Lodz introduction
Pl. Wolnosci in the depth of winterIf 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 startedYour 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.
Latest Lodz Comments:
Football Pub
Cheap and cheerful if any other folk on here don't like it the GTF!! You are in a foreign land it's ...Pub Biblioteka
Spent an excellent night there last saturday12th November. Great choice of beers and good bar staff also....Limos Lodz Ltd
Very good service. We used them for our wedding. And it was perfect...Analogia
I totally agree with the write up of this restaurant. I love Ciągoty i Tęsknoty but Analogia is better with a far greater choice....By car
Great point about safety along the shoulders Pawel. It's important to be doubly careful especially at night and watch for pedestrians....Basics
Whether it's Warszawa Centralna or Lodz Fabryczna train stations are where we have the toughest time getting reliable accurate information from the folks in charge - - you hit the nail on the head Pawel....By car
"Secondly beware of the hard shoulders of these roads the vast majority of which are unlit at night"Technically possibly one might describe them as hard shoulders although where these areas are marked with a solid line it is not permissible to enter them....Basics
The bad news is that Fabryczna is about to be closed for complete renovation beginning on the 17th October 2011 lasting up to four years....Keja
Service is actually really okey and nice. We had just bad luck with one waiter which wasnt really nice and was behaving like last idiot....Football Pub
If you are looking for wall to wall flt screen TV screens with every match available shown in the bar waitresses in body hugging dresses and skirts with a state of the art sound system and cocktails that would put the Worlds greatest bar man to shame then forget it you wont find that ere....City Tourist Information Centre
You are right there isn't an absolute abundance of literature available in English at the Tourist Information Centre but there is your esteemed publication readily available which does a pretty good job of covering what isn't available in other forms....Further reading
So true sadly......Browar De Brasil
Went there last night (May 18th). At 7pm they had no steaks. Guys a Steakhouse without steaks is not a Steakhouse....Łódź Kaliska
Lodz Kaliska is the bread and butter of life in the city. The bar club is 3 stories and offers everything from a nice place to relax with friends live concerts and a packed (and i mean PACKED) dance floor on the weekends....By bus
"The station is full of shops cafés and kiosks providing sustenance mobile phone SIM and top-up cards and little else....