Staying a week or more?
Tell your host your dates and who is coming: we tell you which homes are open for your dates and what comes with your stay.
Around the residence
The days worth having
First light on a ridge, the red deer’s rut in late September, a table behind the hut’s panoramic windows.What is near, when it is at its best, and how a day here can go.
From your door
On foot, or without leaving the terrace: the trail, the river, the night sky.
The marked trails, from the door
Five minutes from your door, the beech forest begins.
Eleven marked trails; the blue one passes the sanctuary on Górka, a few minutes’ walk from the residence.
about 5 min on foot
All year, in daylight.
Sunrise and the blue hour on a ridge
At sunrise, a white valley under a clear summit: you have only to rise.
Six viewpoints on the trails; on fog mornings the valley is white and the summits stand in the sun.
Valley fog: most likely November to March, just before sunrise.
The ski jumpers at Skalite
From a bench by the river, the Olympic centre’s ski jumpers in flight.
Three hills of the Olympic training centre, used in winter and in summer: watch from the river walk.
about 26 min on foot
All year.
The Żylica river walk
Level and gentle: the one walk that suits a pushchair and a grandmother alike.
Almost 4 km of flat path beside the river, from the town hall to the Skalite ski jumps: fine with a pushchair.
about 21 min on foot
All year.
Mini golf and the rope village at Szyszka Park
The children choose: mini golf or the rope village, in the middle of town.
A small park in the centre for children: adventure golf, and a rope village with no time limit.
about 22 min on foot
Seasonal; in autumn 2026 at weekends 10:00–19:00.
Klimczok, the walkers’ mountain
Up through the beeches to the stone hut that burned three times, and on to the summit at 1,117 m.
about 5 min on foot
All year, in daylight.
Deer, foxes and mountain birds, watched quietly
Dawn and dusk in the landscape park; in the second half of September the red deer rut.
Dawn and dusk.
St James’ Square and the main street
Benches, a stream, the ball fountain and the mountain-rescue monument; old chapels along Beskidzka.
about 21 min on foot
Any day.
The sanctuary on Górka and St James’ wooden church
A place of pilgrimage five minutes from the door, and the oldest building in town.
about 5 min on foot
Every day, outside Mass times.
Six playgrounds and a pump track
The town’s own list for children: playgrounds along the river walk, and a pump track for bikes and scooters.
about 21 min on foot
Any day.
The marked bike loops and the river path
Seven routes: forest climbs to Skrzyczne and Magura, an easy loop round Skalite, the flat Żylica path.
about 5 min on foot
Spring to autumn, in dry weather.
The Three Kings in the streets
On 6 January a parade with carols passes through the town; in June the Corpus Christi processions stop at four altars.
6 January; Corpus Christi on 4 June 2026 and 27 May 2027.
A short drive
Less than an hour by car: a mountain lake, a summit by chairlift, an evening of heat.
A swim in the Olympic centre’s pool
Warm water on a rainy afternoon, where the ski jumpers train.
The indoor pool of the Olympic training centre: entry on the full hour, 45 minutes in the water.
about 4 min by car
9:00–20:00, entry on the full hour.
An hour in a kayak or a pedal boat
An hour alone on a mountain lake, twenty minutes from the door.
From the largest marina on Lake Żywiec, with the Beskid Mały across the water; no licence needed.
about 20 min by car
The sailing season, 1 April to 31 October: phone the bosun.
Skating on the Żywiec market square
Winter, a market square, and the scrape of skates.
A winter rink under the town hall: 45-minute sessions on the hour, skates to rent.
about 23 min by car
Usually mid-December to the end of February, 10:00–20:00.
One section of the Skrzyczne chairlift
Half the climb by chair, half on foot: a summit day at your own pace.
Ride up to Hala Jaworzyna and walk the rest, or walk up and ride the last section down.
about 4 min by car
Summer 2026: 9:00–17:20, last ride down at 17:00. The lift pauses for its inspection in November.
The funicular up Góra Żar
A funicular, a summit and two lakes below you, in one short ride.
A short ride to a summit above Lake Międzybrodzkie, with the water far below.
about 41 min by car
On 30 September 2026 the official page showed the funicular open 9:00–18:00; hours change with the season.
Skrzyczne by chairlift, up and down
The highest summit of the range, twelve minutes from the valley.
Two sections and twelve minutes to the highest summit of the Beskid Śląski, 1,257 m: the frog, the mast, the hut.
about 4 min by car
Summer 2026: 9:00–17:20. The lift pauses for its inspection in November.
A skipper sails for you
Sailing with no licence: someone else holds the tiller.
No licence needed: the club’s skipper takes the helm for up to four hours, and you watch the shore slide by.
about 20 min by car
1 April to 31 October.
Żywiec city beach
An open beach on Lake Żywiec; swim at your own risk, no lifeguard is confirmed.
about 28 min by car
Summer days, May to September.
The frozen lake, from the shore
A winter walk on the crest of the Tresna dam. Look from the bank: never step on the ice.
about 32 min by car
Winter.
The Enduro Trails of Bielsko-Biała
Over 40 km of one-way singletrack, green to black.
about 22 min by car
All year, dawn to dusk.
Cross-country loops at Kubalonka
Groomed loops of 2.5 to 7.5 km in the forest above Istebna, and a floodlit 2 km loop.
about 36 min by car
With snow only: check the page before you drive.
The Old Castle of Żywiec
The town museum in the old castle, a few steps from the market square.
about 22 min by car
Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–16:00.
Ten minutes on a Hucul horse
A child’s first ride on the small mountain horse of the Carpathians, at the stud below the hills.
about 56 min by car
Call first.
The Żywiec Brewery Museum
A century and a half of brewing told underground; a drink is included, juice for the young.
about 21 min by car
10:00–18:00, closed on Mondays. Tours of the working brewery are suspended.
A ride out from the nearest stable
An hour and a half to two hours in the saddle, six minutes’ drive from the residence.
about 6 min by car
Call first.
Worth the journey
Further off, and a day in themselves: a royal city, a salt mine, the Tatras from a cable car.
Kraków: the museum under the square
A royal city for the day, and a museum beneath its market square.
Rynek Underground, in the spaces the archaeologists opened beneath the Main Market Square.
about 1 h 46 min by car
Monday 10:00–19:00, Tuesday 10:00–15:00, Wednesday–Thursday 10:00–19:00, Friday–Sunday 10:00–20:00; closed on the second Monday of the month.
Kraków: Schindler’s Factory
The exhibition “Kraków – Time of Occupation 1939–1945”, in Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory.
about 1 h 47 min by car
Monday 10:00–15:00, Tuesday–Sunday 9:00–20:00; closed on the first Tuesday of the month.
Ojców National Park
Limestone rocks, the valley of the Prądnik and two castles above it: a full day among them.
about 2 h by car
The park: all year.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine
Chapels and lakes carved in salt, 135 m underground: two to three hours.
about 1 h 46 min by car
All year; hours on the official page.
The cable car to Kasprowy Wierch
In two sections to 1,987 m, above the Tatras.
about 2 h 33 min by car
All year, except the autumn maintenance break; cars every 10 minutes; return tickets until 2 hours before the last car.
Energylandia
A full day of roller coasters and gentler rides, for every age.
about 1 h 7 min by car
Spring to autumn; Winter Kingdom from late November. Open days vary: check the official calendar.
A day, hour by hour
A suggestion, not a timetable: hours, lifts and weather change. Check each place before you go.
A winter ski day
Each block is one step of the day; the list under it says the same in words.
- WhenWinter, with snow
- Who forSkiers and snowboarders
- 08:15
Boots off the rack
They dried overnight in the ski & bike room downstairs; your skis wait beside them.
about 8 min by car
08:45The gondola, then the pistes of Skrzyczne
Ten to a cabin up to Hala Skrzyczeńska: gentle runs first, the steeper ones later.
- 12:30
Lunch at about 1,000 m
A table behind the panoramic windows, the Beskidy laid out below.
- 13:15
The afternoon runs
As long as your legs last; the lifts run through the day.
about 5 min by car
17:15One more run under the lights
The slopes of Beskid Sport Arena, the closest of the three ski areas, are floodlit.
- 20:00
The luxurious sauna
The timber cabin, the rain shower, a lounger: tomorrow the boots will be dry again.
Passes are sold by the resorts’ own shops, by duration: buy online the evening before. In the school winter holidays, go early.
A snowy day without skis
Each block is one step of the day; the list under it says the same in words.
- WhenWinter
- Who forWalkers, non-skiers, a rest day in a ski week
about 4 min on foot
09:30Into the white forest
Half an hour up the blue trail from the sanctuary, a pause, half an hour back.
about 21 min on foot
11:00The river walk
Flat and easy along the Żylica; when there is snow, cross-country skiers share it.
- 12:30
The ski jumpers at Skalite
Watch them fly from the path by the river.
- 13:15
Something warm in town
One of the three tables in Szczyrk: call ahead, or ask your host to.
- 15:00
A swim in the Olympic centre’s pool
Forty-five minutes in warm water while it snows outside.
- 18:30
The luxurious sauna
Heat after the cold, then a slow supper.
Ice on the paths: take poles or microspikes. The pool lets you in on the full hour.
A summer day on the ridge
Each block is one step of the day; the list under it says the same in words.
- WhenJune to September, in dry weather
- Who forWalkers in good boots
about 4 min on foot
08:00The blue trail to the hut on Magura
Up through the beeches from the sanctuary on Górka, a few minutes from the door.
- 10:15
Soup at the stone hut
It burned three times and came back in stone in 1914.
- 11:00
The summit of Klimczok, 1,117 m
A short, steep spur; the open view is to the south-east.
- 11:45
The red ridge to Karkoszczonka
Downhill along the ridge to the pass.
- 12:30
Lunch at Chata Wuja Toma
A terrace in the sun at the pass.
- 13:30
Down the quiet Biła valley
The yellow trail back to the centre of Szczyrk.
- 14:30
St James’ Square
A bench, the stream, the ball fountain: sit a while.
- 15:45
The walk home
Uphill this time: go slowly.
- 18:00
The terrace
The ridge you walked, from your own chair.
A full day on marked trails: water, a rain jacket, a charged phone. The hut on Magura prefers cash. In trouble, GOPR: 985.
A day on Lake Żywiec
Each block is one step of the day; the list under it says the same in words.
- WhenMay to September; the castle is closed on Mondays
- Who forEveryone; children in a pedal boat
about 20 min by car
10:00Two hours in a kayak
Out from the largest marina on the lake, the Beskid Mały across the water.
- 12:15
A picnic on the stony beach
Next door to the marina, with your own basket.
- 14:00
The Old Castle of Żywiec
The town museum, a few steps from the market square.
- 15:45
The city beach
Sand, water and the mountains all round before the drive home.
Phone the bosun before you drive: he knows the wind and the water. Swim only where it is calm and shallow, never alone.
A rainy day
Each block is one step of the day; the list under it says the same in words.
- WhenAll year; the Brewery Museum is closed on Mondays
- Who forEveryone
about 4 min by car
10:00A swim in the Olympic centre’s pool
Forty-five minutes in the water, in from the rain.
- 12:00
A long lunch in town
One of the three tables in Szczyrk.
about 21 min by car
14:00The Żywiec Brewery Museum
Brewing told underground; a drink comes with the ticket.
about 5 min on foot
17:00Two hours in the pools next door
Five minutes on foot from your home.
The pools next door ask outside guests to phone first. The pool in town lets you in on the full hour.
A day with children
Each block is one step of the day; the list under it says the same in words.
- WhenA weekend in season: the two parks open at weekends in autumn
- Who forFamilies
about 22 min on foot
10:00Mini golf and the rope village
Szyszka Park, in the middle of town.
- 11:45
A playground by the river
On the Żylica walk, a little way from the square.
- 12:30
Lunch in town
Pierogi, perhaps.
- 14:00
The rope park among the trees
Base Camp has a mini park for ages 3 to 13.
- 16:15
The ski jumps
From the river path: how far can they fly?
Both parks are seasonal: check their days before you go.
A slow day
Each block is one step of the day; the list under it says the same in words.
- WhenAny day
- Who forAnyone who came to rest
- 08:30
Coffee outside
The terrace or the balcony; the phone stays inside.
about 4 min on foot
10:00Thirty minutes into the forest
From the sanctuary, and thirty back. Walk slower than you think you should.
- 12:30
Lunch, a book, nothing planned
Your own kitchen has everything.
- 17:00
The luxurious sauna
Heat, the rain shower, a lounger, and again.
- 21:30
An early night
The house keeps its quiet hours from ten.
A plan is only a plan: take what suits you. On a trail the phone stays charged in your pocket; at home it can live in a drawer.
A day on foot, close to home
Each block is one step of the day; the list under it says the same in words.
- WhenSpring to autumn, on a weekday
- Who forAnyone who likes to walk
- 08:30
Coffee on the terrace
The valley below, the day ahead.
about 14 min on foot
10:00Up the quiet Biła valley
From the centre to Chata Wuja Toma at the pass: 2.9 km.
- 11:15
A bench at the hut
Your own sandwiches, or a bowl of soup from the kitchen.
- 12:00
Back down to town
The same path, the other view.
- 13:00
The river walk
Flat, beside the water, as far as the ski jumps.
- 14:15
The ski jumpers at Skalite
From the path.
- 15:00
A swim in the Olympic centre’s pool
Forty-five minutes in the water, beside the ski jumps.
- 16:15
St James’ Square
The fountain, the stream, the rescue monument.
- 17:15
The walk home
About twenty minutes, uphill.
- 20:30
The night sky from your terrace
Lights off. Look up.
The car stays where it is. Bring sandwiches, or have a bowl of soup at the hut. The pool lets you in on the full hour.
The year at a glance
Each row is one thing to do, each column a month. A name opens its dates.
- in season
- partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first
- out of season
- this month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | When | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ski | |||||||||||||
| in season | in season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | in season | The 2025/26 season ran from 5 December to 15 March; the 2026/27 dates are not out yet. | |
| in season | in season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | in season | Żywiec usually mid-December to the end of February; Bielsko-Biała reopens on 5 November 2026. | |
| partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | With snow only: check before you drive. | |
| Hiking | |||||||||||||
| in season | in season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | out of season | in season | Winter and summer; it pauses for its inspection in November, and between the seasons: check. | |
| partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | All year, in daylight; in winter short days, ice and snow on the ridges. | |
| in season | in season | in season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | in season | in season | Most likely from November to March, just before sunrise. Nobody can promise it. | |
| out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | in season | out of season | out of season | out of season | The second half of September, for about three weeks, from dusk. | |
| Biking | |||||||||||||
| out of season | out of season | out of season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | out of season | Spring to autumn, in dry weather; the ridges stay icy late in spring. | |
| out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | in season | in season | in season | in season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | out of season | The resort’s summer season; in October 2026 the lifts run Friday to Sunday. | |
| Lake | |||||||||||||
| out of season | out of season | out of season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | out of season | The water season, roughly May to October; the marina from 1 April to 31 October. | |
| out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | out of season | out of season | out of season | Summer days, May to September; swim at your own risk. | |
| out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | out of season | May to October; no timetable is published: phone the pier. | |
| The residence | |||||||||||||
| in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | in season | Any day of your stay; the pools next door every day 8:00–22:00. | |
| out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | in season | out of season | out of season | out of season | in season | The Perseids in mid-August, the Geminids in mid-December: clear nights only. | |
| Szczyrk | |||||||||||||
| partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | in season | in season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | The Three Kings on 6 January, SnowFest in March, the May weekend, Corpus Christi, St James’ Feast and Beskid Culture Week in July and August. | |
| in season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | out of season | partly, or only with snow, weather or the operator’s yes: check first | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | out of season | The school winter holidays: Silesia 18–31 January 2027, other regions to 28 February; the long May weekend. | |
The seasons are the ones each guide of this site gives, with the pages they were read on.
How near everything is
On foot from the door
Minutes on foot from the door at ul. Turystyczna 15. To the centre it is downhill there, uphill back.
- The sanctuary on Górka, and the blue trail5 min
- The pools and restaurants next door5 min
- Groceries (Biedronka)15 min
- The tourist office17 min
- Three tables in Szczyrk20 min
- St James’ Square, the centre21 min
- Szyszka Park22 min
- The Skalite ski jumps26 min
- The town pool32 min
By car: the rings of time
Minutes by car from the door, without traffic. The rings are bands of time, not of distance.
Five minutes
- The sanctuary on Górka, and the blue trail1 min
- The pools and restaurants next door1 min
- The tourist office2 min
- Three tables in Szczyrk2 min
- St James’ Square, the centre3 min
- Groceries (Biedronka)3 min
- Szyszka Park3 min
- Snowmobiles in Biła3 min
- The town pool4 min
- The Skrzyczne chairlift4 min
- The Skalite ski jumps5 min
- Beskid Sport Arena5 min
A quarter of an hour
Half an hour
- A manor-house table (Dworek)19 min
- Lake Żywiec: the Zarzecze marina20 min
- The Żywiec Brewery Museum21 min
- Żywiec: the Old Castle22 min
- The hospital emergency department23 min
- Bielsko-Biała station (car hire)25 min
- Żywiec city beach28 min
- The forest path at Wisła Czarne29 min
An hour
- The Tresna dam: the cruises32 min
- Kubalonka: cross-country loops36 min
- Góra Żar: the funicular41 min
- The Porąbka dam43 min
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum44 min
- Sopotnia Wielka: the astronomers’ village50 min
- The Hucul stud (Połonina)56 min
Two hours
- Energylandia1 h 7 min
- Katowice Airport1 h 29 min
- Kraków Airport1 h 31 min
- Kraków: the Main Market Square1 h 46 min
- The Wieliczka Salt Mine1 h 46 min
- Ojców National Park2 h
A long day out
- Chochołów Thermal Baths2 h 8 min
- Zakopane: Krupówki2 h 28 min
- Kasprowy Wierch cable car2 h 33 min
- Morskie Oko2 h 40 min
Estimates from open route planners (OSRM by car, FOSSGIS on foot), without traffic.
Included in every stay
The house, cut open
Thirteen things come with every stay: each number in the drawing is a line of the list. A drawing, not a plan.
In your home
Mountain view
Fully equipped kitchen
Wi-Fi
Smart TV
Parking space
A private terrace (ground level) or a balcony (top level)
Room for up to six guests on the ground level, up to eight on the top level
Fresh linen and towels
In the building
The luxurious sauna in the building
Ask us about the best time to use it when you enquire.
From your host
Personal check-in at the door
Your host in Arabic, Polish, French and English, 24/7
Home preparation and departure clean
In some homes
Air conditioning
Espresso machine
Mezzanine level
Washing machine
Tell your host about your stay
Each home was made with love, and your host answers in person. Say when you are coming and who is with you.
Coming as a family?
Say how many adults and children, and their ages: we suggest the home that fits.
A ski week?
Give us the week: we tell you which homes are available and help you plan the days on snow.
Your host replies personally on WhatsApp. Asking commits you to nothing.