is known for comforting regional dishes linked to its multicultural heritage, including zalewajka soup and potato-based specialities, alongside a growing modern dining scene shaped by the city’s creative character.
- The area around OFF Piotrkowska is the standout destination for an evening out, a converted industrial courtyard off the main street with independent restaurants, bars and creative studios all in one atmospheric space. Piotrkowska Street itself has everything from coffee shops to sit-down restaurants within easy walking distance.
- For recommendations on where to eat and drink during your visit, the Łódź regional tourism office has a regularly updated guide at lodz.travel/en
Good to Know
- Łódź is pronounced ‘Woodge’ – not as it looks. Locals will appreciate you trying.
- The city is also known as the ‘Polish Hollywood’ – the National Film School here has trained some of Poland’s most acclaimed directors. Film fans will find plenty of references throughout the city.
- For more on what to see, do and explore during your visit, the Łódź regional tourism office is an excellent resource, head to lodz.travel/en for up-to-date guides, maps and recommendations.
