Enjoy tourism in Belarus
1. Visa rules
Belarus is a country with an ancient history and rich traditions, beautiful nature and amazing architecture, industrial giants and well-developed agriculture, unique cuisine and hospitable people. Every year the country becomes more tourist-friendly. Over 11 million people visit Belarus every year.
Belarus is located in the center of Europe at the intersection of many international routes. The territory of the country spans 207,600 km². Belarus is known for its hospitality and cordiality.
Citizens of Pakistan need to obtain a visa to enter the territory of Belarus. This can be done at the Belarusian Embassy in Pakistan (Islamabad), or upon arrival at the Minsk National Airport. The cost of applying for a visa at the Embassy is 60 euros, at the National Airport Minsk – 180 euros, a passport, insurance policy and a photo are required.
2. New COVID norms, post COVID situation
As in all countries of the world, COVID-19 has imposed certain restrictions on travel to the Republic of Belarus. For foreign citizens entry into Belarus through land checkpoints is temporarily suspended. But fortunately, the entrance is still open through air checkpoints.
When arriving through air checkpoints, all tourists, who have reached the age of six, should have a negative PCR test performed no later than 3 days before crossing the border. 7-day self-isolation is mandatory only for persons arriving from the countries included in the List of the Ministry of Health, where cases of COVID-19 infection are registered. For transit through the territory of Belarus with duration of less than 24 hours a PCR test and self-isolation are not necessary.
The situation with COVID-19 in Belarus is developing in accordance with global trends. The number of new infections is falling, and the vaccination campaign is being actively pursued.
It is important to note that Belarus did not introduce a lockdown and did not suspend the activities of economic entities, which helped to avoid a significant negative economic effect. Among the current restrictions are only mask modes in transport and public places, social distancing.
3. Best months to plan a travel
The climate in Belarus is moderate continental; there are no sudden temperature changes, severe frosts and stifling heat. Rainstorms, hurricanes and other extreme weather events are rare.
Snow usually falls in winter, rivers and lakes are covered with ice. There are perfect conditions to go skiing or snowboarding – ski resorts even produce artificial snow if necessary, which is in no way inferior in its characteristics to natural.
In March, winter gradually disappears, begins to warm, and the Belarusian nature comes to life, rivers overflow, flooding the floodplain forests, which makes the surrounding landscapes look like the Amazonian selva. By the end of April everything turns green, birds fly in, forests and shores of lakes are filled with birdsongs. The temperature is kept comfortable and is ideal for hiking, excursions and trips out of the city.
Summer is considered as the most popular season for tourists. The days at this time are mostly warm, sunny and calm. There are very few cloudy and cold days, and therefore in summer the best option is to go on long trips to visit beauties of the Belarusian nature. The water in rivers and lakes also warms up to a comfortable temperature, which allows swimming in order to fresh up. A set of equipped beaches along the banks of rivers and lakes, both in the city limits and beyond, will provide vacationers with a tan no worse than in southern countries.
In autumn, the weather in the country is very changeable, cloudy days can drag on, and warm and sunny weeks can be kept – this is also called ‘Indian summer’. On these sunny days the best advice is to devote time to traveling around the country and its attractions – a comfortable temperature, coupled with the amazing beauty of forests and parks with falling leaves will make your vacation unforgettable.\
Each of the seasons is good for visiting Belarus in its own way, and having visited the country once, you will want to come back here more than once, but at a different time of the year to look at the same sights, playing with different colors and getting different impression.
4. Top 5 places to see in Belarus
1) Belovezhskaya Pushcha
This place, one of the most important landmarks in Belarus, is formed by the remains of the ancient forest, which used to stretch from the Baltic Sea to the Bug River and from Oder to Dnieper. Belovezhskaya Pushcha national park is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. European bison, bears, deer and lynx can be found here. The Nature Museum, located on the grounds of the park, tells the visitors about flora and fauna of the forest, which has lived through several epochs, illustrating it with 26 expositions. The most ancient trees growing here are about 600 years. If you feel a little cold, be sure: Father Frost's residence is right around the corner.
2) Grodno and the Augustow Canal
Grodno is rightfully considered the most beautiful city in Belarus, which has preserved the memory of its former greatness and ancient traditions. Today it is not only a tourist ‘Mecca’, but also one of the largest cities in the country – about 350 thousand people live here. Grodno is often called ‘the most European city’ in our country. This is not surprising, because not only almost all the sights have been preserved here, but also the old layout. Monuments of architecture from different eras and different styles create a special atmosphere, seasoned with the spirit of antiquity.
The Augustow Canal is a unique hydrotechnical structure of the 19th century, one of the largest canals in Europe, which passes along Poland and Belarus. Crossing the border between two countries on a kayak isn't it an adventure? And you don't need a visa for that! The Augustow Canal is a wonderful place for active leisure, water tourism, backpacking or eyeling. The magnificent beauty of the nature attracts thousands of guests. Festivals, concerts and sports events are held here specially for them.
3) Salt caves in Soligorsk
Come to Soligorsk – one of the most unusual Belarusian cities, where you can descend underground to an extreme depth and learn how the salt is produced. Moreover, it is possible in our country to visit a unique speleotherapy facility, which helps treat hundreds of people every day.
4) BELAZ
Do you want to see how the world's largest dumping trucks, entered in the Guinness Book of Records, or tractors that are among the most popular ever are made? We'll give you this chance! Largest Belarusian enterprises open their doors for tourists and gladly share their production secrets. After visiting BelAZ or MTZ, you will know not only how legendary cars are made, but also perform a test drive of a 130-ton dumping truck, or participate in manufacturing a tractor. Don't miss your chance to take a photo near the famous quarry dumping truck with the lifting capacity of 450 tons!
5) Mir and Nesvizh Castles
The lands of Belarus were previously often called the Land of Castles, and this is no coincidence, because there were more than 100 of them. Two of the best preserved and most famous are Mir Castle and the palace and castle complex in Nesvizh. These are two unique sites included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, and are one of the most valuable monuments in Belarus. These two castles keep many unsolved secrets and legends, including mystical ones.
5. Arts and Сulture
The cultural identity of Belarusians has been shaped by supreme spiritual values celebrating morality and humanity. For centuries these values have been passed over from generation to generation. These are high ideals of good and justice, respect for others, strong rejection of evil and violence. These values have been materialized in architectural and artistic traditions, unique works of music and literature.
The modern cultural life of Belarus is dynamic and diverse. The country hosts a lot of art exhibitions, music, theater and film festivals. Belarus entertains its guests with all kinds of events: from elassie jazz on the city street to festivals, open airs and raves with D.Js from different corners of the world. Here, you can visit a theatrical forum or a folk culture festival, visit a holiday dedicated to ancient crafts or national cuisine in the open, take part in a high society ball or a medieval reconstruction. Lovers of extreme entertainment will definitely appreciate a bike fest, while amateurs of natural beautywill find a lot ofinteresting things at an unusual environmental holiday.
The most popular cultural events are Slavyansky bazaar, Alexandria Gathers Friends, Viva Braslav, The Bells of Sofia and many-many others.
6. Sports Travel
It's safe to say that Belarus is a sports country. Special attention is paid to the promotion of sport. Belarus is the native country of many famous sportsmen and sportswomen: Daria Domracheva, Viktoria Azarenko, Maxim Mirny Ruslan Salei, Yulia Nesterenko, Vitaliy Scherbo, Aleksandr Medved, Yelena Belova, Olga Korbut, etc. The most popular kind of sports are football, hockey, biathlon and tennis.
People of all ages here love sports and practice it in every corner of the country. Over 25 thousand physical culture facilities can be found in Belarus. About 26 thousand sports and entertainment events are held every year, many of which turn into bright and unforgettable holidays. Having come to Minsk, you can take part in the international cycling carnival ‘VIVa rovar’ (May) or the grandiose half-marathon (September).
International sports events of a global scale are regularly held in Belarus. In 2014 Minsk host the Ice Hockey World Championships. An absolute record of attendance was set at the Championships – more than 500 thousand visitors. In 2019, the 2nd European Games took place in Minsk. It was a large-scale sports event, which gathered about 4 thousand sportsmen and sportswomen from 50 European countries.
7. Rural Tourism
Belarus is a country where people value traditions and respect rites of the ancestors. Do you want to see real life, enjoy its atmosphere, feel the unmistakable village atmosphere and immerse yourself into a brand new world, filled with authentic activities, songs and dances? Then you must visit one of Belarusian farm stays, where the hosts will welcome you, treat you with delicious meals of the Belarusian cuisine and teach you to gather honey and bake bread. Here, you can fish or hunt with pleasure or even celebrate a wedding in the best Belarusian traditions.
Rural tourism is one of the most successful types of tourism in the Republic of Belarus. Thanks to the powerful preferences provided to this type of tourism, in 2021 there are 2,936 rural entities. At the beginning of 2021, the number of rural tourists amounted to 433 thousand people.
In 2016 and 2018 Belarus became the winner in the Rural tourism nomination of the National Geographic Traveler Awards rating.
In 2022, it is planned to conduct the International Forum on Tourism and Rural Development ‘Ensuring a Better Life for the Local Population’ in cooperation with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Thus, rural tourism in Belarus is the cradle of the national cultural heritage, it strengthens the self-consciousness of the nation and demonstrates the hospitality of the people. Rest on rural farmsteads in Belarus is an opportunity to plunge into the rural life of the country, use environmentally friendly products, retire with nature and restore your health.
Cooks in cafes have made delicious draniki, guides have prepared fascinating tours across picturesque locations, festivals have been organized in cities and villages, and the stoves in farm stays have been warmed up for tired travelers. Belarusians are ready to share the kindness and warmth of their hearts with their guests!
Materials are provided by the Department of Tourism of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus
