You
can combine Belarus with any of our other destinations for
a longer Baltic holiday
GOT YOUR FLIGHTS?
No problem, we can help arrange the rest of your trip, call
or email us to plan an itinerary
NEED FLIGHTS?
We work with both scheduled and low-cost airlines - we will
get you the best deal available and you'll be ATOL protected.
! Important !
UK passport holders do need a VISA for
Belarus, Kaliningrad & Russia, we can help with this.
"The
Soviet-era architecture was fascinating and it was good to
walk around a place that still felt pre-Tourist...
The
Stalin Line thing was cool, with the tanks and rockets and
missiles and helicopters and jets and all other manner of
things that go bang. I thought the castles we went to were
good too - I do love a bit of decayed grandeur.
I was pleasantly surprised to find vegetarian food wasn't
completely non-existant and the beer was good in both quality
and quantity, so no grumbles about that! :) The hotel was
cool too, the decor was very 80s USSR."
Mr Lakey, May 07
To many, Belarus conjures up images of the former Soviet Union,
a communist regime, 'the last dictatorship in Europe!', concrete
blocks and tractor factories... ok, so some of these characteristics
do prevail and some are even worthy attractions in themselves,
but there's a whole lot more to Belarus...
Minsk, the capital city, provides a fascinating experience.
We assure you a city
break to Minsk is one with a difference. Minsk
has a small carefully restored old town, however much of the
city is Stalinist style architecture cheered up here and there
with parks and the river Svislach. Minsk is a bizarre city where
the youth are reaching out to capitalism, but the state clings
on to 'the good old days' of communism for its people, whether
they like it or not. Friendly locals, a variety of restaurants
and bars, fascinating museums, galleries, and top class ballet
& opera make this an ideal city break destination. As the
most Soviet city left in the world, visit Minsk now, before
western consumerism takes over and it loses its quirky appeal.
A
patient and adventurous traveller will have no problem getting
by in Belarus, but we have to admit... Belarus will
suit those who will be amused when they walk into a restaurant
and are faced with a menu in cyrillic, astonished faces of
waitresses who don't speak a word of English and the courage
to smile say 'Menu Anglichanka?' and be prepared to go elsewhere!
But hang on a minute, isn't that what travelling is all about
- new cultures, languages, experiences... like all good scouts,
we just want you to be prepared.
Just as Minsk is the centre of Belarusian politics and the mood
for change, rural Belarus is the heart of the Belarusian people
where change is slow and traditions live on. There is a sense
of stepping back in time, to basic agriculture, isolation from
the western world. We are working with the local farmsteads
and guesthousesto promote trips out in to the countryside, to experience
the real Belarus and the friendly local hospitality on offer.
Belarus is quirky and full of contrasts. There are beautiful
medieval castles some abandoned to nature, some that are preserved
as UNESCO world heritage sites such as Mir castle. Those in
the cities live in high-rise Soviet blocks, but those in the
country live in picturesque wooden houses, gardens full of flowers,
fruit and vegetables. All in all, there is a lot to experience
in Belarus for those with an open mind, an appreciation of history
and the present situation, plus a willingness to join in the
local entertainment because they definitely don't lack that!
Belarus is on the brink of change, there's no other place in
Europe like it. See it in all its unique glory now.
Minsk discover Soviet-style, witness a city
on the verge of major change
Out
and about
visit Dudutki open air museum, Mir castle, Nesvizh
palace, Khatyn - a sober memorial to WWII
Belavezhskaja
Pushcha
the oldest wildlife reserve in Europe, primeval
forest, bison, lynx, wolves...
Vitsebsk
the best preserved old town in Belarus, and a
city thriving on art & cutlure, birthplace
of Marc Chagall
Pripyatsky
national park, trek through the 'lungs of europe',
sublimely peaceful nature
Brest
the awesome Soviet era fortress is simply unmissable
Belarus memories...
horse and carts and Ladas on the roads, miles and miles
of shiny birch forest, the beauty of Mir castle and surrounding
nature, pretty wooden cottages with wild flowers and gardens,
babushka grandmas all milking their cows at the side of
the road, the Great Patriotic War museum in Minsk, being
thoroughly entertained at the circus, being invited to
join a wedding party in the restaurant and having a night
to remember, village shops with only vodka and bread,
the KGB building in Minsk, shopping at the market in Dynamo
Minsk stadium, Belarusian pop music, meeting Lenin, hammer
and sickle spotting, fun times in the bars and restaurants,
good hearty wholesome food, Soviet memorabilia antique
shops, being a millionaire (in Belarusian rubles of course!),
bartering for lacquer boxes on the souvenir market, driving
along the quiet country roads of Belarus... it's unique
fun!
Here is a video to give you an insight
into Minsk (but trust us, there is more to Minsk than cars
and roads !!!)
can I fly from my local airport to the Baltics..?
