Best Places to Visit in Belarus | Pyala Travel
Find out what our travel experts say are the 10 best places to visit while traveling in Belarus
1. Minsk
Minsk is a beautiful and undiscovered city with a unique mixture of post-Soviet and modern European atmosphere, full of interesting places to see and fascinating things to do. Take a walk along Niezaleznasci avenue and watch its famous Stalinist architecture. Do some shopping at the Soviet warehouse GUM where you can find all sorts of goods made in Belarus. Go to Niamiha and walk around Medieval style Trinity Hill and Upper Town with its churches and the Town Hall. Have a drink at one or few of many bars at Zybickaja and Revaliucyjnaja streets in Niamiha area. And don’t forget to visit our ‘diamond’ - the National Library of Belarus.
2. Stalin Line
Visit Stalin Line to get a truly amazing picture of how life was during the war. It’s an interactive experience where you can ride a military car, shoot guns, and have a ‘soldier’s’ meal in an atmospheric cafe. Also very often there are some interesting events dedicated to World War II. If you don’t speak Russian we would advise you to bring someone along who does to get the full experience. The complex is open every day from 10:00 to 18:00.
3. Niesvizh Castle
Visit this castle and its stunning park around the castle. It once belonged to the Radziwill family and is on the list of World Heritage Sites. It has been reconstructed, restored, and renovated throughout the years, and today it's a mixture of architectural styles (Renaissance, Classicism, Baroque, and Rococo, to name a few) The castle is about 120 km away from Minsk so ideal for a day trip. This beautiful place has a lot of political and cultural history. There is a museum, a hotel, and a restaurant. This place is surrounded by legends, for example, the legend of Barbara Radziwill, ‘the black lady of Nesvizh’, who presumably was poisoned and now haunts in the castle… Come and check it out!
4. Vitebsk
Locals call Vitebsk the ‘cultural capital’ of Belarus for two main reasons: every summer (June-July) there is an international music festival called Slavianskiy Bazar which hosts a competition for young singers and songwriters and it’s also filled with famous artists. Also both Marc Chagall and his teacher Yehuda Pen were born in this very city! Additionally, the avant-garde Supremacist painter Kazimir Malevich, Russian artist Ilya Repin and many others were born here. It’s a nice city with many churches and the beautiful big Western Dvina River.
5. Polatsk
Visit Polatsk if you want to visit a city that oozes history. Founded in 862, Polatsk is the oldest city in Belarus and was once part of the Duchy of Polatsk! One of the main sights to see is Saint Sophia Cathedral - one of four churches in the world dedicated to Saint Sophia. Also visit the beautiful monastery of Saint Euphrosine and see a copy of the world famous cross made for her order with pieces of the Holy Cross and other relics inside.
6. Braslaw Lakes National Park
Go to Braslaw Lakes National Park to see why Belarus is famous for its beautiful lakes. Keep in mind, that this place is too fascinating and too far to be visited just for a day, so you need to have at least 3 days to enjoy the nature here. Book a house or a room at the recreation centre and relax!
7. Hrodna
This city looks a bit different from other Belarusian cities because it wasn’t damaged as much during WWII and therefore many traditional buildings and narrow streets have been preserved. Take note of the many catholic churches, most of which were destroyed by the Soviet government after the war, but restored later. Belarusians like to come here for a weekend and walk around, because this city breathes the spirit of freedom and inspires great things!
8. Mir Castle
Go to Mir Castle to see another UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built in the early 16th century in the Gothic style, but then it came into the hands of the famous Radziwill family who extended and refitted the castle in the Renaissance style. Take a tour and learn about the complex and sad history of this place and also try out some delicious Belarusian drinks!
9. Brest
Brest city is located near the border with Poland and is also quite closely located to Ukraine, combining three different cultures. Some say this city is more European than Minsk is especially in Saveckaja Street where you can find many cute shops and coffee spots. But we think Brest has another quality that no other city has: the most beautiful natural park called Belovezhskaya Pushcha. If you are interested in World War II history visit Brest Fortress, a very important place for the Soviet resistance. It was built in the middle of the 19th century and became a Hero Fortress for the courageous Soviet soldiers during the fight against the German army in 1941. Nazi’s planned to seize the fortress in 8 hours, but it stood firm for more than 30 days.
10. Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park
Discover the primeval Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park. It has very old oak trees dating back more than 500 years and around 250 different kinds of animals living there in their natural surroundings. The most famous inhabitants are the bison, or ‘zubr’. This is the largest animal bred in Europe! You can see this massive zubr in a zoo in this park. During the winter you can even visit the home of Santa Claus. A great way to impress your kids!
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