TOP 10 Belarus sights worth visiting

We will tell you what sights to see for a tourist who came to Belarus for the first time.

Minsk

Description

Minsk is the capital of Belarus. It is a big developing city, which is constantly on the move. The structure of the city allows tourists easily find the best places to live and spend time.

In the center of the city there is Oktyabrskaya Square, the Svisloch River Embankment, the Old Town, the Opera and Ballet Theatre - all these places can be visited and there are comfortable cafes and restaurants for snacking. In the area of Nemiga and the Upper Town, there are city parks, bars and terraces.

Minsk often hosts interactive art shows, weekend street performances, club events, meat, honey and local goods fairs, open-air sports festivals, charity events and much more - the city has something to offer if you dare to ask.

Picture 1 Photo by holiday.by

Logoisk

Description

Belarus is a country that is keen on winter sports. The most popular ski resorts are Silichi and Logoisk that are located in Logoisk district.

Situated among the pine forest, both complexes have a developed infrastructure, which attracts visitors in both winter and summer. The modern slopes, well equipped for skiing and snowboarding, nearby recreation facilities, gyms, equipment rental and summer sports grounds are ideal for winter sports enthusiasts.

In January 2004, the opening of the first in Belarus skiing sports and health-improving complex "Logoisk" took place.

President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko attended the opening ceremony. On the territory of the complex the main slope with a chairlift and two operating tracks, a ski equipment point and a hot meal point were put into operation. Two artificial reservoirs with the total area of 2.5 thousand square meters were created to equip the complex with an artificial snowmaking system. A guarded parking lot for 1,000 cars was prepared for parking of vehicles. On March 14, 2004, the first national mountain skiing competitions were held here, in which 93 people took part.

How to get

From Minsk you can get to the ski center Logoisk:

• buses № 250, 251, 350, 351 "Minsk-Logoisk". Departure from "Slavinsky" Control Station;
• route taxi № 1198 "Minsk-Logoisk". Departure from "Vostok" metro station;
• car along Minsk, Ring Road turn towards Vitebsk - highway M3. Then follow the M3 highway towards Logoisk, then follow the signs to "Logoisk".

Picture 2 photo by holiday.by

Khatyn

Description

Khatyn is a monument to a village that was burned down by the Nazis along with its inhabitants during World War II. The place of mass murder was never restored.

Nowadays, it is a complex of 26 log cabins, each of which has been turned into a small bell tower with the names of the families who lived there carved in stone.

In the center of the village, there is a 6-meter sculpture, which is called "Unconquered". The image of a man with a dead boy in his arms is created in memory of Joseph Kaminsky and his son.

Khatyn is a journey through the history of Belarus and its people.

How to get

Not a single bus goes from Minsk to the memorial complex. If you get there on your own, you can go from the bus station in Minsk to the village of Pleshchenitsy, asking the driver to stop at the turn to Khatyn. Further you need to either walk 5 km or try to get to the place by a passing car.

A simpler option is to book a trip through a tour desk or to book a transfer from the airport or hotel in Minsk, for example, you can use the services of the company Minsk Airport Transfer.

The most convenient way to get to the complex, of course, is by personal or rented car. From Minsk, you need to go to Vitebsk by M3 highway, at 54 km you'll meet a pointer to Khatyn, after that you'll have to drive 5 km.

Picture 3 Фото by Wikipedia.com

Mir-Nesvizh

Description

The Mir Castle and the Nesvizh Palace and Castle Complex were built in the 16th century and belonged to the powerful and noble Radziwill family. Nowadays the Mir Castle and the Nesvizh Palace and Lock Complex are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The Nesvizh Castle enchants visitors with a labyrinth of endless halls and rooms, high ceilings, exquisite and unique furniture design. Balls and concerts are held on the territory of the complex, and magic and fairy tales are flying everywhere.

Mir Castle is a huge fortress on a hill above the lake. The successful combination of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architectural styles makes Mir Castle one of the most impressive castles in Europe.

In December 2010, after extensive restoration work, Mir Castle was opened to tourists.

However, the renewal of the Mir Castle complex is still ongoing. There are plans to restore the Italian Renaissance garden, an English park and a pond, to restore the Svyatopolk-Mirsky Palace. In 2013, the restoration of the architectural monument was completed.

How to get

Mir Castle is located 90 km southwest of Minsk. It takes only 15 minutes to get to Mir from the exit of the highway M1 Minsk-Brest. The trip takes about two hours by bus on the route Minsk-Novogrudok.

Picture 4 Photo by valeriatour.by

Vitebsk

Description

Vitebsk is the hometown of Marc Chagall, which served as an inexhaustible source of inspiration for him throughout his life. The domes of temples and ancient streets, miniature houses and benches with inscriptions, ribbons of wooden fences, cabmen in the streets - all this remained forever on his canvases along with famous angels and lovers soaring in heaven.

Nowadays, scientists, art historians and artists from all over the world come to this city to feel the atmosphere and see where one of the brightest representatives of the 20th century world avant-garde lived and worked. The city administration has preserved the artist's family home and established the Marc Chagall Art Centre.

How to get

You can get to Vitebsk from Minsk by train or bus from the railway station.

Picture 5 Photo by gorodvitebsk.by

Naroch

Description

Naroch is the largest lake in Belarus. It is part of a system of 9 lakes, which are part of the national park, along with pine forests and several rivers. The length of the park from north to south is 34 km; from west to east is 59 km.

The water in the lakes of the park is clear, and the park itself has about 30 routes for tourists, offers multi-day hiking, cycling and water trips, on the shore there are 16 tourist parking lots. In summer, you can take a helicopter trip and see the most beautiful places from a bird's eye view. Hunting and fishing, underwater hunting and diving tours are organized in the park.

How to get

You can get to Naroch from the Minsk bus station by bus. Travel time takes on average 3 hours.

Picture 6 Photo by tut.by

Slonim

Description

Ancient temples and monasteries preserve the history of this Belarusian city, towering on the banks of the Shchara and Issa rivers. But the city is very small and there are no typical tourist attractions. But if you want to know what the provincial Belarus is, then you should come here.

In 10 km from the city, there is the Zhirovichian Holy Dormition Monastery with a five-century history, the oldest miracle-working icon and a spring where you can swim, as well as a chapel where you can gather holy water. The novices tell stories about the life of monks, as well as about the miracles of the Zhirovichi icon of the Mother of God.

How to get

You can get to Slonim by bus or shuttle from the bus station or by train from the railway station.

Picture 7 Photo by gs.by

Grodno Korobchitsy

Description

Grodno is the regional center of Belarus, which suffered less than the capital city from the devastation of World War II, thus preserving two medieval castles on a picturesque hill above the Niemen River and a number of old Catholic churches known for their organ music concerts. The town itself is famous for its remarkable promenade in the Old Town (the historical center of Grodno) and the unique style of the small town, representing a mixture of medieval and Soviet times.

Korobchitsy complex is a small medieval town 5 km from Grodno with stylized old buildings: manors, a forge, a house of a wood carver, a park of wooden sculptures. The authors of the project realized the idea of protected nature: half of the territory of the complex is overgrown with bushes, fallen trees, and streams and springs, there is even a zoo with friendly mainly domesticated animals. Here you can have dinner in the restaurant of national cuisine "Zamok Zevany", ride a horse or an authentic stagecoach, or just give in to the mercy of traditional hospitality and friendly live music.

How to get

If you're coming from Minsk, you should first go to Grodno by shuttle bus, bus or train. Upon arrival in Grodno, you can get to the Korobchitsy complex by car, bus or shuttle bus.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Description

The National Park Belovezhskaya Pushcha is 150 hectares of forest fairy tales, huge old trees, ponds, 59 species of animals from beavers to bison, many tourist routes, hotels, lodges and souvenir shops - everything to make your journey close to nature and comfortable. There are also places for hunting and fishing. Belovezhskaya Pushcha is one of the most popular places to visit in Belarus.

How to get

First, you need to get to Brest by any means convenient for you. In addition, from Brest bus station you can go to Kamenyuki every half an hour by bus or shuttle taxi. You need to go to the final stop, and upon arrival walk half a kilometer to Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Brest Fortress

Description

It is a monument to the people who suffered from Nazism, who defended their homes and souls at the cost of unheard victims. It does not look like an ordinary frozen memorial, but rather like a living breathing place, a collection of stories by people like us in circumstances that none of us could have imagined and would never have wished for.

How to get

First, you need to get to Brest by any means convenient for you. From the station there is no public transport to Brest Fortress, so it's most convenient to take a taxi, because the distance is small - only 3 km, but you can walk and see Brest at the same time.

Each attraction in Belarus has its own history and to understand the history of the Belarusian people, you need to visit each of them.