Everybody loves Łódź, right? Well, there are still many who have never heard of it and the city may not be an obvious tourist destination for anyone, let alone families with young children. But you're either planning to go or are here now and you're thinking what to do, and importantly, how to keep the kids and yourselves entertained and happy, right? Thankfully, we have experience in this field and we're happy to share with you our recommendations.
First off, Łódź has plenty of sightseeing, but we agree, maybe not all places are suited for a younger crowd. You can only expect the younglings to be quiet and respectful in churches, memorial sites and boring history museums for so long, and you can’t expect them to fully enjoy the same places you may like, such as cellar bars or stylish clubs, unless you're seeking a visit from child protection services... There must be something else to do in this town, right? Some form of middle ground for kids, adults and the kidults among us? Yup! What we've learned during our time exploring the city is that not only is it quite an impressive place for anyone wishing to explore, it also has quite a lot of stuff for kids to see and enjoy, come rain or shine, hot or cold weather, you'll always be occupied! We’ve listed local family-friendly destinations throughout our guide, plus reliable recommendations for where to eat and drink where your kids will be treated as welcome customers, rather than ire-inducing annoyances. Don't worry, folks, we've got you covered.
Helpful Hints
Sometimes the best thing to do when there’s easy-tiring kids involved and you want to see as much as possible is to simply walk around, or take a charming rickshaw ride, along ul. Piotrkowska, where along the way you will see many funky monuments the kids will love, like the Lamp Man, the Hollyłódz walk of fame, and at the beginning of the street, some fantastic street art in the form of the reflective world of Róża's Passage – great for a photo opportunity! If you have slightly older kids, then cycling around the city using Łódź's public City Bike rental scheme (available Apr-Nov) is a fantastic option, that way you'll get to see more of the city more quickly, all while cycling around - who doesn't like bikes, right?! One of the great things about Łódź is that it's great for visual stuff, quite an aesthetic city, if you will, and with the Light Move Festival coming up in September, the streets and various buildings will be lit up all manners of bright colours, which will be visually stunning and entertaining. If that's not enough, during Christmas, the city is adorned with lights, and the impressive displays on Piotrkowska are quite unique – the full length of the street is covered in twinkling lights and decorations! If that wasn't enough, Christmas stalls will be on the street, and in Manufaktura too, to really set the mood for the season, along with an ice rink!
