Żywiec: Museums, Brewery History and Lakeside

Brewery History and Tasting

The Żywiec Brewery Museum opened in 2006 to mark the brewery’s 150th anniversary, in the former maturing cellars. After the visit, guests can sample beer. If you plan to do this, check the specific visitor arrangements before your trip.

Art and Collections at Muzeum Miejskie

Muzeum Miejskie w Żywcu offers a different cultural focus. Among its most valuable holdings are sacred artworks from Kościół Św. Krzyża in Żywiec: the sculpture Święta Anna Samotrzecia, dating to around 1380, and the tempera painting Opłakiwanie, from the mid-15th century. These two dates give the collection a timespan from the late 14th to the mid-15th century. The museum also displays Andrzej Komoniecki’s Dziejopis Żywiecki, from 1704. This written record extends the historical perspective beyond the medieval artworks. The guild memorabilia include obesłania, seals, books and chests; an exhibition also presents historical clothing worn by the citizens of Żywiec. As exhibitions may change, check which objects are currently on display before your visit.

Historic Rooms and Architectural History

The historic rooms of Stary Zamek also offer a glimpse into different periods. On display are a 19th-century Biedermeier salon and the study of Karol Stefan Habsburg from the interwar period. In 1885, Archduke Albrecht commissioned Fryderyk Karol Pietschka, the Habsburg family’s architect, to renovate and add an extra storey to Pałac Habsburgów in Żywiec. These rooms and the renovation commission offer different ways to explore history: through the interiors on display and through an architectural alteration.

A Path along Jezioro Żywieckie

An educational trail more than 6 km long, opened to pedestrians and cyclists in 2018, runs along the shore of Jezioro Żywieckie. It calls for different day planning than a museum visit: the route takes up its own block of time. Check the current condition of the path before setting out.

Another Park Visit

Stajnia Miejska – Mini Zoo is located at the edge of Park Zamkowy and is an attraction for the park’s youngest visitors. If you are travelling with children, you can consider including it in your plans; check the current access arrangements before visiting.

Choose Hotels Based on Your Itinerary

When looking for a hotel in Żywiec, you can plan your stay around your preferred focus: brewery history and tasting, historical collections and rooms, or time by the lake. Consider whether you want to focus on several cultural visits or also include the longer lakeside trail.

Discover more destinations: Bystra, Lipowa, Miedzybrodzie Zywieckie, Lodygowice, Świnna, Gilowice, Pewel Ślemieńska, Przyłęków, Cisiec, Złatna, Zwardoń, Miedzybrodzie Bialskie, Ujsoly, Rycerka Górna, Krzyżowa, Okrajnik, Koszarawa, Sopotnia Wielka, Łękawica, Ślemień, Wieprz, Węgierska Górka, Żywiec, Korbielow, Żabnica, Pietrzykowice, Mutne, Soblówka, Kamesznica, Milowka, Bierna, Tresna, Kocierz Moszczanicki, Sól, Radziechowy, Nieledwia, Jeleśnia, Czernichów, Glinka.

For the broader travel overview: Silesia.