Háj

Košice-okolie District · Košice Region · Slovakia
Háj — photo 1 Háj — photo 2 Háj — photo 3 Háj — photo 4 Háj — photo 5 6

Photos: Rauenstein, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Patrik Kunec, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Jan Starec, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Jan Starec, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Rauenstein, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Patrik Kunec, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Háj is a village in the Košice-okolie District of the Košice Region, Slovakia, situated at an elevation of 270 metres in the valley of the Hájsky stream. The settlement lies near the Slovak Ore Mountains, surrounded by rolling hills and forests characteristic of this part of eastern Slovakia.

The first written records of Háj date back to 1409. The village developed on lands once belonging to the Turňa estate, centered at the Turniansky Castle. In the 18th century, Háj was owned by the Keglevich family. In 1715, there were 14 liege families living here.

Háj is known for its natural attractions, especially the Háj waterfalls in the Slovak Karst. The village preserves historical monuments such as the Roman Catholic Church of St. Joseph (c. 1764) and the neo-classical Evangelical church (1896). The area attracts nature lovers and those interested in traditional pottery, which has long been practiced here.

Visitors can explore the Háj waterfalls, experience pottery making and field kiln firing in Háj, and enjoy numerous hiking trails, including "Turňa nad Bodvou, station – Jasov", "Domica Cave – Dvorníky-Zádiel", and "Štós, spa – Pod Osadníkom". Nearby is the Štós spa, offering climate therapy, speleotherapy, and a swimming pool.

Getting there from Ukraine

From Uzhhorod ≈182 km, ≈2 h 45 min without queues: Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké → I/19 via Sobrance and Michalovce to Košice → D1 motorway via Prešov to the exit near Levoča → road 533 to Spišská Nová Ves (≈177 km, ≈2 h 30 min from the border). From Lviv via Uzhok and Ubľa ≈407 km, ≈6 h 40 min; through Poland (Kraków – Nowy Targ) ≈496 km, ≈6 h 20 min. The D1 requires an e-vignette (eznamka.sk).

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, OpenStreetMap, Karpaty.rocks data. More on Wikipedia

Trails nearby

All trails
Turňa nad Bodvou, station – OsadníkModerateOne-dayMarkedTurňa nad Bodvou, station OsadníkElevation profile178–1 035 m17.5 kmascent 115 m≈ 4.5 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreDrienovec, stop – HájModerateOne-dayMarkedDrienovec, stop HájElevation profile189–636 m12.2 kmascent 455 m≈ 4 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreHáj – Okrúhly lazEasyOne-dayMarkedHáj Okrúhly lazElevation profile286–593 m2.3 kmascent 308 m≈ 1 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreTurňa nad Bodvou, station – JasovHardMulti-dayMarkedTurňa nad Bodvou, station JasovElevation profile178–892 m30.6 kmascent 1 034 m≈ 9.5 h walking1.1 km from the centreJaskyňa Domica – Dvorníky-Zádiel, stopHardMulti-dayMarkedJaskyňa Domica Dvorníky-Zádiel, stopElevation profile212–811 m49 kmascent 1 109 m1.7 km from the centreŠtós, spa – Pod OsadníkomHardTwo-dayMarkedŠtós, spa Pod OsadníkomElevation profile417–1 042 m21.7 kmascent 1 058 m≈ 7.5 h walking2.1 km from the centre

Peaks nearby

All peaks
Kojšovská hoľaPeakKojšovská hoľaKojšovaltitude 1 246 m20 km from the centreKojšovská hoľa (colloquially Kojšovka; German Koischdorfer Höhe, Hungarian Kojsói-tető) is a 1,246 m mountain in the Volovské vrchy, part of the Slovak Ore Mountains...SkaliskoPeakSkaliskoBetliaraltitude 1 293 m24 km from the centreSkalisko (Hungarian Pozsálló; the massif is often called Volovec) is the second highest summit of the Volovské vrchy, part of the Slovak Ore Mountains, at 1,293 m.

What to visit

All
Háj Pottery: wheel-thrown ceramics and wood-fired kilns in HájCrafts & workshopsHáj Pottery: wheel-thrown ceramics and wood-fired kilns in HájHájunder 1 km from the centreAt the back of an old farmhouse here is Háj Pottery (Hájske hrnčiarstvo), run by Amália Holíková. She throws utility ware on the wheel and models it by hand, but her...Háj waterfalls in the Slovak KarstWaterfallHáj waterfalls in the Slovak KarstHáj1.4 km from the centreThe Háj waterfalls (Hájske vodopády, Hungarian Áji vízesések) are a cascade of travertine waterfalls in the Háj valley in the Slovak Karst National Park (Slovenský...Štós spa: climatic cure, speleotherapy and poolWater parks & thermal poolsŠtós spa: climatic cure, speleotherapy and poolŠtós11 km from the centreKúpele Štós is a climatic spa in south-eastern Slovakia, in the settlement of Štós-kúpele a few kilometres north of the mining village of Štós, where the Volovské...Kaltenecker Brewery, Rožňava: Gemer craft beer from the sourceCraft beer & breweriesKaltenecker Brewery, Rožňava: Gemer craft beer from the sourceRožňava23 km from the centreThe modern Kaltenecker brewery was founded in 1997, and from the start it took a different path from the big breweries of the day: instead of one-size-fits-all beer, a...Herrenwald craft brewery, Malá Ida: tour with the brewerCraft beer & breweriesHerrenwald craft brewery, Malá Ida: tour with the brewerMalá Ida24 km from the centreThe Herrenwald brewery stands in its Panský les ("Lords’ Wood") quarter, from whose German name it takes its own.Mining Museum in Rožňava and the Sentinel Experience CentreMuseumMining Museum in Rožňava and the Sentinel Experience CentreRožňava24 km from the centreThe Mining Museum in Rožňava (Banícke múzeum v Rožňave) is the main museum of Gemer, an old region of mines and smelters in the south of the Slovak Ore Mountains.

Craft nearby

All craft places
Gemer Craft Fair at Krásnohorská Dlhá Lúka below Krásna HôrkaMarkets & fairsGemer Craft Fair at Krásnohorská Dlhá Lúka below Krásna HôrkaKrásnohorská Dlhá Lúka20 km from the centreKrásnohorská Dlhá Lúka is a village below Krásna Hôrka castle, a few kilometres from Rožňava. In 2002 the Association of Gemer Craftsmen (Združenie gemerských...

Spas and thermal pools nearby

Štós spa: climatic cure, speleotherapy and poolWater parks & thermal poolsŠtós spa: climatic cure, speleotherapy and poolŠtós11 km from the centreKúpele Štós is a climatic spa in south-eastern Slovakia, in the settlement of Štós-kúpele a few kilometres north of the mining village of Štós, where the Volovské...

Huts, shelters and springs nearby

283 mWellWell below Szirmaiho skala (south-west slope), 283 mSlovak Ore Mountains · SlovakiaNot verifiedOn a trailMarked as drinkable
297 mWellWell below Szirmaiho skala (south-west slope), 297 mSlovak Ore Mountains · SlovakiaNot verifiedOn a trailMarked as drinkable
428 mSpringČertov mostSlovak Ore Mountains · SlovakiaNot verifiedOn a trail
616 mSpringVyvieračka Miglinec SpringSlovak Ore Mountains · SlovakiaNot verifiedOn a trailNot for drinking
670 mMountain shelterMountain hut below Cukrová HomoľaSlovak Ore Mountains · SlovakiaStanding220 m from a trailStaffed
604 mSpringSpring Hačavská studňaSlovak Ore Mountains · SlovakiaNot verified90 m from a trailNot for drinking

All springs of the CarpathiansAll Carpathian huts

Getting there from Ukraine

Border crossings

  • Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké — road, 24/7
  • Malyi Bereznyi – Ubľa — road, 24/7 For cars and buses; pedestrians not confirmed by the Ukrainian border service, lorries up to 3.5 t.
  • Mali Selmentsi – Veľké Slemence (pedestrian) — pedestrian, 09:00–21:00 Kyiv time Pedestrians and cyclists only; inconvenient for the Tatras without onward transport.
  • Chop – Čierna nad Tisou (rail) — rail, 24/7

By car

From Uzhhorod ≈182 km, ≈2 h 45 min without queues: Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké → I/19 via Sobrance and Michalovce to Košice → D1 motorway via Prešov to the exit near Levoča → road 533 to Spišská Nová Ves (≈177 km, ≈2 h 30 min from the border). From Lviv via Uzhok and Ubľa ≈407 km, ≈6 h 40 min; through Poland (Kraków – Nowy Targ) ≈496 km, ≈6 h 20 min. The D1 requires an e-vignette (eznamka.sk).

Checked 23.10.2026; border crossing hours and timetables change — check before you travel.

What's nearby