I probably wouldn’t have visited Lodz without my Polish friend Kami telling me about it, but as soon as she mentioned the words “industrial” and “street art” I knew I had to see it.
You should really see it too. In fact, stop reading this post and go book tickets there now. Trust me.
Unless you were also taught not to trust people you meet online, in which case I guess you had better read on (and also, ouch).
In many ways Lodz looks like a rundown, once-booming industrial city with impressive but in many places deteriorating Art Nouveau architecture. But in a remarkably successful effort to reinvigorate the city, the Urban Forms Foundation has saturated the city with art, most noticeably with its permanent exhibition of street art scattered through Lodz.
And I don’t mean just a few murals drawn on some walls. I mean some serious street art.
Street Art in Lodz, Poland
street art murals in Lodz, Poland
Artists from around the world have transformed the sides of Lodz’s buildings into some quite amazing pieces of art.
Um, why doesn’t every city do this?
On Kami’s advice, we downloaded a map of Lodz’s street art and spent the day in search of the murals.
It made for a great walking tour of the city as it took us around the main areas, plus it was fun to always be peeking around corners in anticipation of a new painting.
I loved the contrast between the crumbling art nouveau buildings and bright murals. I also loved the huge variety in the street art. I kept announcing that each new mural I saw was my favorite, ha! So hard to decide.
Most people I spoke to in Poland seemed surprised that Lodz was one of my favorite cities here, but can you blame me?
While I love the cute old town centers of Poland’s main tourist cities, Lodz was something totally different. And yet it was definitely one of the most enchanting cities I traveled to in Poland.
Where to Stay in Lodz
Dan and I stayed at Flamingo Hostel in Lodz, and it was probably one of the most beautifully decorated hostels I’ve been to! I loved the bright colors and huge common areas, and the extensive breakfast buffet certainly didn’t hurt either.
We stayed in a double room with one of the most comfortable mattresses of my trip (I also love when hostels use white sheets). I wholeheartedly recommend staying there! The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and clearly enthusiastic about Lodz – though really, who wouldn’t be? Check current rates and availability here
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Many thanks to Flamingo Hostel for hosting us in Lodz. As always, all opinions are my very own!
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Vera says
That seems like a fun city to visit, although some draws are kind of creepy. Thanks for sharing it, I would have probably never heart of Lodz if it hadn’t been for you! Have a nice day,
Vera
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Esther says
Okay, I just came back from a Poland trip, but this post makes me want to pack my bags again. Lodz has made the list!
Silvia says
Yesss it so deserves a place there!
becky hutner says
amazing! i love street art so much. especially when it involves chicks with blue hair & dreamcatcher earrings.
Silvia says
Right? I don’t know who she is, but I want to be her friend.
Kailey | The Blonde Travelista says
hahah sometimes I think it’s just my mom that reads my blog. Your comment on that made me laugh.
I love all of the street art! Great post, thanks for sharing 🙂
Silvia says
I mean, sometimes my dad and sister read it too. I think.
Jo says
That street art is so cool! I love it when kind-of-ugly cities pretty themselves up like this. It reminds me of Vaparaiso in Chile, which was a bit grimy but the street art made it stunning. I’d only ever really heard of Lodz as one of those obscure Ryanair airports, now I kind of want to book a flight there.
Silvia says
Oh I would love to go to Vaparaiso! It’s terrible, but while I’ve been exploring Europe my mind keeps wandering to South America – I guess the grass is always greener!
Ashlea Wheeler says
So cool! This is some seriously amazing street art, I’m glad you decided to head to Lodz 😀 I didn’t get to stop by, but was really impressed with the street art in other Polish cities. You can see some pics I took in Wroclaw here!
Silvia says
Thanks for the link! I also really loved Wroclaw. And well, basically every Polish city I went to, ha.
Justine says
Um, I’m in love…
Silvia says
Me. Too.
Sam says
Yea, I definitely need to spend more time in Poland. I have friends who grew up in Łódź, and I think their parents would definitely not recommend that I visit…but I think that would make me want to go even more. After meeting Kami a couple of weeks ago myself, I can see why you’d trust her recommendations without question!
Silvia says
Haha that’s usually how I decide to visit places too! Either that or taking Kami’s advice 🙂
Rachael says
I never thought much about visiting Poland, but your posts make me want to go! It is SO pretty!
Traveling Rockhopper says
Everywhere we can find something nice 🙂
Silvia says
Especially in Lodz 🙂
Heather @ Ferreting Out the Fun says
So much fantastic art! Totally agree that more cities need to encourage this sort of creative expression. I hope to add this place to my own Poland itinerary!
Silvia says
You should definitely add Lodz to the itinerary!
Jenny @ Till the Money Runs Out says
Wow, it looks like the entire city is an epic art museum! I especially love the M.C. Escher looking one with chubby guys on a 3-d chessboard.
Silvia says
That was one of my favorite’s as well! I love that it includes their shadows.
Victoria@ The British Berliner says
Wow! I’ve never been to Lodz but I do like the Street Art! Poland is such a versatile place with so many different sides to it and much more than what it seems at first glance. ‘Love the place and your photos LOL! 🙂
Silvia says
Poland really does have SO much going for it – it’s amazing all the sites for tourists to uncover!
mal says
Hi!
I’m form Łódź and I just wanted to say that I’m really glad that you liked my city.
Have you seen Inti’s murals during your visit? Those two are my favourites. I added photos of them below in comment because, you know, they’re gorgeous and I want more people to see them 😉
http://www.galeriaurbanforms.org/.thumbs/1100x750_prop/files/image/UrbanForm/_MG_6087.jpg
http://nowagaleria.outline.ultra.pl/files/image/UrbanForm/INTIufmurals.jpg
Silvia says
Oh no, I didn’t see those murals but they are gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing – I will have to search for them next time I visit!
ggooxx says
u should also take a look on graffittis in Lodz. there are a lot of places where u can legally make your own piece of art for example near Kaliska Station, maybe u noticed this, or at Off Piotrkowska Centre. for sure, Lodz is a capital of street art in Poland.
Silvia says
Oh wow, that sounds so cool!
Mateusz Wojtkiewicz says
Łódź is a beautiful city in almost every way – it’s just extremely devastated and slowly renovating.
Silvia says
It’s doing an impressive job of renovating!
bizon says
I’ve lived in Łódź for the last 13 years now and I can see how much this city is changing. Once it was a huge centre of textile industry, then almost all of those factories were closed and the city became something of a Polish Detroit. Lost some 100,000 citizens who went abroad or to other big Polish cities. Now it’s slowly starting to bounce back, some of the old houses are being renovated, street art is flourishing. Most Poles would still tell you it’s the ugliest city in Poland but people from abroad seem to like it much more 😉
Silvia says
It does seem to have such an interesting history, and I love that it’s transformed so much!
OlciQ says
Hello!
I live near Łódź (c.a. 8km to city centre) and I love this city! But, here, in Poland, we say, that Łódź is th place that you can love or hate. There is nothing between 🙂 I am so glad, that you love Łódź 🙂
Silvia says
I definitely fell on the love side 🙂
M. says
Thank you !
Mike says
I am glad to see Łódź (Lodz) getting some worldwide recognition ^^. It is even more precious as even most of Polish people seem to love to hate us.
Great post, thank you!
Lodz “native” 🙂
Silvia says
Well I definitely fell in love with Lodz 🙂
lodzianin says
I have lived in Lodz for the most of my life, which is more than 30 years now. I’ve always hated this city. Yes, I have to give it some credit -there are some changes around here recently -which as for me, make it perhaps just a little less hateable. But still… Yes, we have the street art, and some cultural events, we have Manufaktura, Piotrkowska str, Ksiezy Mlyn, Ogrodowa, Palac Poznanskich, and couple of other nice places to see. But we have also the worst traffic in Europe (and second worst in the world! according to TomTom), high unemployment and low salaries, the rest of the city apart from murals is actually as ugly as the legends say, it is dangerous here due to high crime rate, and the people in general seem less friendly then anywhere else I’ve been to. And believe me, I used to travel a bit. You think it is a great place to visit? Yeah, probably it is – to come, stay for a week, see what is worth to see, and then to return to your cosy nest somewhere in UK, Swiss, Sweden or Germany. Cheers!
Silvia says
It’s so interesting to hear a locals perspective on Lodz because, you’re right, I only saw it as a tourist. Thanks for enlightening me!
Sebastian says
Is a city with an identity
Sebastian says
More beautiful photos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i-HZltYmEA
Silvia says
Thanks so much for sharing!
lukas says
Hey Sylvia , You have very interesting blog. I m glad, that you was in lodz, and you like this city. I m 30 yeras old and I have been lived in Łodz since a was born. It is very specific city and now in Lodz are some nice and beautiful pleces for example Manufuaktura, Piotrkowska Street and Atrurówek ( it is kind of little lake outside the city) Greetings for You from Lodz 😉
Silvia says
Thanks, Lukas! I would love to return to Lodz and see more of it!
Shing says
I love Lodz too Silvia! Isn’t the amount of street art astonishing? I’m loving the comments left by locals, it’s so heart-warming! I’ve been to Lodz twice so I’m due a third visit soon 😀
Lei Angeles says
Amazing, interesting place, glad you shared it!
Silvia says
It was very interesting!
Frida says
I was born in lodz and lived there for 12 years and visited lodz again two years ago
You didn’t remind cultural life and reach history including Jewish history of lodz
The museum and most of the textile industry was built by Jews and belonged to Jews
In lodz was and stil exist the getto from where most of Jews were sent to aushwitz
Somebody told me that God has forgotten lodz
I believe that the city will recover only when she will uncover her glorious history as the biggest and most important Jewish citizence city in poland
Kathy says
Thanks for the great picture. So nice city with me <3