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Belarus is situated in the center of Europe on the watershed of the Baltic and Black Seas. The capital is the city of Minsk. Belarus borders on Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Ukraine.

The territory of Belarus totals 207.6 thousand sq km. It stretches from west to east for 650 km and from north to south for 560 km. The distance between Minsk and the capitals of neighboring states is as follows: Vilnius - 215 km, Warsaw - 550 km, Riga - 470 km, Kiev – 580 km, Moscow - 700 km.

Major dates in history

• 862 AD – the town of Polotsk was first mentioned in chronicles as a center of local tribes
• 10th century, second half – the Polotsk Principality was created
• 10th century, end – the Turov Principality was founded
• 1230 – Belarus was incorporated into the Great Duchy of Lithuania
• 1569 – Belarus was incorporated into Rzecz Pospolita
• 1772–1795 – Rzecz Pospolita together with Belarus were annexed to the Russian Empire
• 1918 – the Belarusian People’s Republic was proclaimed
• 1919 – the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was created as part of the USSR
• 1941–1945 – Belarus together with the USSR participated in the World War II
• 1945 – Belarus became one of the founding members of the United Nations
• 1990 – Belarus became a sovereign state
• 1994 – Belarus adopted Constitution and elected its first President

Minsk, the capital of Belarus, lies 340 km northeast of Warsaw and 120 km southeast of Vilnius. The first documentation of Minsk goes back to 1067, but all that survives from the old city are some 17th-century buildings. The layout of modern Minsk is symmetrical, with broad embankments bordering the Svisloch River. Minsk was an important centre of communication and 80% of the city was destroyed by World War II. Minsk is reminiscent of the Soviet era with its prominent KGB building, and Soviet images and symbols lining its clean streets. However, the night life is exciting in Minsk, with slick new nightclubs playing drums 'n' bass, and sushi bars you'll love to eat in.

THE BEST SPOTS IN BELARUS TO VISIT

National Art Museum (2 hours)- TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

(National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus is the largest collection of the Belarusian and foreign art in the country. More than twenty seven thousand works, which form twenty various collections and two main museum collections can be found at the exhibition, branches and storages of funds: collection of the national art and collection of  monuments of art of the countries and peoples of the world. Collections, forming the ancient Belarusian art collection, represent monuments created on length of a great historical time limits- from grey antiquity of early feudal society, heritage of Polotsk and Turov-Pinsk principalities of the 10-12th cc. - till epoch of baroque enlightenment of the 18th century and even first half the 19th century. The fund of the modern Belarusian art comprises nearly 11 thousand works of painting, graphics, sculpture, decorative-applied art of the 19- early 20^th centuries - nearly half of the whole collection of the museum. Together with the collection of the sacral Belarusian art, unique, it is the fullest among collections of the Belarusian art in the world, documents of the national artistic-graphic interpreting of the Universe. The National Art Museum also disposes significant collection of monuments of culture and folk art of the Orient.  The exposure presents the most interesting collections of China, Japan and India).

Khatyn (1 hour)- TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

(The memorial complex Khatyn is situated 60 km away from Minsk at the place of a village which was burnt together with its inhabitants during the Second World War. Khatyn is a memorial commemorating the victims of Hitler terror on the occupied Belarusian land. You will see the streets of the former village, the pipes monuments where the houses to be and will hear the drear voices of Khatyn bells).

Kurgan Slavy (Glory Mound) – 35 km from Minsk - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

(Glory Mound is an imposing monument located at top of the artificial hill. It was built in honor of the Soviet Army which liberated Belarus from the German Nazi invaders in 1944. The soil from the nine "Hero Cities" of the former Soviet Union and from the battlegrounds of World War II was brought handful by handful to be piled into a mound. It’s a distinctive landmark on Moscow highway)

Strochitsy: The Museum of Architecture - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

Strochitsy is a pretty tiny village situated on the picturesque banks of the River Ptich. Collections of original pieces of architecture let you compare Belarusian rural styles from different parts of the country. It offers you an open exposition of country buildings, hundreds of articles of domestic use, agricultural implements formerly used by peasants, and works of applied art.

“Stalin Line” TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

(The place is situated 35 km from Minsk in the Molodechno Town direction and the tour takes about 3 hours. It was a line of defensive installations dispersed from one to six kilometers with different artificial obstacles. The main task of the fortified region was to protect Minsk from the attack of fascist’s army. The exposition was created so that a visitor could feel the spirit of the times. The historical and cultural complex opens up a look to antitank “hedgehogs”, obstacles, pillboxes, caponiers. The opportunity to be absorbed in history is one of the distinctive features of the museum which depicts the feat of the Red Army men.)

The Historical and Cultural Complex "Stalin`s line"

The Historical and Cultural Complex “Stalin`s line” was founded to the sixty years anniversary of the Victory of soviet people in the Great Patriotic war, it was opened on the 30th of June 2005 in memory of Minsk defenders. It is the memorial of the year 1941 and the museum of the first days of the Great Patriotic war.

“Stalin`s line” is the chain of defensive installations along the former USSR frontier from Karelian Isthmus to the shores of Black sea. It consisted from twenty three fortified regions including more than four thousand permanent weapon emplacements (pillboxes). It was a strong reinforced-concrete covering force 1200 kilometers long. Four fortified regions – Polotsk, Minsk, Slutsk, Mozyr – were situated on the territory of Belarus. There were nine hundred sixty-six pillboxes. Fortified regions formed a united defence line. The entire line of the fortified regions had been built since 1928 till the autumn 1939. Minsk’s fortified region No 63, which was 140 kilometers long included 327 pillboxes. On the 26-28th of June 1941 at the lines of the Minsk`s fortified region started fierce fights with the attacker units of the fascist army.

The exposition Military-historical museum was created and planed so, that from the first steps a visitor could feel the spirit of the times. The opportunity to be absorbed in history is one of the distinctive features of the museum. The basis of the exposition is original pillboxes. All entrenchments and communication trenches with rifle-pits for machine-guns and with blindages and recesses for ammunition were reconstructed according to the designs of the year 1940.

The park of military equipment of different years is of special importance in the museum. It is the most complete exposition in the Republic of Belarus of all artillery and military equipment, which was adopted in different years, beginning from the war times.

Adapted for the stage reconstruction of fights is carried out in the museum, it gives us an opportunity to see the fights which took place at the line of the Minsk fortified region in June of 1941.

The National Museum of Culture and History of Belarus - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

The leading Museum of the historic profile of the Republic of Belarus is the biggest collection of the monuments of material and spiritual culture of the Belarusian people from the ancient times to our days. Chronological frames of the museum fund are from 40, 000 B.C. to present time. Several collections of the museum are of special value:

- The biggest archeological collection in Belarus. Collection of materials on the history of primeval society includes hunting, fishing, and agricultural instruments, domestic and ritual articles, ancient works of art and adornment.

- Manuscripts and block letter books.

- Collection "Belarusian folk costume" features both everyday and festal, ceremonial Belarusian clothes; there are costumes of different age and social groups of population.

- Collection of numismatics.

- Exposition "The ancient Belarus".

- Exposition "Old heraldry of Belarus". Practically all the exhibits of the exposition are presented to the public for the first time.

The Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

The Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War is the largest depository of historical documents and relics of 1941-1945. On June 2, 1942 government  of Belarus had created the Commission responsible of collecting materials evidence of the courage and heroism of the Belarusian people in the Great Patriotic War. The Commission members managed to collect together unique homemade weapons, documents, photographs, uniforms, newspapers and magazines published underground, trophies as well as personal things of solders. Wide collection of unique drawings and paintings includes rare works by professional artists and amateurs, ordinary soldiers, who tried to reflect the horrors of war in their drafts. The first collected materials were exhibited in Moscow in the Sate Historical Museum in November 1942. Then the exhibition called "Belarus Alive Belarus Fighting" was brought back to Minsk. For some decades, this museum was the first and only museum on the territory of the former USSR that dealt with the Great Patriotic War.

Zaslavl (2-3 hours) - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

(One of the most ancient towns of Belarus with its 1000 years history. Zaslavl was founded by Kiev prince in 985 AD. Ruins of the castle and fortress which you can see now date back to those times—the 10th century. There are also some pagan burial places spread around the ruins. During this excursion you will introduce with the history of most ancient city of Belarus. Zaslavl is the city-monument of the ancient culture of Belarus. That is why the ancient part of the city X-XIII centuries, archeologists and architectural monuments included in Zaslavl historical-cultural reserve. Also you will see architectural places of interests: Spaso-Preobrazenskaia church of XVI century, st. Mary’s cathedral and others. Now at the territory of reserve opened ethnographical complex “Mlin”(a mill), which includes “Mlin” museum, “Hata zavoznika”, “Kuzna”, “Sviran”—of the beginning XX century, music instruments museum. In the “Hata zavoznika” visitors could feel Belarussian hospitality and performance (upon request.)

Grodno City Tour (3 hours) - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

Grodno is the unique city monument which has kept the most of architectural heritage of the past. Its history numbers more than 800. The sightseeing tour introduces to you the shape of the city, its architectural ensembles. Its town planning composition was adjusted to a picturesque natural landscape – hills. The structure of the city didn’t go through regular transformation of the end of XVIII – first half XIX centuries. The sights are most interesting: New Castle – the former royal palace constructed in XVIII century; Sts. Boris and Gleb (Kolozhskaya)Church – a remarkable sample of the Belarusian architecture of the second half of XII century. The church together with a complex of monuments on Zamkavaya Hill is declared an archeological reserve. Jesuit Church and a monastery – outstanding monuments of XVI – XVIII Belarusian architecture – were the richest in Rzeczpospolita.

Berezinsky National Reserve (National Park) - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 85,149 hectares of forest, marsh, lake and river systems in Belarus, 150km north of Minsk. It was established in 1925 when a solitary population of beaver, thought to be extinct in Belarus was discovered and it was given protection by the Council of People’s Commissars, making this the first state game reserve in the Belarus.

The long term protection of the reserve has resulted in a special biodiversity. It plays host to mammals such as brown bear, lynx, wolf, otter, beaver and elk, and since its re-introduction in 1974, a herd of European bison, whilst 230 species of bird have been recorded including wood-grouse, black-grouse and capercaille.

In 1979 Berezinsky was awarded the status of Biosphere Reserve, and in 1995 it was awarded the Diploma of the Council of Europe. The Reserve was subsequently renewed in 2000 and 2005. Today the reserve is a fully fledged nature protecting scientific research establishment with a staff of scientists, and can also offer customized wildlife tours or hunting tours.

People come to Berezinsky reserve literally from all over the world. Categories of these visitors vary greatly, they may be student volunteers from France, tourists from Switzerland or Minister of Mineral Resources of South Africa visiting Berezinsky as part of the official mission. Notwithstanding all different reasons and purposes of these visits there is usually a common denominator that is present in all of them — it is truly unique nature of the reserve that attracts most of these visitors.

“Belovezhskaya Pushcha” - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

(The national park “BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA” (bel. “forest”) lies in the southwest of the Republic of Belarus, 340 km from the city of Minsk. Its total area is about 90000 hectares. It was established in 1939, however deforestation & hunting for bison has been prohibited there since ancient times. In December 14, 1992, UNESCO inscribed the park to the list of the World Heritage; in 1993 it was awarded the status of a biosphere reserve & in 1997  the Council of Europe rewarded it with a diploma.

BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA is a unique region of primeval forest. Mixed & broad-lived woods (over 1000 oaks aged from 300 to 700 years, 450-year-old ashes, 220-year-old pines & 150-year-old junipers are registered in the Pushcha)., meadows & water systems are shown here in the natural conditions. Fauna in BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA is represented by a wide variety of rare species of plants, such as the only in Europe flat population of the white fir, various species of oak, spruce, pine, hornbeam, ash & other kinds of more than 900 species of trees, about 600 species of mosses & lichens, over 1000 species of mushrooms. The animal world of BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA consists of 59 species of mammals, 11 species of amphibian, 7 species of reptiles & over 900 species of insects, including the wolf, the European bison, the red deer, the wild boar, & the great variety of fish & birds. A substantial number of species inhabiting the BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA are exposed in the Museum of Nature,  which is located in the center of national park in the urban village of Kamenyuki.

The hotel “Viskuli” is a historic place, where Russian, Belarusian & Ukrainian official signed a treaty of creation of CIS, thus the USSR disintegrated into independent states. The hotel accepts 24 guests & offer a sauna, game meat dishes & a reception at the guest glade.

The hotel “Kamenyuki” can accept 60 guests. It provides all facilities for meetings, conferences & symposiums. There is a tennis court & bivouacs for picnics. Close to the hotel there are pens where visitors can see animals typical for BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA (bison, deer, wild boar, etc.) in the natural surroundings. Experienced guides conduct fascinating excursions to the most picturesque places).

City tour of Novogrudok - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

Novogrudok town (155 km from Minsk) – the historical "Novogrudok" was founded in 1044. Therefore it was this area - now part of Belarus', and at the time called Black Russ' with its capital Novogrudok - that became the cradle of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, a new and a powerful state in Eastern Europe. The old city had two castles: the residence of the Grand Dukes. Both castles existed from the 10th til 17th century. In 1706 the castles were blown up by the Swedes. The castle had seven towers and was one of the strongest fortifications in Belarus. The walls overlooked the surroundings up to about 70 km (the castle hill is the highest point in the surroundings). The oldest cathedral in Novogrudok was founded in the 11th century. In the 17th century there were already 10 Orthodox churches and a Jesuit College, a Dominican and Franciscan monastery. The Calvinists also had their own churches. In the surroundings of Novogrudok an important part of the population was of Crimean Tartar stock. Today one of the monuments left in Novogrudok, apart from the castle ruins, is the Farny Catholic church, a baroque building. The first church on the spot was founded in 1395 during the reign of Prince Vitaut. in 1723 a new stone-built church was built, it is still in service today. The Nalibokskaya Pushcha, an ancient woodland, and the Svityaz' lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in Belarus', are not far from Novogrudok. All these landscapes have been described in numerous works of poetry and are regarded as one of Belarus' most precious areas.

City tour of Polotsk - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

Polotsk is one of the most ancient cities of the Eastern Slavs. It was mentioned for the first time by the Primary Chronicle in 862 (as Полотескъ, /poloteskŭ/), together with Murom and Beloozero. Polotsk became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1307, and it is said to have been the main center of trade in the state.

The city's Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Polotsk (1044-1066) was a symbol of the independent-mindedness of Polotsk, rivaling churches of the same name in Novgorod and Kiev and referring to the original Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (and thus to claims of imperial prestige, authority and sovereignty). The building of the cathedral had been ruined by the troops of Peter I of Russia. Hence the present baroque building by Johann Christoph Glaubitz dates from the mid-18th century. Some genuine 12th-century architecture survives in the Convent of Saint Euphrosyne, which also features a neo-Byzantine cathedral, designed and built in 1893—1899 by Vladimir Korshikov.^[5]

Belarusian first printer Francysk Skaryna was born in Polotsk around 1490. He is famous for the first printing of the Bible in an East Slavic language (in Old Belarusian) in 1517, several decades after the first-ever printed book by Johann Gutenberg and just several years after the first Czech Bible (1506).

A City sightseeing tour in Vitebsk (3 hours) - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

(Vitebsk – the capital of “Slavyanski  bazar” festival, city tour including walking about old town, visiting Marc Chaghall house and Art Center).

(Marc Chagall spent his yearly days in the house in Pokrovskaia street, built by the artist's father in yearly 1900ieths. He wrote about this period of his life in the autobiographical book "Ma vie" (My Life). The Home Museum was inaugurated in 1997. Its collection consists of household articles used at the turn of XIX-XX cc., as well as copies of archival documents and works by Chagall, relating to the artist and his family's life in Vitebsk.

Marc Chagall Art Center, еstablished in 1992, constantly exhibits graphic works by Marc Chagall (lithographs, wood cuts, etchings, aquatints). The Art Center's collection consists of the series of illustrations to Nikolay Gogol's poem "Dead Souls" (1923-1925), the series of colour lithographs from the Bible Series, made in 1956 and 1960, the cycle of colour lithographs "The 12 Tribes of  Israel" (1960) and other works by Marc Chagall.)

A City sightseeing tour in Brest - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

The city tour includes the famous Brest Hero Fortress.

(A majestic Soviet style war memorial was constructed on the site of the 1941 battle, to commemorate the known and unknown defenders of the Hero-Fortress. This war memorial is the largest tourist attraction of the city. In addition, an archaeological museum of the old city Berestye is located on the southern island of the Hero-Fortress. It offers objects and huts dated back to the 11th - 13th century, that were unearthed during excavations in the 1970s.

Museum of rescued values.

Antiques that criminals tried to smuggle across the border and confiscated by the customs are exhibited at the museum.

Brest is proud of its shopping Mall, Sovietskaya Street. It was dramatically reconstructed in 2007 - 2009 to revive the initial view of the old town. In July 2009 the Millennium Monument of Brest was unveiled. Brest City Park is 100 years old, but looks quite new after the recent reconstruction. Brest is home to two Universities: A.S.Pushkin State University, State Technical University.

Brest rowing canal is a unique piece of nature. There are no big waves thanks to the wind rose which is extremely favorable. The course’s situation is also very convenient: centre of the city of Brest, 3 km from the Polish border. The construction and the equipment of the newly opened Centre allow to run training sessions all-the-year-round for professional sportsmen as well as for the beginners. The unique range of sports facilities meet all international standards. That was the reason for choosing this area as the main training base of the national rowing team. The Centre is challenged to host international competitions up to the highest level.)

Pinsk city sightseeing tour - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

Pinsk was first mentioned in 1097 in “Nestor's chronicles”. It arose as craft and trade town of Turov principality at place of junction of the rivers Pina and Pripyat.

Between 1167 and 1174 it became a centre of independent principality. During XII – XIII centuries it has been under the influence of Vladimir-Volynsky and Kiev principalities. In the beginning of XIV century Pinsk principality became a part of Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL). In XVI century Pinsk was a large town with wooden castle, 16 churches, Orthodox and Catholic monasteries, synagogue. On its importance in GDL Pinsk yielded only to the capital Vilno and paid to treasury as tax as Polotsk, Grodno and Kiev. Since 1569 Pinsk has been formed a part of Rzecz Pospolita (Poland). In 1581 it received Magdeburg Code of Law (self-government) and emblem in the form of golden bow with an arrow against a red background. In 1648 at the time of insurrection of hetman Bogdan Khmelnitski’s Cossacks for the Ukraine to stop to form a part of Rzecz Pospolita Pinsk was destroyed greatly, more than 3000 people of its citizens died. During the war between Russia and Poland in 1654 – 1667 Pinsk was again ransacked and burned. In 1706 during the North War troops of Swedish Charles XII captured and sacked the town. After the second division of Rzecz Pospolita in 1793 Pinsk formed a part of Russian empire. During the World War I since 1915 the town has been occupying by Kaiser army during four years. In March 5, 1919 the town was occupied by Polish troops of Pilsudsky and in accordance with Riga treaty of peace Pinsk has been forming a part of bourgeois Poland since 1921 till 1939. In September of 1939 Soviet regime came to West Belarus and Pinsk. Since July 5, 1941 till July 14, 1944 the town has been occupying by Hitlerite troops.

Sights: Collegium (it formed a part of Jesuit monastery of XVII century; today museum of Belarusian Polesie is situated in this building); monastery of Minorites and Roman-Catholic church of Assumption of the Saint Virgin Maria (it was founded in 1396, there are architectonic monuments of Baroque taste of XVI – XVII centuries, functioning Roman-Catholic church there, there is a Catholic theological seminary in monastic buildings); Roman-Catholic church of Karl Baromey (it was founded in 1695, now it is used as concert hall of organ music); Cathedral of Saint Barbara (since 1786 till 1832 it has been a Roman-Catholic church of Bernards, now it is Orthodox convent); Butrimowicz Palace (it was built in 1794 for Mateusz Butrimowicz, a political and economical figure of Polesie, a constructor of Dnepr-Bug canal); gymnasium (a building of the year 1853, the first president of Israel Khaim Veitsman was its graduate); synagogue of XIX century (it’s former prayerful house of rabbis; Tsvi (Hirsch) - a son of founder of Hassidism Baal-Shem-Tov and Aaron I Karlinsky - a founder of carolin-stolin trend in Hassidism and his son are buried in Pinsk); park with a name of Dnepr flotilla (it springs from Italian park of prince Vishnevetsky; there is an armoured launch on the bottom of the park, it is a monument to seamen of Dnepr military flotilia, who liberated the town in 1944).

A City sightseeing tour in Slonim, Synkovichi& Zhirovichi (3-4 hours) - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

(Slonim town (210 km from Minsk) is the centre of the Slonim district, Grodno region, situated at the confluence of the Shchara and Isa rivers. According to archaeological data, a fortified settlement on the territory of the modern day city may have been founded in 1036. The Catholic Church dating from the 16-17 century. The Bernardinian Convent dating from the 17 century.  The synagogue 17-19 century.

Village Zhirovichi (10 km from Slonim) is a famous village. The only seminary in Belarus, the Minsk Priesthood Seminary, is operating there. The Zhirovichi Convent and Monastery (circa 1613-1650) is a set of buildings of architectural and historical importance. This convent and monastery hold one of the most revered icons of Maria called the “Icon of Zhirovitsy’s God’s Mother”. Yavlenskaya Church (circa 1672) and Cross-Erecting Church (circa 1768) play an important role in the architectural composition of the monastery).

Lida Castle - Is one of the oldest of all Belarus castles - TO BOOK/ ENQUIRY

Medieval Lida castle, a fine archeological monument lies 112km north-east of Grodno Lida Castle (Lidskiy zamok) was built in the early 14th century by Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania.

Famously built on sand, Lida Castle has withstood 7 centuries of battles and occupations of the surrounding land.

The castle dominates the town of Lida, which was badly damaged in a fire in 1891. In the 1920s work began to restore some of the castle walls. On January 22, 1940 the Castle of Lida was awarded the status of an archeological monument and in 1953 the castle was taken under state protection.

Lida castle today is an all-season tourist attraction, drawing thousands of visitors every year.