Traveling Through Minsk, Belarus

Belarus is one of the most mysterious countries in Europe. This former Soviet nation, which borders Russia and Ukraine, is often regarded as “Europe’s Last Dictatorship.” For the longest time, travel to Belarus was quite restricted, as visas were hard to obtain, but lately, things have opened up. Despite the relaxed visa policy, Belarus still falls short in attracting foreign tourists, especially compared to their European counterparts. 

In February, I had the opportunity to visit Belarus for a few days. One of the first things I noticed was the lack of tourists. In fact, I didn’t see a non-white person the entire time I was there. But strangely enough, nobody really stared at me. The second thing I noticed was that Belarus looked very “Soviet-like.” Growing up, I always had this imagine of what a Soviet country looked like and Belarus fit that image. 

Minsk doesn’t offer much from a tourist standpoint, so much of your time here will be spent walking around the city. Belarus won’t be too exciting for those that spent a great deal of time in Eastern Europe, but for those with limited experience in former Soviet nations, this place will be more enjoyable for the simple fact that it’s quite different from anything you’ve seen. To be honest, I don’t know where I went, I just kept walking and walking until I found places that appeared to be interesting. 

Food 

The food in Belarus was pretty bad. It generally consists of potatoes, bread, beef, and salt. Probably the worst I’ve had since Mongolia, but don’t let that stop you from trying it out! I believe everyone should sample the local food in every country they visit unless you have a religious or dietary restriction, of course. 

Cost of Living

Belarus is cheap. A nice meal will cost less than $10 and taxi rides within the city will run no more than $8. You can definitely budget $25 a day excluding hotel costs. $1=2.34 Belarusian Rubles.

Safety

Belarus is a relatively safe country, so tourists should exercise normal pre-caution. However, tourists should be careful when speaking about politics, the military, the Belarusian president, etc, especially in public places/your hotel. Belarus has come under fire by the foreign media for their lack of human rights, so one can expect, or in this case, not expect, any privacy.    

Overall Thoughts?

There was nothing about Belarus that really stood out to me, and I wouldn’t recommend flying all the way to Belarus from a nation far away such as Canada or South Africa, it’s just not worth it, but if you’re in a nearby country, Belarus is definitely worth a visit.