Sopotnia Wielka

Powiat żywiecki · Silesian Voivodeship · Poland
Sopotnia Wielka — photo 1 Sopotnia Wielka — photo 2 2

Photos: Sopotnia Wielka Falls; Romanka

Sopotnia Wielka is a village in Powiat żywiecki, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, located in the picturesque surroundings of the Żywiec Beskids. The area is surrounded by mountain ranges, making it an attractive destination for those interested in the Carpathian landscapes and outdoor activities.

There are no detailed historical facts provided about Sopotnia Wielka, but the village has long been part of Powiat żywiecki and has developed under the influence of the region's mountain culture and traditions.

Sopotnia Wielka is known for its natural beauty, especially the Sopotnia Wielka Waterfall, and its proximity to peaks such as Jałowiec and Romanka. Visitors can enjoy mountain landscapes, forests, and clear streams. The PINTA Brewery in nearby Wieprz near Żywiec also offers tours and a taproom experience.

For travelers, there are over twenty marked trails in and around Sopotnia Wielka, including Przełęcz pod Beskidem Krzyżowskim – Góra Pięciu Kopców, Korbielów – Hala Miziowa – Witasówka, Milówka – Cencina, Hala Rysianka – Zlatna Huta, Przełęcz Jałowiecka – Hala Kamińskiego, Żabnica Skałka – Hala Boracza, Rajcza – Romanka, Rajcza, station – Żabnica, Hajdoski Chodniczek, and Walegówka – PTTK Shelter Kravcov Wierch. Accommodation options include Baców Shelter, Rysianka Shelter, Hala Boracza Shelter, Słowianka Tourist Station, Hala Miziowa Shelter, SSM Korbielów Shelter, Abrahamów Tourist Station, and Matlakówka Shelter named after Bolko Gotowt.

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.

Trails nearby

All trails
Sopotnia Wielka – KotarnicaEasyOne-dayMarkedSopotnia Wielka KotarnicaElevation profile624–1 160 m3.1 kmascent 536 m≈ 2 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreWodospad Sopotnia – Above Przełęcz PrzysłopHardMulti-dayMarkedWodospad Sopotnia Above Przełęcz PrzysłopElevation profile490–1 111 m31.5 kmascent 1 619 m≈ 11 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreŻywiec – Bystra GórnaHardMulti-dayMarkedŻywiec Bystra GórnaElevation profile350–1 366 m29.4 kmascent 1 356 m≈ 10 h walking1.5 km from the centreKorbielów – Hala Miziowa – WitasówkaModerateOne-dayMarkedKorbielów Witasówkavia Hala MiziowaElevation profile602–1 289 m11.7 kmascent 689 m≈ 4.5 h walking1.8 km from the centrePrzysłopy Pass – UszczawneEasyOne-dayMarkedPrzysłopy Pass UszczawneElevation profile842–1 147 m2.9 kmascent 29 m≈ 45 min walking2.4 km from the centreKorbielów – Przysłopy PassEasyOne-dayMarkedKorbielów Przysłopy PassElevation profile602–855 m2.5 kmascent 253 m≈ 1 h walking2.4 km from the centre

Peaks nearby

All peaks
RomankaPeakRomankaSopotnia Wielkaaltitude 1 366 m5.3 km from the centreRomanka is a 1,366 m summit in the Żywiec Beskids, the highest of the Lipowski Wierch and Romanka group.Czerniawa SuchaPeakCzerniawa SuchaZawojaaltitude 1 062 m14 km from the centreCzerniawa Sucha (also Suchy Groń or Sucha Góra) is a 1,062 m summit on the main ridge of the Jałowiec Range, north of the Babia Góra massif.Mała Babia GóraPeakMała Babia Góraaltitude 1 517 m15 km from the centreMała Babia Góra, also called Cyl (Slovak: Malá Babia hora), is a summit of about 1,517 m in the Babia Góra massif on the Polish–Slovak border.Jałowiec (Jałowiec Range)PeakJałowiec (Jałowiec Range)Koszarawaaltitude 1 111 m15 km from the centreJałowiec is a 1,111 m summit, the highest of the Jałowiec Range north of the Babia Góra massif in Poland.Babia GóraPeakBabia GóraZawojaaltitude 1 723 m17 km from the centreBabia Góra (Slovak Babia hora) is a massif on the Polish–Slovak border in the Western Beskids, and also the usual name of its highest summit, Diablak ("Devil's Peak"),...Sokolica (Babia Góra)PeakSokolica (Babia Góra)Zawojaaltitude 1 367 m19 km from the centre1 trail to the topSokolica is a 1,367 m viewpoint on the north-eastern ridge of the Babia Góra massif in the Żywiec Beskids, in Poland close to the Slovak border.

What to visit

All
Sopotnia Wielka FallsWaterfallSopotnia Wielka FallsSopotnia Wielkaunder 1 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...Hala MiziowaMountain meadowHala MiziowaKorbielówaltitude 1 274 m6 km from the centreHala Miziowa is a large mountain glade on the northern slope of Pilsko in the Żywiec Beskids, within the village of Korbielów in Jeleśnia commune, Silesian Voivodeship.Hala RysiankaMountain meadowHala RysiankaZłatnaaltitude 1 290 m7.8 km from the centreHala Rysianka is a large mountain glade in the Żywiec Beskids, on the eastern and south-eastern slopes of the Rysianka peak.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...Żywiec castles: Old Castle, Habsburg Palace and parkCastleŻywiec castles: Old Castle, Habsburg Palace and parkŻywiec13 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 —...Lake Żywiec (Jezioro Żywieckie)LakeLake Żywiec (Jezioro Żywieckie)Żywiec16 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...

Craft nearby

All craft places
PINTA Brewery, Wieprz near Żywiec: tours and taproomCraft beer & breweriesPINTA Brewery, Wieprz near Żywiec: tours and taproomWieprz11 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 Górka12 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.Folk Art Fair in Żywiec during the Beskidy Week of CultureMarkets & fairsFolk Art Fair in Żywiec during the Beskidy Week of CultureŻywiec13 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...

Spas and thermal pools nearby

Aquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Water parks & thermal poolsAquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Leśna14 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...

Huts, shelters and springs nearby

782 mMountain shelterAKT Dobrodziej HutŻywiec Beskids · PolandStanding390 m from a trailStaffed
580 mMountain shelterSchronisko SSM KorbielówŻywiec Beskids · PolandStanding330 m from a trailSleeps up to 40Staffed
629 mMountain shelterChata BacówŻywiec Beskids · PolandStanding40 m from a trailStaffed
Hala Miziowa Hut1 274 mMountain shelterHala Miziowa HutŻywiec Beskids · PolandStandingOn a trailSleeps up to 90Meals served
848 mMountain shelterSłowianka Tourist StationŻywiec Beskids · PolandStandingOn a trailStaffed
837 mMountain shelterMatlakówka Mountain Tourist StationŻywiec Beskids · PolandStanding270 m from a trailStaffed

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