Route around Belarus by car 4 days. Traveling by car in Belarus

Those who know me personally will not be surprised if I once again sing praises in the style of “I adore the country of Belarus” and say that going there on vacation is very right and good!

I share my experience. I am writing my opinion. Briefly, about 40 minutes :)

I’ve been to Belarus three times, and I’m going to visit again. I love this country so much that I want to live there - the only thing that is preventing me from doing this now is only business and projects that require my presence in Moscow for now :) So let's go forays for now!

In this topic, I will not spill my thoughts all over the tree and will try to be more compact.

General.

Money:

Take your card with you. Paying with it is really noticeably profitable, and payment machines are available almost everywhere (almost all gas stations, hotels mostly (only in the most budget ones with cash. And I’m still in shock about shops - also almost everywhere, even in the most seedy ones)

In general, my advice is to pay by card wherever possible.

Cash, of course, also needs to be exchanged. It turned out to be more profitable to change at Belagroprombank than at Belarusbank (state-owned, like Sberbank, and the colors are the same)

We remember that the Banks' work schedule is Soviet. There is lunch, and weekends in the form of Saturday and Sunday. There's a problem with the graphics there - it's the same thing in stores), so just take this into account and you'll be able to avoid surprises :) Believe me, this is not even an inconvenience compared to all the advantages of this beautiful country!

Kmk, it’s more logical to divide the entire budget into three parts, exchange a third in cash, and pay the rest with a card. By the way, if you buy euros in the Russian Federation and exchange them for Belarusian rubles there, it will also be more profitable (I exchanged euros there).

Here's a help to look at/estimate prices:

Petrol- cheap and high quality. A liter of 95 was 7 rubles cheaper in January. But I poured 92, there was no difference at all, not like in the Russian Federation.

Documentation

For Russians, you don’t need anything special with you. Passport for those over 14 years old and birth certificate for those under 14 years old. If minors are not traveling with their parents (at least with one), then they need to have an agreement drawn up with a notary from the parents for their child to travel with the person they are traveling with (I haven’t drawn it up yet, I think the notary has all the details).

On the car - everything that we use in Russia (if not the owner - a notarized power of attorney for driving)

Well, get a Green Card (car insurance like our OSAGO). Moreover, it’s cheaper at home near any insurance company.

Roads

Amazing!

Cool in all respects. Traffic rules must be strictly followed - traffic cops are not corrupt, the fines are serious. But traffic rules in Belarus are logical and correct. Gas stations sell traffic regulations, etc. - buy it, let it be.

M1 is absolutely great! Europe. The speed limit for passenger cars is 120 km/h.

Alcohol

Bourgeois - expensive. Sambuca cost twice as much as in Moscow Auchan.

Belarusian - cheap and high quality. Moreover. In Belarus they make Georgian wines under license - they make them very well and sell them very inexpensively. Georgian wines from Georgia are also sold there, by the way (unlike the Russian Federation), so go to Belarus for Georgian wine, yes! In addition, they also sell Borjomi there, if anyone is interested. And the prices for all this are very attractive.

Pay attention to - Alivaria beer in glass (white unfiltered), Lida beer and kvass, and other Belarusian beer and kvass.

Cool soda with blueberries, megafruit:

Multifruit niale, kmk :)

And lovers of Sheridans/Baileys should take note of this information. If somewhere in restaurants, shops, cafes you come across something like this:

Buy it, it's a cool thing :) I bought it at the Peter restaurant in Kobrin, they told me that it was contraband from Poland :) Well, the status is not important, the essence is important :) It's a soft thing, you can't feel the alcohol, 20 degrees, chocolate-caramel like this: )

In shops

You can write about Belarusian products for months. EVERYTHING there is delicious, high quality, and cheap. A hundred times better than Russian!!! AND EVERYTHING IS!!! The shelves are bursting!!!

Moreover, everything that they bring to us is like Savushkin’s product and so on. No need to buy. Buy what you don’t see in Russia. It tastes better and is cheaper!!! No empty counters or queues, don’t trust our media and you’ll throw the TV in the trash))).

The only product I would particularly highlight is ketchup. ABC seems to be in bags, like milk. It is very tasty. But…. I am forced to refuse to buy it in the future - despite the fact that it is really very tasty, its composition includes certain elements that would be superfluous in the human body. In Belarus it is customary to write the composition honestly.

Judging by the composition, Heinz doesn’t have these (and only) these things, so Heinz rules, so I’ll take it with me, as well as:

Coffee, Tea - take it with you. Because in Belarus they are expensive.

But there are many places where you can buy real German cocoa, an amazingly tasty drink (it’s expensive, 100 grams is about 60 rubles)

Belarusian CHOCOLATE!!! "Spartak" It's just "NO WORDS, JUST EMOTIONS"!!! for 40 Russian rubles you get a bar of awesome chocolate to your taste!!! Real 90% cocoa or milk with almonds, or mint!!! Etc.

And cookies and waffles, of course:)

Catering (restaurants, cafes, canteens)

Everything is great everywhere! Usually.

Well, except for coffee - because for my biased taste as a coffee gourmet, the coffee in catering establishments in Belarus is sooooo weak :)

Cafe "Smile", which I will talk about further below:

Restaurant prices are at the same level as prices in Moscow cafes such as mu-mu or McDucks. It’s more expensive to eat at a McDuck in Moscow than in restaurants in Belarus with alcohol on the bill. In other establishments, accordingly, it is much cheaper. The canteens generally amaze the imagination - you can eat for 60 rubles (Russian Federation) so that it’s difficult to go afterwards)) Moreover, it’s tasty and of high quality, and you can take a couple of cakes with you)))

Housing

And in general, there is a chain of “tourist” hotels operating in Belarus, it’s ambiguous there, because the budget rooms are full of the USSR of the 80s. new ones - nothing wrong, but in the entire network, it seems to me, compared to Belarus as a whole, the prices are clearly a little too high))

In general, you can search for hotels in advance in Belarus either on , or everything is very loyal, it’s also convenient to look for a suitable hotel there. There are even GPS coordinates.

Or using this algorithm:

You go to the Yandex homepage - you interrupt the city, like you are, say, in Bobruisk - Yandex is deceived and thinks that you are in Belarus)) - you enter specifics into the search bar like “Borisov Hotel” - it gives you .

And there at the top is just a list of hotels known to Yandex - you need to call them, because not everyone has a website and, as practice has shown, you just need to call. I don’t know, maybe this is some kind of New Year’s glitch, but it seemed to us that if you switch Yandex in this way, then somehow more information located, namely Belarusian sites.

On the territory of Belarus there are several, as I called them, travel magnates)) who cooperate with hotels and will always offer you a room - they always have it in stock, only at a slightly different price. Therefore, on their websites there are descriptions of hotels, detailed and all that, but their contacts. Last resort is also an option, of course, but I don’t like paying for something I can do myself :)

There is also such a thing in Belarus as agro-estates or eco-estates, here is an example:

We used it this January in Pruzhany and Kobrin and really liked it.

Many people rent apartments and houses there.

Telephone and Internet

mobile connection Cheap, excellent coverage. We used a package with internet - the internet was excellent! Still used it. There are also no complaints about the quality of the connection (we didn’t use the Internet through it).

Wi-Fi in cities. In Belarus, this is great (in the forest, of course, it is not there, and in small villages, too, for now, but mobile Internet has shown itself to be excellent everywhere there).

It's cheap and the connection is good. Payment by cards that you buy at the post office, for example, or at any hotel reception. It seems that there are also union seals (these are kiosks on which the mysterious word chasopisy is often written))).

If we call Belarus from the Russian Federation (or from a Russian mobile phone):

From Russia, call from a landline: 8 - dial tone - 10 - 375 - area code - local telephone number of the subscriber in Belarus

8 - intercity access

10 - access to international line

375 - international telephone code Belarus

From Russia with mobile phone call: +375-<код города>-<номер телефона>

If we call in Belarus from a purchased Belarusian SIM card to Belarusian phones, everything will be written there in the package. How to call.

Chips

All cities are ancient, many hundreds of years old. The steles in front of them will definitely tell you about this.

Attitude to the monuments of the Great Patriotic War, the War of 1812 and other monuments of history, culture and architecture. Amazing attitude!!! An example for the entire CIS!

This photo is from DisaV:

Catholicism. This means there are a lot of churches and other Catholic paraphernalia. Which means it’s beautiful, festive and positive! :) And gothic))

On the billboards, as a rule, there is either the patriotic “I love Belarus”

Or patriotism on a regional scale:

Flickers.

These are reflective things to make it safer for pedestrians to move along the streets at night. As a driver, I can say that this is an excellent law!

Wear such flickers. Moreover. mutually beneficial.

You can buy flickers of various modifications - bright stripes with Velcro (like the adult version) or various toy characters, and simply reflective toys everywhere. I will definitely take them to the Russian Federation.

By the way. Also, regarding pedestrians, and in comparison with the Russian Federation, the correct thing:

Giant "70" sign on some highways. Divided in half and standing on different sides of the road - it suddenly pops up in the high beams, don’t be alarmed)))

On all roads, every few kilometers there are nice, well-maintained, clean rest areas for motorists.

Drive into the woods to a site where there are gazebos and some other colorful stuff like a giant stork (N 52 43.054 E 24 41.920).

As a rule, there is a toilet and a trash container.

Storks. Alive, in the sense) The country of storks is simple! They don't pay attention to people at all, they go about their own business))

Throughout the country you will be haunted by the symbols of Belarus - the ornament, the cornflower and the Belarusian flag. And often also Bison, Stork and Swans. In the design of everything)

Very beautiful steles. Cities, regions and so on. Everywhere with invention, everywhere something of its own.

There are also many Soviet paraphernalia left on the streets. Moreover, it is carefully guarded, updated and in excellent condition.

Everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, both in big cities and in small villages. away from the main tourist and transit routes, both public and private - cute ideas for decorating your living space :)! This is so cool :) And so positive :) A vivid illustration of the fact that what our life will be like depends entirely on ourselves! Wait for mercy from DEZ or go to your yard, under your window and make something cute with your own hands!!!

Or like this, just on the most ordinary roadside in the village of Vorony near Vitebsk there are such copies of the real ones (photo by DisaV):

Websites:

Useful addresses:

Brest, st. Moskovskaya, 210

Bobruisk, st. 50 years of the Komsomol, 33

Vitebsk, st. Beshenkovichskoe highway, 3

Grodno st. Gorky, 91

Minsk st. Kalvariyskaya, 24

Volkovysk cafe-pizza, delicious 53 09.738 24 27.730

If you are in the Zhirovichi and Synkovichi area, be sure to taxi to the Zhirovichi Monastery N 53° 0.950" E 25° 20.597" and have a meal at the refectory there!!! open from 9 am to 6 pm.

It's amazing! Amazingly delicious and almost free!!!

And the assortment is amazing to the point of numbness :)

Well, you can get some water from the Holy Spring in Synkovichi N 53ᵒ 06.985 E 25ᵒ 09.416

I think I told you about the general stuff in a nutshell. I'll add more as it comes in, I think.

Now from personal practice. By city.

ORSHA

The most positive city! A must visit! Low-rise buildings, all houses are painted in gentle, positive, light colors, no dullness or dampness :)

And I’m simply delighted with the Orsha townhouses!!! It seems to me that it is so cozy there, and I really want to live there at least a little :)

Live in a hotel, st. Mira, 11 coordinates from the belhoutel website: 54 30.786""N, 30 25.452""E You can pay by card.

Amazing hotel!!! The quality exceeds the price. They paid 600 rubles for a double room. The quality is clearly higher than ***cat.

Downstairs at the reception you can buy a bunch of all sorts of goodies and white unfiltered Alivaria))), etc. without extra charge. And also a lot of linen products at very reasonable prices.

View from the hotel window (the weather that day, however, whispered “pour it and drink it”))))

Flax - Belarus in general and ORSHA in particular are famous for this, because it is there that the famous flax mill is located (the company store will surprise and shock you even more, with choice, prices and quality - it will shock you positively, of course) N 54 29.420" E 30 23.731" from 9 to 18 on weekdays . There is a canteen and a hotel at the plant (but the hotel is a little cheaper than ORSHA, however, it is completely destroyed)

And in Niko chain stores you must buy smoked eggs!!! - I haven’t seen them anywhere else in Belarus)

The attractions are all there on geocaching. It is very pleasant to walk in the center. There are many cafes, we ate at pizza. We were satisfied.

ORSHA websites

And there are others on the network.

Mogilev

Where to live? Definitely in Korchma!!! Rating "5" and recommendation!!!

This place is worth the money on all counts and more!!! You just need to make a reservation there in advance, there are only a few rooms and there are a lot of people willing :)

Luxurious rooms (***** stars, instead of the stated ***), the price is average, fifteen hundred thousand per room.

A very tasty restaurant, and the whole complex is a MEGA attraction. THERE IS A MUST!!! Especially if you romantic trip do it together;) or travel with children!!!

And over the years I will write in more detail about this complex in a separate topic, I really like it :)))

If you happen to be in Mogilev and decide to go to the cinema, Prospekt Mira, 23, I recommend it!! The price and quality will pleasantly surprise you!

And definitely to the square, to the Astrologer!!!

It’s nice to walk around the historical center of Mogilev in general.

Well, you should visit the town hall :)

We ate there in the ISS cafe on star square and in some national cafe in the basement, everything is fine.

Downstairs in the bar there is Belarusian chocolate with mint (and not only) (prices in the bar are the same as in a store, without extra charges)

Vitebsk

I have stayed in this glorious city twice.

This is all our double room was like this in 2010 for 2-something thousand Russian rubles per day:

There is information about this place: st. Suvorova 10/2. Manager: +375-29-515-25-84, Reception: +375-212-23-66-26. We called each other, even made a reservation, but due to bad weather we didn’t get there and settled in Orsha. The prices there are different, we were offered 7 bucks per night, and this is not the minimum price there.

Nice big hotel, good location, in the center. You should ask about the quality of the rooms at the reception desk, they will tell you everything and give you a choice. Parking near the entrance. You can pay by card.

In general, I liked the hotel, although it is far from budget) On the 9th floor, double room 909 is awesome!!! I recommend;)

Next to the hotel, to the right of the entrance is the Department Store - the flavor of the USSR! Cool :) Be sure to go to the toy department there and buy harmless soft toys from the Gomel plant, and there are also souvenirs on the 3rd floor. And on the first stage there is delicious drinking local yoghurt :)

Opposite the entrance to the hotel, if you cross the road, on the left there will be a Guliver cafe (sort of) - it’s tasty and good!

Night Vitebsk is a song! Take a tripod :) I didn’t have a tripod, and I regret it)))

Famous Slavic Bazaar

It's on that stage that everything happens:

This is how the THEME OF THE Cornflower, ORNAMENT AND BELARUSIAN FLAG is revealed:

Vitebsk is full of attractions, information about which is abundant both on geocaching, and on the globe of Belarus and in general on the Internet. By the way, on both links to hotels you can also find interesting and useful information about the city.

We also (in the summer) had great fun at the amusement park, magically low prices- not far from the Slavic Bazaar, under the bridge on the embankment. Oxygen cocktail, cotton candy - immersion in childhood :)

On the same square near the Slavic Bazaar there is:

A jewelry store that sells refrigerator magnets and awesome badges with the Belarusian flag. Jewelry is also at Belarusian prices, I have silver earrings from there for 93 Russian rubles)). Opposite the Slavic Bazaar, you won’t be able to pass by BULBYANAYA either. You can eat there quickly and inexpensively, using the canteen-with-a-tray principle! :)

POLOTSK and NOVOPOLOTSK

Polotsk is the most ancient Belarusian city, and, undoubtedly, it is a must-visit!!! This is one of my favorite cities in BR.

By the way, on the website to which Dvina belongs there is useful information about cafes, for example, and so on.

Certificates for visiting the Center of Europe are sold in the hotel lobby, and the same ones are sold at the post office nearby.

The center itself N 55° 29.083" E 28° 46.567"

Photo again from Denis:

I really liked the potato pancakes and generally everything in the cafe, I don’t remember the name, but it is located at the end of this entire boulevard with the Center of Europe, if you move along it. driving past the Dvina Hotel, leaving it on the right and looks like this:

This article with 5 routes around Belarus is for you.

Here you can choose for yourself one of five interesting thematic routes around Belarus with many interesting points that you will remember for a long time!

Select the routes that suit you best below:

Water Routes in Belarus

If you like leisure, and especially kayaking on rivers and lakes, you can do this in one of the 11,000 rivers and one of the 19,000 lakes in Belarus.

Find out about the best water routes for Belarus in our article.

Belarus in a rich way

If you would like to spend a luxury holiday in our country, you can afford it for much less money than in any Western European country.

Discover the best luxury activities on our Belarus Rich itinerary, with recommendations for places to stay and things to do to make the most of your holiday.

Military-patriotic route

One of the main reasons to visit Belarus is its history, especially related to World War II.

The country was almost completely destroyed, and today you can find numerous memorials and museums dedicated to the most difficult times in the history of Belarus.

To cover the best historical sites associated with World War II, we have created a military-patriotic route through Belarus to give you a better look at this part of our history.

Find out about this route on our website:

Pilgrimage route

A wide variety of religions coexist peacefully in Belarus, but the main one is Orthodoxy.

If you'd like to visit the best religious sites, whether you're a believer or not, we've created the perfect route to Belarus' Orthodox sites.

Some of the most interesting religious and at the same time defensive buildings are those that simultaneously served two roles.

Check out our pilgrimage route below:

Cycling routes

Several more excellent routes for those who love active recreation. Belarus has a beautiful

Our family loves to travel by car. This year we decided to go to Belarus, so to speak, to the places of military glory of the Soviet people. We started on July 1 at 5 am from the far north of Moscow and freely, without traffic jams, left the city along the Minsk Highway.

The road to our destination - we rented an apartment almost in the center of Minsk, on the street. Nemiga - took 8.5 hours. We made two stops - for gas and a snack. By the way, gasoline in Belarus is more expensive than in Russia, the price at all gas stations is the same - a liter of AI-95, for example, costs 11,900 Belarusian rubles (BYR), i.e. approximately 44 Russian rubles, so we recommend refueling at a border gas station on the Russian side. The M-1 highway is quite good, in the Smolensk region there is some road repair and narrowing.

On the territory of Belarus there are unusually few passing and oncoming cars; there were periods of time when we were driving alone along the highway. And, by the way, we were more likely to see cars with Russian license plates from different regions than local ones. On the way to Brest we came across cars even from the Trans-Baikal region!

So, at 13-30 we reached “our” apartment. We had lunch and went to explore the city. While still in Moscow, while planning my trip, I found that in Minsk there is a city excursion route, Minsk City tour - nothing more than the familiar red double-decker. The bus is based at the station square and goes non-stop along the following route: Station - Independence Square - Palace of the Republic - Circus - Victory Square - Academy of Sciences - Botanical Garden— National Library — Yakub Kolas Square — Trinity Suburb— Victory Park — Minsk Arena — Sports Palace — Town Hall — Station.

The duration of the trip is approximately two hours, there is an audio guide in Belarusian, Russian, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese. Departures four times a day - at 11, 13-30, 16-00, 18-30, cost for an adult 300,000 BYR, for children from 7 to 15 years 150,000 BYR, under 7 years free. For our family (2 adults and 2 children), the trip cost 900,000 BYR (i.e. approximately 3,300 Russian rubles), payment only in cash. The audio guide offers a brief historical background about the country and more detailed story about the capital. From the height of the second floor of the bus, we saw a beautiful, well-kept city, quite European, but with recognizable Soviet architecture.

For example, the building of the State Security Committee can be identified without a hint, as well as other administrative buildings, GUM and TSUM. However, there are also modern buildings that are striking in their appearance: the rhombicuboctahedron of the National Library (popularly called “dyamant” - a diamond), the Palace of the Republic, Grand Theatre opera and ballet, cultural and sports complex "Minsk Arena", Palace of Independence.

National Library in Minsk

We really liked the excursion and after its completion we decided to visit the National Library, or rather, the observation deck on its roof.

The original design of this building at 116 Independence Avenue was adopted in 1989, but construction began only in 2002, and in 2006 the library opened its doors to visitors. There is an art gallery, a book museum, a restaurant and cafe, and even a fitness center. You can take a guided tour of the building and the book museum. We took the opportunity to look at Minsk from a height of 73 meters, from the 23rd floor of the building, where a high-speed panoramic elevator took us. The cost of tickets to the site for adults is 30,000 BYR, for schoolchildren and students - 20,000 BYR. Please note that the entrance to the observation deck is located on the opposite side from the main entrance.

Water park in Minsk

The next day, according to plan, there was the Lebyazhy water park - it was my son’s birthday and it was decided to celebrate in this way. The address of the water park is Pobediteley Avenue, 120 The cost of visiting varies depending on the day and time of visit, and on the set of desired services. In our case, the tickets cost 928,000 BYR, and they gave a 30% discount on a ticket for the birthday boy, but asked to show a supporting document.

We were a little unlucky - on this day children from health camp, about 15 squads, when we left the water park, it was already crowded with children. It’s good that we arrived almost at opening time - at 9 o’clock, and had time to swim freely for two out of four hours. The children really enjoyed this excursion.

Military Museum "Stalin Line"

After the water park, it was planned to visit the historical and cultural complex “Stalin Line”, which is located in the vicinity of the city of Zaslavl (north of Minsk). This is a military museum under open air, opened in 2005. The system of central defensive structures was created in the 1930s; during the construction of the museum, machine gun pillboxes, an artillery semi-gunner and a command and observation post were restored using archival pre-war drawings; the situation inside the pillboxes was reconstructed from the pre-war period. The museum contains a collection of equipment from the Second World War, as well as armored caps that have been preserved from the First World War. You can touch most of the exhibits with your hands, you can go down into the trenches, and there is a field kitchen. Historical reconstructions of the battles of the Great Patriotic War are regularly held. Ticket price: adults - 100,000 BYR, schoolchildren and students - 50,000 BYR, parking passenger car— 20000 BYR.

We didn’t take a tour; we walked around the museum for more than two hours; my husband and son told my daughter and me about many of the exhibits - they are interested in this topic and know a lot.

Brest. Brest Fortress

Of course, when planning a trip to Belarus, a visit to the Brest Fortress was made a must. And also a museum of steam locomotives - my son is partial to them. On July 3, the Independence Day of Belarus, we went to Brest.

The distance of 350 km was covered in 3.5 hours and at 12 noon we parked near the railway museum. We decided to visit it first, because... Opening hours until 17:00, and then the fortress.

The Museum of Railway Equipment in Brest opened in 2002. The exhibition includes steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, freight and passenger carriages, a railroad trolley, a snowplow, a diesel train, a mail car, an armored train cannon and much more!

170 exhibits of technical equipment railway transport different periods of history. Exhibits are on the move, participating in filming and excursions. Museum address: Brest, Masherova street, 2.

For adults, the ticket price is 20,000 BYR, for schoolchildren - 10,000 BYR.

The Brest Hero Fortress - its history began much earlier than the well-known events of the Second World War. A fortified military fortress built in the mid-19th century to defend the western borders Russian Empire, in the 20th century its improvement continued, for some time Brest was part of the territory of Poland - until 1939.

On June 22, 1941, at 04:15, German troops opened artillery fire on the fortress. About 300 officer families were surrounded, but opposed 9,000 German soldiers and for more than a month the defenders of the fortress held the line. After the war, the Brest Fortress became a symbol of the resilience of the Soviet people. In the 70s of the 20th century, the memorial complex “Brest Hero Fortress” was built on its ruins.

The territory of the complex is large; the Museum of Defense of the Brest Fortress, the V Fort Museum and the Museum of War - Territory of Peace are also located here, and sightseeing tours are held.

On Hospital Island there is Archaeological Museum“Berestye” - here is the craft quarter of the city of the 16th century, found during excavations. The visit to the fortress left no one indifferent; this memory is with us forever.

Continuing the theme of memory, the next day we went to Khatyn. The memorial complex is located in the Logoisk district of the Minsk region, approximately 30 kilometers from Minsk along the Minsk-Vitebsk highway. But the village of Khatyn cannot be found on any map now. It was destroyed by German invaders in the spring of 1943. During the war, the entire territory of Belarus was occupied, and such a village was not the only one; there were huge losses among the civilian population; historians believe that every fourth resident of Belarus died.

On the site of Khatyn, a memorial complex was built in memory of all the dead civilians; it repeats the layout of the village, only instead of houses there are log houses, inside of which there are obelisks in the form of chimneys. The trumpet bells ring every minute... It's a very emotional place, but people should remember the past.

Mound of Glory (Minsk)

Another place of memory of the Great Patriotic War is the memorial complex “Mound of Glory”, located in the Smolevichi district, at 21 km of the M2 highway Minsk - Minsk National Airport. It was erected in honor of the operation to liberate Belarus (Operation Bagration).

It was here, in the “Minsk Cauldron”, in July 1944 that the Soviet army defeated enemy troops. The 35-meter-high hill was built almost by hand; people literally carried the earth in their hands, bringing it from other cities and battlefields. The mound is crowned with four bayonets, which symbolize the fronts that liberated Belarus: the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts and the Baltic Front. 35-meter bayonets stretch into the sky, their base is surrounded by a wide ring, on the inner surface of which it is written: “Glory to the Soviet Army, the Liberator Army!” Two spiral staircases lead to the top of the mound, each consisting of 241 steps. From the height there is a magnificent view on all four sides.

At the foot of the mound there is a small exhibition military equipment- D-44, ZIS-2, ZIS-3 guns and T-10, T-34, ISU-152, IS-2, IS-3 tanks. This is a sincere and impressive monument to our history.

Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Minsk

Of course, we could not ignore the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Minsk. Belorussian state museum History of the Great Patriotic War is located in Minsk at the address: Pobediteley Avenue, 8, on the territory of the Pobeda museum and park complex.

This new museum building, opening timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from German invaders, took place on July 3, 2014. The museum is considered the first in the world on this topic, because the first visitors came to the exhibition on July 22, 1944, then at the address Freedom Square, the House of Trade Unions.

In 1966, the museum was moved to a newly built building according to Leninsky Prospekt 25a (now Independence Avenue). New, modern building The museum is striking in its size, the halls smoothly transition from one to another, even with a quick tour of the entire museum it will probably take at least 1.5 hours.

Very beautiful and impressive Victory Hall - round, with a glass dome, around the perimeter there is detailed information about fronts, armies, flotillas, as well as Heroes Soviet Union. The exhibition also features life-size military equipment, various installations, uniforms of various troops, many documents and personal belongings of soldiers, and much more. There are also interactive screens where you can learn the history of the exhibits. We recommend visiting this museum!

Mir Castle

On the last day of our stay in Belarus, we chose to visit the Mir Castle. It was interesting to look at the ancient Belarusian castle. In fact, it turned out that there wasn’t much of the ancient stuff left in the castle. The buildings were destroyed many times for various reasons and then restored. As a result, practically nothing remained of the original idea of ​​Prince Yuri Ilyinich, the first owner of the castle. However, the atmosphere of antiquity is the walls three meters thick, narrow loopholes and spiral staircases with high steps in the walls of the towers, where two cannot be separated, a prison, knights in armor and utensils, interesting exhibitions inside the castle - from the cellars to the ballroom, personal belongings of the owners, music in the yard - of course, present.

The area is landscaped and well-groomed, next to the castle there is a small pond and a park. The children walked around the cellars and towers with interest, but the museum exhibition was a little tiring. In addition, there are many in the palace excursion groups, and some halls are not huge enough to accommodate everyone. The conclusion was this: it’s an interesting attraction, but it wouldn’t be worth going to Belarus just to visit the castle.

The hour of departure has now arrived. Overall the impressions are very good, but a little lacking tourist information— there are few signs with signs in cities, information stands at excursion sites.

Belarus is a beautiful, well-kept country, with endless farmland and a leisurely lifestyle.

Personal experience

There will be no big hauls on this day. The inspection itself is scheduled for this day. Minsk And Zaslavl. Initially, it is advisable to get to Zaslavl (about 50 km there and back), see everything there and slowly explore the beauties of Minsk. Accordingly, another overnight stay in the same Minsk.

Attractions:

The historical and cultural complex "Stalin Line" is an open-air military-historical museum. The historical basis of the museum is the bunkers of the Minsk fortified area. The museum has recreated and equipped the company area of ​​the fortified area. Military engineers restored two machine-gun bunkers, an artillery half-caponier, and a command and observation post. The engineering equipment of the area was recreated according to pre-war drawings. The exhibition includes all types of trenches, trenches and anti-tank ditches of various profiles, positions for rifle squads, dugouts for sheltering personnel, trenches for guns, gouges - wooden, concrete, metal, wire barriers various types. The Military History Museum contains the most complete exposition in Belarus of all military equipment, artillery, tanks, aviation, and small arms that were in service in various years, starting from the war. The museum contains a unique exhibition of Russian, Polish and German armored caps, preserved from the First World War.
Address: Near the village of Loshany, Minsk region, 6 km from the city of Zaslavl in the direction of Molodechno, tel. (+375 17) 503-20-20, 503-23-43, 210-46-30
Operating mode: Tuesday - Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00, closed on Monday
Coordinates: N 054 3.519, E 027 17.845
Rating: 134.95

Attractions:

Museum of the History of the Belarusian Railway

Founded in 1971. An extensive collection of items related to the history of railways (communication devices, coupling elements and warning structures, models of trains and cars). The collection is constantly growing.
Address: Minsk, Chkalova str., 7, Palace of Culture and Sports of Railway Workers. tel (375 17).225-24-14, 225-54-79.
Operating mode: Mon-Fri: 08.00-17.00 (break - 12.00-13.00), Sat-Sun: closed
As of May 2017 closed for reconstruction
Coordinates: N 053 52.676, E 027 32.200
Rating: 6.58

National Museum of History and Culture of Belarus

The museum presents archaeological, ethnographic, numismatic, military-historical collections, as well as collections of ancient books and manuscripts, icons, religious clothing, and works of folk art. Your attention will be presented to both objects of primitive art and works of high art of medieval culture - the world-famous Slutsk belts, altar gates, porcelain products.
Address: Minsk, st. K. Marksa, 12, tel. 227-43-22
Operating mode: from 11.00 to 18.00. Closed - Wednesday
Coordinates: N 053 53.811, E 027 33.334
Rating: 37.38

National Library of Belarus

The shape of the building is similar to a sphere with edges; it is also called a rhombicuboctahedron. The library is 72.6 meters high (20 floors) and weighs 135,000 tons, of which 20,000 tons are books. When the sun sets, the building turns on special lighting: flowers, patterns, and laser inscriptions create a festive mood for city residents every day.
Currently, the National Library of Belarus is one of the largest in the world.
Excursions for individual visitors (team group):
Tue., Wed., Fri.: 12.00, 15.00, 18.00
Thu, Sat, Sun: 12.00, 15.00, 17.00
Mon. - day off.
Observation point:
Mon. – Thu, Sun: 13.00–22.00
Last rise – 21.30
Fri., Sat.: 13.00–23.00
Last rise – 22.30
Address: Minsk, ave. Independence, 116
Operating mode: Monday – Friday 10.00–21.00, Saturday, Sunday 10.00–18.00. During the summer period (from July 1 to August 31), Sunday is a day off. The last Monday of every month is sanitary day.
Coordinates: N 053 55.872, E 027 38.776
Rating: 188.58

Amazing fact that the sights of Belarus a month ago were not even considered in my rhythm of life, and I didn’t even think about traveling independently by car around Belarus to its monuments and interesting places.

But the circumstances were such that at the beginning of April I decided to go to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, for the weekend. And already in the process of preparing for this trip, the thought came to both the sights of Belarus and the possibility of traveling by car around this country.

Unexpectedly, school memories of beauties surfaced in my memory. Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the legendary Brest Fortress. Having analyzed the Minsk-Brest route, I discovered many more interesting places, which could easily also be viewed along the route by car.

This is how my life gradually developed excursion route, in which in just one week I was able to visit many amazing historical and modern places, walk through ancient parks and climb narrow stone stairs in the ancient towers of knightly castles, see many unusual representatives of the animal world and even meet a fairy tale in the person of such an unusual character as Father Frost! 🙂

Well now, first things first... To find out about any excursion or tourist site For more details, please follow the link.

It was spring. Nature gradually came to its senses after its winter sleep. It was drizzling in the early April gloomy morning in the Moscow region. The airfield of Vnukovo airport and the planes getting wet on it also looked sad.

Flight UT835 on the Moscow-Minsk route from UTair departed as scheduled. At 10 o'clock in the morning we boarded a small plane. Outside the windows the Moscow morning was still gloomy, but in my soul, oddly enough, it was sunny and a little exciting about the unknown.

This always happens at the very beginning of a trip. And this is the feeling that probably attracts you on every journey.

The flight lasted only 1 hour 20 minutes, and I began to study in more detail the details of the preliminary route of my independent travel. I carried out the initial steps, such as transfer from the airport, renting an apartment in Minsk, and booking a car at home. But the entire excursion program was not yet thought out at all.

What can you see in Belarus by car? In front of me were interesting sights of Belarus and the general direction where I would like to go. And where I would stay, how long it would take to inspect each object, on what day I would end up in what place - it was still very vague.

Day 1-4. Hello, Minsk city

First impressions

And now I’m already there, in international airport Belarusian capital, Minsk. It is also cloudy here, but dry and warmer.

The first thing I decide to do is acquire local currency. Money in Belarus is a completely different matter. Receiving full millions for your Russian rubles... it's cool! You immediately feel like, if not Rockefeller, then at least his relative. 😀

Having given 10 thousand Russian rubles, I received almost 3 million Belarusian rubles in return.

It turned out that this is a very pleasant activity - “rustling” with millions. 😆

It's good to have friends! Especially in those places where you plan to visit. My old friend met me at the airport and very quickly took me to the capital, telling me as well as any guide about the main intricacies and secrets of Belarusian life. 🙂

The first feeling from the view outside the windows is amazing cleanliness! And this despite the fact that it is also still the off-season here, that is, fresh grass does not cover winter debris. There's simply nothing to cover here. In contrast to the Russian highways, it looks amazing!

We arrived in Minsk very comfortably, and I went to meet the owner of my rented apartment. I will tell you a little more about renting housing and a car, as well as about traveling by public transport and taxis at the end of this article.

I spent the first 4 days in Minsk: 2 of them were mainly devoted to studying, and the rest of the time I just walked around the city. I came to the apartment in the evening, just to spend the night. There was so much I wanted to see that I said to myself: “I’ll rest at home.”

Now let's move on to the sights. Additionally, all of them are indicated on the map at the bottom of this article; it will be easier to navigate what is where and how to easily get to each attraction.

And I’ll start my review of the trip with a trip to.

Walking around the city

Independence of Belarus

Perhaps it would be more logical to start with main square city ​​- Independence Square (or, as it is funnyly called in Belarusian, Independence Square). What beauty all around!

Over the course of its long history, the square has changed its name 14 times. Until 1991, it was, like all central city squares, Lenin Square. Now, decorated with fountains, it attracts the attention of tourists with its unique beauty. A local residents They love to stroll here in the evening, when the lights turn on and the square is illuminated with delightful light.

A huge shopping mall with parking. Independence Square gives rise to Independence Avenue, which runs almost through the entire city. Here is the main building of the country - the Government House.

The first Belarusian skyscraper is how Minsk residents proudly and respectfully call this building. A seven-meter monument to V.I. Lenin still stands in front of the entrance. During the war, the monument was destroyed, but after the Germans surrendered it was quickly restored. And the building itself, like the nearby Catholic Church of Saints Simon and Helen, became one of the few buildings that survived the war years without much destruction.

Catholic church with a sad history

Nearby stands the Church of Saints Simeon and Helen, built entirely of red brick.

In memory of two children who died early from illness, it was built with their own money by inconsolable parents - Edward and Olympia Voinilovich. Once Elena saw this beautiful building in a dream, and in the morning she drew it. And now it is rightfully considered one of the decorations of the Belarusian capital.

If you're nearby, be sure to go inside. It is very beautiful and a little mysterious here. Beautiful sculptures, bronze details of the temple, superbly painted walls and vaults, amazing stained glass windows - all this creates a solemn atmosphere. And in combination with the music of the organ, one of the oldest in Europe, it’s simply an amazing experience.

The temple contains one of the seven copies of the Shroud of Turin. An extensive library of ancient books has been collected. The ashes of the founder of the church, Edward Voinilovich, also rest here. Right at the entrance there is a statue where Archangel Michael - the patron saint of Belarus - pierces the winged serpent of darkness with his sword.

Right there, very close by, is another monument, “The Bell of Nagasaki”, it was erected in memory of those killed in nuclear disasters. Very dramatic!

Belarusian Bastille

Now it is being implemented the death penalty for criminals - execution. Quite unusual: an execution in the center of a metropolis... although! “Crosses” in St. Petersburg, Lubyanka with its cellars in the center of Moscow...

Blessed place

Next, your attention will undoubtedly be attracted by the white stone.

This majestic building was originally built as a Catholic church. But over time, after some repairs, it became Orthodox. In addition to other Orthodox shrines, the cathedral houses the icon of the Mother of God, now called the Minsk icon.

It was once written by the holy Apostle Luke. Many events happened in the life of the icon; she visited many churches. According to legend, the Svisloch River sailed to Minsk and was placed, not immediately of course, in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. And now this miraculous Image helps everyone who turns to it for help in difficult life situations.

And so I went to the prygazhuni embankment (that’s how the word “beauty” will sound in Belarusian) of Svisloch! How beautiful it is here!

The birds are singing, the sun is shining, making the water surface shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow. Seagulls fly and scream, ducks swim near the shore. If you have a desire and a bun in your purse, you can feed them, then they will swim closer.

Beautiful weather and, what is immediately noticeable, the surroundings are perfectly clean and tidy! And not only here! It’s immediately clear that the wipers do their job conscientiously, and Minsk residents, of course, care about the cleanliness of their hometown. Well done!

Happy memory to the heroes!

A small shaped bridge leads to an artificial island located not far from the shore. A monument to soldiers who died on the battlefields has recently been unveiled here. At first, this monument was conceived as a tribute to those killed in Afghanistan.

But, unfortunately, there were many more terrible events in the world where Belarusian soldiers took part. This monument is dedicated to all of them.

The figurine of the little Weeping Angel is very touchingly made, crying inconsolably for those who died, who could not return to their beloved and loving wife, mother or bride.

Trinity Suburb - history and legends

Directly opposite there is a very beautiful place, which still retains the spirit of old Minsk. This is Trinity Suburb - historical Center cities.

There are a lot of benches here to sit, get some fresh air and a large number of all kinds of cafes and restaurants. And yet such beauty is hidden in the greenery of the trees.

“Girl with an Owl” is considered a symbol of the Trinity Suburb. The girl is holding an owl, and she herself is standing on a branch of a flowering fern, with a lizard sitting near her feet. The entire sculpture is located on a large stone, and two more lie nearby. There are only three - the town of Troitskoye.

According to the existing legend, it is at this place that every poet or artist must make a choice for himself what is more important to him:

• a girl personifying the muse;
• owl is a symbol of wisdom;
• a flowering branch is a symbol of glory;
• lizard is a symbol of monetary wealth.

What choice would you make?

And here’s another thing... Not far away is the city’s first public toilet. Yes, yes, sorry. I will now tell you why it attracts special attention. According to existing legend, in 1912 a very famous architect Sienkiewicz built a palace for a noble count. But he refused to pay, and did not pay a penny for the work.

Then the angry architect decided to take revenge on the greedy count and built a public toilet in Alexander Square with his own money. An exact scaled-down copy of that same castle. Now this small house sells tickets to the Yanka Kupala Theater. But from 1912 to 2012 - exactly one hundred years - it was used for its original purpose.

The pride of our contemporaries is the Belarusian “Diamond of Knowledge”

Of course, I really wanted to take a close look at the famous National Library of Belarus. This unusual structure really interested me.

Indeed, the shape of the library building resembles a cut diamond. “The Diamond of Knowledge,” as Belarusians also call it, contains 9 million book volumes. This unique building is equipped with the latest technology.

There is a playroom for children, and a special recreation room for adults; there are gyms, a cafe and a restaurant.

At an altitude of 73 meters it is equipped Observation deck, from where you can admire the beautiful views of Minsk.

In the evening, the lights turn on and the façade of the building turns into a huge multi-colored screen. The spectacle is amazing!

Day 5. On the way to Brest

My training is completed, and the main attractions of Minsk have been explored. Now you can safely go on new adventures! The issue with renting a car was resolved very successfully the day before, and it is waiting for me under the windows of my rented apartment.

Details about renting housing, cars and others necessary things, I will tell you at the end of the article.

In the morning, having collected my things, casting a farewell glance at the awakening Minsk

and having said goodbye to the hostess, I leave Minsk in a rented car towards Brest. The main goal of today is Belovezhskaya Pushcha, about which so much has been heard over the years of life back in the Soviet Union.

And only now my old dream of walking through a protected forest and looking at live bison is starting to come true. I described my route in more detail in.

In total, I have traveled 447 kilometers today. And here are the sights that we managed to see along the way.

Nesvizh - the patrimony of the Radziwills

Nesvizh Castle

Moving along an excellent highway, I turn towards Nesvizh, about which I have read many reviews.

And now, having covered 120 km from Minsk, I am there. In the city I am greeted by beautiful swans and the striking of the clock on the city tower in the city center. Every 15 minutes they remind you of the past time.

The small town of Nesvizh has been known for a very long time. But it began to develop especially quickly when it began to belong in 1533 to Jan Radziwill, a representative of the majestic, influential and very rich family of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

For centuries, the Radziwills owned vast lands, towns and cities belonged to them. Kings without a crown - that's what their compatriots called them.

Indeed, the Radziwills occupied the highest government and military positions. The opinion of representatives of this clan influenced the fate of the entire state. And the king himself could envy their untold wealth.

4 parks surround the Nesvizh Radziwill Castle. And each has its own history, its own specially decorated territory, its own monuments, original sculptures, its own legends.

So I took a walk in these parks.

It’s very beautiful, young leaves are blooming on the trees, the birds are singing.

But cold…

Brest Fortress - a citadel of courage

On June 22, 1941, the soldiers of the Brest Fortress were the first to come under fire from the Nazis and for more than a month, completely surrounded, without food or water, without medicine or ammunition, they held the defense, not allowing the Nazis to go further.

After the war, the fortress was not completely restored. To eternally remind descendants of the feat of the defenders of the Motherland, an entire memorial complex has been created here, and the Eternal Flame burns without going out.

On November 3-4, 2016, the memorial complex celebrated memorable dates. The Defense Museum is 60 years old! And the State Institution Memorial Complex “Brest Hero Fortress! - 45!

Brest – a city of unusual museums

There are also about 900 species of plants growing in the reserve, including rare and endangered species. Some trees are over 500 years old. 227 species of birds delight visitors with their beauty and iridescent singing.

But the greatest pride of Belovezhskaya is the bison living here.

Today, here is the largest population of these forest giants in Europe. And, among other things, I was surprised by the fantastically clean air in Pushcha. I have never seen such an amount of oxygen anywhere else! Just a fairy tale!

Belarusian Santa Claus lives here

By the way, there is a fairy tale here too! Believe it if you want, or better yet, check it, but here, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Father Frost and his assistants live in his wonderful residence and happily receive numerous guests.

The good wizard's estate includes the owner's house with workshops where gifts are made; the house where the Snow Maiden lives; a magic well that makes wishes come true; a windmill that grinds everything bad, sculptural figures of heroes from your favorite fairy tales and much, much more.

At any time of the year, guests are absolutely always welcome here. Previously, an incomparable spruce grew here for more than 120 years. Its height was 40 meters. Unfortunately, she died several years ago. But in her place a new young beauty has been installed. Children and adults enjoy dancing around it.

At the residence of Father Frost you can take part in funny games and competitions, taste the most delicious potato pancakes and other national dishes.

You definitely won't be bored! So if you're in the area, be sure to stop by! Santa Claus lives about 10 km from the main entrance to the protected forest!

The way of life of a Belarusian family in the museum of the village of Pererov

The Museum of Folk Life and Ancient Technologies is another interesting place that I was able to visit here. It is located in the village of Pererov. This museum complex was created on the basis of an old 19th-century manor, which was restored in the spirit of that time and filled with things that no rural family could do without.

Every corner of the house used to have its own purpose. There were always icons in the house - the image of the Savior and the image of the Mother of God. Each family member had their own rights and responsibilities. Men and women have their own crafts. For example, in a museum, your attention will be drawn to an ancient loom for double weaving. This art is currently listed as intangible cultural heritage Belarus.

And here you will be treated to real moonshine. This is one of the few places in Belarus where moonshine brewing is officially permitted, and there is a license for the moonshine still installed here.

You will learn about all this, about the traditions and customs of our ancestors.

Day 8. Belovezhskaya Pushcha-Kossovo-Ruzhany-Synkovichi-Zhirovichi-Baranovichi

The time has come for my departure from the amazing nature reserve. Belovezhskaya Pushcha did not disappoint, but, on the contrary, enchanted me even more. And now I want to return there with even greater desire.

Well, my path now lies towards Minsk. But along the way, Belarus has prepared many more attractions for me. These are amazing and Orthodox shrines. It’s difficult to do everything in one day, so I’m planning to stretch my trip to the capital over 2 days.

During this day, I traveled 389 km from Belovezhskaya Pushcha to my overnight stay in the city of Baranovichi.

Kossovo Palace "Knight's Dreams"

And in Kossovo there is a castle that once belonged to the magnates Puslovsky. For your luxurious interior decoration and its external greatness was called the “Knight’s Dream.”

The palace had some features that made it unique and unique. For example, in the Main Hall the floor was glass. And you could see fish swimming under it. Under the floor there was a huge aquarium.

There was a lion living in the castle. At night, the owners let him out, and he moved freely throughout the palace.

Over the entire history of its existence, the castle was destroyed and rebuilt several times. It suffered severe damage in a multi-day fire during the Great Patriotic War. It is currently undergoing reconstruction, which is scheduled to be completed in 2018. But now!

Directly opposite, on the shore of the lake, stands the estate of Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a national hero of the four countries he visited: Belarus, Poland, Lithuania and the USA, and also an honorary citizen of France. Now he would be called a professional revolutionary. The house in which he was born and lived for some time has been turned into a hero's museum.

This is a two-story house with 8 rooms. Near the house there is a huge stone with a memorial plaque in honor of Tadeusz Kosciuszko. The museum houses items found during excavations at this site that once belonged to the Kosciuszko family.

A collection of stamps dedicated to Tadeusz, a copy of his saber and other valuables. Here you can buy souvenirs, take part in various events and... get married. Yes, now you can officially register your marriage here.

By the way, this place is simply wonderful! Welcome to visit.

Ruzhany and its castle-fortress

But the town of Ruzhany, known since the 15th century. In 1598, it was bought by the famous politician, creator of the Statute - a set of laws of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Lev Sapieha. He built a grandiose palace here, which combined elements of a fortress and a luxurious castle.

The entire treasury of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the weapons arsenal, documents of state importance, food supplies and barrels of wine were stored in the huge basements of the palace.

The castle was rebuilt many times and changed owners. At one time, the pride of the palace was the presence of a theater within its walls. The theater troupe consisted of 60 actors and 40 musicians. The theater's productions were famous throughout Europe. The palace often hosted noble guests: kings, ambassadors of distant countries and other celebrities. According to legend, there was underground passage, which connected Ruzhany Castle and Kossovsky Castle.

Zhirovichi Monastery

For more than 500 years the Holy Dormition has existed monastery in Zhirovichi. And its story began with a small icon on a stone, which is currently one of the most revered in the world of Orthodoxy.

According to legend, once upon a time, shepherds saw an unusual glow in the crown of trees. It was a small Image of the Mother of God, which the shepherds took to the owner of the land. A little later, a temple was built on this site. This is how the history of the monastery began.

Today it is a whole architectural complex, famous not only in Belarus, but also far beyond its borders. Never in its entire long history has the temple closed its doors to pilgrims.

Now the complex combines 2 churches, a bell tower, the Theological Academy and Seminary and other adjacent buildings. A Pilgrim's House was also built, where people who came to pray miraculous icon, will be able to rest and spend the night if necessary.

Well, my overnight stay today is planned in the city of Borovichi, where I booked an apartment. Tomorrow I will continue my route with renewed vigor.

Day 9. Mir Castle – history and modernity

In the Grodno region of Belarus, the Mir Castle, built in the 16th century, stands tall.

Construction was started by wealthy landowner Yuri Ilyinich. But after his death, his 4 sons also did not live long. One was poisoned, the other died of illness - this is how the Ilyinich family died out. And the Radziwills began to own the castle. But they, after some time, sold it. The last owner of the castle died in 1938, and since then it has been in a state of neglect.

A whole train of fantastic legends and scary stories it literally envelops the beautiful castle. This is the legend about a stone similar to the head of a ram, which, according to some laws of magic, is called upon to protect the castle and its owners; a story about a cut down garden and cruel reprisals for it; stories about ghosts, yes, there are more than one; and of course about the countless treasures hidden somewhere here. Here it is mysterious place exists in Belarus.

Do dudutki come from the word “dutki”?

In the afternoon I part with the car that I rented and which has been my faithful assistant for a whole week. Therefore, I am going on the next excursion as part of a tourist group.

While our bus travels to the museum complex, the guide talks about Minsk and other attractions of Belarus. How interesting it is to listen to him now, when I have just visited many objects in person, and the impressions are still so fresh! I enjoy plunging into my memories of my independent trip.

40 km from Minsk, in the Pukhovichi district, there is the Dudutki Museum Complex. Here you can get acquainted with the crafts of our ancestors, try dishes according to ancient recipes, ride horses and even fly on an airplane.

There is so much on display here that it is impossible to do everything in the 2 hours allotted to us by the guide! Read on for details on how you can have fun at.

Now the time that I could devote to traveling around Belarus is over. It's time to go home. It’s a bit of a pity, I would like to stay here for a few more days - there are so many more interesting things to see! But nothing prevents me from coming here again, and maybe more than once.

What passport do you need?

Do you need a foreign passport to travel to Belarus? This is the first question that is probably asked by everyone who plans to visit Belarus for the first time.

The very good news is that for Russians international passport not required to enter Belarus. Enough Russian. You also don’t need a visa when crossing the border; you don’t even need to put a stamp in your passport.

The only important point. If you are purchasing tickets, for example, for a plane, and specifying the details of a foreign document, then in this case you will need to present it when boarding. If the data is indicated from a Russian passport, then other identification documents will not be required for Russian citizens.

And for citizens of other countries, a visa can be obtained directly at the Minsk National Airport, having previously sent their documents here. But, of course, it is better to clarify all these questions in advance.

Where and how to rent housing in Belarus

It turned out that renting an apartment in Minsk is very simple. Through this you can book a room in numerous hotels, and on the service you can choose accommodation in any area of ​​the city. By the way, it turns out to be much cheaper than a hotel room. And if you travel not alone, but in a company, then the benefits are very significant.

I rented a very cozy apartment in Minsk near the metro.

From here you could get to any point in the city by any means of transport, and in 20 minutes you could walk to the center. Hotels in this area were significantly more expensive.

But, having returned back to Minsk from his car travel, I booked the hotel " ". It was located far from the center, but its location and cost suited me quite well, since I could get around in a rented car without any problems.

In other cities of Belarus you can also rent housing, but here the choice will be smaller. Here is my apartment in the city of Baranovichi.

I liked its location: close to the highway. It was very convenient to spend the night and hit the road again in the morning.

Details about the amazing hotel on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, I wrote in detail in.

Transport in Minsk

Transport links in the capital of Belarus are excellent. There are buses, trolleybuses and numerous minibuses running around the city. There is also intercity communication. But I had no “communication” with this type of transport.

I enjoyed using the metro, which was the easiest way to get to any desired point in the city.

For a tourist entering the Belarusian subway for the first time, it is very easy to navigate: there are only 2 lines: red and blue. All stations are named quite clearly, although they are written in the local language.

It is also very convenient to use a taxi. They work on a meter, and if you travel short distances, you get 1 trip around the city within 200-300 Russian rubles.

I also ordered a return transfer to the airport. In this case, the taxi cost me 390,000 Belarusian rubles. (this is 1320 Russian rubles or 20 $)

You can get to Minsk National Airport and back more inexpensively by train (for only 25,000 Belarusian rubles). The advertising poster reports this.

In this case, you arrive from the airport to the Minsk railway station, from where you public transport you can get to your desired location in the city. The big disadvantage is that these trains do not run often.

Car rental in Minsk

Of course, the most convenient way to travel is by car, and in Minsk you can easily rent a car for any convenient period. After studying prices at different rental companies, I settled on a company with an optimistic name: “Maya the Bee.”

Why car rental has such an unusual name became clear later when I signed the rental agreement. It turned out that this office was registered under the name of the individual entrepreneur Pchelka Denis Viktorovich. These are the positive surnames in Belarus. 🙂

To get a car, you just need to have a driver’s license, make a copy of your Russian passport, and sign an agreement! Yes, and don’t forget to pay, of course! But not only the amount specified in the contract. There is also an additional deposit, which in my case amounted to 10,000 Russian rubles (it was returned at the end of the rental).

And now the keys to the silver Peugeot 206 are in my hands.

When renting a car, there were some surprises: the condition was to drive no more than 350 km per day. This is the first time I've heard this! Well, okay, in general, this suited me. I can't travel that far in a week. After all, the longest distances are from Minsk to Brest and back; all other sights can be seen along the way, only deviating briefly from the main route.

If, as a result, it would not be possible to meet these limits, then you would have to pay an additional $10 for every extra 350 km per day.

The cost of 95 gasoline in the country, on average, was 40 Russian rubles per liter ($0.6).

There was also unexpected news about rental conditions that I had not encountered before when booking a car abroad.

It turns out that the car must be returned perfectly clean or you will have to pay an additional $25 to the rental price. Fortunately, there was a car wash near the hotel where I lived the last few days. And for $5 they washed the car perfectly. 🙂

How much does a vacation cost (results and prices)

This time, according to my subjective feelings, the final cost of the trip was quite high. No, prices in Belarus are quite acceptable, and in some places even lower than European and even more so Russian ones. It’s just that this time I traveled alone, so all costs were solely at my expense.

After all, for example, accommodation and car rental cost almost the same: for one or for two people. And the costs in the 2nd case are easily divided in half.

Here's what I got during my 10 days in Belarus (I give prices in Russian rubles):

Accommodation:

1. Apartment in Minsk for 4 nights 6,560 rubles (1,640 rubles for 1 night);
2. for 3 nights 3,770 rub. (1260 RUR for 1 night);
3. Apartment in Baranovichi for 1 night 1,300 rubles;
4. for 2 nights 3,100 rubles (1,550 rubles for 1 night).

In Belarus, in any city, there is a huge number of different housing options. It’s very easy to rent an apartment or room on the service, or book a hotel through the service.

Transport:

1. Air tickets Moscow-Minsk-Moscow - 8,980 rubles;
2. Car rental for 6 days 12,900 rubles (2,150 rubles for 1 day);
3. Gasoline 3,700 rub.

The length of my route by car was (total mileage) 1400 km, 90 liters of gasoline were spent.

Excursion program:

1. Entrance tickets to all attractions cost me 1,620 rubles.
2. Ordered excursions, including audio guides - 4,320 rubles.

And here are the results:

The money came and went, and now we no longer remember it. But the impressions of a great time were left! And this is the most important thing why people strive to travel! 🙂

The map below shows all the sights of Belarus that I was able to visit. You can see more details about each of them.