The sights of Mogilev can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Seriously: even if you are an extreme milling cutter and have already lost a couple of fingers at work, you still have enough of this for calculations. Now, perhaps, it may seem that I strongly dislike the city of M. But this is not the case. It’s just that Mogilev needs a special approach. And then he will blossom, transform and become as beautiful as I am in my blue suit.
There is interesting street art and cheap SPA hotels, inexpensive restaurants and even Mogilev Karelia. And the city of Moscow is also half–forgotten churches, unpopular palaces and good eco-complexes. In this article, I will try to show how charming the “ugliest city in Belarus” can be. Are you ready to be surprised? Then let’s start!
Idea No.1. The town hall, the church and walks around the city.
As I said, there are few real attractions in Mogilev. I counted only 8 (and even then, half of them got into this list with a stretch). I liked:
- City Hall and pedestrian street next to it;
- Fire lane with a mini museum of rescue equipment;
- Brutal Drama theater made of red brick;
- And also the Church of St. Stanislaus, hidden in the courtyards next door to it.
Somewhere in the second part of the top there were St. Nicholas Monastery, star Square and Konisky Palace. Well, that’s about it. This eight is a basic set for a walk around Mogilev.
Personally, I also liked the flat building of the business center at 4 Mironova. From some angles it looks very unusual. But as I understand it, the townspeople themselves do not consider it a landmark. Therefore, it will also be out of the competition program on my list.
Idea #2. Mogilev SPA and the best hotel in Belarus
In short, I’m talking about him. It’s beautiful, cozy and cheap. Therefore, I can call this hotel the “Best”, at least in terms of price/quality ratio. The room rate includes an unlimited SPA, and even the most inexpensive rooms offer panoramic views of the city.
In Minsk, such hotels cost 400-500 BYN. And in Mogilev, you can get the same thing 2-3 times cheaper.
If you don’t believe me, just look at the prices section of the Beijing or Renaissance hotels in the capital. But I warn you right away: the numbers there are scary (like Japanese movies about a girl getting out of the TV).
Idea No.2.5. Cheaper accommodation
If your budget is limited, and a night at a SPA hotel is as real for you as a night with Ariana Grande, then here are some more ideas for an inexpensive overnight stay.
Option #1. A nice studio on Grundvalskaya Street. It is located in a residential area (that’s why it’s so cheap), but you can get to the center by bus in 10 minutes.
Option #2. Recreation rooms of the Mogilev railway station. They stand like three shawarma. They look appropriate.
Option #3. The Mogilev Hotel. An inexpensive, but quite cozy option for an overnight stay. Rooms in the hotels “Kim”, “Tourist” and “Himvolokno” are cheaper than it. But they look quite simple. Even I’m not that economical.
Idea No.3. Mogilev cafes, and where to find free coffee?
I like to eat in beautiful places. Therefore, after several trips to Mogilev, I have this list of my favorite gastronomic places in this city.
Owl. A small but cozy coffee shop with good breakfasts. The address is Leninskaya 38. See the menu on Instagram – @sovacoffee.home. The cost of breakfast ranges from 9.5 to 16 BYN.
If you need a cheaper breakfast, go to a bakery called Bakehouse (at Pervomayskaya 12). She specializes in coffee and assorted pastries. But there are full-fledged dishes there too. At the beginning of 2024, all breakfasts here cost 9.99 BYN. They look like this…
There are also very tasty teas with currants and cloves on the menu (for 2.49 BYN).
See all the details on the websitebakehouse.by .
Burger House. An establishment with beer, meat and burgers for 10 BYN. The address is Leninskaya 45. The interior is quite simple, but the burgers are delicious. Look for the menu on the website burgerhouse.by . But keep in mind that the place is quite popular, so there are queues in the evenings.
Merci — a cozy coffee shop on a pedestrian street. The menu includes cappuccino for 3 rubles and cakes for 2.90. I will say it bluntly: I have not seen such prices in Minsk for 5 years.
Probably, one could also recall the restaurants Grand Savoy and Amici. These are the two most expensive establishments in Mogilev. But apart from the prices, I didn’t find anything unusual in them. So instead, let me tell you about a couple of places with free coffee.
It can be obtained in some cafes of the Buffet Family chain. You choose breakfast, and a latte, “filter” or cappuccino is poured for you for free. I’ve been to two of them myself. The first is called “Buffet“. It has a simple interior, but excellent inexpensive breakfasts.
The second one is called “Yes Grill” and specializes in various fashionable variations of street food. The menu includes buttermilk, bagels and pita. In my opinion, this is one of the most colorful and original establishments in Mogilev.
Idea No.4. Mogilev street art, workshops and interesting projects
Some time ago, the DOMA street festival was held in Mogilev, thanks to which a number of beautiful murals appeared in the city. Now informal excursions are conducted to these places, and local enthusiasts have even created a virtual map with the most interesting points of the city. You can find it at – streetart.urbanistic.by .
Armed with it, you can climb around the yards and have fun in search of “wall poems” and beautiful graffiti.
Another cool Mogilev project is called “There is a reason.” There are various tastings and cooking classes, where you (under the guidance of the chef) can first prepare a dish you like, and then eat it.
You can view all the details on the websitepovod-est.by .
At the end of the block, I also want to say a few words about the Chitayburg project. If you are traveling with children, be sure to take a look at this place. This is a bookstore, a coffee shop and a play area for children in one bottle.
Idea No.5. The history of Mogilev and the tale of the failed capital
In the 30s after the Polish-Soviet war, Minsk actually became a border city. The border passed in the area of Zaslavl, therefore, at the level of Stalin, the idea of moving the capital to Mogilev was in full swing. The project even began to be implemented, but this decision was fatal for the city in many ways.
photo — Radzima.org
Churches were demolished in Mogilev and huge administrative buildings were built. Narrow streets were massively cleared of historical buildings in order to create wide squares for communist parades in place of the old quarters. Due to the outbreak of World War II, Mogilev never became the capital. But a number of monuments have been irretrievably lost.
To learn more about those times, go on this tour. It is quite inexpensive, but very interesting. And take a look at the Mogilev subway next to the city hall.
This is a long passage, on the walls of which there are photographs of old Mogilev. You’d be surprised what kind of city we’ve lost.
Idea No.6. Leave the city in search of antiquity
If a little Indiana Jones lives in your soul, and you like to dig into various antiquities, here is a small list of interesting destinations for you. Near Mogilev there is:
- The city of Shklov with a beautiful town hall (built in 1778);
- Potemkin Palace in Krichev;
- And the huge estate of Marshal Ignatius Bulgak, which I especially recommend you to visit.
Photo from the website bobruisk.ru .
You can get here by bus (about 2 hours). You need to go to the agricultural town of Zhilichi. Well, you can’t go wrong there. The palace and park ensemble is very large. In some sources, it is called the Belarusian Versailles and one of the most underrated attractions of our country.
Photo from the website hawat.by .
In addition, one can recall a number of picturesque ruins in different parts of the Mogilev region. These are the church of St. Anthony in Knyazhitsy, the Tolstoy estate in Grudinovka, and the church of St. Onufriy in Selce. Don’t be lazy – find their photos on the Internet. Each of these places can impress (even in spite of its abandoned state).
Idea No.7. To leave the city for nature.
I didn’t know myself, but it turns out that there are at least three interesting natural attractions near Mogilev that can also be recommended. These are:
- Blue krinitsa is the largest spring in Belarus;
- Chalk quarries in Lozovica, which are often called “Belarusian Karelia” because of the steep shores, coniferous forest and bright blue water with small islands;
- And the eco-tourist complex “Nikolaevsky Ponds” is 60 kilometers from the city. It has its own beach, catamaran rental, apple orchard, apiary and houses on the water. If you are already tired of summer in the city, you can plan a trip to this place.
Separately, I want to recommend this eco-friendly hotel to you.
It seems to me that this is the most beautiful place in the suburbs of Mogilev. There is a pine forest, a river and a cozy restaurant right by the shore. Just look at the pictures. I think they will tell everything better than me.
According to the concept, it somewhat resembles the “Minsk” complex “Cones”. But again, the price tag is twice as low there. Now a standard room here costs 125 BYN per day. These are good prices nowadays.
That’s all. I hope my advice was useful to you, and you already have a plan in your head for what to do in Mogilev. If you also have something to add to this article, write in the comments. And now I just have to say goodbye. Adios, good bye and yes pabachennya!
