If you go to Belarus by car. By car to Belarus: free toll roads and thousands of fines

Finally, our trip to Belarus began. We were a little delayed with the trip and got ready to go only at the end of June 2018. I have long wanted to visit this country, about which I have heard so much. The funny thing is that the way to Belarus, or rather to Minsk from Moscow, turned out to be one of the easiest road trips we have ever been on. And was it worth the effort? However, about the road and will be discussed In this article. And about the road with a baby under the age of six months, who is not even sitting yet - this is our first experience. Looking ahead, I’ll say that the Moscow-Minsk route by car is ideal for beginners.

The distance from Moscow to Minsk is only 717 kilometers, according to Google maps, which, for the sake of experiment, we decided to go this year. Before that, they used navigation from Novitel. Although I made my first route using paper maps, it was also a kind of experience. However, I will return to the road to Belarus.

Google offers three routes from Moscow to Belarus to choose from, see the map below:

Fast route on M1(marked toll roads) with a distance from Moscow to Minsk 717 km. Travel time is just over 8 hours.
Average mileage on the A-130 highway through Mogilev
Long route along the M9 highway through Velikiye Luki and Vitebsk region 841 km long

In fact, we left the Kaluga region, through Protvino and Obolensk, so the navigator did not offer us the most long route He is too far away from us. Trusting the description and common sense, we chose the M1 track, almost straight, almost free. The mark "toll road" did not bother us. On the Russian side, we did not meet paid sections (it is on the outskirts of Moscow), in Belarus for Russian citizens, the use of roads is also free.

In choosing the route, travel time and the quality of the road played a big role, since, I repeat, we went to Minsk with our whole small family, including Timofey. And for him it was the first such a long move. I think I will talk in a separate article about what it is like to drive with a baby in a car. The experience of the Minsk trip turned out to be very interesting

I would like to especially note that this route- Ideal for beginners in road trips. There are several reasons for this:

A short distance from Moscow to Minsk - only 717 kilometers
Short travel time. Especially without straining the whole way can be done in 9-10 hours
Simple road. Everywhere four lanes no problem with overtaking

For comparison, no less interesting, but slightly more complex, our road trips you can see in the following series of articles:

Road to the border with Belarus

As I said, we still had to go to the M1 highway. In fact, we got almost from the M2 itself (who's to blame that it was in that area that we spent several days before the road) along the A108. I suspect that when leaving Podolsk, we would even save a little travel time. And from Moscow to Minsk we would have reached a couple of hours faster. This is due to the A108 highway with periodic passage of residential areas, where cameras and radars are installed all over the place, and the permissible speed is 40 km / h

Highway M1 Moscow - Minsk, police, cameras in Russia

Coming out on the M1 highway, we hurried to the gas station. And the price of gasoline in Russia has risen! We refueled to a full tank for 1800 rubles, according to my calculations, this should have been enough until Minsk itself. By the way, in Belarus, gasoline is a little cheaper, given the last May price increase in Russia and the change in the ruble exchange rate.

What was striking on the way to Minsk from Moscow by car was the abundance of patrols and cameras on the road. In addition to the stationary cameras with which almost all the villages located along the M1 highway on the way to Belarus are equipped, we also met probably about 7 patrols, and somewhere with a couple of dozen tripods. And according to the good old tradition, the police are in the bushes, the tripod is covered by a civilian car- in general, a classic of the genre.

Of course, I tried to keep the speed limit as much as possible. At one time, I even joined a Belarusian truck - a very useful life hack for those who do not want to bring fines home. However, I am almost sure that it will not do without letters of happiness, our guardians of order are painfully good at hiding, and even put up unexpected signs. In general, they moved carefully, like sappers.

The road from Moscow to Belarus, description and reviews

The paid understudy of the M1 highway starts in the area of Molodogvardeiskaya road junction MKAD and ends at the 33rd km of the Minsk highway. The road goes around the city of Odintsovo. The length of the toll road is 18.535 km, the fare is 150 and 50 rubles during the day and at night, respectively.

All highway M1 all the way from our exit to it, to Minsk turned out to be a four-lane— a definite plus for any route. Taking into account the small load, it was a pleasure to drive like that at all - it’s not on a two-lane highway for kilometers to reach for trucks in anticipation of the coveted permission to overtake. Perhaps it seemed to me, but the lanes of the road were slightly narrower, at least compared to the usual highways. Two trucks without much comfort fit on the road. Yes, and it was not very convenient for me to overtake them on turns.

Please note that on the M1 Moscow-Minsk highway, from the Russian side almost everywhere the limit is 90 km/h, of course, not counting the settlements. In addition, there were often signs with a limit of up to 70 km / h, and behind them portable cameras. By the way, it was these signs that made me doubt that the M1 is a motorway

I would like to note the relatively high quality of the road surface. When driving at the permitted speed, there is no risk of losing the suspension - and this is already a good indicator for our roads. However last years I ride on the paid sections of the M4 and on the free part of Leningradka in both cases, I am also satisfied with the roads. This is me to the fact that in the central region the issue of roads, although slowly, is being solved.

Where to eat on the way to Belarus, stops along the way

Since we were traveling with a small child in the car, we had to make extra stops. After all, Timofey is not used to long trips by car, and in the infant carrier the position is not the most convenient, although safe. I will return to it in a separate article, but perhaps I will describe our stops.

First stop was at a Gazprom Neft gas station.. We also had lunch at the local cafeteria next door. The prices turned out to be quite friendly - our lunch cost us 380 rubles (the first two, plus a side dish and one Kiev cutlet for two). The food was delicious and nutritious. Portions are not big - travel

Second stop at the source of the Moskva River. More to give my son some rest. However, in this place we found about a dozen comfortable gazebos where you can stop and have a bite to eat. Despite the inscription "making fire is prohibited" on the territory there were several barbecues and a large fire pit, nomadic motorists. In general, it would be with you a bucket of barbecue, it is quite possible to sit and have a bite to eat.

We made one more stop in the village of Istomino. Just like that, for no particular reason. The village turned out to be exemplary. Just 300 meters from the Moscow-Belarus highway, the asphalt ends and the Russian hinterland begins. It's also not the most colorful. It should be noted that approximately after this village, the number of cameras on the road began to decline sharply.

The border of Russia and Belarus - the highway M1 Moscow-Minsk

Let me give you some preliminary results. Without much adventure, but with an unusual number of stops, we reached the border of Russia and Belarus. More precisely, at some point we just drove into neighboring country, especially without noticing the border. It was nice. This is how all travel to neighboring countries should go.

The entire border control consisted in letting a couple of pedestrians at the crossing of sluggishly wandering border guards. There were no stops or document checks.

I want to note that our OSAGO policy is not suitable for trips around Belarus and it is required to buy an international policy "Green Card" - the price of the issue for 15 days is 840 rubles. We bought in our city. However, along the entire route from about 160 km, I began to notice green tents selling insurance. It will not be superfluous to purchase travel insurance in case of unforeseen visits to medical institutions, the cost of the policy is not significant, and the medical coverage is great:

To be continued, the first impression of the Belarusian side and the trip with a child is still ahead.

From all countries former USSR The easiest way to get to Belarus is by car. Although the path from Moscow to Minsk is not close, 720 kilometers, it can be overcome very quickly with full observance of the speed limit, in just eight hours.

Even at five in the morning, a small traffic jam had already formed at the exit from Moscow for 10 minutes due to road repairs. Photo: AIF / Denis Sveshnikov

There are a lot of photo and video cameras along the way, both from the Russian and Belarusian sides. The local traffic police does not forgive violators. Exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km / h can cost up to 7,000 rubles. And this is not the most severe punishment. For a repeated violation, you will have to part with the rights for a period of up to a year.

Roads in Belarus are of better quality than Russian ones and are not as busy. Photo: AIF / Denis Sveshnikov

Photo: AIF / Denis Sveshnikov

There is no need to prepare for crossing the border, because, by and large, there is none. All preparation consists only in buying a "Green Card" - a compulsory car insurance policy for traveling abroad. If you travel only in Belarus, the cost of the document will be only about 900 rubles. It is almost impossible to forget about this nuance - along the road starting from Smolensk there are constantly kiosks with huge signs " Green map". In order not to waste time on the road, it is better to arrange everything in advance.

Photo: AiF / Denis Sveshnikov Directly at the border, customs officers can selectively stop cars to check documents, but this, in any case, does not take time. Giant traffic jams and queues should not be expected even on holidays. The quality of the road is excellent almost all the way, except for a couple of repaired sections with two lanes for traffic in each direction. The Belarusian part of the route is better in every sense and not only in terms of the quality of the coverage. Firstly, the speed limit is higher here - 120 against Russian 90 km / h. Secondly, the highway never passes through settlements, so you can drive all the way from the border to Minsk without changing your speed at all.

However, on long holiday weekends, it is better to leave Moscow in advance. Although leaving at five in the morning on a weekend or on the night from Friday to Saturday, few people can please, but even half an hour of delay will affect the total time on the road. In addition to the traditional traffic from summer residents and other vacationers, the situation is aggravated by repairs in the Minsk direction in the Kubinka area. At 7-11 in the morning on the way from Moscow and at 19-22 when returning back, you can lose here more than an hour. As an option, go around Novorizhskoe highway and Ruza.

If you want to visit Brest, you can spend the night in one of the park hotels with private parking near the city. Photo: AiF / Denis Sveshnikov It is better to refuel to the border “to the eyeballs”, because in Belarus gasoline is on average 3-4 rubles more expensive per liter. Savings are not significant, but nonetheless. Taking into account the trip to Brest and the outskirts of Minsk, with an average fuel consumption on our Suzuki Vitara of 7.8 liters per hundred, 7,500 rubles were spent on gasoline. Even if you go not with a company, but at least together, it will turn out to be significantly cheaper than by any other mode of transport.

It is worth taking care immediately upon entering Belarus of the local currency. There are a couple of exchange offices just a few kilometers after the border. If you miss them, there will be nowhere to change money until Minsk itself. However, there is still no problem. In Belarus, and in the most shabby roadside cafes, where it’s scary just to be, they accept bank cards.

Mir Castle. Photo: AIF / Denis Sveshnikov

Nesvizh Castle. Photo: AIF / Denis Sveshnikov

You can see a lot in three days. Mir and Nesvizh castles with picturesque parks and the Dudutki museum complex are located very close to the capital, it will take no more than an hour to get there. In Minsk itself, getting around by car is not difficult. The avenues are wide, the interchanges are simple, and there are few cars. And the main attractions are concentrated in the city center. You can leave your car and take a taxi — given the small area of Minsk, almost any trip will cost no more than 500 rubles.

In the center of Minsk there are many hotels with free guarded parking lots. Photo: AIF / Denis Sveshnikov

Single rooms in three-star hotels on holidays cost an average of 2.5 thousand rubles. It’s convenient to rent an apartment for a company – it’s even cheaper for one person. And, of course, there is no limit to perfection.

In cafes and restaurants, Russians will feel like millionaires. True, we must also try to dine for more than a million Belarusian rubles. Food in Minsk and during the influx of tourists is inexpensive. Without denying yourself anything, in restaurants, most likely, you won’t leave more than 2,500 rubles a day.

Brest Fortress. Photo: AIF / Denis Sveshnikov

As for the upcoming Victory Day, events in Minsk in the Stalin Line complex will last from May 7 to 9. You can see the reconstruction of the battle for Berlin. Fireworks will take place on the day of the holiday at 22:00. The concert program, which also ends with fireworks, will also be held in the Brest Fortress. However, only residents of neighboring regions will be able to stay for the celebrations in Brest and return to the working day. The return trip to Moscow is more than 1000 kilometers, which, despite good road will take a lot of time and effort.

Belarus is a country of castles

Traveling in Belarus by car for many begins with the M1 / E30 highway Moscow-Minsk-Brest route. On the way from Minsk to Brest is the city of Mir and its main attraction Mir Castle (XVI-XVII century) On the banks of the Miryanka River.

Just 100 km from Minsk, a monumental feudal castle will suddenly appear with magnificent palace. On the highway to Brest M1 / E30 to the sign "Mir", and there is another 9 km. For $5 you will have a personal guide, and the price of the entrance ticket is less than $1. Quite reasonable prices.

The ghost of Sophia Svyatopolk-Mirskaya, who lives in the castle. You can dine at local restaurant. And then, by car, move on. From Mir to Nesvizh only 30 km

The Nesvizh castle of the Radziwill magnates, whose wealth was legendary. This clan made its nest in Nesvizh at the beginning of the 16th century. Nesvizh residence. Front entrance. Attractions - Park Ensemble, Farny Church, City Hall, Benedictine monastery, Slutsk entrance gates…

Until 1939, the curators of the museum did not know about the existence of a secret underground passage in the castle, which led to Michalska Hill - 4 km from the castle. 91-year-old Elzbieta of the famous Radziwill family, the last resident of the castle (she lived in it until she was 18), arrived in Nesvizh, showed this secret passage and told how the castle was with her, how it looked: where was her bedroom, where was the room her teacher, where is the study of her father Albrecht Radziwill.

The castle is being revived, it has become the largest national museum became a UNESCO site. Each generation of the Radziwills, the castle was rebuilt, and the museum wants to show all historical sections. A grandiose work is underway to restore and return the exhibits to their native land. Black Panna is a local legend about a ghost wandering through the corridors of the castle (the restless soul of Barbara, the wife of the Polish prince Sigismund).

Traveling in Belarus - the next stop is Kossovo

On the way from Nesvizh to Kossovo, autotourists can stop for the night. For example, in one of the hotels in the city of Baranovichi. And in the morning he will go to see new sights, castles and palaces of Belarus.

Palace of the Puslovskys (Kossovo Castle)— It was built in pseudo-Gothic style, it has 12 towers. The property of the voivode and industrialist Casimir Adam Titus Puslovsky. If the castle had not been blown up and burned down during the war (through the efforts of partisans in 1943), but had survived to this day in its original form, then it would be the embodiment of advanced technologies and would be considered a wonder of the world.

For example, the floor of the main hall was made of glass and was a huge aquarium with exotic fish. In total, the castle had 132 halls - there were halls for receptions and balls. And this mega construction was completed 20 years before the appearance of the electric light bulb (in 1838).

Here, in Kossovo, there is the house-museum of Andrzej Tadeusz Bonaventure Kosciuszko, whose name is deeply revered in many countries of the world and remains almost unknown in his homeland.

Distance along the route Minsk - Mir - Nesvizh- Kossovo - Ruzhany ~ 393 km, approximate travel time ~ 5 h 27 min.

The next object of our attention is the village of Ruzhany, here are the ruins - the Sapieha Palace. The palace suffered the first world war and was finally destroyed in World War II.

And we rush by car to inspect this once majestic and grandiose castle. And also, the Trinity Church (1617), the Church of Saints Peter and Paul (1778), the Basilian Monastery (1788), the building of the synagogue (the end of the 18th century), the Church of St. Casimir (1792), the building of the austeria (the second half of the 18th century). Lake Papernya, unique in its beauty, on the outskirts of Ruzhany - here you can relax, swim and sunbathe.
If you go to Ruzhany from Minsk, the length of the road will be 240 km. It will be possible to have a bite to eat and fill up the car only in Volkovysk (roadside service in Belarus is poorly developed).

Ruzhany is one of the few medieval European cities endowed with Magdeburg rights, was the residence of the Sapiehas.

This famous family gave countless significant persons: 22 people were governors of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Commonwealth, 15 were Marshals of the Main Lithuanian Tribunal, some of the Sapieha family were bishops, chancellors, vice-chancellors, hetmans ...

Well, actually, the further journey through Belarus by car can be completed by driving to Brest to the Brest Fortress, stopping at the Stalin Line along the way. And from there, to Lida - to the castle of Gediminas of the XIV century. There are castles in Grodno, Novogrudok, Lyubichi, Golshany, Krevo…

Traveling by car in Belarus will open up a lot of interesting things for you. Your gaze may suddenly open someone's estate or tomb, or memorial.

Chapel-chapel of the gentry family Ozheshko - Zakozel village Brest region. Or the Pototsky palace and park complex in Vysokoye, Brest region…

It is an amazing fact that the sights of Belarus a month ago were not even considered in my life rhythm, and I did not even think about an independent trip by car around Belarus to its monuments and interesting places.

But the circumstances so developed that in early April I decided to go for the weekend to Minsk, the capital of Belarus on. And already in the process of preparing for this trip, an idea came up about the sights of Belarus, and about the possibility of a car trip around this country.

Suddenly, school memories of beauties surfaced in my memory. Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the legendary Brest Fortress. After analyzing the Minsk-Brest route, I found many more interesting places that could also be easily seen along the way by car.

That's how my gradually developed excursion route, where in just one week I managed to visit many amazing historical and modern places, walk through the ancient parks and climb the narrow stone stairs in the ancient towers knight's castles, see many unusual representatives of the animal world and even meet a fairy tale in the person of such an unusual character as Santa Claus! 🙂

Well, now about everything in order ... To find out about any excursion or tourist facility For more details, please follow the link.

It was in the spring. Nature gradually came to its senses after a winter sleepy state. In the suburbs, on a gloomy early April morning, it was raining. The airfield of Vnukovo airport and the planes weeping on it also looked sad.

Flight UT835 on the Moscow-Minsk route from UTair departed as scheduled. At 10 o'clock in the morning we boarded small plane. Outside the windows, the Moscow morning was still frowning, and in my soul, oddly enough, it was sunny and a little exciting in front of the unknown.

This always happens at the very beginning of the trip. And this is the feeling that, probably, so attracts to itself in every journey.

The flight lasted only 1 hour 20 minutes, and I took up a more detailed study of the details of the preliminary route of my independent travel. Initial actions, such as transfer from the airport, renting an apartment in Minsk, booking a car, I carried out at home. And here is all excursion program was not yet well thought out.

What can you see in Belarus by car? Before me were interesting sights of Belarus and the general direction where I would like to go. And where I would stay, how long it would take to inspect each object, what day I would be in what place - it was still very foggy.

Day 1-4. Hello Minsk city

First Impressions

And now here I am, in international airport Belarusian capital, in Minsk. It is also cloudy here, but dry and warmer.

First of all, I decide to get local currency. Money in Belarus is generally a special conversation. Getting full-fledged millions for your Russian rubles ... that's cool! You immediately feel like if not a Rockefeller, then at least his relative. 😀

Having given 10 thousand Russian rubles, I received almost 3 million Belarusian rubles in return.

It turned out that this is a very pleasant experience - "rustling" millions. 😆

It's good to have friends! Especially in the places where you plan to visit. My old friend met me at the airport and very quickly took me to the capital, telling me about the main subtleties and secrets of Belarusian life as well as any guide. 🙂

The first impression from the view outside the windows is amazing cleanliness! And this despite the fact that here, too, is still the off-season, that is, fresh grass does not close the winter debris. There is simply nothing to hide here. In contrast to the Russian routes - it looks amazing!

We got to Minsk very comfortably, and I went to meet the owner of my rented apartment. A little more about renting a house and a car, as well as traveling by public transport and taxis, I will tell at the end of this article.

I spent the first 4 days in Minsk: 2 of them were mainly devoted to learning, and the rest of the time I just walked around the city. She came to the apartment in the evening, only to spend the night. I wanted to see so many things that I said to myself: “I will have a rest at home.”

Now let's move on to the sights. In addition, all of them are indicated on the map at the bottom of this article, it will be easier to navigate what and where is located and how easier it is to get to each attraction.

And I will start my review of the trip with a trip to.

City walks

Independence of Belarus

Perhaps it would be more logical to start with main square city - Independence Square (or, as it is funnyly called in Belarusian, Nezalezhnosti). What a beauty around!

Over the entire long history, the square has changed its name 14 times. Until 1991, it was, like all central city squares, Lenin Square. Now, decorated with fountains, it attracts the attention of tourists with its unique beauty. A locals they like to walk here in the evening, when the lights turn on and the square is illuminated with delightful light.

A huge shopping center with a parking lot has been built underground here. Independence Square gives rise to Independence Avenue, which runs almost through the entire city. Here is the main building of the country - the Government House.

The first Belarusian skyscraper is how Minsk residents proudly and respectfully call this building. There is still a seven-meter monument to V.I. Lenin in front of the entrance. During the war years, the monument was destroyed, but after the capitulation of the Germans, it was quickly restored. And the building itself, as well as the nearby Catholic Church of Saints Simon and Helena, became one of the few buildings that survived the war years without much damage.

Catholic church with a sad history

Nearby stands the Church of Saints Simeon and Helena, built entirely of red brick.

In memory of two children who died early from illness, it was built with their own money by inconsolable parents - Edward and Olimpia Voinilovichi. Once Elena saw this beautiful building in a dream, and in the morning she painted it. And now it is rightfully considered one of the decorations of the Belarusian capital.

If you're nearby, be sure to go inside. It is very beautiful and a little mysterious here. Beautiful sculptures, bronze details of the temple, magnificently painted walls and vaults, amazing stained-glass windows on the windows - all this creates a solemn atmosphere. And in combination with organ music, one of the oldest in Europe, it is simply an amazing experience.

The temple contains one of the seven copies of the Shroud of Turin. An extensive library of old books has been collected. The ashes of the founder of the church, Edward Voynilovich, are also buried here. Right at the entrance there is a statue where the Archangel Michael, the patron saint of Belarus, pierces the winged serpent of darkness with his sword.

Right there, very close by, is another monument "The Bell of Nagasaki", it was erected in memory of those who died in nuclear disasters. Very dramatic!

Belarusian Bastille

Now it carries out the death penalty for criminals - execution. Quite unusual: a shooting in the center of a metropolis... though! “Crosses” in St. Petersburg, Lubyanka with its cellars in the center of Moscow…

fertile place

Next, your attention will undoubtedly be attracted by the white stone.

This majestic building It was originally built as a Catholic church. But over time, after a small repair, it became Orthodox. In addition to other Orthodox shrines, the icon is kept in the cathedral. Mother of God, now called Minsk.

It was once written by the holy apostle Luke. Many events happened in the life of the icon, she visited many churches. According to legend, she sailed to Minsk along the Svisloch River and was placed, not immediately of course, in the Holy Spirit Cathedral. And now this miraculous Image helps everyone who turns to him for help in difficult life situations.

And so I went to the embankment of the jumper (this is how the word “beauty” will sound in Belarusian) Svisloch! How beautiful it is here!

The birds are singing, the sun is shining, making the water surface shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow. Gulls fly and cry, ducks swim near the shore. If you have a desire and a bun in your purse, then you can feed them, then they will swim closer.

Beautiful weather and, which is immediately very noticeable, perfect cleanliness and order around! And not only here! It is immediately clear that the janitors are conscientiously doing their job, and Minsk residents, of course, take care of the cleanliness of their hometown. Well done!

Blessed memory of the heroes!

A small figured bridge leads to an artificial island located not far from the shore. A monument to soldiers who died on the battlefields has recently been opened here. At first, this monument was conceived as a tribute to those who died in Afghanistan.

But, unfortunately, there were many more terrible events in the world where Belarusian soldiers took part. This monument is dedicated to all of them.

The figurine of a small Weeping Angel, who cries inconsolably for those who died, who could not return to their beloved and loving wife, mother or bride, is very touchingly made.

Trinity suburb - history and legends

Directly opposite is a very beautiful place in which the spirit of old Minsk is still preserved. This Trinity Suburb- the historical center of the city.

There are a lot of benches here to sit and breathe. fresh air And a large number of all kinds of cafes and restaurants. And yet such beauty is hidden in the greenery of trees.

"Girl with an owl" is considered a symbol of the Trinity suburb. The girl is holding an owl, and she herself is standing on a branch of a flowering fern, a lizard is sitting near her feet. The whole sculpture is located on a large stone, and two more lie nearby. There are only three - a place called Troitskoye.

According to the existing legend, it is at this place that every poet or artist must make a choice for himself what is more important to him:

girl personifying the muse;
the owl is a symbol of wisdom;
flowering branch - a symbol of glory;
the lizard is a symbol of wealth.

What choice would you make?

And here's another ... The first public toilet of the city is located very close. Yes, yes, sorry. I will now tell you what it attracts special attention. According to the existing legend, in 1912 a very famous architect Senkevich built a palace for a noble count. But he refused to pay, and did not pay a penny for the work.

Then the angry architect decided to take revenge on the greedy count and built a public toilet in Alexander Square with his own money. An exact reduced copy of the same castle. Now in this small house they sell tickets to the Yanka Kupala Theater. But from 1912 to 2012 - exactly one hundred years - it was used for its original purpose.

The pride of contemporaries is the Belarusian “Diamond of Knowledge”

Of course, I really wanted to look closely at the famous National Library Belarus. I was very interested in this unusual structure.

Indeed, the shape of the library building resembles a cut diamond. The “Diamond of Knowledge”, as the Belarusians also call it, contains 9 million book volumes. This unique building equipped with the latest technology.

For children there is a playroom, and for adults there is a special room for relaxation, there are gyms, a cafe and a restaurant.

At a height of 73 meters equipped Observation deck from where you can admire the beautiful views of Minsk.

In the evening, the backlight turns on, and the facade of the building turns into a huge multi-colored screen. The spectacle is amazing!

Day 5. On the way to Brest

My training is over, and the main sights of Minsk have been studied. Now you can safely go for new adventures! The issue with the car rental was resolved very successfully the day before, and it is waiting for me under the windows of my rented apartment.

Details about renting housing, cars and other necessary things, I will tell at the end of the article.

In the morning, having collected things, throwing a farewell glance at the awakening Minsk

and saying goodbye to the hostess, I leave Minsk on a rented car in the direction of Brest. The main goal of today is Belovezhskaya Pushcha, about which so much has been heard over the years of life in the Soviet Union.

And just now my old dream of walking through the protected forest, looking at live bison is starting to come true. I described my route in more detail in.

In total for today I have driven 447 kilometers. And here are the sights that we managed to look at along the way.

Nesvizh - the patrimony of the Radziwills

Nesvizh Castle

Moving along an excellent highway, I turn to Nesvizh, about which many reviews have been read.

And now, having overcome 120 km from Minsk, I am on the spot. In the city, I am met by beautiful swans and the striking of the clock on the city tower in the city center. Every 15 minutes they remind you of the past tense.

The small town of Nesvizh has been known for a very long time. But it began to develop especially rapidly when it began to belong in 1533 to Jan Radziwill, a representative of the majestic, influential and very wealthy family of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

For centuries, the Radziwills owned vast lands They owned towns and cities. Kings without a crown - that's what their compatriots called them.

Indeed, the Radziwills occupied the highest state and military positions. The opinion of the representatives of this clan influenced the fate of the entire state. And their untold wealth would be the envy of the king himself.

4 parks surround the Nesvizh Castle of the Radziwills. And each has its own history, its own, in a special way, decorated territory, its own monuments, original sculptures, its own legends.

So I took a walk in these parks.

Very beautiful, young leaves bloom on the trees, the birds sing.

But cold…

Brest Fortress - Citadel of Courage

On June 22, 1941, the soldiers of the Brest Fortress were the first to come under fire from the Nazis and for more than a month, completely surrounded, without food and water, without medicines and ammunition, held the line, not letting the Nazis go further.

After the war, the fortress was not fully restored. For an eternal reminder to the descendants of the feat of the defenders of the Motherland, a whole memorial complex was created here, and the Eternal Flame burns without fading.

On November 3-4, 2016, the memorial complex celebrated memorable dates. The Defense Museum is 60 years old! A GU Memorial complex“Brest fortress-hero! — 45!

Brest is a city of unusual museums

And about 900 species of plants grow in the reserve, including rare and endangered species. Some trees are over 500 years old. 227 species of birds delight visitors with their beauty and iridescent singing.

But the biggest pride of Bialowieza is the bison living here.

Today, there is the largest population of these forest giants in Europe. And, among other things, I was surprised by the fantastically clean air in Pushcha. I have not seen such an amount of oxygen anywhere else! Just a fairy tale!

Belarusian Father Frost lives here

By the way, there is a fairy tale here too! Believe it or not, but here, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, in his wonderful residence, Father Frost lives and gladly receives numerous guests with his assistants.

The estate of a good wizard includes the owner's own house with workshops where gifts are made; the house where the Snow Maiden lives; a magic well that grants wishes; a windmill that grinds everything bad, sculptural figures of heroes of favorite fairy tales and much, much more.

At any time of the year, guests are absolutely always welcome here. Previously, an incomparable spruce grew here for more than 120 years. Its height was 40 meters. Unfortunately, she died a few years ago. But a new young beauty has been planted in its place. Children and adults are happy to dance around her.

In the residence of Father Frost, you can take part in funny games and contests, taste the most delicious potato pancakes and other national dishes.

You definitely won't be bored! So if you're in the area, be sure to check it out! Santa Claus lives about 10 km from the main entrance to the reserved forest!

The way of the Belarusian family in the museum of the village of Pererov

Museum folk life and old technologies is another interesting place that I managed to visit here. It is located in the village of Pererov. This museum complex was created on the basis of an old manor of the 19th century, which was restored in the spirit of that time and filled with things that no rural family could do without.

Every corner of the house used to have its own purpose. Be sure to have icons in the house - the image of the Savior and the image of the Virgin. Each member of the family had their own rights and obligations. Men and women have their own trades. For example, in a museum, your attention will be drawn to an old loom for weaving. This art is currently listed as intangible cultural heritage Belarus.

And here you will be treated to the most real moonshine. This is one of the few places in Belarus where moonshine is officially allowed, and there is a license for the moonshine still installed here.

Here you will learn about all this, about the traditions and customs of our ancestors.

Day 8. Belovezhskaya Pushcha - Kossovo - Ruzhany - Synkovichi - Zhirovichi - Baranovichi

So the time has come for my departure from the amazing nature reserve. Belovezhskaya Pushcha did not disappoint, but, on the contrary, fascinated me even more. And now I want to go back there even more.

Well, my path now lies in the direction of Minsk. But on the way, Belarus prepared many more sights for me. These are amazing and Orthodox shrines. It is difficult to do everything in one day, so I plan to stretch my road to the capital for 2 days.

During this day, I traveled 389 km from Belovezhskaya Pushcha to the place of my overnight stay in the city of Baranovichi.

Kossovsky Palace "Knight's Dreams"

And in Kosovo there is a castle that once belonged to the magnates Puslovsky. For its luxurious interior decoration and external grandeur, it was called the "Knight's Dream".

The palace had some features that made it inimitable and unique. For example, in the Main Hall the floor was made of glass. And you could see fish swimming under it. Under the floor was a huge aquarium.

A lion lived in the castle. At night, the owners released him, and he freely moved throughout the palace.

Throughout its history, the castle has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. He received very severe damage in a multi-day fire during the Great Patriotic War. It is currently under renovation and is scheduled to be completed in 2018. But even now!

Directly opposite, on the shore of the lake is the estate of Tadeusz Kosciuszko - the national hero of the four countries he visited: Belarus, Poland, Lithuania and the USA, and also an honorary citizen of France. Now he would be called a professional revolutionary. The house in which he was born and lived for some time has been made into a museum of the hero.

This is a two-storey house with 8 rooms. Near the house there is a huge stone with a commemorative plaque in honor of Tadeusz Kosciuszko. The museum contains items found during excavations at this site, which once belonged to the Kosciuszko family.

A collection of stamps dedicated to Tadeusz, a copy of his saber and other valuables. Here you can buy souvenirs, participate in various events and ... get married. Yes, now you can officially register a marriage here.

By the way, this place is amazing! Welcome to visit .

Ruzhany and its castle-fortress

And here is the town of Ruzhany, known since the 15th century. In 1598, it was bought by the famous politician, the creator of the Statute - the code of laws of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Lev Sapega. He built a grandiose palace here, which combined elements of a fortress and a luxurious castle.

The entire treasury of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the weapons arsenal, documents of state importance, food supplies and barrels of wine were stored in the huge cellars of the palace.

Many times the castle was rebuilt and changed owners. At one time, the pride of the palace was the presence of a theater within its walls. The theater troupe consisted of 60 actors and 40 musicians. The theater productions were famous all over Europe. The palace often received noble guests: kings, ambassadors distant countries and other celebrities. According to legend, there was an underground passage that connected Ruzhany Castle and Kossovsky.

Zhirovichi Monastery

For more than 500 years, the Holy Assumption Monastery in Zhirovichi has existed. And his story began with a small icon on a stone, which is currently one of the most revered in the world of Orthodoxy.

According to legend, once upon a time, shepherds saw an unusual radiance in the crown of trees. It was a small Icon of the Mother of God, which the shepherds took to the owner of the land. A little later, a temple was built on this site. Thus began the history of the monastery.

Today it is a whole architectural complex, famous not only in Belarus, but also far beyond its borders. Never, in its entire long history, the temple has closed its doors to pilgrims.

Now the complex combines, 2 churches, a bell tower, the Theological Academy and Seminary and other buildings adjacent to them. The House of the Pilgrim was also built, where people who come to pray to the miraculous icon can, if necessary, rest and spend the night.

Well, my overnight stay is planned in the city of Borovichi, where I booked an apartment. Tomorrow I will continue my route with renewed vigor.

Day 9. Mir Castle - history and modernity

Mir Castle, built in the 16th century, rises in the Grodno region of Belarus.

The construction was started by a wealthy landowner Yuri Ilyinich. But after his death, 4 of his sons also did not live long. One was poisoned, the other died of an illness - so the Ilyinich family died out. And the Radziwills began to own the castle. But they, after a while, sold it. The last owner of the castle died in 1938, and since then it has been in a state of neglect.

A whole train of fantastic legends and scary stories really envelops a beautiful castle. This is also a legend about a stone that looks like a ram's head, which, according to some laws of magic, is called upon to protect the castle and its owners; a story about a cut down garden and a brutal reprisal for it; ghost stories, yes, there are more than one; and of course about the countless treasures hidden somewhere here. That's it mysterious place is in Belarus.

Dudutki - is it from the word "dutki"?

In the afternoon, I part with the car that I rented and which for a whole week was my faithful assistant. Therefore, I am going on the next excursion as part of a tourist group.

While our bus is driving to the museum complex, the guide talks about Minsk and other sights of Belarus. How interesting it is to listen to him now, when I have just visited many objects personally, and the impressions are still so fresh! I am happy to immerse myself in my memories of an independent trip.

40 km from Minsk, in the Pukhovichi district is located museum complex"Dudutki". Here you can get acquainted with the crafts of our ancestors, try dishes according to old recipes, ride horses and even fly on an airplane.

So much is presented here that in 2 hours, allotted to us by the guide, it is impossible to do everything! Read on for details on how you can have fun at.

So the time that I could devote to a trip around Belarus ended. It's time to go home. It's a bit of a pity, I would like to stay here for a few more days - there are so many more interesting things to see! But after all, nothing prevents me from coming here again, and maybe not alone.

What passport do you need

Do I need a passport to travel to Belarus? This is the first question that, for sure, is asked by everyone who plans to visit Belarus for the first time.

Very good news is that for the Russians international passport is not required to enter Belarus. Enough Russian. A visa is also not needed when crossing the border, even a stamp is not put in the passport.

The only one important point. If you issue tickets, for example, for an airplane, and indicate the data of a foreign document, then in this case you will need to present it when boarding. If the data is from Russian passport, then other identity documents will not be required for Russian citizens.

And for citizens of other countries, a visa can be obtained directly at the National Airport of Minsk, after sending your documents here. But, of course, it is better to clarify all these questions in advance.

Where and how to rent a house in Belarus

It turned out that renting an apartment in Minsk is very simple. Through you can book a room in numerous hotels, and on the service you can choose accommodation in any area of the city. By the way, it turns out much cheaper than a hotel room. And if you travel not alone, but in a company, then the benefit is very significant.

I rented a very comfortable apartment in Minsk near the metro.

From here it was possible to get to any point of the city by any means of transport, and in 20 minutes walk to the center. Hotels in this area were much more expensive.

But, having returned back to Minsk from his car travel, I booked the hotel "". It was located far from the center, but its location and cost suited me quite well, since I could easily move around in a rented car.

In other cities of Belarus, you can also rent a house, but here the choice will be smaller. Here is my apartment in the city of Baranovichi.

I liked its location: close to the highway. It was very convenient to spend the night and hit the road again in the morning.

Details about amazing hotel on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, I wrote in detail in.

Transport in Minsk

Transport links in the capital of Belarus are excellent. Buses and trolleybuses, numerous minibuses run around the city. There is also intercity communication. But I had no “communication” with this type of transport.

I enjoyed using the metro, which was the easiest way to get to any desired point in the city.

For a tourist who has got into the Belarusian subway for the first time, it is very easy to navigate: there are only 2 branches: red and blue. All stations are quite clearly called, although they are written in the local language.

It is also very convenient to use a taxi. They work according to the meter, and if you go for short distances, you get 1 trip around the city within 200-300 Russian rubles.

I also ordered return transfer to the airport. In this case, the taxi cost me 390,000 Belarusian rubles. (this is 1320 Russian rubles or $20)

You can get to the Minsk National Airport and back more budget by train (for only 25,000 Belarusian rubles). This is what the poster says.

In this case, you arrive from the airport to the Minsk railway station, from where you public transport can get to right place in the city. The big disadvantage is that these trains run infrequently.

Car rental in Minsk

Of course, it is most convenient to travel by car, and in Minsk you can easily rent a car for any convenient period. Having studied the prices in different rental offices, I settled on a company with an optimistic name: Maya the Bee.

Why car rental is called so unusual, it turned out later when I signed the lease. It turned out that this office was registered at the IP Pchelka Denis Viktorovich. These are the positive surnames in Belarus. 🙂

To get a car, it is enough to have a driver's license, make a copy of a Russian passport, and sign an agreement! Yes, and do not forget, of course, to pay! But not only the amount specified in the contract. There is also an additional deposit, which in my case amounted to 10,000 Russian rubles (it was returned at the end of the lease).

And here are the keys to the silver Peugeot 206 in my hands.

When renting a car, there were some surprises: the condition was to drive no more than 350 km per day. First time I hear this! Well, okay, I was, in general, satisfied. I don't get that far in a week. After all, the longest distances are from Minsk to Brest and back, all other sights can be seen along the way, only briefly deviating from the main route.

If, as a result, it would not be possible to meet these limits, then you would have to pay extra $ 10 for every extra 350 km per day.

The cost of the 95th gasoline in the country, on average, amounted to 40 Russian rubles per 1 liter ($0.6).

There was also unexpected news about the terms of the lease, which I had not encountered before when booking a car abroad.

It turns out that the car must be returned perfectly clean or you will have to pay extra $ 25 to the rental price. Fortunately, there was a car wash near the hotel where I lived the last few days. And for $ 5 there the car was perfectly washed. 🙂

How much does a vacation cost (results and prices)

This time, according to my subjective feelings, the total cost of the trip was quite high. No, prices in Belarus are quite acceptable, and in some places even lower than European ones, and even more so Russian ones. It's just that this time I traveled alone, so all the costs were solely at my expense.

Indeed, for example, accommodation and car rental cost almost the same: for one, for two people. And the costs in the 2nd case are easily divided in half.

Excursion program:

Entrance tickets to all attractions cost me 1620 rubles.
Booked excursions, including audio guides - 4320 rubles.

And here are the results:

Money has come and gone, they are no longer remembered. And here are the impressions of a great time spent! And after all, this is the most important thing, why people seek to travel! 🙂

The map below shows all the sights of Belarus, where I managed to visit. You can see more about each of them.

A trip to Belarus by car in 2019 - a review of a trip to Vitebsk from Moscow last year. If you decide to travel to Belarus by car, then our short report will be useful to you.

What documents are needed for Belarus by car

The main thing you need to take is the documents for the car, driver license, green card and insurance. If the OSAGO policy ends, its cost can be calculated online And .

The cost of obtaining a green card for travel to passenger car from Russia to Belarus is less than 1000 rubles. The insurance covers a trip of 15 days, which is more than enough to visit several regions of the country.

City selection

Our trip by car to Belarus in 2019 was planned exactly in the city of Vitebsk. It is closest to the border, only 130 km from Smolensk. As a rule, it is the ancient city of Vitebsk that is the first place from which acquaintance with Belarus begins. Known from the annals of 974, many associate Vitebsk with the Slavic Bazaar and the name of Marc Chagall. But in addition to popular places, there are many no less chic and interesting sights. From Moscow and St. Petersburg to the regional center, about 600 km., The road is of high quality and convenient.

A trip to Belarus by car: the road

You can get from Moscow to Minsk by car along the M1 Belarus highway. But Vitebsk is located a little away from the highway. A trip by car to Belarus in 2019 passes through the cities of Odintsovo, Smolensk, Vyazma, Mozhaisk and Safonovo.

There is no border between Russia and Belarus as such. The only thing travelers may face is the need to present their documents at the Russian customs, they almost never stop at the Belarusian one. By the way, during the whole trip no one demanded to show us a green card.

Vitebsk

If you decide to travel to Belarus by car, then in Vitebsk there are 8 fairly reputable hotels, as well as luxury hotels offering a huge selection of apartments. The cultural program can be tailored to suit every taste and budget. Of course, in the historic city there are all kinds of museums, architectural monuments and theaters, and those who like to relax more passively will find many restaurants and casinos for themselves. As for the latter, there is only one casino here - Treasure Island, but there are more than 60 cafes and restaurants (there really is plenty to choose from).

Now about culture! Everyone knows that Marc Chagall, a world famous artist, was born in Vitebsk. It is associated with two cultural objects: Art center with paintings by the artist (Putna st.); House-Museum of Chagall (Pokrovskaya St.). Both in the gallery and in the museum you can not only enjoy the works of the master, but also immerse yourself completely in the atmosphere of the 19th century.

No less colorful is the estate-museum of I.E. Repin. There is a very special atmosphere here, because it was not for nothing that Ilya Efimovich once wrote about 40 of his works here. From the city to the estate about 15 km, buses run, of course, but on your own car it is both more reliable and faster.

Feel the atmosphere of both Vitebsk and Belarus in general, as well as possible in the regional local history museum in the Town Hall. Here you can get to know the history of the region better, listen to many romantic legends and just admire the unique exhibits and expositions.

The Museum of the History of Private Collecting deserves special attention. Here you can see ancient watches and weapons, porcelain and other unique items collected by famous collectors and historians of Vitebsk. It is difficult not to visit the museum, since it is located near the amphitheater where the Slavic Bazaar takes place.

Near the amphitheater, literally two steps away, there is a reconstructed tower of the ancient lower castle. Here, in the exhibition hall "Dukhovsky Kruglik", visitors are invited to familiarize themselves with complete history festival "Slavianski Bazaar", and at the same time to see photos of old Vitebsk with its wonderful architecture.

The Vitebsk Art Museum offers paintings by Peter Yanovich, Yehuda Pan, Felix Gumen and other masters of painting. Those who want to not only see, but also take away objects of artistic value with them, should visit the exhibition halls of Vitebsk or take part in creative master classes held at the center of folk crafts "Zadvinye". You can buy expensive and valuable items that can successfully become Sotheby's auction lots in the Wall Gallery (Lenin St.), in the Art Space on the street. Tolstoy and in the center of contemporary art (Victory Square).

Not only adults, but also children will enjoy Pobediteley Park along Kalinina Street. More than 20 pieces of equipment have been collected here, against which you can make not only interesting photos, but also examine it, and even climb around from all sides. In addition, there are many synagogues, churches, temples, for which a week is not enough to inspect.

Connoisseurs of high worth visiting the theater. Yakub Kolas, and the theater "Lyalka".

And also here real paradise for connoisseurs of shopping. You should definitely visit shops selling real Belarusian knitwear and linen, buy Belitovskaya cosmetics, try real Berezovsky cheeses and sausages from Myaskovit. Well, where without the Spartak chocolate factory?

If you decide to go to Belarus by car in 2019, then traveling by car is a pleasure: the roads are of high quality, parking spaces and more than enough parking. As for money, in stores you can pay by card, and in any mall you will find exchange points. There is a Sberbank familiar to us here, but money is withdrawn from its ATMs with a commission.

Cafe and prices

In general, everything in Vitebsk is cheaper than in Moscow. Let me give you an example of prices in a cafe.

Almost everywhere during the day there are business lunches, you can eat tasty and cheap.

Orsha kvass is sold on the street, 1.5 liters costs 100 rubles.

Very tasty and inexpensive Belarusian sausage. It costs us several times more. We took home 5 sticks of sausage, we had to buy more.

In terms of mileage, our trip by car to Belarus in 2019 covered more than 1050 km. First of all, it is worth noting that in Russia gasoline is much cheaper, but it is better not to transport it in canisters across the border - this is illegal and you can run into quite big troubles.

You shouldn't even break traffic rules, because there are a lot of cameras on the highway from Smolensk (we were photographed). For violating the speed limit, for example, you can pay a huge fine and even lose your license before you pay it.

Expenses

Now about how much the trip to Belarus by car in 2019 from Moscow cost in total:

Registration of a green card - 800 rubles;
Gasoline in two directions - 5000 rubles;
Hotel room - 1500 rubles;
Meals (purchase of groceries) - 3000 rubles;
Small expenses (souvenirs, coffee in a cafe) - 500 rubles.

The trip by car to Belarus in 2019 was intense. We managed to see Vitebsk, we did not regret that we decided to go to Belarus by car. But next time you have to go to Minsk, it should be much more interesting there.