Despite its location in the geographic centre of Europe, the former Soviet republic of Belarus has only recently begun to cautiously open its doors to international travelers. The few days’ visa-free allowance is more than enough to venture into Minsk – the capital city that breathes Soviet nostalgia – and beyond, to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Mirsky and Nesvizh Castles, passing through the vast natural expanses of fields, blue lakes and primeval forests (the Belovezhskaya pushcha, still inhabited by European bison) en route.
Built anew after the war, the capital of Belarus is a city embracing its own unique brand of modernity. A metropolis of nearly 2 million, Minsk is where nostalgia of Stalinist buildings and Soviet parks meets contemporary art galleries, stylish bars and excellent local eateries.
