Košická Belá

Košice-okolie District · Košice Region · Slovakia
Košická Belá — photo 1 Košická Belá — photo 2 2

Photos: Jan Starec, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Jan Starec, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Košická Belá is a village in the Košice-okolie District of the Košice Region, Slovakia, situated in the eastern part of the Slovak Ore Mountains at an elevation of around 380 metres. The Belá stream flows through the village, and the surrounding landscape features characteristic hills and forests of this mountainous area.

The first written mention of Košická Belá dates back to 1297, when German settlers arrived. The village's name comes from the Belá stream. The municipality also included the villages of Košické Hámre, Malý Folkmar, and Ružín, which were flooded when the Ružín reservoir was created in 1969.

Košická Belá is known for its natural surroundings, especially its proximity to the Ružín reservoir on the Hornád River, a popular spot for recreation. The area is rich in forests and mountain scenery, attracting nature enthusiasts. The village also has a history of religious communities, as shown by records of Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, and Lutheran congregations.

Visitors to Košická Belá can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. Several hiking trails start or pass through here, such as "Košická Belá – Vyšný Klátov", "Ružín Reservoir, bridge – Erika Hut", and "Ružín – Siviec". The nearby Kojsovská Hoľa peak is accessible for mountain hikes. Huts like Jagodná and Lajoška offer shelter for multi-day treks. Among the natural attractions, the Ružín reservoir on the Hornád stands out.

Getting there from Ukraine

From Uzhhorod to Košická Belá is about 182 km, around 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 (about 177 km, 2 h 30 min from the border). From Lviv via Uzhok and Ubľa about 407 km, 6 h 40 min; through Poland (Kraków – Nowy Targ) about 496 km, 6 h 20 min. The D1 requires an e-vignette (eznamka.sk).

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

What's nearby

Trails nearby

All trails
Košická Belá – Vyšný KlátovModerateOne-dayMarkedKošická Belá Vyšný KlátovElevation profile369–896 m11.2 kmascent 453 m≈ 3.5 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreRichnava, stop – Košická BeláHardMulti-dayMarkedRichnava, stop Košická BeláElevation profile277–1 028 m35.9 kmascent 1 446 m≈ 12 h walkingunder 1 km from the centreSaddle under Suchý vrch – Hut on JahodnáHardMulti-dayMarkedSaddle under Suchý vrch Hut on JahodnáElevation profile325–898 m28.8 kmascent 1 176 m≈ 9.5 h walking1.9 km from the centreRužín Reservoir, bridge – Chata ErikaHardTwo-dayMarkedRužín Reservoir, bridge Chata ErikaElevation profile325–1 170 m18.9 kmascent 1 137 m≈ 7 h walking3.4 km from the centreKošice, Čermeľ – Veľká LodinaModerateTwo-dayMarkedKošice, Čermeľ Veľká LodinaElevation profile241–824 m19.1 kmascent 626 m≈ 6 h walking3.7 km from the centreNováčany – Ružín Reservoir, bridgeHardMulti-dayMarkedNováčany Ružín Reservoir, bridgeElevation profile325–1 019 m34.3 kmascent 1 267 m≈ 11 h walking3.8 km from the centre

Peaks nearby

All peaks
Kojšovská hoľaPeakKojšovská hoľaKojšovaltitude 1 246 m9 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...RoháčkaPeakRoháčkaMargecanyaltitude 1 028 m15 km from the centreRoháčka is the highest summit of the Čierna hora hills, one of the units of the Slovak Ore Mountains in eastern Slovakia.

What to visit

All
Ružín reservoir on the HornádLakeRužín reservoir on the HornádMalá Lodina6.1 km from the centreRužín is a reservoir on the Hornád river in the deep, winding valley of the Čierna hora hills, the north-eastern part of the Slovak Ore Mountains, a dozen or so...Mining Museum in Gelnica and the Jozef AditMuseumMining Museum in Gelnica and the Jozef AditGelnica14 km from the centreThe Mining Museum in Gelnica (Banícke múzeum v Gelnici) is the town museum of an old mining town in the Hnilec valley, among the Volovské vrchy, part of the Slovak Ore...Macák Pottery on Košice’s Craft Lane: ceramics and coursesCrafts & workshopsMacák Pottery on Košice’s Craft Lane: ceramics and coursesHrašovík14 km from the centreHrnčiarska Street in Košice old town is known as the "Craft Lane" (Ulička remesiel): craftspeople work in small houses below the walls of the former town fortifications.Herrenwald craft brewery, Malá Ida: tour with the brewerCraft beer & breweriesHerrenwald craft brewery, Malá Ida: tour with the brewerMalá Ida14 km from the centreThe Herrenwald brewery stands in its Panský les ("Lords’ Wood") quarter, from whose German name it takes its own.Solivar Museum, Prešov — historic salt worksMuseumSolivar Museum, Prešov — historic salt worksPrešov23 km from the centreThe Solivar Museum (STM – Múzeum Solivar v Prešove) is a branch of the Slovak Technical Museum in Košice, housed in the historic salt works on the south-eastern edge...Štós spa: climatic cure, speleotherapy and poolWater parks & thermal poolsŠtós spa: climatic cure, speleotherapy and poolŠtós25 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...

Craft nearby

All craft places
ÚĽUV Craft Centre Košice: craft workshops and folk-art shopCrafts & workshopsÚĽUV Craft Centre Košice: craft workshops and folk-art shopBaška14 km from the centreÚĽUV (Ústredie ľudovej umeleckej výroby, the Centre for Folk Art Production) is a state institution that has looked after Slovak folk crafts since 1945: it keeps a...Háj Pottery: wheel-thrown ceramics and wood-fired kilns in HájCrafts & workshopsHáj Pottery: wheel-thrown ceramics and wood-fired kilns in HájHáj27 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...

Spas and thermal pools nearby

Štós spa: climatic cure, speleotherapy and poolWater parks & thermal poolsŠtós spa: climatic cure, speleotherapy and poolŠtós25 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

579 mMountain shelterJahodná HutVolovec Mountains · SlovakiaStanding70 m from a trailStaffed
908 mMountain shelterLajoška HutVolovec Mountains · SlovakiaStandingOn a trailStaffed
497 mHutHut below VreteníkSlovak Ore Mountains · SlovakiaNot verified
697 mHutHut below Spálený vrch (south-west slope)Slovak Ore Mountains · SlovakiaNot verified330 m from a trail
599 mSpringSpring below DubinaSlovak Ore Mountains · SlovakiaNot verifiedOn a trail
411 mSpringSpring below Krížny hrb (east slope), 411 mVolovec Mountains · SlovakiaNot verified60 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.