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Belarus travel guide - Travel S helper

Belarus

travel guide

Belarus, formally the Republic of Belarus, historically and colloquially known as Byelorussia, is a landlocked nation in Eastern Europe bordered to the northeast by Russia, to the south by Ukraine, to the west by Poland, and to the northwest by Lithuania and Latvia. Minsk is the capital; other important cities include Brest, Hrodna (Grodno), Homiel (Gomel), Mahilio (Mogilev), and Vitsebsk (Vitebsk). Over 40% of its 207,600 square kilometers (80,200 square miles) are wooded. Its most important economic sectors are the service and manufacturing industries. Until the twentieth century, the territories of modern-day Belarus were ruled by several governments, notably the Principality of Polotsk (11th to 14th centuries), the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Empire.

Belarus declared independence as the Belarusian People’s Republic in the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which was conquered by Soviet Russia as the Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia, which became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922 and was renamed the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (Byelorussian SSR). After the Polish–Soviet War of 1919–1921, Belarus lost almost half of its territory to Poland. Much of Belarus’s current boundaries were established in 1939, when certain territories of the Second Polish Republic were reintegrated into it after the Soviet invasion of Poland, and were completed after World War II. During WWII, military activities ravaged Belarus, causing the country to lose about one-third of its people and more than half of its economic resources. In the postwar years, the republic was rebuilt. Belarus, together with the Soviet Union and the Ukrainian SSR, became a founding member of the United Nations in 1945.

On July 27, 1990, the parliament of the republic proclaimed Belarus’ sovereignty, and on August 25, 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Belarus declared independence.

Belarus and Russia signed a pact for increased cooperation in 2000, with indications of creating a Union State. Over 70% of Belarus’s population of 9.49 million lives in cities. More over 80% of the population is Belarussian, with significant minority of Russians, Poles, and Ukrainians. The nation has had two official languages since a vote in 1995: Belarusian and Russian. Belarus’s Constitution has no mention of an official religion, despite the fact that Eastern Orthodox Christianity is the country’s main religion. Despite the fact that the second most common religious organization, Roman Catholicism, has a considerably smaller following, Belarus celebrates both Orthodox and Catholic versions of Christmas and Easter as national holidays. Belarus is the only nation in Europe where the death penalty is still legal and practiced.

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Belarus - Info Card

Population

9,255,524

Currency

Belarusian rouble (BYN)

Time zone

UTC+3 (MSK)

Area

207,595 km2 (80,153 sq mi)

Calling code

+375

Official language

Belarusian - Russian

Belarus | Introduction

Geography and climate Of Belarus

Belarus is located between the latitudes of 51° and 57° N, and the longitudes of 23° and 33° E. Its length from north to south is 560 km (350 mi), while its length from west to east is 650 km (400 mi). It is landlocked, somewhat flat, and covered with marshy terrain. Forests cover about 40% of Belarus.

Belarus has several streams and 11,000 lakes. The nation is traversed by three main rivers: the Neman, the Pripyat, and the Dnieper. The Neman flows westward to the Baltic Sea, whereas the Pripyat flows eastward to the Dnieper, which flows south to the Black Sea.

The highest point is Dzyarzhynskaya Hara (345 m/1,132 ft), while the lowest point is on the Neman River (90 m) (295 ft). Belarus has an average elevation of 160 meters (525 feet) above sea level. Winters are moderate to chilly, with annual January low temperatures ranging from 4 °C (24.8 °F) in the southwest (Brest) to 8 °C (17.6 °F) in the northeast (Vitebsk), while summers are pleasant and damp, with an average temperature of 18 °C (64.4 °F). Belarus has an annual rainfall range of 550 to 700 mm (21.7 to 27.6 in). The nation is located in a transitional zone between continental and marine climates.

Peat deposits, minor amounts of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomite (limestone), marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay are all natural resources. Approximately 70% of the radiation from neighboring Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe in 1986 reached Belarusian territory, and approximately one-fifth of Belarusian land (mostly agriculture and woods in the southeastern areas) was damaged by radioactive fallout. The United Nations and other organizations have worked to lower radiation levels in impacted regions, particularly via the use of caesium binders and rapeseed cultivation, both of which are intended to reduce caesium-137 levels in soil.

Belarus is bounded on five sides by Latvia to the north, Lithuania to the northwest, Poland to the west, Russia to the north and east, and Ukraine to the south. Belarus’ boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania were defined by treaties in 1995 and 1996, respectively, however Belarus failed to ratify a 1997 treaty defining the Belarus-Ukraine boundary. In February 2007, Belarus and Lithuania approved complete boundary delineation papers.

Demographics Of Belarus

According to the National Statistical Committee, the population was 9.49 million people in January 2016. Belarusians of ethnic origin account for 83.7 percent of the country’s overall population. Russians (8.3 percent), Poles (3.1 percent), and Ukrainians are the next biggest ethnic groupings (1.7 percent ). Belarus has a population density of approximately 50 people per square kilometer (127 people per square mile); urban regions house 70% of the country’s total population. In 2015, the population of Minsk, the country’s capital and biggest city, was 1,937,900 people. Gomel is the second-largest city and the capital of the Homiel Voblast, with a population of 481,000 people. Mogilev (365,100), Vitebsk (342,400), Hrodna (314,800), and Brest are the other major cities (298,300).

Belarus, like many other European nations, has a negative population growth rate as well as a negative natural growth rate. Belarus’ population fell by 0.41 percent in 2007, and its fertility rate was 1.22, considerably below the replacement rate. Belarus has a net migration rate of +0.38 per 1,000 people, suggesting that immigration outnumbers emigration. As of 2006, 69.7 percent of Belarus’s population was between the ages of 14 and 64; 16 percent was under the age of 14, and 14.6 percent was 65 or older. Its population is likewise aging, with the median age of 37 expected to increase to between 55 and 65 by 2050. In Belarus, there are about 0.87 men for every female. The average lifespan is 68.7 years (63.0 years for males and 74.9 years for females). More than 99 percent of Belarusians aged 15 and above are literate.

Religion In Belarus

According to official statistics, as of November 2011, 58.9 percent of all Belarusians practiced some kind of religion, with Eastern Orthodoxy (Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church) accounting for about 82 percent of them. Roman Catholicism is mainly prevalent in the western areas, while Protestantism comes in many varieties. Greek Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, and Neopaganism are also practiced by minorities.

Belarus’ Catholic minority, which accounts for about 9% of the nation’s population and is centered in the western portion of the country, particularly near Hrodna, is made up of Belarusians as well as the country’s Polish and Lithuanian minorities. President Lukashenko said in a media release on Belarusian-Vatican ties that Orthodox and Catholic Christians are the “two major confessors in our country.” According to a 2011 Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimate, the overall Roman Catholic population has fallen to 12% of religious adherents.

Belarus was formerly a significant European Jewish center, with 10% of the population being Jewish. However, since the mid-twentieth century, the number of Jews has been decreased by the Holocaust, expulsion, and emigration, such that they now constitute a very tiny minority of fewer than one percent of the population. The Lipka Tatars, who number approximately 15,000 people, are mostly Muslims. Belarus has no official religion, according to Article 16 of the Constitution. While the same provision guarantees religious freedom, religious groups considered detrimental to the government or social order may be banned.

Language & Phrasebook in Belarus

The two official languages are Belarusian and Russian. Both languages are members of the Slavic language family and are closely related, with numerous similarities between them. Russian is the most commonly spoken language in the country. According to the official census of 2009, 53.2 percent of Belarusian people regarded Belarusian to be their native language, and 23 percent spoke it at home most of the time. Others are fluent in Russian. Without any Russian or Belarussian, it will be tough to get by.

Polish is spoken in the western portions of the country, particularly near Grodno. However, the majority of local Poles speak their own dialect, which is based on Belarusian and contains just a few Polish words and sounds.

English, on the other hand, is not commonly spoken in Belarus, although its usage is growing. Younger individuals often speak English well, while elderly ones do not.

Internet & Communications in Belarus

Belarus has three main GSM providers:MTS, Velcom, Life

They all provide no-contract GSM SIM cards and USB modems for Internet connection. In Belarus, cellular communications are extremely cheap and widely used. Each of these businesses operates a large number of shops in Minsk, Brest, and other regional cities. You will need your passport to buy a SIM card, but several rates are only accessible to people who have registered with the Belarusian authorities. However, a hotel stamp on the back of your immigration card in your passport is sufficient to register, and this is done regularly by hotels at check-in.

Economy Of Belarus

Belarus was one of the world’s most industrially developed nations by percentage of GDP at the time of the Soviet Union’s breakup in 1991, as well as the wealthiest CIS member-state. In 2015, 39.3 percent of Belarusians worked for state-controlled businesses, 57.2 percent worked for private companies (in which the government owns 21.1 percent), and 3.5 percent worked for foreign companies. Russia is the country’s primary source of imports, notably petroleum. Potatoes and cow byproducts, especially meat, are important agricultural goods. Belarus’s major exports in 1994 were heavy equipment (particularly tractors), agricultural goods, and energy products. Belarus is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Community, and the Union with Russia.

However, industrial output fell in the 1990s as a result of reductions in imports, investment, and demand for Belarusian goods from its trading partners. GDP just started to increase in 1996, making the nation the fastest-recovering former Soviet republic in terms of economic recovery. GDP in 2006 was estimated to be $83.1 billion in purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars, or about $8,100 per capita. GDP grew by 9.9 percent in 2005, while inflation averaged 9.5 percent.

Belarus’s biggest commercial partner in 2006 was Russia, which accounted for almost half of total trade, with the European Union accounting for roughly a third of total trade. In 2015, 38 percent of Belarusian exports went to Russia, while 56 percent of purchased products came from Russia.

Belarus lost its EU Generalized System of Preferences status on 21 June 2007 due to its inability to safeguard worker rights, including enacting laws prohibiting unemployment or working outside of state-controlled industries, and tariff rates were increased to their previous most favored country levels. Belarus sought to join the World Trade Organization in 1993.

More over four million individuals work in the labor field, with women holding slightly more positions than males. In 2005, industrial enterprises employed almost a quarter of the population. Agriculture, manufacturing sales, trading products, and education all have high employment rates. According to official data, the unemployment rate in 2005 was 1.5 percent. There were 679,000 jobless Belarusians, with women accounting for two-thirds of the total. Since 2003, the unemployment rate has been declining, and the total rate of employment has been at its best since data were first collected in 1995.

Belarus’s currency was the Belarusian ruble until July 1, 2016. (BYR). The currency, which replaced the Soviet ruble, was established in May 1992. On December 27, 1996, the Republic of Belarus released its first coins. The ruble was reinstated in 2000 with new values and has been in use since then. Both Russia and Belarus, as members of the Union of Russia and Belarus, have considered adopting a unified currency similar to the Euro. As a result, it was proposed that the Belarusian ruble be phased out in favor of the Russian ruble (RUB) beginning on January 1, 2008. In August 2007, the National Bank of Belarus abandoned the peg of the Belarusian ruble to the Russian ruble.

In July 2016, a new currency, the new Belarusian ruble (ISO 4217 code: BYN), was launched, replacing the Belarusian ruble at a 1:10,000 exchange rate (10,000 old rubles = 1 new ruble). From July 1 to December 31, 2016, the old and new currencies will be in simultaneous circulation, while series 2000 notes and coins may be exchanged for series 2009 notes and coins from January 1 to December 31, 2021. This redenomination may be seen as an attempt to combat the high inflation rate.

Belarus’ financial system consists of thirty state-owned banks and one privatized bank. On May 23, 2011, the Belarusian ruble fell by 56% versus the US dollar. On the underground market, the devaluation was much worse, and financial catastrophe seemed near as people raced to swap their rubles for dollars, euros, durable goods, and tinned foods. Belarus sought an economic rescue package from the International Monetary Fund on June 1, 2011.

Entry Requirements For Belarus

Visa requirements, basic information

Send a booking application to a travel agency, indicating the length of your stay (and which hotel will be reserved for you / your party). Note the names of tourists, their dates of birth, and their passport numbers in this application.

  • The agency arranges for you (your party) to stay in a hotel on these dates. Following that, they will email you a confirmation along with a charge for you to pay (you can also pay the bill in cash on arrival).
  • Once you have paid the bill, the agency will send an invitation and a copy of the tourist services contract to the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in your country.
  • In the Embassy, you fill out a form, pay the cost, and get your visa as soon as possible (up to 48 hours).
  • If there is no Belarusian embassy in your country, you may get a tourist visa upon arrival at Minsk National Airport. The process may take anything between 10 minutes to an hour and a half.
  • You arrive in Belarus (e.g., in Minsk) and check into the hotel that has been reserved for you after obtaining a short-term visa (valid for 30-90 days, depending on your place of origin, and cannot be extended).
  • You are automatically registered in the hotel for the duration of your stay.
  • After that, if you wish to rent a private flat, you must register with the local Migration and Citizenship Department OGIM (you can learn details in your travel agency). It would take some time and about USD15.

Visas are not required for citizens of the following countries:Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Ecuador, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Qatar, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela.

Belarusian visas are granted for €90 at Minsk National Airport (MSQ) to citizens of countries with no consular offices of the Republic of Belarus. However, the fees for nationals of nations having a Belarusian consulate are very expensive – €180 when applying at MSQ Airport upon arrival. Standard papers, such as a letter of invitation, must also be supplied – a hotel reservation is insufficient, at least for a tourist visa, but not for other entry points.

For citizens of other nations (Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, China, Estonia, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Republic of South Africa, Slovak Republic, Montenegro, Switzerland, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA), visas may be granted upon arrival only under extraordinary circumstances. This option, however, will be inaccessible to individuals having Belarusian embassies in their countries from September 1, 2012, unless the cause for admission is urgent, such as sickness or the death of a family member.

A visa may be obtained through a Belarusian Consulate or Embassy. The quick visa is more costly, but you will get it in less than a half-day.

Visa costs and processing times vary, so check with the local embassy or consulate before planning your trip. A visa will take up a whole page of your passport, so be sure you have at least one page available.

In general, visa fees are as follows:

  • transit (B) visa – USD35 (for US citizens: USD160, regardless of the number of entries; for UK citizens: GBP55)
  • short-stay (C) visa – USD75 (for US citizens: USD160 for single entry, USD190 for multiple-entry; for UK citizens: GBP75)

Visa costs are waived for Japanese and Serbian passport holders.

There is currently a tendency to avoid the requirement for transit visitors to apply for a transit visa at MSQ Airport. There is no document with rules accessible to the public, however if you come from a migration-secure country and travel with Belavia via Minsk to the third destination, you are unlikely to need a transit visa. Check with the Minsk Airport Consulate first.

Except for the Minsk National Airport, there is no way to get a Belarusian entry visa at the border.

The Embassy Sites provide the most up-to-date pricing and processes. Pre-issued visas save a significant amount of time while entering the country.

Belarusian visas are granted in 5 working days, with the option of obtaining them quickly in 48 hours for a cost of double the standard amount.

The standard cost for a single Belarusian private or business visa ranges from USD40 to USD80. Visas for minors under the age of 16 are granted free of charge; however, some Belarusian embassies or consulates may levy a visa processing fee in this instance.

You will also need a passport and an invitation, as well as additional documents depending on the kind of visa you apply for. If you do not have a policy that is valid in Belarus, you must get state medical insurance. This insurance costs USD0.50 per day, rounded up to the closest dollar (i.e. 1–2 days: USD1, 3–4 days: USD2, etc.). The citizens of the United Kingdom are the only ones who are excluded from this process. Even if your medical insurance is valid in Belarus, customs officers often need you to buy insurance at the airport. This may be bought shortly before going through customs, so bring a few euros with you.

A foreigner must show an invitation from any Belarusian legal organization legally registered in the Republic of Belarus in order to get a Belarusian business visa. The invitation should be printed on letterhead paper and include the visitor’s name, personal and passport information, as well as the purpose and length of the visit. The invitation must be signed and carry the official seal of the organization that is inviting you. Embassies and consulates (with the exception of the Consular office at the National Airport) may often accept faxed invites. Multiple business visas are available through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consular department, for a fee of USD300 with presentation of all necessary papers (contact phone + 375 17 222 26 61).

To obtain a 30-day short-term visa for private purposes (visiting Belarusian relatives, friends, or other private matters) for citizens of the EU as well as nationals of several other countries, including Australia, Andorra, Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Chile, Iceland, Israel, Norway, Swiss Confederation, Republic of Korea, and New Zealand (letter of invitation etc. documents). Short-term visas may be obtained at the Minsk airport, consulates, and embassies.

To get a visa for private reasons, a foreigner who intends to remain in the country for more than 30 days must submit an invitation issued by his citizenship and migration office to a Belarusian resident. In this instance, the original invitation should be handed up to the embassy/consulate or Consular office at the National airport; faxes or photocopies are not permitted. Foreigners visiting close relatives are granted several private visas with proof of the original invitation. Belarusian consulates often issue private visas to citizens of migration-secure countries who do not have any invitation documents.

Visas may be issued for one, two, three, or more entries. They must be utilized within the time frame specified.

Foreign visitors to Belarus must register with the local Migration and Citizenship Department within 5 business days of their arrival and have their registration recorded on their migration card. If you are staying at a hotel, the hotel will arrange this for you.

Private or business visas may be renewed for up to 90 days in Belarus if necessary. On presentation of all necessary papers, it will be completed by the Minsk city citizenship and migration office (contact phone + 375 17 231-3809) or the regional citizenship and migration office in Hrodna, Brest, Minsk, Mahilyou, or Homel.

Exit permits are needed for all foreigners with expired visas who want to exit the country. They are issued by the Minsk city passport and visa office, as well as regional passport and visa offices in Hrodna, Brest, Minsk, Mogilev, and Homel.

Some firms provide letters of invitation, residences, airport transportation, and other services. Links should be provided by any decent search engine. Avoid belarusrent.com since there have been complaints of them collecting money through PayPal, not delivering the services, and rejecting returns.

Entry from Lithuania

Only at the Consulate in Vilnius can you submit your papers to apply for a visa to Belarus. All visas are issued on the same basis. If it is urgent, you may pay twice as much, receive the visa on the same day, and it is valid from the next day; otherwise, you pay the standard price, collect it on the same day, but you can only travel within one week.

The visa system for EU nationals is expected to become lighter in the near future. The first visa-free travel efforts are made in the Polish and Lithuanian border regions, where individuals (who live there permanently) will be allowed to travel visa-free in the 50 km (31 mi) border area.

Visa free access to the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park

Since 2015, visitors to the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park in western Belarus have been able to visit for up to three days without the need for a complete visa. To do so, you must “book tourist services” in advance and fill out a form, after which you will get an e-mail with a simplified visa. Bring a passport and a printout of your visa to enter the park from Poland through the Pererov-Belovezha border crossing.

How To Travel To Belarus

Traveling by vehicle will bring you a long way since Belarus’ infrastructure was substantially built following World War II. By European standards, gasoline is very inexpensive. 1L costs USD1 (as of April 2010). There is no need to browse around since all gasoline stations have the same government-mandated pricing. Cars may be rented in Minsk from large international rental chains or smaller local businesses, either at the airport or in the city.

Traveling across the country by rail will bring you to a lot of desirable locations very cheaply and quickly (make sure that you book an express train). Timetables for all modes of transportation may be found here, as well as for trains on the Belarusian railway’s website. You will also be able to get a peek of Belarusian environment, since woods and grasslands frequently begin right on the outskirts of towns. There are practically no mountains in this area of Europe; it’s just flat green plain. Don’t expect to see wild animals along the train tracks if you’re fortunate; they’re usually scared of loud sounds and violent people.

Belarus is not a big nation, and it is possible to go from one side of its border to the other in less than a day.

Destinations in Belarus

Cities in Belarus

  • Minsk is the capital and biggest city of Belarus, with a population of over 2 million people.
  • Brest is a provincial city on the border with Western Poland, with outstanding architectural attractions.
  • Polotsk – fascinating structures to visit in Belarus’s oldest city
  • Gomel (Homel) is Belarus’s second biggest city, situated in the country’s east.
  • Grodno (Hrodna) is a city on the Polish-Lithuanian border.
  • Mogilev (Mahiljou and Mahilyow) is Belarus’s third biggest city.
  • Nesvizh (Njasvizh or Nyasvizh) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Vitebsk is Belarus’s fourth biggest city.

Other destinations in Belarus

  • Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the border with Poland.
  • Another UNESCO World Heritage property is the Mir Castle Complex.

Accommodation & Hotels in Belarus

“Legal thievery.” The majority of Minsk’s hotels are secure. But beware of the Belarusian ruse. Because Belarusians are frightened of the authorities and therefore of committing a crime, certain unscrupulous hotels may engage in a particularly vexing kind of thievery using maids, frequently in collusion with reception staff. In your absence, they may conceal your personal things in the most odd areas of your room, mixing weird combinations of goods such as a mobile phone with a slice of bread, a wallet with a cheap magazine, or a pair of spectacles.

The secret is that if you miss them, the maid will return and collect them later; if you report the things missing (or discover them yourself), you won’t be able to do anything since the items never left the room and are thus not deemed theft. The staff may even mock your claim by pointing out why on earth they would want to conceal bread or a hotel magazine – they just tucked the things away when cleaning. Avoid such uncomfortable circumstances by leaving your valuables in the hotel safe or bringing them with you. Always carefully examine the room before checking out, including closets, cupboards, deep shelves, under couches, and radiators.

Things To See in Belarus

The attractions of Belarus are poorly known to the ordinary tourist, yet it is precisely the off-the-beaten-path nature of this unknown nation that makes it unique to those who make it here. Much of the historic legacy was destroyed during World War II or as a result of post-war communist planning, but there is more to see than one would think at first sight. Take, for example, Minsk, the country’s unexpectedly contemporary but staunchly Eastern European capital, which is teeming with nightclubs and trendy restaurants while still serving as a monument to Communist architecture and city growth, having been entirely rebuilt after the war. It is home to the excellent Belarus State Museum, Independence Square (where democratic demonstrations make international headlines every so often), the old KGB Headquarters, and the humble Zaslavsky Jewish Monument. Brest, a border city further to the west, is home to the 19th-century Brest Fortress, the scene of a lengthy and bloody Operation Barbarossa fight and a monument to Soviet resistance against the Germans.

There are four World Heritage Sites to see, but one of them, the Struve Geodetic Arc, which served as the foundation for the first meridian measurement, is nothing more than an inscription. Visitors are particularly interested in the late medieval Mir Castle Complex and the Nesvizh Castle from the same period. They are the finest of the country’s castles, although there are a few more if you look hard enough. The Dudutki Open Air Museum provides a glimpse into 19th-century living. This site, located in the quiet, dusty hamlet of Dudutki, brings ancient skills like carpentry, pottery, handicraft-making, and baking to life in old-style wood-and-hay homes.

The fourth World Heritage Site is one of nature’s wonders. The prehistoric Biaowiea Forest spans both Belarus and Poland, with the Belarus half designated as Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park. Few international tourists come, although the park is home to European bison, geese, and other animals, as well as a small museum. The Pripyat Reserve and the Braslau Lakes are other excellent choices for a natural experience.

Food & Drinks in Belarus

Food in Belarus

In a nutshell, there are potatoes, pig, beef, and bread.

You’ve come to the correct spot if you’re searching for a national gourmet dinner. The majority of the goods and components are organic, and radiation levels in the food are continuously monitored to prevent contamination.

“Use fresh aurochs, and if you don’t have any, use elk instead.”
Adapted from a Belarussian recipe from the 18th century
Modern Belarusian food is founded on ancient national traditions that have evolved through time, with parallels to Russian cuisine. The basic techniques of traditional Belarusian cuisine, however, are carefully preserved by the people.

Dishes prepared with potatoes, known as “the second bread,” were popular in Belarusian cuisine. Belarusians popularize their favorite potato via poems, songs, and dances. There are potato cafés across the nation where you may sample different potato meals. Potato is used in numerous salads and is served with mushrooms and/or meat; it is used to make various pirazhki (patties) and baked puddings. Traditional draniki (called as “latkes” in North America, but eaten exclusively with sour cream, never apple sauce) are the most popular among Belarusians. They are thick pancakes made with shredded potatoes. The vast variety of potato dishes in Belarusian cuisine may be attributed to the country’s natural climatic conditions, which are favorable for producing highly starched and delicious varieties of potatoes.

Meat and meat products, particularly pork and salted pig fat, play an important role in Belarusians’ diets. According to a popular saying, “there is no fish more delicious than tench, and no meat finer than pig.” Salted pig fat is smoked and seasoned with onions and garlic. One of the typical holiday meals is pyachysta. This is sucking pig, chicken, or big pieces of pork or beef that has been cooked, stewed, or roasted. Meat dishes are often served with potatoes or vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, black radish, peas, and so on. Many vegetable and meat dishes are traditionally cooked in unique stoneware pots.

Belarusians favor yushka, galki, and baked or boiled river fish with no particular spices among fish dishes. Onions, garlic, parsley, dill, caraway seeds, and pepper are the most often used spices in Belarusian cuisine; they are used sparingly. Nonetheless, the national meals are substantial and delicious. Fresh, dried, salted, and pickled mushrooms are available, as are berries such as bilberry, wild strawberries, red whortleberry, raspberries, cranberries, and others. Zacirka is the most popular flour dish. Pieces of specially made dough are cooked in water before being topped with milk or salty pig fat. Belarusians prefer whole milk, which has influenced certain techniques of producing yoghurt and klinkovy cottage cheese. Milk is often used in Belarusian cuisine to thicken vegetable and wheat dishes.

Drinks in Belarus

Beer and soft drinks are readily accessible.

Non-alcoholic beverages often consumed include Kefir, which is a kind of sour milk comparable to yogurt, Kvas, and Kompot.

The most popular alcoholic beverages are vodka (harelka), harsh herbal nastoikas (particularly Belavezhskaja), and sweet balsams.

Krambambula is a typical medieval alcoholic beverage that may be purchased in most shops or ordered at a restaurant. It’s a powerful drink, but its flavor is considerably milder than vodka’s.

Medovukha (or Myadukha) is a honey-based alcoholic beverage that tastes a lot like mead.

Sbiten is a mix of kvass, another popular soft alcohol drink, and honey.

Berezavik, also known as biarozavy sok, is birch tree juice that is gathered in March from tiny holes in birch tree trunks without harming the plants. This extremely pleasant alcohol-free drink is an excellent thirst-quencher in hot weather and comes in a variety of flavors.

Money & Shopping in Belarus

Belarusian rubles are represented by the three letters BYR put before the price with no space in between.

Within Belarus, Belarusian rubles (but not always Euros or US dollars) can be obtained from automatic bank machines (ATMs) for standard types of credit/debit cards, and US dollars and euros can be exchanged for Belarusian rubles and vice versa at many exchange kiosks in major railway stations and city centers. Converting Belarusian rubles into hard cash soon before leaving or once outside of Belarus will most likely be very difficult (except in Lithuania, Latvia, and Moldova). However, if you convert all of your rubles before departing, any last-minute purchases, overstay penalties, and customs taxes must be paid in Euros or US dollars.

Be cautious: exchange kiosks will not exchange any damaged or marked notes without a 1-2 percent fee. Take only reasonably fresh and undamaged foreign currency with you.

Credit card terminals are available in most bigger supermarkets, businesses, and motels, although they are not always available in smaller establishments. American Express is not accepted, however Visa and MasterCard are.

Prices are generally cheaper than in Western Europe, particularly in the retail food and service industries. Hotels and restaurants, on the other hand, are not less costly than in Western Europe, and are often much more expensive than in neighboring Poland.

Culture Of Belarus

Arts and literature

The Belarusian government supports yearly cultural events such as Vitebsk’s Bazaar, which features Belarusian performers, painters, authors, singers, and actors. Several state holidays, including Independence Day and Victory Day, attract large crowds and often involve displays like as fireworks and military parades, particularly in Vitebsk and Minsk. The Ministry of Culture of Belarus supports events that promote Belarusian arts and culture both within and beyond the nation.

Belarusian literary started with holy texts from the 11th to 13th centuries, such as Cyril of Turaw’s 12th-century poetry.

Francysk Skaryna, a Polotsk native, translated the Bible into Belarusian around the 16th century. It was published between 1517 and 1525 in Prague and Vilnius, making it the earliest book produced in Belarus or elsewhere in Eastern Europe. Yanka Kupala was a notable writer during the modern period of Belarusian literature, which started in the late nineteenth century. Many Belarusian authors of the period, including Uadzimir yka, Kazimir Svayak, Yakub Kolas, Mitrok Biadula, and Maksim Haretski, contributed to Nasha Niva, a Belarusian-language newspaper that was formerly published in Vilnius but is currently published in Minsk.

The Soviet government assumed charge of the Republic’s cultural activities when Belarus was integrated into the Soviet Union. In the newly created Byelorussian SSR, a program of “Belarusianization” was first implemented. In the 1930s, this strategy was reversed, and the bulk of famous Belarusian intellectuals and nationalist supporters were either deported or murdered in Stalinist purges. Until the Soviet takeover in 1939, only Polish-held territory allowed for the free development of literature. Following the Nazi occupation of Belarus, many poets and writers fled into exile and did not return until the 1960s.

The last great resurgence of Belarusian literary came in the 1960s, when novels by Vasil Byka and Uladzimir Karatkievich were published. Ales Adamovich was a well-known novelist who dedicated his efforts to raising awareness of the country’s tragedies. Svetlana Alexievich, the Belarussian recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2015, described him as “her primary instructor, who enabled her to discover her own way.”

Belarusian music is dominated by a rich heritage of folk and liturgical music. Folk music traditions in Lithuania may be traced back to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. While residing in Minsk in the nineteenth century, Polish composer Stanisaw Moniuszko wrote operas and chamber music pieces. During his visit, he collaborated with Belarusian poet Vintsent Dunin-Martsinkyevich on the opera Sialanka (Peasant Woman). Major Belarusian cities had their own opera and ballet companies towards the end of the nineteenth century. M. Kroshner’s ballet Nightingale was written during the Soviet period and was the first Belarusian dance to be performed at the National Academic Vialiki Ballet Theatre in Minsk.

Following WWII, songs centered on the difficulties of the Belarusian people or those who took up weapons in defense of their country. Anatoly Bogatyrev, the composer of the opera In Polesye Virgin Forest, was the “teacher” of Belarusian composers at this time. In 1996, the National Academic Theatre of Ballet in Minsk was awarded the Benois de la Dance Prize as the world’s best ballet company. Rock music has grown in popularity in recent years, despite the Belarusian government’s efforts to restrict the amount of foreign music broadcast on the radio in favor of indigenous Belarusian music. Belarus has been sending singers to the Eurovision Song Contest since 2004.

Marc Chagall was born in 1887 in Liozna (near Vitebsk). He spent the years after World War I in Soviet Belarus, where he rose to become one of the country’s most renowned painters and a member of the modernist avant-garde, as well as the creator of the Vitebsk Arts College.

Dress Code

Traditional Belarusian clothing dates back to the Kievan Rus’ era. Due to the cold temperature, clothing was intended to keep body heat in and was often made of flax or wool. They were embellished with elaborate designs inspired by surrounding civilizations, including Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians, Russians, and other European countries. Each area in Belarus has its own design trends. One decorative design prevalent in early garments now adorns the hoist of the Belarusian national flag, which was approved in a contentious referendum in 1995.

Cuisine

Belarussian cuisine is mostly composed of vegetables, meat (especially pig), and bread. Food is typically cooked slowly or stewed. Belarusians typically have a modest breakfast and two substantial meals each day, with dinner being the largest meal of the day. Belarusians eat both wheat and rye bread, although rye is more abundant since growing conditions for wheat are too severe. When welcoming a guest or visitor, a host typically gives a gift of bread and salt.

Sport

Belarus has participated in the Olympic Games since the Winter Olympics in 1994. President Lukashenko has presided over the country’s National Olympic Committee since 1997.

Ice hockey, which is heavily subsidized by the government, is the nation’s second most popular sport after football. The national squad has never qualified for a major competition, although BATE Borisov has competed in the Champions League. The national hockey team placed fourth in overall competition at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, and its players have played in North America’s National Hockey League. Darya Domracheva is a world-class biathlete who won three gold medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

At the Australian Open in 2012, tennis player Victoria Azarenka became the first Belarusian to win a Grand Slam singles championship. She also won the mixed doubles gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics with Max Mirnyi, who has eleven Grand Slam doubles championships.

Other prominent Belarusians include cyclist Vasil Kiryienka, who won the Road World Time Trial Championship in 2015, and middle distance runner Maryna Arzamasava, who won the gold medal in the 800m at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics.

Stay Safe & Healthy in Belarus

Stay Safe in Belarus

Belarus has a modest crime rate. Fortunately, crimes against foreigners are uncommon, but criminals have been known to use force if victims fight. Mugging and pickpocketing are common forms of street crime that occur most often near public transit, near hotels frequented by foreigners, and/or at night in poorly lighted locations. Around many places, you should be particularly cautious in metro and bus terminals, where thieves are more likely to assault you.

Avoid going to nightclubs and discothèques since they are run by criminal gangs looking for more money, although street-level organized criminal violence is uncommon and usually does not impact expats.

Cybercrime of various sorts is prevalent in Belarus. Merchandise orders using fake credit cards, identity theft, hacking/blackmail operations, and Nigerian-style advanced fee fraud are all on the rise. If you conduct deal with people or companies in Belarus online, you should exercise great care. Not only is electronic fraud prevalent at ATMs and grocery shops, but attacks against street-side ATMs have resulted in severe injuries.

Expect to be arrested within minutes if you join in a public protest with political banners. The speed with which you leave (24 hours or 24 days) is determined on your connections, social standing, and other factors. Because of the government’s vehement hostility to opposing ideas, Westerners should avoid any political conversations, demonstrations, and so forth.

Belarus remains a highly prejudiced society. In Belarus, gay and lesbian travelers, as well as Jews, suffer severe persecution. If you fall under any of these categories, you should avoid traveling to Belarus in the first place.

Many protests may be recognized by a red and white banner: a white backdrop with a horizontal strip of red running across the center, creating a white/red/white flag. If you see this flag, try to remain as far away from the protest as possible.

As a foreigner, you may be subjected to surveillance; hotel rooms, telephones, and fax machines may be watched, and personal belongings in hotel rooms may be examined. Taking photos of anything that might be regarded as being of military or security importance may cause difficulties with authorities; these locations are not always clearly designated, and the implementation of these prohibitions is up to interpretation.

Potholes, unlighted or badly lit streets, inattentive and dark-clothed pedestrians strolling on unlighted roads, drivers and pedestrians under the influence of alcohol, and disrespect for traffic regulations are all hazards. Driving in the winter is particularly hazardous due to ice and snow. Drivers are reminded to be cautious at all times.

Since the days of the Soviet Union, the KGB in Belarus has not altered its name – it is still known as the KGB – and its practices are unlikely to have changed much either.

During 2005, several ethnic Polish journalists and journalists with Polish citizenship had difficulties with the government (ranging from being denied entrance to spending a dozen or so days in jail). If your name sounds Polish, you’d better have solid proof that you’re not a journalist.

Belarus’ police forces are well-trained and competent, although they are severely hampered by an unreformed Soviet-era legal framework, corruption, and politicization of the police and other government agencies. Officers are not unusual in collecting bribes during traffic stops due to poor pay. Because of a lack of resources and/or political will, sophisticated criminal investigations are often inconclusive. Belarusians are notoriously bad drivers.

Stay Healthy in Belarus

Belarus had an outstanding health system in the past, but when the Chernobyl catastrophe occurred, medical treatment seriously harmed the system. As a result, neither contemporary nor readily accessible medical care exists in Belarus. It is worth noting that the system is only available to individuals who speak fluent Russian and Belarussian. Ambulances are ill-equipped and unreliable; waiting times of 30 minutes or more are not uncommon. Medical evacuation to the European Union is the quickest method to get Western-level treatment.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a growing public health issue in Belarus. Before going to Belarus, talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated.

In Belarus, a major institution with considerable financing is researching the food chain effect of the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe at a nuclear power station on the Ukraine-Belarus border. Food inspectors, in general, examine food not just for bacterial contamination, but also for radiation levels. Except for food obtained from the prohibited areas within 50 kilometers (31 miles) of the Chernobyl plant itself or the second hotspot around the junction of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarussian borders, most food is deemed safe.

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