Summer is a time of romance. And inspired by its atmosphere, I decided to make a small TOP of places that are perfect for a trip with my soulmate. Where to go for a picnic? And how to arrange a SPA weekend for yourself inexpensively? Which cities should I go to in search of an ancient atmosphere? And where is the most pleasant place to admire the stars (and feed the deer with your hands)?
There will be a lot of advice – so let’s get started as soon as possible. I don’t like to waste time on long introductions.
Idea No.1. Mogilev: SPAS and cheap restaurants
I know Mogilev is not often associated with a romantic atmosphere. But you can come to this city for many different reasons. For example, for a SPA weekend at the Atrium Hotel. There are cozy rooms, and the price already includes unlimited access to the SPA with a swimming pool, a “starry sky” and a large gallery of saunas.
My wife and I usually get this kind of trip plan. We take the train early in the morning and go to Mogilev. We have breakfast in the pretty Owl restaurant and drink coffee with desserts in the cozy Bake House coffee shop. I haven’t seen lattes for 3 BYN and breakfasts for 9.99 BYN in Minsk for a long time. And in Mogilev, this is still a common occurrence.
Owl, Mogilev Leninskaya 38.
At 14:00 we check into the hotel and for the rest of the day we regularly barrage between our room and the local Nebo Lounge SPA complex. And in the evening we drink wine, looking at the evening city through the panoramic windows. We have already turned this scenario three times.
If you need a place for a romantic dinner, I can also recommend a good “White Fox” gastrobar. And if you want to watch a movie, then literally in the next building to the hotel there is the best cinema in Mogilev – Starlight Cinema. Well, don’t forget about the city itself. There is a pretty town hall near the Dnieper, a brutal drama theater made of red stone and an old church with colorful frescoes. You can read more about all these places in the article at the link below. In the meantime, I’ll move on.
How to get there? By train Minsk – Mogilev for 10-22 BYN. See the schedule on the website of the Belarusian Railway (RW.BY ).
Idea #2. Hide in the forest and admire the stars
You can do this in Nalibokskaya Pushcha – at the retreat hotel Dzen Forest. Some time ago, they installed A-frame houses right in the forest, equipped a hall with a fireplace and a sauna overlooking the pond – and began to receive guests. To be honest, a vacation there is quite expensive. But the place itself is very cool. The price includes 3 meals a day, yoga classes, a SPA complex with Japanese furako fonts and many pleasant little things (like tea ceremonies and joint meditations). A great place to enjoy the silence and fall asleep under the stars.
Find details about the project on the websitedzenforest.by .
Idea #3. Go to Pinsk to discover something new
Pinsk is the second city in Belarus in terms of the number of preserved ancient monuments. There is a beautiful old town here – with tiled roofs and walls covered with ivy. And literally behind every turn there are some colorful antiquities.
It fits perfectly for a romantic weekend. Just look at these photos and you will understand for yourself how beautiful it is here.
You can come to Pinsk for a boat ride near the walls of the Franciscan Cathedral; and for wine evenings at the local Brunch restaurant; for the sake of the Polesie Museum, where Aivazovsky’s paintings are still kept, and beautiful breakfasts and gastrobar “Bosphorus”. If you happen to visit Pinsk on Wednesday, you can also stop by the Bona Sforza restaurant to try out their “wine unlimited” for 35 BYN (per person). And on weekends, you can plan a trip to the theater (for example, to the company production of “Pinsk gentry”).
I would choose a historic hotel as a place to stay for the night “Pinsky courtyard “, located on the riverbank – in the building of a former apartment building of the early twentieth century. It’s beautiful, but quite expensive. Therefore, as an alternative, pay attention to private apartments. There are quite a lot of them in the city. And even for 50 BYN, you can find good deals here. You can view rental apartments in Pinsk here.
How to get there? By minibus Minsk – Pinsk for 35 BYN. Look for the schedule on the website 7588.by .
Idea #4. Go to Braslav to watch the sunset by the lake together
Here, this country complex is perfect for a romantic weekend . It is called Nomad Houses and is located on the shore of Lake Berezhye. To retire and escape from everyone is a great solution. You will sit by the water, watch the sunsets and enjoy the silence of the coniferous forest.
And if you want, you can also rent a boat to swim together. Or, on the contrary, jump into a car and go on a short trip to neighboring villages and towns. Within a half-hour drive from Braslav there is a Gothic church in Vidzakh, the picturesque Plyater manor in Ops, the mystical lake “God’s Eye” and a beautiful temple in Slobodka. It will turn out to be a very quiet and soulful journey amongsecluded lakes and ancient temples. It seems to me that such a trip can be very romantic.
How to get there? By private car or by minibus Minsk – Braslav for 25-40 BYN. Look for the schedule on the website atlasbus.by .
Idea No.5. Have a picnic in Nesvizh Park
The most budget option for a trip together. A minibus ticket is an hour and a half away – and here you are in one of the most beautiful places in Belarus. We spread a blanket by the lake, take out wine and enjoy the views of Nesvizh Castle. In my opinion, it’s a good scenario for a short trip.
How to get there: by minibus for 12 BYN. See the schedule on the website7667.by .
Idea No.6. Grodno: churches, castles and coffee on the roof
A trip to Grodno is always a good idea. Here you can wander together through the streets of the old city. Admire the panoramas of tiled roofs. Or just have a little picnic, sitting right next to the walls of the Old Castle.
As a place to stay for the night, I can advise you two options:
- Apart-hotel “U Grusha”, located in an old 19th century mansion;
- And this apartment – with a stunning view of the towers of the Orthodox Church.
They will be a great solution for a romantic weekend. At least, I personally like both of these options very much.
As for gastronomic establishments, I also have my favorites here. In the morning, you can go to the coffee shop Strong White – to drink halvic raf and look at the city, sitting on a cozy roof. And in the evening, go to a restaurant for dinner Kronon Park, located in the middle of a large forest area. There is a fireplace room, a veranda with live birds and an open gallery with a platform near the fountain. It is an ideal option for a romantic evening.
You can read more about the most interesting places in Grodno in this article. There I wrote about forgotten palaces, haunted theaters and the most beautiful viewing platforms in the city.
How to get to Grodno? I would have taken the train. Travel time is from 3.5 to 5 hours. The cost is 12-20 BYN. The schedule, as always, will be on the website of the Belarusian Railway.
Idea No.7. To come to Grodno again
If you have been to Grodno more than once, go further towards the border with Poland. The was opened here relatively recently after reconstructionThe Holy Palace (with a cozy park and its own brewery). Nearby there is a pond with the “Alley of Love”, an apple orchard and an ancient chapel. Once these places belonged to the noble house of Volovich. And today they bring tourists here and arrange photo shoots.
Photo;— Lizaveta Varano, @lizztoday
A little further away is The Augustovsky Canal, where you can ride on a motor ship or on small boats. I treat it quite calmly, but many of my friends, on the contrary, consider it one of the main attractions near Grodno. Therefore, we will leave it as a worthy mention.
Another thing is Radziwilka manor, located 3 kilometers from the Augustovsky Canal. This place is definitely suitable for a romantic trip.
This palace once belonged to the Gursky family. A park with a pond was built around it, and several outbuildings were erected nearby. Today, the estate belongs to a private investor. There is a hotel inside, which carefully preserves the former interiors and pieces of furniture. And the place itself has become a real Mecca for all Grodno photographers. The places here are very picturesque. Just look at these photos and you will feel everything for yourself.
How to get there? By private car or by commuter buses from Grodno. You can view the schedule on the websiteticketbus.by . But not all buses are listed there, so ideally it’s better to just call the station and find out the current schedule. Phone number for inquiries is 8 (029) 803-08-08.
Idea No.8. Feed the deer with your hands and wander among the picturesque “abandoned places”
If you have a car, then a good route can be laid in the direction of Baranovichi. There is a large animal park called “Deepriz” a couple of kilometers from the city. All animals walk absolutely freely in it. You can feed the deer with your hands, hug alpacas and arrange a photo shoot in the company of a cute donkey. I think such a trip will be a pleasant gift for your soulmate.
Photo from the social networks of the park “Deepriz”; the author of the picture is @mariya_delikatnaya.
As a place to stay for the night, I recommend choosing park hotel “Bright”. It is located in the forest by the river, about 30 kilometers from Baranovich. There is a beautiful restaurant, its own SPA complex and cozy rooms where it is pleasant to retire.
You can view photos and current prices on this page.
As a final chord, I will tell you about three more interesting places located nearby. These are:
- The oldest wooden church in our country is in the village of Polonechka;
- Kotlubaev manor in the town of Yastrembel;
- And the “mystical” palace of the Reitan family in Grushevka – with a noble mansion and a Gothic tomb.
Perhaps these places do not quite correspond to the usual ideas of romance. But if you love Belarus, it’s definitely worth a visit. At least passing through.
