Jaworzyna (861 m a.s.l.) is a forested summit in the Beskid Mały range in southern Poland — quiet, atmospheric, and surprisingly rich in character. It holds the curious distinction of being the highest point of the city of Żywiec, a fact that catches most visitors off guard. If you enjoy peaceful woodland trails away from the crowds, this is a gem worth seeking out.
The entire summit is covered in forest, giving it an intimate, sheltered feel throughout the year. Autumn is particularly magical here, when the beech trees turn the hillsides into a tapestry of gold and amber. The ridge on which Jaworzyna sits separates the Kocierzanka valley from the Isepnica valley, lying between the peak of Kościelec and the Cisowa Pass. Centuries ago, wide-open mountain meadows called Wielkie Pole (Great Field) stretched across these slopes — today the forest has reclaimed them entirely. At the summit, tucked into one of the beech trees, you will find a charming triangular roadside shrine dedicated to the Holy Family and St. Michael — a small but memorable detail that rewards the attentive hiker. The summit also marks the meeting point of three communities: Oczków (a district of Żywiec), Tresna, and Międzybrodzie Żywieckie.
How to reach the summitJaworzyna is a quiet reminder that the Beskidy mountains reward those who look beyond the obvious summits — a beech-tree shrine, vanished highland meadows, and the unexpected title of a city's highest point all wrapped into one easy-going forest walk.