Baj: Hiking Trails, Vineyard and Rococo Church

If you are looking for a hotel in Baj, you can choose your destination based on three specific interests: sacred architecture, vineyard scenery or hiking trails in the Gerecse Hills. The Assisi Szent Ferenc Church combines architectural history with frescoes and Stations of the Cross; at the Baji Vineyard, press houses and wine cellars shape the character of the local wine culture. When planning your trip, it is also worth looking at the different routes around Baj.

Hiking trails with different routes

The Baj–Körtemplom circular hike starts in Baj beside the wine cellars. It goes via Kálvaria to the Szent-Péter Rotunda and returns to Baj via the Új-Hegyi viewpoint. It is therefore a circular route that starts and ends in Baj. The S hiking trail takes a different route: from Baj, you can follow it into the forests of Öreg-Kovács. The nearby Gerecse Hills also offer opportunities for hiking and excursions from Baj.

The Tarján–Baj–Tata route follows a narrow, romantically wild forest path towards Baj, alongside the stations of the Baji Kálvaria. The stations of the Kálvaria stretch for almost two kilometres along a romantically wild route. Check current trail conditions before setting out. A few hundred metres beyond the lower end of the Kálvaria, you will reach a bus stop from which you can travel back to Tata. It is advisable to check the timetable in advance for the return journey.

Vineyard and scenery

The Baji Vineyard lies on the slopes of the Gerecse Hills in the area of Baj. Its south-facing plots have loess soils and good drainage, making them suitable for viticulture. Traditional press houses and wine cellars line the area and are considered living testimonies to the local wine culture. The vineyard offers views of the surrounding landscape, the forests of the Gerecse Hills and the area towards Tata.

The Gerecse forest covers two thirds of Baj’s two-square-kilometre area. Borboléta Pincekert is located in the vineyard of Baj at Esterházy-nagypince út, 2836 Baj, Szőlőhegy, plot number 2418. The business makes specialty jams, candied fruits, fruit cheeses and fruit-based confectionery from locally grown fruit. So, around the vineyard, you can discover products made from locally grown fruit alongside the wine culture.

Church and furnishings

The Roman Catholic Assisi Szent Ferenc Church is dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi. It was built from 1764 to 1795 in the German variant of French Rococo, in the Zopf style; Fellner Jakab and Anton Gott are named as its master builders. Four frescoes depict the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, the founding of the church and the descent of the Holy Spirit. The furnishings also include a finely painted, wood-carved Stations of the Cross in relief, made in Ortisei, South Tyrol.

The Angster organ is also part of the church’s furnishings. It was restored as part of a project to preserve and present natural, architectural and cultural assets. A municipal report published in 2021 describes the restoration as complete. The church’s construction date, style and furnishings each offer a different way to explore its history.

Annual festivals

A traditional festival of the German-descended population is held in Baj on Whit Sunday. Baj’s parish festival for the feast of Saint Francis is celebrated in early October, and a traditional grape harvest procession takes place in September. If you would like to plan your visit around one of these dates, check the specific event date in advance.

Discover more destinations: Dunaszentmiklós, Dunaalmás, Neszmély, Tardos, Tata.

Go to the main travel overview: Tatai.