The pretty but underrated European city with hardly any tourists and £30 flights from UK
The charming Polish city is not as popular as Warsaw or Krakow but has plenty to offer to international visitors.
A delightful city that has only left its small village past behind in the last century is an excellent alternative to more popular destinations in Europe.
Developed at the behest of Russian Tsar Alexander I from 1816 onwards, Łódź is today the third largest city in Poland by number of inhabitants.
In less than 100 years the local population increased, exceeding 500,000 people at the beginning of 1900, having become the most important textile production centre of the then-Russian Empire.
The great mix of cultures attracted by the industrial boom of the 19th century made Łódź a lively city that soon placed itself in a central position when it came to innovations.
The city's development stopped after World War 1 but in the last 15 years, Łódź has benefited from a renewed artistic and cultural impetus that has made it become the Polish Hollywood.
The city is home to the renowned State School of Cinema, Television and Theatre, which has seen directors of the calibre of Roman Polanski trained.
Over the past two decades, Łódź has reconverted and restyled many of its industrial spaces into lively cultural hubs.
The local university attracts hundreds of new students each year, making the central Poland city a nursery of creative talents.
Piotrkowska Street is the main artery of the city, with four kilometres of shops, clubs, sculptures and galleries.
In the evening, especially on weekends, the street turns into a huge swarm of young people who crowd its many clubs and pubs.
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Along the entire length of Piotrkowska Street, it is possible to find bronze sculptures depicting famous people linked to the city reproduced in the act of carrying out daily actions or who have distinguished them.
Direct flights from the UK to Łódź are available for as little as £30 from London Stansted.
The local Łódź Airport Central Poland also offers flights to and from East Midlands Airport. Flights to and from Birmingham Airport will become available from October 28, 2024.
Tourists planning a longer visit to Poland can travel into Warsaw and then either drive or take the train 183km southeast through the centre of the country.
