28 Jun Łódź, a forgotten jewel in Poland’s crown
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There are some city break destinations that seem to be forever overlooked, places that lack the big name recognition of major capitals, or the cultural appeal of up and coming or rejuvenated cities. But the world is a large place and sticking to what you know isn’t always the best way to explore and make fascinating new discoveries. So it’s in this vein of discovery that we thought we would talk about the often overlooked city of Łódź, which is in Poland (just in case you didn’t know ;)).
A city of industrial grandeur
Whilst not everyone has heard of Łódź, it is in fact the third largest city in Poland, after Warsaw and Krakow. And surprisingly, it was Poland’s second largest city until the collapse of communism, being the industrial base of the country prior to and during this period. This industrial heritage has left the city with some truly monumental buildings, such as red brick factories from the late 19th Century to mid-century brutalism. So think Manchester crossed with East Berlin.
The romanticism of decline
As with most post-industrial cities the world over, the glories of the past can be seen everywhere. Along with the former factories, the city contains many mansions and large houses that once belonged to former industrialists. Many of these once grand residences, often built in a Viennese style, are in a state of slow decline, with crumbling decorative features and tumbledown appearances. But this decline is more often than not met face-to-face with the city’s rejuvenation, which gives the place an intoxicating atmosphere of energy and change.
Manufaktura
It’s often said that this Polish city lacks a centre, as its topography was completely determined by the needs of the former factories. Whilst this may be true to a degree, Łódź has plenty of other areas to make up for this. Not least is Manufaktura. As the name suggests this was a former factory, which once occupied a large part of the city, and which has now been transformed into a centre of entertainment and culture. Here you’ll find restaurants, shops, museums, cinemas, theatres and much more. All of these attractions are nestled within the original imposing red brick of the factory buildings, which makes this one of the most beautiful leisure destinations you ever likely to see.
Piotrkowska
Another great destination in Łódź is Piotrkowska Street, which is a seemingly never ending pedestrian street full of shops and restaurants. It’s apparently the longest pedestrian street in Europe, measuring more than three miles. This makes the street perfect for a stroll, whilst browsing the many pastel coloured shop facades, as well as a great place to eat dinner, free from traffic and car fumes.
The Parks
The city plan of Łódź was created in order to provide recreational spaces next to each factory for the workers to enjoy, in order to optimise their rest and leisure time. This means that today the city has many fine mature parks dotted around the city, which provide the perfect respite from some of the more imposing buildings.
It’s also great value
A big determiner for any holiday is price, and this is where Poland comes up trumps compared to many other European destinations. Hotels, taxis, restaurants and drinks are amongst the cheapest in Europe, meaning your money will go a lot further and you can get more out of your holiday.
If you’re travelling to Poland, do it with travel insurance
Whilst Poland is a cheap destination compared to many other European countries, don’t try and cut costs by not buying travel insurance. Even if you have an EHIC card, this doesn’t guarantee access to medical services in all areas that are free at the point of delivery, nor will it cover you for cancellation, baggage and money, and trip delay, as well as the many other benefits that travel insurance provides.
With Coverontrip, the cost of a 4 day travel insurance policy to Poland starts at just £6.65 for a 25 year. So to get cheap travel insurance for Poland, get a quote from Coverontrip travel insurance today.
