Best of Belarus

The climate of Belarus is moderate continental, and so summers are warm, with temperatures near 20C, and winters are cold and often below freezing. Most rain tends to fall from around April to October.

Belarus is in Eastern Europe and is surrounded by countries, with the largest, Russia, to its northeast. The main international airport is Minsk National, 42km outside the capital, Minsk, and the currency is the Belarusian Ruble. Belarus holidays are known for their cultural and historical attractions, including many striking castles. Wintertime sports such as alpine skiing and snowboarding have become popular in Belarus in recent times, even though the country doesn’t have any mountains. It does have lots of hills with inclines suitable for such activities. In the summertime, visitors can relax on some great lakeside beaches.

If you’re visiting Belarus for the first time, the capital, Minsk, is a good place to stay. Explore the city’s sights at your leisure and then head out into the country for a greater experience. Other places to stay on your Belarus holidays include the charming city of Brest in the far southwest and on the border with Poland; and Gomel in the southeast, Belarus’ second-largest city. If you’re going skiing or snowboarding while in Belarus, Silichy and Logoisk are where the main slopes are located. Both are near to Minsk, and there are other ski resorts around the country.

With their individual styles and culture, the cities of Belarus are fascinating to explore, and out in the countryside the wonderfully unspoiled nature is the perfect setting for hiking adventures. In winter, many parts of the country transform into snow-covered wonderlands. It’s a land for all seasons, and an ideal getaway destination.

Belarus holidays can be spent doing a wide range of activities and visiting attractions. Start with the Belarusian National History and Culture Museum in Minsk. There, you’ll get a sense of the country from way back in its ancient past right up to today. Move on to the Belarusian National Arts Museum and view some of the many thousands of works of art on display, both from around the country and the world.

Visit Minsk Zoo, a relatively new attraction that was only established in 1984. It’s in the southeast of the capital and places an emphasis on breeding. It’s home to more than 1,300 animals of 64 species, including the largest mammal in Europe, the wisent, or European bison. To see the wisent in the wild, head to Belavezhskaya Pushcha National Park in the southwest of the country.

Just outside the capital is Minsk Sea, an artificial reservoir that’s a popular recreation area. Relax on the public beach or rent a boat and sail around this picturesque body of water.

Go for a stroll in lovely Gorky Park in Minsk. There are many parks of this name – celebrating the Russian writer Maksim Gorky – around Russia, the most famous in Moscow. Minsk’s Gorky Park has an amusement park, an observatory and planetarium and an indoor skating rink.

There are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Belarus – try and see them all. They are the Mir Castle Complex in the south-westerly town of Mir; Nesvizh Castle in Nesvizh, also in the southwest; Bialowieza Forest on and over the border with Poland and shared by the two countries; and the Struve Geodetic Arc triangulation points that run through nine other countries in the region, five of which are located in Belarus.