Belarus

Places in Belarus

• Brest

  Brest is a border city with a complex history, featuring a mix of Polish and Soviet architecture, beautiful Orthodox churches, and the massive Brest Fortress. It offers a slower pace than Minsk and serves as a gateway to Poland and the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park.

  Atlas entry

• Gomel

  Gomel is Belarus's second-largest city with around 500,000 inhabitants, serving as the capital of Gomel Oblast. The city is one of Belarus's main educational centers and offers a calmer alternative to Minsk for travelers exploring the country.

  Atlas entry

• Grodno

  Grodno is a pleasant Belarusian city that feels more western European than typical Soviet cities until you explore beyond the center. The pedestrian area and central square offer nice atmosphere, while Lenin statues and Soviet street names provide glimpses of the USSR era hard to find elsewhere.

  Atlas entry

• Minsk

  Minsk's museums cover fine art, national history and the Great Patriotic War. The Red Church adds a distinctive architectural stop to a day of city sightseeing.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$48

  Best months

  May–Sep

• Mogilev

  Mogilev is Belarus's third-largest city with 367,788 inhabitants, serving as a major cultural, educational, and industrial center in the east of the country. The city features Soviet constructivist architecture, the 1668 St Nicholas Monastery (a UNESCO World Heritage candidate), and the Mogilev Zoo with bison roaming the surrounding forest.

  Atlas entry

• Navahrudak

  Navahrudak is a small historic town in Grodno Oblast, Belarus, with roots as a former capital of Lithuania. The town preserves significant medieval and early modern architecture, including a dramatic hilltop castle ruin and several churches spanning Gothic, Baroque, and Russian Revival styles.

  Atlas entry

• Nesvizh

  Nesvizh (Niasviž) is a small city in Minsk Province, Belarus, best known for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Nesvizh Castle. The residential palace of the Radziwiłł family since the 16th century offers Baroque architecture and historical significance as one of the first such sites in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

  Atlas entry

• Vitebsk

  Vitebsk pairs a compact historic center with an avant-garde art heritage. Marc Chagall's hometown museum and the Slaviansky Bazaar music festival make art and performance central to a visit.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$56

  Best months

  May–Sep