Private Sightseeing, in & Around Minsk

1. City tour of Minsk: 3 hours
Get an overall idea of nation’s capital, the city of Minsk. Visit the Upper and Lower towns, Independence Avenue and Prospect Pobediteley, October Square, Yanka Kupala Park, Victory and Independence Squares, the Island of Tears and Trinity Suburbs

2. A walking tour of the historical center of Minsk: 2.5 hours 

A walking tour of the historical part includes the Upper and Lower towns, Holy Spirit Orthodox Church and St. Mary’s Cathedral, Trinity suburb, Island of Tears, October Square
 

3. Belarus State Museum of Folk Architecture, Strotchitsa: 4 hours

The open air museum displays samples of village homes and structures moved to here from across different regions of the country. A typical Belorussian village includes a barn, a school, a church. Interiors meticulously reproduce the lifestyle of a villager, household chores and traditions typical of the region and their time

4. Mir and Nesvizh Castles, UNESCO World Heritage Site: 6-8 hours 

The tour takes you 100 km outside of Minsk to visit the two Castles including the Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill family at Nesvizh, the most powerful magnate family of Belarus.

The Nesvizh residence belonged to the Radziwill family from 1523 to 1939 

5. Khatyn War Memorial and the Mound of Glory: 6 hours

The Khatyn War Memorial complex was built on the spot where the Belorussian village was burned down by the Nazis during WW II. The complex is located 70 km outside of Minsk, and is a touching reminder of war atrocities. The famous Khatyn bells remind of the civilian souls lost during the war. The Mound of Glory was also erected here in 1944 as a symbol of victory over the dark forces.

The Mound is made of the soil brought to here from major battle fields of World War II.

6. Dudutki Open air Museum of Rural culture: 4-6 hours

The museum is 45 km drive from Minsk. It is an impressive reconstruction of household traditions and crafts from the earlier times. Opportunities to participate in baking home-made bread, cooking local dishes, taste home made diary products and vodka

7. A trip to a medieval Polotsk: 4-6 hours, sightseeing in town

Travel some 270 km one way, from Minsk to Polotsk, one the oldest towns in the country, with a remarkable monastery, St. Sofia Cathedral and a museum of book printing

8. City tour of Brest including the monumental Brest Fortress War Memorial
(350 km from Minsk, one way)

The city of Brest is the western most city in Belarus, at the border with Poland, known as the western gate of the CIS states and Belarus. The city also boasts the world-class rowing canal  

9. Belavezhskaya Puscha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site:

The famous National Park is situated 420 km from Minsk, or 80 km from the town of Brest.
Belavezhskaya Puscha National Park is a unique Natural reserve of over 600 years old. Also known as a prestigious hunting grounds for Polish and Russian czars.

Visit the museum of Nature as well as the historical spot where the presidents of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus signed a treaty to dismantle the USSR

Five great Experiences, Belarus:           

1. Capital City of Minsk

Rebuilt in the 1950-s after being completely destroyed in World War II, the capital of Belarus has many fine examples of Stalinist style buildings, which were prevalent during this era.

The city has an impressive number of Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches and cathedrals, which contrast starkly with the design of the rest of the city

2. Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park
Located close to the city of Brest on the border with Poland, the National Park is a widely undisturbed tract of woodland, which is home to many endangered species and the last place in Europe where Bison can be seen in the wild. Previously a hunting ground for nobility, it is one of the last remaining parts of the immense primeval forest formerly part of central Europe

3. The Glory Mound
The Glory Mound is an imposing monument located at the top of an artificial hill near Minsk. It was built in 1969 in honor of the Soviet Army which liberated Belarus in 1944. The soil used in the construction of the hill was from the nine "Hero Cities" of the former Soviet Union and from the various battlegrounds of WW II

4. Grodno
Located in the west of the country close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania, the town of Grodno is one of the oldest cities in Belarus, founded in the 11th century. Visitors to the city are attracted to the fine examples of Medieval and Baroque architecture

5. Mir Castle
Often described as the most beautiful building in Belarus, Mir Castle is inscribed to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Construction started in the 16th century, originally in the Gothic style, but was finally completed in the Renaissance style