Lodz introduction

If there were ever any doubts that Lodz is on the rise then celebrity chef Magda Gessler has quashed them: in December the restaurateur who has venues in Warsaw chose the city’s huge Manufaktura mall as the latest recipient of not one but three new Gessler restaurants: Polish-themed Polka, the heady Italian of Marcello and the healthy-on-the-go MG Eat. The openings of the three restaurants – which happened on the same night in December - - were full of pomp and celebrities as all eyes were on Lodz.

But hey, we didn’t need Magda Gessler to tell us that Lodz is a diamond in the rough (as you may have noticed, we’ve devoted the guide you hold in your hands to that very fact). We’re just happy to see that Lodz is getting the credit it deserves. Every time we head out to a new venue we’re continually excited about the changes that are coming to the city. Newcomer Klub Pomarancza is basically the Gessler of clubs – they have dens of booty-shaking in Katowice and Bielsko-Biala – and they recently descended on Lodz to find a willing crowd of dance fiends wrestling for entry every night.

The city’s accommodations seem to be feeling the sweeping wave of change and are modernising accordingly. Boutique Hotel has invested in a hefty renovation that has more than tripled the number of rooms they offer and lays out the slickest conveniences for demanding travellers. An honourable mention also goes to Aparts, a new bed and breakfast that has all the comforts of staying in a stylish centralized apartment.

Of course, we’re not fair-weather fans of the city; we don’t just worship at the alter of all that is shiny and new. Every visit is a chance to go back to the places that put Lodz on our radar in the first place, and since the weather is chilly we’ll direct you to two indoor options: The Museum of Cinematography to bone up on your Polish cinema knowledge, and the Experymentarium inside Manufaktura for families who want a diversion from shopping.

In the meantime let us know your thoughts about this guide and please post your opinions about places we on our website (you can even ‘like’ us on Facebook). Until next time – enjoy Lodz.

A little about Łódź to get you started

Your first lesson in Polish: Łódź may look like it’s pronounced Lódź, but it most certainly isn’t. You are now in Woodge, and three hundred years ago the bar or cafe you find yourself sitting in would probably have been a wooden hut with a leak in the roof. In terms of age Łódź is one of the youngest cities in Poland, and a direct product of the Industrial Revolution, which explains its oft-used nickname, ‘The Manchester of Poland’. You may ask why anyone would go on holiday to Manchester? And why in heavens name go on holiday to Poland’s version of Manchester? But while Łódź cannot boast the twee charisma of Prague and Kraków a scratch of the surface rewards the intrepid traveller with a city stuffed with wacky stories, dark history and some of the country's finest after-dark venues – you’ll find them all here. First mentioned in the 14th century it was the industrial revolution that saw the population balloon, and the city emerge as Poland’s youngest metropolis. The birth of the textile industry saw Łódź dubbed The Promised Land, with thousands flocking from central Europe, England and even Switzerland to make their fortunes. WWII saw the city's rich ethnic balance destroyed, the Jewish population butchered, the Germans exiled and the Russians heading back whence they came. Now, in spite of massive unemployment, Łódź remains an important cog in the Polish wheel, and the Manufaktura project ranks as one of the most impressive urban regeneration projects in Europe. More surprisingly, the city is also at the heart of Polish art and counter-culture. The famous film school, founded in 1948 as a pet project of Stalin, has nurtured the talent of Polanski, Wajda and Kieślowski while ul. Piotrkowska, Europe’s longest pedestrian street, rates as one of Poland’s most famous party streets. Whatever your pleasures enjoy the city.