Attractions Nearby Lodz, Day Trips and Excursions

(Lodz, Western Mazovia, Poland)

There are many good attractions close to Lodz, which come in the form of leading Polish cities and smaller towns filled with bags of character. Reasonably close to Lodz and making the perfect weekend break is Krakow and its well-preserved attractions, which emerged from the Second World War completed unscathed.

The city of Warsaw is also nearby and being the capital of Poland, contains many of the country's most significant attractions, which really do warrant a day trip at the absolute minimum. Considerably closer is the Polish town of Lowicz, while the city of Plock is a little further away from Lodz, where its magnificent 12th-century castle and its adjacent Diocesa Museum deserve some attention.

Krakow

Poland's third-largest city of Krakow is within reach of Lodz, although the journey of 260 km / 162 miles does take around three and a half hours, so a visit to this city is really more of an overnighter or short break than an actual day trip. For many years, Krakow was the royal capital and its endless attractions often reflect this important period of its past. A wealth of magnificent Gothic churches soar high into the sky and dominate Krakow's skyline. It is true to say that no other city in the whole of Poland contains such a wealth of historical attractions and monuments, and indeed works of art.

Plock

Situated high on a cliff top and overlooking the River Vistula, the city of Plock is approximately 117 km / 73 miles to the north of Lodz. The historic Old Town is always of great interest and contains a number of noteworthy attractions, although the splendid riverside setting alone makes Plock worth visiting. Those who do make the effort to visit Plock will find the remaining brick towers of the city's Gothic castle, which are known as the Clock Tower and the Nobleman's Tower. Housed within the 16th-century Benedictine Abbey is the Mazovian Museum and its historical exhibits relating to Plock and its castle.

Lowicz

Lowicz is a small and historic town within central Poland and was established during the 12th century. Situated some 55 km / 34 miles to the north-east of Lodz, Lowicz is perhaps best known for its central Old Town Square (Stary Rynek) and its numerous surrounding attractions, which include the enormous cathedral. Lowicz is a prominent regional centre for many traditional Polish handicrafts and is always heaving with crowds during its Corpus Christi celebrations each year.

Warsaw

Warsaw is the vibrant capital of Poland and lies around 137 km / 85 miles to the north-east of Lodz, being just over two hours away. This is an enormous city with a population of around 1.8 million and an excellent selection of attractions, a number of which are truly world-class. The architecture within the beautifully restored Old Town is especially impressive and boasts a long stretch of medieval city walls. Also in Warsaw, look out for the priceless treasures within the National Museum, along with the Palace of Culture and Science, the Presidential Palace, the Royal Castle, and the St. John's Cathedral, which dates from the 14th century,

Wroclaw

A significant city and Poland's fourth-largest, Wroclaw is situated within the Lower Silesia area and based around the Odra River, being 211 km / 131 miles to the south-west of Lodz. Wroclaw is steeped in history and a number of its very best attractions surround the Old Market Square (Rynek), where its town hall remains amongst the country's most splendid and took almost 200 years to complete (1327 - 1504). The main sight in Wroclaw is without doubt the Raclawice Panorama, a popular cyclorama situated close to the Museum of Architecture.