I know that there are a lot of such articles about interesting places in Belarus. And I wanted to stand out somehow. Therefore, in this collection there will be both classic directions and less well-known locations. I will tell you about ghost villages, lakes with the whitest sand, mystical manors, blooming swamps and just about beautiful cities (with good coffee shops and SPA hotels).
And in this article there will be a lot of practical information that will be useful to you on your trip. Are you ready to start? Then let’s not waste time!
Grodno
A city of churches and castles in the very west of Belarus. There is the oldest synagogue in the country, the oldest pharmacy and many more facilities with the prefix “the most”. Recently, historical quarters were put in order there, pleasant public spaces were arranged and the largest shopping mall in the country (outside the capital) was opened. Therefore, Grodno remains one of the best weekend destinations today.
Why is it worth going? For the sake of pointed spires, good coffee shops and the atmosphere of the old town.
How to get there? The cheapest option is the Minsk – Grodno train. Tickets cost 12-19 BYN. Travel time: 4-5 hours (depending on the specific flight). You can view the schedule on the websiteRW.BY . Minibuses also run to Grodno. There are more of them, but they are noticeably more expensive (from 30 BYN). Check the flight schedule on the websiteatlasbus.by or minsk-grodno.by .
Another option is a trip to Grodno with an excursion. They cost from 140 BYN. But this amount already includes travel, a traditional lunch, guide services and even an organ music concert.
Pinsk
If almost everyone knows about Grodno, then the “capital of Polesie” still remains a kind of hidden the treasure of Belarus. It ranks second in the country in terms of the number of preserved ancient monuments. Here, the spires of old churches rise above the pedestrian streets, Aivazovsky’s works are kept in the local museum, and in the suburbs of Pinsk there is a secluded village of Pare, covered with legends about vampires. You can read about them in this article. Well, I’ll go on for now.
How to get there? By minibus for 35BYN. See the schedule on the website7588.by . The travel time is about 4 hours. There are trains too, but they have an inconvenient schedule, so in this case you will have to go overnight.
And where to find accommodation in Pinsk? If you need something budget, pay attention to the Sport Hotel (hotelsport.by ). She’s nothing, but without pathos. And if you are looking for a really cool place to live, then rent this apartment near the historical center of the city. She has almost perfect reviews.
Old manor house in the village of Stomach
Photo https://elgatomarinero7.livejournal.com /
The Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky Palace has been abandoned for many years, but it still remains one of the most interesting places in Belarus. They make horror movies here, and the locals tell all kinds of ghost stories.
Externally, this palace really looks creepy. The stairs creak, Soviet stars “burn” on the ceiling, and the twisted branches of the trees keep knocking and knocking on the old tiled roof. Perhaps it was this mystical halo that made the palace in the Stomach one of the most popular places for photo shoots. If you have Instagram, you will really like it here.
Photo of the Dormant spadchyna project (@spiachaya.spadchyna)
How to get there? No way. It is convenient to get here only by car.
Shchuchin
The author of the photo is Kasia Syromolot (@palasatka). Source — 34travel.me .
The only more or less large city near the Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky Palace. There are several historical streets, the monastery of the Piarists, the Church of St. Teresa and another palace of the Drutskys-Lyubetskys. But in my opinion, all this is too little to consider Shchuchin as an independent destination for a trip.
The city is really interesting for its surroundings.
- 7 kilometers awayfrom it there is a magnificent church of Peter and Paul in the village of Rozhanka;
- Church-“fortress type” in the village of Murovanka;
- Ivanovsky Manor in Golovichpole;
- And the Gothic cathedral in the village of Starye Vasilishki.
Photos from social networks. The authors are @vaverka_traveler and @lukashik_lenochka.
Add to this the palace in the Stomach, which I have already written about above, and you will get a great cocktail for a short trip.
How to get there? You can get to Shuchin itself by train, but you will need a car to travel around its surroundings.
Where to stay? In the only hotel in the city, it is called “Comfort“. You can book a room by calling +375 1514 20-100. Yes, everything is very archaic with booking rooms. But for 70 BYN you can live in an old building built at the end of the last century.
Mir and Nesvizh
You probably know about these two castles without me. But it would also be wrong not to say a word about them at all. Castles in Mir and Nesvizh are located 30 kilometers from each other. There is a legend that once there was even an underground passage between them. Therefore, today they are also often combined as part of a single trip.
Why is it worth going to these places? For the sake of old towers and ghost legends, medieval views and the opportunity to actually spend the night in a 16th century castle.
If you don’t have a car, then it’s better to go here with an excursion. You will be taken to all the iconic places, told stories about spiritualistic seances in the walls of the Nesvizh Palace, and then you will also be fed a free lunch. You can view the details here.
What about public transport? He’s fine too. But then you will have to choose one of the two locks. From Minsk to Mir and Nesvizh can be reached by minibuses of the company Atlasbus. But the two locks are loosely connected to each other.
5 more non-banal “lock” directions
Svyatsk. Photo by Lizaveta Varano, @lizztoday
In continuation of the “castle” theme, I will tell you about several old bastions that do not often appear in tourist guides. Personally, I really like the recently renovated Volovich Palace in Svyatsk…
And Lyubchansky Castle is the only one that was almost entirely restored by volunteers.
Photo author — Dmitry Gazin. Source — dimon-porter.livejournal.com .
Unfortunately, there is nothing there now except the outer walls. But the former features of the bastion are already perfectly guessed, so the people who worked on the restoration of the monument can only applaud.
Another popular route stretches to the Brest region, where stand next to each otherKossovsky Castle and Sapieha Palace in Ruzhany. The first one is already completely ready, and the second one is still at the restoration stage. But excursions are already actively being taken to these places. (Here, for example, is one of these ).
Photos from social networks. Author Denis Mordas.
In the end, I want to write a couple of lines about the little-known (so far) Bulgakov Palace in Zhilichi. He survived two world wars very well. For two hundred years, the complex has never been bombed, burned or rebuilt. Therefore, the palace has well preserved both its external features and its interiors.
Auto photo: Kasia Syramalot, @palasatka. Source — 34travel.me
Today it is even called the Belarusian Versailles. But (!) you can only get inside with a guided tour. They are held every hour on weekdays. On weekends – every half hour. To find out all the details, please call +375 (22) 377-48-46.
Brest
A city whose name is inextricably linked with the Brest Fortress and the Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
There is a beautiful train station, similar to one of Stalin’s skyscrapers; there is a lamplighter who lights the lights every evening; and there is also a pedestrian street with many excellent cafes and street musicians. All this creates a special atmosphere of modern Brest.
You can read more about all the most interesting places in the city in the article at the link below. There’s a lot of stuff there. You can’t tell me about Brest in a nutshell.
How to get there? I would have taken the train. Travel time is 3 hours. Ticket price – from 14 BYN. There is also an option to go to Brest with an excursion. It costs 140 BYN, but don’t be intimidated by this figure. The price includes tickets to the Brest Fortress, a trip to Belovezhskaya Pushcha and a free lunch. If you go to Brest on your own, you will get about the same amount. All the details can be found here.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha
The oldest forest in Europe, the habitat of Belarusian bison and the most famous national park of our country. The first mention of Belovezhskaya Pushcha dates back to 983! And the oldest trees here are more than 6 hundred years old! One of the largest European swamps is located here and almost 70% of all known plants of our country grow. 250 species of birds live in the forest, as well as wolves, lynxes, martens, foxes, badgers, otters and dozens more other animals.
The easiest way to see them is to come to the village of Kamenyuki. Buses run here from Brest (their prices and schedules can be found on the website infobus.by). Travel time is about 1.5 hours. Ticket price: 7-8 BYN.
Deepriz Park
I understand that Belovezhskaya Pushcha is a unique place. But to feel it to the end, just wandering along the aviaries, you are unlikely to succeed. In this case, it is better to go to the Deepriz Park. The animals there are much more sociable.
Photo from the social networks of the park “Deepriz”; the author of the picture is @mariya_delikatnaya.
You can kiss an alpaca, feed deer or an Asian fallow deer, ride a pony and meet your ex among the grazing donkeys. It is generally an ideal place for children. And it is also not very far from Brest.
How to get there? First by train to Baranovichi station, and then by city buses (29, 4 or 15) to the stop of the “Special bus depot”. From there, another 800 meters on foot.
Baranovichi (and everything that surrounds them)
If you have a car, you can even arrange a big tour of the Baranovichi district. In addition to the Deepriz Park, there is:
- The oldest church in Belarus (in the village of Ishkold);
- And the largest wooden temple in our country (in the village of Polonechka).
Photo author Kasia Syramalot (@palasatka); source 34travel.me .
A separate story is the gloomy Kotlubaev manor in the village of Yastrembel. Today the building stands abandoned. The Gothic spire rises above the empty gaps of the windows. The old roof is overgrown with moss and small trees. But the facade features still retain the features of their former greatness. Five years ago, the Onliner edition ranked Kotlubayev Palace among the most mystical places in our country. And looking at her pictures, it’s hard not to agree with this.
Photo from the website — planetabelarus.by .
In general, the Brest region is surprisingly rich in such places. The Reitanov manor in Grushevka and the former noble house of Bokhvitsa in the village of Fleuryanovo conceal their mystical charm.
Tomb Reitanov is in the village of Grushevka. Photo — travel project “Volan de Moor” (@volan_de_myyr).
At the same time, all these places easily fit into a single route. For fans of car travel, this is a great option. And if you need a place to stay overnight, pay attention to the park hotel “Bright”. There are beautiful rooms, a private SPA complex and a cozy restaurant by a small lake. I probably won’t be much mistaken if I say that this is the best hotel in the Baranovichi district.
Braslav and mystical lakes
The lake capital of Belarus and almost the main resort of the country. The city is surrounded by three lakes – Berezhe, Novyaty and Drivyaty. And in the immediate vicinity of Braslav there are about a dozen more reservoirs.
Antique lovers will love the beautiful Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. And for fans of modern music, there is a bright Viva Braslav festival. I also strongly advise you to look into the village of Slobodka to see the church of the Heart of Jesus and two mystical lakes (God’s Eye and the Devil’s Pit).
Slobodka. Photos from the website braslaw.by .
Each of them has its own legend associated with it. And this subtle aura of mystery gives the local places a special appeal.
How to get to Braslav? By bus or minibus for 25 BYN. The journey time is about 4 hours. See the schedule on the websiteinfobus.by .
Where to stay? There is a good hotel in the city Braslaw Lakes, where you can rent both a cozy room and a separate chalet. And not far from the city, on Lake Strusto, there is a very beautiful glamping Nomad House.
For lovers of silence and Scandinavian aesthetics, it will be a real find.
Vitebsk
A city of white cathedrals and bright street graffiti. The place that gave us Malevich and Marc Chagall. The city where the “Slavic Bazaar” takes place and the works of hundreds of artists are exhibited.
About the mostI have a great article about interesting places in Vitebsk. Read it if you want to feel the atmosphere of this city a little more.
And if you want to see it with your own eyes, then open the site RW.BY and look for a suitable train. The cheapest ticket costs 10BYN. And the fastest flights reach Vitebsk in 3 hours.
As for accommodation, for solo travelers, I can recommend hostel X.O. And for those who go to Vitebsk for a romantic weekend, I advise you to pay attention to this apartment. It’s small, but very cute.
The 4 most beautiful churches in Belarus
If you are ready to arrange a larger-scale trip to the north-west of Belarus, then here are some more ideas for you. There are a lot of amazing ancient monuments here.
In the village of Luchai there is an ancient church of St. Tadeusz, and in the village of Mosar there is a very photogenic church of St. Anna. But the most beautiful church in Belarus (in my opinion) is located in the Grodno region – in the agro-town of Gervyaty.
He is often called the Belarusian Notre Dame. Now it is the most famous Gothic church in our country.
Only the BUdslavsky church can compete with him in beauty. But in May 2021, a fire broke out there, as a result of which the roof of the complex was severely damaged.
BELAZ plant (in Zhodino)
A place that is very rarely mentioned in travel guides. The place is not trivial. But this is no less interesting.
It is here, in Zhodino, at a huge factory that looks like a full-fledged city, they produce giant machines, the height of a 3-storey building. For a long time, the 75710 was the largest car in the world! Imagine what it would be like to stand next to such a colossus.
If you are looking for something unusual for yourself, I highly recommend that you go to this factory – take a photo against the background of these mechanical monsters, sit behind the wheel or even ride on such a machine. You can find out all the details at the link below.
Yelnya Swamp
Proof that a swamp can be beautiful too. For more than 9,000 years, these places have been striking with cosmic views, charming with the singing of cranes and bright flashes of autumn berries.
Hiking and cycling trails can be found in the marshes. You can come here on your own, or you can buy an excursion at one of the Minsk bureaus. Such trips are organized by the projects Yelnyatrip and “Going to the people“. If desired, their pages can be easily found on Facebook and Instagram.
Mogilev
The city that once could have become the capital of Belarus. There are old churches among the ordinary Soviet houses, and the local drama theater is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. I went to Mogilev twice myself. Once to make a wish on the local square of the Stars (which then actually came true). And the other is for a weekend at the excellent Atrium SPA Hotel.
For 200 BYN here you can rent a room with panoramic windows and get unlimited access to the Nebo Lounge aqua-thermal complex. In Minsk, such hotels cost 400-500 BYN, and in Mogilev they cost twice as much.
If I have intrigued you, see the exact prices here. And also read my big article about Mogilev. It will be available at the link below.
Gomel Palace and estate “Krasny Bereg”
There is an opinion that there is nothing to see in the east of the country. And I also partially agree with him. But there are exceptions to every rule. There is a beautiful Rumyantsev-Paskevich Palace in Gomel. And in the agro-town of Krasny Bereg there is a “gingerbread” estate of the Gatovskys-Poklewskys.
Photo author — Alexey Golubev.
I wrote about these places in great detail in this article. Read it. In the meantime, I’ll move on.
Ghost villages and echoes of Chernobyl
At the very end of this article, I want to write a few words about the most unusual attraction in Belarus – the Polesie exclusion zone. I think everyone has heard about tours to the Ukrainian city of Pripyat. But we have something similar in our country.
Photo from the website zapovednik.by .
These places have their own special atmosphere. Time stood still here many years ago, because people left these parts in a hurry. Textbooks and school backpacks are still lying around in rural classrooms. Soviet posters hang on the walls of cultural centers. And by the water channel there are rusty ships that once transported goods from Mozyr to Kiev.
You can go to the Polessky radiation Reserve now only on an excursion. You can view all the details on the websitezapovednik.by . All the information will be there. And now I just have to say goodbye.
I hope my article helped you with ideas for the trip. Write in the comments what are the most interesting places in Belarus that you would like to visit? And also share this article with your friends. So this text will see more people and Google will love me a little harder.
