The present area taken by Łódź used to be an endless Puszcza Łódzka - the Łódź Forest. Now 2378 hectares of the city are still taken by the forest. The largest compact forest complexes, lying within the town, are: Las Łagiewnicki, Uroczysko Lublinek, Uroczysko Ruda Popioły. Ancient trees, the remnants of old forests, may also be found in the oldest parks: the Piłsudskiego Park, the Poniatowskiego Park ,the Źródliska Park, the Mickiewicza Park and the 3 Maja Park. In Łódź, the total area taken by over 30 parks is 503.8 hectares. Additionally, the Botanic Garden, taking 641.1 hectares, with 3.500 plant species and varieties, the Zoo, and four sport and recreation centres covering in total the area of 171.1 hectares, may also be included in the park area. 11 parks are registered as natural monuments.

The Łagiewnicki Forest is the largest municipal forest in Poland. Architectural monuments, like the baroque monastery complex of the Franciscan order and the oldest monuments in Łódź - two wooden chapels dating to 1676 and 1703, are located in the forest area. The whole area belongs to the Landscape Park of the Łódź Hills.

The 1 Maja Park, with its vast Stefański lake, is of special interest as it offers opportunities for various types of recreation, aswell as the Rudzka Mountain, a natural rise with a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings.