Belarus travel guide

Brest is a lively town on the border with Poland with more hustle and bustle than other towns in Belarus. The northern part of the town is more grim than the rest, and is home to the characterful central market covered by a massive dome, which must hold some kind of record regarding size. The streets are buzzing with people where street vendors sell the usual Eastern Bloc selection of underwear and tablecloth. The main attraction in Brest is of course the Brest Fortress, a Soviet monument for WWII which is within walking distance from downtown. Other points of interest are the mandatory Lenin statue, a couple of beautiful Orthodox churches with shiny cupolas, and the newer Resurrection Church, the biggest church in Belarus.

If you should mention one national icon for Belarus, the Brest Fortress should be it. The grey concrete main entrance with the star-shaped opening is on the 50 BYR note, while the other side of the bill has the south entrance depicted. The fortress was originally built in the 19th century in what was then part of the Russian Empire. It was one of largest of the Russian fortresses, but became even bigger with every modernizing and upgrade it went through. During WWII, the Soviet soldiers defended the fortress so hard against the Nazis that Brest became one of the 11 "Hero Cities" in the Soviet Union along with Leningrad and Stalingrad. Today there isn't much left of the fortress besides the outer wall, which is riddled with bullet holes, and some buildings including a gorgeous Byzantine church. But, considering how heavily it was bombarded, it's impressive that there is anything left at all. The main sights are a towering obelisk and a giant stone face. The internal fame at the base is occasionally guarded by teenage soldiers with guns, who put on a show at the guard shift.

Hrodna is in Belarusian terms a pretty town. Due to the fact that it wasn't hit hard during WWII, the architecture goes further back than the 1950s. There are several beautiful Orthodox churches with sparkling onion-shaped domes and even a dilapidated synagogue that is under reconstruction - apparently the oldest in Belarus. There is less of the usual Soviet architecture here, although a statue of Lenin and tanks on columns are still part of the urban landscape, and there are lovely green pockets, particularly along the river.

Kvas is a local (almost) non-alcoholic beverage made from fermenting rye bread and other good stuff. It can be home-made, but mostly industrially brewed and sold in bottles like any other soft drink. Try it, it's very... hmm, interesting.

This sight pretty much sums up how much the Western world is interested in Belarus - well, close to zero. So instead of directing travellers to Belarusian sites of local historical interest, guidebooks present a place where an American guy, who (maybe) killed an American president, once lived during his twenties more than half a century back. The locals in Minsk have of course no clue why this house is mentioned in foreign travel guides.

Minsk is everything you expect of a capital in country that seems to be stuck in a Soviet time capsule and controlled by an iron fist. Since the city was totally demolished during WWII, it was rebuilt as a model Soviet city. That means lots of Soviet-era monumental architecture, expansive squares, broad boulevards and never-ending rows of grey apartment blocks. There are uniformed officials everywhere and to this day, visitors still have to be watchful when snapping photos. But all this blandness doesn't mean Minsk is boring, quite the contrary. Maybe to forget the tense political situation, the people like to drink and party. And for people watching, nowhere in the Eastern Bloc is the parade of long-legged ladies on stilettos greater than here in Minsk, even in winter when sidewalks are covered in ice.

Mir Castle is a real 16th-century castle with towers, spires, courtyard and everything. It's one of the few UNESCO sites in Belarus and a must-do day trip from Minsk. The castle has recently been through a total makeover, so it once again is complete. The interior has been cleverly rebuilt so the new modern exhibition rooms morph together with the original structure. Existing castle rooms are set up as dining room, meeting hall, etc. like in the old days, with antique furnitures and paintings. Information is only in Belarusian, but you can make sense of most of the stuff without.
Another great sight in Mir is Mir village itself across the road. Colourful wooden cottages make up most of the village and there are some pretty churches too. It might be your only change to have a peek at rural Belarus.