Żywiec is a town located in southern Poland on the banks of the Soła River. As of 2019, the municipality had a population of 31,194 inhabitants and is situated within the Silesian Voivodeship.
The town serves as the capital of the Żywiecczyzna region and is culturally and historically associated with the Lesser Poland (Małopolska) region. It is ethnically part of the Goral Lands and is located near the Żywiec Lake and the Żywiec Landscape Park, which is one of eight protected areas in the voivodeship.