10 must-do things if you are visiting Łódź

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This February I spent one week in Łódź, the third largest city in Poland. Łódź, the former textile industry empire, is located in the central part of the country and it is a city full of art, culture, creative business and amazing architecture. What I liked the most are the post-industrial areas that became space for new entertainment centers, ateliers, shops, studios and original clubs, pubs, restaurants etc.

I discovered the city mostly by walking around, but also from locals who shared with us the best things to do in this city. Below there is a list with interesting and famous things that Łódź is offering and there are also some other great activities and places that most probably you can’t find in the usual what-to-do recommendations, but definitely must experience.

1. Loose some hours at Manufaktura

Manufaktura is an old factory building - that belonged to Izrael Poznański - transformed into an arts centre, shopping mall, and leisure complex in Łódź. Manufaktura is the largest shopping centre in Poland and it really is impressive. It is a combination of industrial architecture on the outside with a modern design on the inside. While you are admiring the complex, try also a restaurant or a coffee shop; they all look amazing inside – so different than the usual locals, with highly creative interior design.

Manufaktura - Lodz

Manufaktura letters

Manufaktura - Lodz

Manufaktura -Lodz

2. Walk on Piotrkowska Street

Located in the center of Łódź, Piotrkowska Street is the longest commercial street in Europe. With a length of 4.9 km, it runs longitudinally in a straight line, between Plac Wolności and Plac Niepodległości, and it is one of the main tourist attractions of the city. You can find on this street the most important administrative offices, banks, shops, restaurants and pubs and most of the events are also taking place here.

Piotrkowska Street

Art on Piotrkowska Street

Restaurant on Piotrkowska Street

Bronze statue of Arthur Rubinstein

Piotrkowska Street

Bronze statue

3. Eat pancakes at Manekin

We had a couple of dinners at Manekin. I am telling you, these are not just the best pancakes in Łódź, but the best ones that you will ever eat. You can choose from a variety of combinations from fresh, with meet or vegetarian to sweet ones. Just take a look at the pictures below.

Pancake

Image source

Pancakes with M&M's

Image source

4. Visit the Art_Inkubator

Art_Inkubator in Fabryka Sztuki is a center for culture and entrepreneurship, a place that supports creative people in their market activity and realizes activities with the aim of promoting art.

Fabryka Sztuki also organises many events that you could attend – theatre spectacles, concerts and performances, festivals, workshops etc. The events are announced on the website.

Art_Inkubator - Building A

Art_Inkubator - Cafe

Buildings C and B joined by glass roof

Art_Inkubator

Art_Inkubator stage

5. Watch a movie at International Movie Night

The International Movie Night is organised by Aliensin Łódź – an international and intercultural community which aims to bring people together through art and culture. While I was in Łódź, I watched “Ida” – a movie directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, that was set in this city. The movie won the Oscar for The Best Foreign Language Film, so I can say that it was a beautiful experience.

International Movie Night with a group of amazing people

6. Eat dumplings (also known as pierogi)

The best dumplings in Łódź (so I’ve been told) are at Galicja. You can find this restaurant at Manufaktura (the exact address is st. Ogrodowa 19a). We ate there in the first night and I really liked this place.

Galicja restaurant

Galijia restaurant - secont floor

7. Go to a Language Exchange Meeting

Every Thursday at 6 Dzielnica Pub there is a Language Exchange meeting. Basically, you can meet people from other countries and speak with them in the common languages that you know. Read more about this experience in my article - Languageexchange – meeting people, practicing foreign languages and having fun.

Language Exchange Meeting

Language exchange

8. Go to OFF Piotrkowska and treat yourself at Eko Targ

OFF Piotrkowska is a project that has taken over the former Ramisch factory, whose aim is to stimulate Lodz through cultural activities, art and creative business. You can find it at OFF Piotrkowska 138/140.

"Czesc" means "Hi" in Polish

Graffiti

OFF Piotrkowska

Every Saturday at OFF Piotrkowska Center there is an Eko Targ. I went there and I enjoyed it. They let me taste the products and I am telling you that everything was as delicious as it looks in the photos.

OFF Piotrkowska - Eko Market

Eko Market

Home made eko bread

Home made eko sweets

Eko fish

Eko fruit juice

9. Walk through the city and admire the murals

Łódź is becoming an important centre of street art in Poland and in the world. Let me start by mentioning the Urban Forms Foundation, that was created in 2009 with the aim of promoting “living” culture and art that would improve the current image of Łódź, giving it a truly artistic and original value.

The main tool to reach their mission is large format painting done directly on the side elevations of buildings. Here is the interesting part. The Urban Forms Gallery, the main project of Urban Forms Foundation, is actually a permanent exhibition of street art in the public space of the city that consists of more than 30 large format paintings, murals, created directly on the blank walls of buildings along the main streets of Łódź. You can visit the exhibition by foot. And here is a map with the location of every mural in Łódź: http://www.galeriaurbanforms.org/ (you can find information about the artists by clicking on each number).