Piotrkowska Street & Adjacent Parks

Run on one of the longest commercial thoroughfares in Europe! This is the central axis of Łódź, and one of the city’s major tourist attractions. It has been revitalized since 1990, and is now the center of historic buildings, museums, restaurants, shops, clubs and pubs. Piotrkowska runs for 4.2 km between Liberty Square (Plac Wolności) and the Independence Square (Plac Niepodległości). It’s fun to get up early and run this street, before the crowds hit it. Also fun to run at night, as it’s well-lit. History & details.

Starting at Liberty Square, head south. The street is lined by a mix of impressive older buildings and some tenement buildings. The first 2 km is largely pedestrianized, and features some important museums, monuments, and sculptures, such as the Lodz Citizens of the Millennium. South of aleja Adama Mickiewicza (aleja=street), it’s less pedestrianized, but the sidewalks are wide. Continue for another ~2 km to Independence Square, where Piotrkowska St. turns into al. Pabianicka.

Add-Ons: There are some good parks for running off Piotrkowska St., particularly toward the southern end. Just south of al. Adama Mickiewicza, head west for 0.5 km to the extensive Prince Józef Poniatowski Park, which has numerous lovely paths for running. At the Central Museum of Textiles, there’s the small Reymont Park. And at the southern end of Piotrkowska, you can do a ~1 km loop around Legionów Park, with its magnolia trees, gardens, & 19th-century villa