Powiat żywiecki

Powiat żywiecki is an administrative district in the southern part of Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, bordering Slovakia. Its administrative seat and only town is Żywiec. The county was established on January 1, 1999, as part of Poland’s administrative reform. It consists of one urban and fourteen rural gminas, and historically belongs to the region of Małopolska.

The area covers part of the Western Carpathians, with the Beskid mountain ranges, deep river valleys, and extensive forests. Notable peaks include Wielka Racza, Barania Góra, Skrzyczne, and Jałowiec. The county is traversed by rivers such as the Soła, Koszarawa, and Żabniczanka, and features the Żywiec and Międzybrodzkie lakes. The region is known for its scenic landscapes and recreational opportunities.

On karpaty.rocks you will find objects in towns and villages such as Soblowka, Sopotnia Wielka, Rycerka Górna, Żabnica, Międzybrodzie Bialskie, Zlatna, Korbielów, Żywiec, Glinka, Międzybrodzie Żywieckie, Kamesznica, and Ostre. There are over 60 hiking trails, including Straconka – Międzybrodzie Bialskie and Korbielów – Hala Miziowa – Witasówka, as well as sights like Lake Żywiec, the waterfall in Sopotnia Wielka, Żywiec castles, the Żywiec Brewery Museum, sheep cheese tasting in Żabnica, and the Lesna aquapark.

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.