Belarus

My Belarus travel summary:

Visited: July 2024

Duration of visit: 8 days

Capital city: Minsk

Population: 9.2 million (2024)

Belarus travel blog reading time: 2 minutes

• Unpredictable border inspection process.
• First touch with Belarus in the city of Brest.
• Riding a bike around Belovezhskaya Pushcha (Bialowieza Forest).
• Insight into local life in Grodno through couchsurfing.
• Cosmopolitan Minsk: Soviet architecture, parks, culture, and nightlife.
• Local couchsurfer showing me Minsk’s favorite spots.

Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Belarus, like Russia, was placed on a “no travel” red list in 2024.

Although Belarus has not directly attacked Ukraine or taken part in the invasion, President Aleksandr Lukashenko has allowed Russian forces to use Belarusian territory. This was only the tip of the iceberg, further isolating Belarus from the Western world and pushing it towards Asia in search of new partnerships.

I was afraid of visiting Belarus in 2024.

It all started with an unpleasant experience at the Belarusian consulate in Vienna. The tension continued at the border in Brest, where I was questioned and my phone was personally inspected. Nevertheless, after this methodic check, I felt as free as in any Western country during the rest of the trip.

With very few Western visitors, travelling around Belarus can be challenging without speaking Russian. However, the country offers excellent infrastructure, efficient public transport, delicious food, friendly people, low travel costs, attractive sights, and highly educated citizens, especially in IT.

Through Couchsurfing, I met many people, especially young locals, who enjoyed socializing, conversation, and parties.

Belarusians are well informed about global events and concerned about their country’s future. International sanctions increasingly affect their lives, while domestic restrictions continue to tighten.

The country has an excellent education system and has found alternative ways to import products that are not produced locally. The biggest limitation remains international travel to Europe. Even visiting nearby neighboring countries with strong historical ties, such as Poland and Lithuania, has become extremely complicated.

Belarus offers many rewarding opportunities for travelers to explore, with charming places to visit, fascinating attractions, and diverse things to do.  However, time will show whether the country will reopen to foreign visitors or remain inaccessible.