Sopki Stopki in Cięcina

In Cięcina, in the Żywiec Beskids, the Stopka family rescues old wooden cottages from across the region and assembles them into a new-old highland hamlet. Next door grazes a flock of several hundred sheep, and in a wooden shepherd's hut sheep's cheeses are made by hand to old recipes. This is not an open-air museum with tickets and opening hours but a working natural farm that hosts workshops, dances and concerts.

Where the name comes from

The word "sopki" refers to the small old wooden highland cottages of the Żywiec Beskids, and Stopka is the family name of the hosts. The Stopka family of Cięcina has farmed and bred sheep and horses for generations. Today the tradition is carried on by Jan Stopka with his wife Gabrysia and their children. The inspiration came from their grandfather's stories and the wish to build a place "straight out of childhood memories", with the aim of preserving both family customs and those typical of the Żywiec region.

What you will see

• Wooden cottages rescued from the Żywiec Beskids and given new uses, forming a mini hamlet.
• A shepherd's hut where sheep's cheese is made.
• Pastures with dozens of cows and sheep, on land the hosts try to leave as untouched as possible.
• Open events with local food, live music and a campfire.

Cięcina – an old village on the Soła

Cięcina in the Węgierska Górka municipality is one of the oldest villages in the Żywiec region: settlement may have begun as early as the 13th century, and the oldest surviving mention of the village and its parish dates from 1346–1358. The village is divided into Upper Cięcina, in the narrow valley of the Cięcinka stream, and Lower Cięcina, in the broad Soła valley; to the north it is ringed by the peaks of Kiczora, Magura and Skała.

Tripto tips

Sopki Stopki is a private farm without fixed visiting hours, so check current events and workshops on the farm's website or social media before you come. Cięcina is easy to reach by the road along the Soła, and the village has a railway stop. The farm is liveliest in the grazing season, when the sheep are out in the meadows.