A former textile city with one of the longest shopping streets in Europe, the restored Manufaktura mill, the EC1 culture complex and dozens of murals. An easy urban day out, under two hours from Warsaw by train.
Trip plan
Plan for the day
- 08:30 — take the train from Warsaw to Łódź Fabryczna.
- 10:15 — walk Piotrkowska Street from Freedom Square southward, stopping at townhouses and courtyards.
- 12:30 — lunch on Piotrkowska or in a side street.
- 14:00 — Manufaktura: the former Poznański mill, now a museum, square and shopping centre.
- 16:00 — EC1: the planetarium and a former power plant turned into a culture centre.
- 17:30 — follow the mural trail and see the courtyards of Off Piotrkowska.
- 19:30 — train back to Warsaw.
The centre is easy on foot, and trams link the districts. Set aside a separate hour for the murals, as they are scattered across many streets.
What to see
- Piotrkowska Street, one of the longest shopping streets in Europe, with its Walk of Fame.
- Manufaktura and the buildings of Izrael Poznański's textile factory.
- EC1: the planetarium, the Comics and Interactive Narration Centre and the old power-plant halls.
- Poznański Palace, now the City Museum of Łódź.
- Murals on townhouse walls, one of the city's signatures.
- Księży Młyn, a workers' district built of red brick.
Where to eat
Piotrkowska has cafes and restaurants at every price, and the courtyards of Off Piotrkowska are good for lunch and coffee. For a cheaper meal, try a milk bar with home-style pierogi and breaded cutlet. Look for local bakeries and pastry shops that keep to old recipes.
Photos: Scotch Mist, CC BY-SA 4.0; Zorro2212, CC BY-SA 4.0; kreon1974, CC BY-SA 3.0