Międzybrodzie Żywieckie

Powiat żywiecki · Silesian Voivodeship · Poland
Międzybrodzie Żywieckie — photo 1 Międzybrodzie Żywieckie — photo 2 Międzybrodzie Żywieckie — photo 3 3

Photos: Krystyna W., CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons); No machine-readable author provided. WitekTHC assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain (Wikimedia Commons); Art-X, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Międzybrodzie Żywieckie is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Czernichów, within Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It is located on the south-eastern shore of Międzybrodzkie Lake, in the valley of the Isepnica stream, on the slopes of the Little Beskids mountains—Żar, Kiczera, Cisowa Grapa, Malecki, and Jaworzyna. The area is surrounded by picturesque mountain landscapes, making it ideal for recreation and active tourism.

The history of Międzybrodzie Żywieckie dates back to the 16th century, when settlers began clearing forests and establishing mountain villages. The first mention of the village is from 1598. Over the centuries, it belonged to the Duchy of Oświęcim, the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and later Austria. The name comes from a salt and copper trade route that crossed the area.

Międzybrodzie Żywieckie is known for its location by Międzybrodzkie Lake, created on the Soła River, and the scenic Little Beskids mountains. The area is popular for tourism, with Żar Mountain attracting aviation enthusiasts and lovers of active leisure. The village has a tourist and holiday character, and the surrounding nature supports various types of tourism.

Visitors can explore numerous hiking trails, such as "Straconka – Międzybrodzie Bialskie", "Kozy – Żarnówka Mała (yellow trail)", "Lipnik – Cisowa Pass", and the "Fris Family Trail". Mountain lovers can climb the peaks of Żar and Czupel. Notable sights include Żywiec Lake, Międzybrodzkie Lake, Żywiec castles, and the Żywiec Brewery Museum. For accommodation, there are shelters like Klub Turystyki Górskiej "Limba", PTTK Shelter on Magurka, "Grobacza Łąka" Shelter, PTTK Schindzialnia Shelter, Hatka na Rogaczu, and Klimczok Shelter.

Getting there from Ukraine

Lviv – Żywiec ≈412 km, ≈5 h 30 min without queues or tolls: M-10 → Krakovets – Korczowa → A4 to Kraków (≈249 km) → DK52 via Wadowice → DW781 and DW946 to Żywiec. ≈333 km, ≈4 h from the border. Alternative via the tolled A4 Kraków – Katowice and the S1 via Tychy and Bielsko-Biała: ≈457 km, ≈5 h 25 min.

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, OpenStreetMap, Karpaty.rocks data. More on Wikipedia

Trails nearby

All trails
Międzybrodzie Żywieckie III – Żar (black trail)EasyOne-dayMarkedMiędzybrodzie Żywieckie III Żar (black trail)Elevation profile384–761 m2.5 kmascent 377 m≈ 1.5 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreMiędzybrodzie Żywieckie III – Żar (green trail)EasyOne-dayMarkedMiędzybrodzie Żywieckie III Żar (green trail)Elevation profile382–761 m5.8 kmascent 404 m≈ 2.5 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreMiędzybrodzie Żywieckie – OczkówEasyOne-dayMarkedMiędzybrodzie Żywieckie OczkówElevation profile325–749 m8.4 kmascent 440 m≈ 3 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreCzernichów – Potok GłębokiEasyOne-dayMarkedCzernichów Potok GłębokiElevation profile319–394 m2.1 kmascent 75 m≈ 45 min walkingunder 1 km from the centreLipnik – Cisowa PassHardTwo-dayMarkedLipnik Cisowa PassElevation profile324–930 m21.9 kmascent 882 m≈ 7 h walking1.8 km from the centreMały Szlak BeskidzkiHardMulti-dayMarkedMały Szlak BeskidzkiElevation profile282–1 022 m134.7 kmascent 5 091 m1.8 km from the centre

Peaks nearby

All peaks
ŻarPeakŻarMiędzybrodzie Żywieckiealtitude 761 m2 km from the centreŻar is a 761 m mountain in the Little Beskids in southern Poland, above Lake Międzybrodzie on the Soła river.CzupelPeakCzupelMiędzybrodzie Bialskiealtitude 930 m4.4 km from the centreCzupel is the highest summit of the Little Beskids at 930 m; the latest geodetic and LiDAR measurements give 931 m, and some publications quote 933 m.Łamana SkałaPeakŁamana SkałaLasaltitude 929 m13 km from the centreŁamana Skała (on many maps also called Madohora) is a 929 m mountain in the Little Beskids (Beskid Mały) in southern Poland.LeskowiecPeakLeskowiecRzykialtitude 922 m16 km from the centreLeskowiec is a 922 m summit in the eastern part of the Little Beskids, in the Łamana Skała range of southern Poland.KlimczokPeakKlimczokSzczyrkaltitude 1 117 m17 km from the centreKlimczok (formerly also Klimczak) is a 1117 m mountain in the Klimczok and Szyndzielnia range of the Silesian Beskids, south-west of Bielsko-Biała.SkrzycznePeakSkrzyczneSłotwinaaltitude 1 257 m17 km from the centreSkrzyczne (German Rauhkogel) is a 1257 m mountain, the highest peak of the Silesian Beskids in southern Poland.

What to visit

All
Lake Międzybrodzie (Jezioro Międzybrodzkie)LakeLake Międzybrodzie (Jezioro Międzybrodzkie)Międzybrodzie Bialskie3 km from the centreLake Międzybrodzie (Jezioro Międzybrodzkie), or the Międzybrodzie Reservoir, is an artificial lake on the Soła river in the Beskid Mały (Little Beskids), in the...Lake Żywiec (Jezioro Żywieckie)LakeLake Żywiec (Jezioro Żywieckie)Żywiec5.8 km from the centreLake Żywiec (Jezioro Żywieckie), also known as the Tresna Reservoir, is a large artificial lake on the Soła river beside the town of Żywiec, on the boundary of the...Żywiec castles: Old Castle, Habsburg Palace and parkCastleŻywiec castles: Old Castle, Habsburg Palace and parkŻywiec9.2 km from the centreIn the very centre of Żywiec, two residences of the former lords of the Żywiec estate stand side by side — the Old Castle and the Habsburg Palace, or New Castle —...Aquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Water parks & thermal poolsAquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Leśna12 km from the centreAquapark Leśna (also called Aquapark Żywiec) is a swimming-pool complex in the village of Leśna, a few kilometres from Żywiec, in the Żywiec Basin, surrounded by the...Żywiec Brewery MuseumMuseumŻywiec Brewery MuseumŻywiec12 km from the centreThe Żywiec Brewery Museum (Muzeum Browaru Żywiec) is one of the largest and most modern brewing museums in Poland, in the town of Żywiec between the Silesian and...Sopotnia Wielka FallsWaterfallSopotnia Wielka FallsSopotnia Wielka21 km from the centreSopotnia Wielka Falls (Wodospad w Sopotni Wielkiej) is the largest waterfall in the Polish Beskids. It drops on the Sopotnia stream right in the centre of the village...

Craft nearby

All craft places
Browar Zarzecze in the Żywiec Basin: craft brewery shopCraft beer & breweriesBrowar Zarzecze in the Żywiec Basin: craft brewery shopZarzecze7.1 km from the centreBrowar Zarzecze works in the village of Zarzecze near Pietrzykowice in the Żywiec Basin — a region where beer has been brewed since at least the 19th century and home...Folk Art Fair in Żywiec during the Beskidy Week of CultureMarkets & fairsFolk Art Fair in Żywiec during the Beskidy Week of CultureŻywiec9 km from the centreThe Beskidy Highlanders' Week of Culture (Tydzień Kultury Beskidzkiej, TKB) is Poland's largest folklore festival: it was first held in Wisła in 1964, and today, at...PINTA Brewery, Wieprz near Żywiec: tours and taproomCraft beer & breweriesPINTA Brewery, Wieprz near Żywiec: tours and taproomWieprz14 km from the centrePINTA is the brewery that Poles associate with the start of the “beer revolution”; it calls itself the country's first craft brewery.Bacówka na Bukowinie, Żabnica: sheep's cheese and alpacasCheese dairies & pasturesBacówka na Bukowinie, Żabnica: sheep's cheese and alpacasWęgierska Górka20 km from the centreBacówka na Bukowinie stands on a slope above the village of Żabnica, next to Węgierska Górka, where the Żywiec Beskids meet the Silesian Beskids.Ustroń spa: brine, peat and brine poolsWater parks & thermal poolsUstroń spa: brine, peat and brine poolsUstroń29 km from the centreUstroń is the only spa of the Silesian Beskids: the town lies where the Vistula valley leaves the mountains, between the ridges of Równica (884 m) and Czantoria Wielka...Browar Wisła: craft brewpub in Wisła's old railway stationCraft beer & breweriesBrowar Wisła: craft brewpub in Wisła's old railway stationWisła29 km from the centreBrowar Wisła is a brewpub in the heart of the Silesian Beskids, in the spa town of Wisła, where Poland's longest river of the same name rises.

Spas and thermal pools nearby

Aquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Water parks & thermal poolsAquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Leśna12 km from the centreAquapark Leśna (also called Aquapark Żywiec) is a swimming-pool complex in the village of Leśna, a few kilometres from Żywiec, in the Żywiec Basin, surrounded by the...Ustroń spa: brine, peat and brine poolsWater parks & thermal poolsUstroń spa: brine, peat and brine poolsUstroń29 km from the centreUstroń is the only spa of the Silesian Beskids: the town lies where the Vistula valley leaves the mountains, between the ridges of Równica (884 m) and Czantoria Wielka...

Huts, shelters and springs nearby

674 mMountain shelterHut of the Mountain Tourism Club "Limba"Little Beskids · PolandStanding90 m from a trailStaffed
906 mMountain shelterPTTK Hut on MagurkaLittle Beskids · PolandStandingOn a trailSleeps up to 24Staffed
821 mMountain shelterHrobacza Łąka Retreat HouseLittle Beskids · PolandStandingOn a trailStaffed
490 mSpringSpring below MaleckieLittle Beskids · PolandNot verifiedOn a trail
701 mSpringSpring below ŻarLittle Beskids · PolandNot verifiedOn a trailMarked as drinkable
742 mSpringSpring below KościelecLittle Beskids · PolandNot verifiedOn a trailNot for drinking

All springs of the CarpathiansAll Carpathian huts

Getting there from Ukraine

Border crossings

  • Krakovets – Korczowa — road, 24/7
  • Shehyni – Medyka — road, 24/7 Pedestrian crossing is not confirmed by the Ukrainian border service — check dpsu.gov.ua before the trip.
  • Smilnytsia – Krościenko — road, 24/7
  • Hrushiv – Budomierz — road, 24/7
  • Mostyska – Przemyśl (rail) — rail, 24/7

By car

Lviv – Żywiec ≈412 km, ≈5 h 30 min without queues or tolls: M-10 → Krakovets – Korczowa → A4 to Kraków (≈249 km) → DK52 via Wadowice → DW781 and DW946 to Żywiec. ≈333 km, ≈4 h from the border. Alternative via the tolled A4 Kraków – Katowice and the S1 via Tychy and Bielsko-Biała: ≈457 km, ≈5 h 25 min.

Checked 23.10.2026; border crossing hours and timetables change — check before you travel.

What's nearby