Minsk

Crossing the border

Near midnight after 26 hours of traveling we finally reached the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. Having showed our passports to the Lithuanian border police, we drove through the no-man’s land to the Belarusian checkpoint. At this point we all disembarked the bus and waited while the heavily armed and masked guards searched the bus with dogs and mirrors. After a few hours of waiting and showing our passports and visas multiple times, we were welcomed to the Republic of Belarus, and our bus driver suggested we visited the 24/7 duty free stores for cheap European sweets and liquor, which we kindly denied. The first thing you notice when driving into Belarus is the sheer number of loaded trucks on both sides of the road, standing still. The several kilometres of trucks are most likely caused by delays due to the sanction control that will take place at the border.

Soviet History and monuments

At around 7 in the morning, we could finally step onto the quiet streets of Minsk and head to the apartment we had rented through hotels.com.

Even though Minsk may not be the most popular travel destination, the city still has several things to offer!

Our first destination on our to do list was to visit the museum of World War II, officially called “Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History”. Once close to the museum you are met by a 45-meter-tall obelisk monument, and in the background a glass dome on which a large red soviet flag is waving. In the museum you find planes, tanks, guns, used shells and life size wax figures reenacting some of the battles fought by the Soviets. After 1.5 hour of looking at the historical and lively exhibition and helping to elderly Russians having their picture taken in front of a soviet tank, we headed on to one of the main attractions.

A 3km walk through the city and some of its parks led us to Victory square. The square not only hosts a 38 meter tall column topped by a Soviet order, but is also home to the eternal flame which symbolises those who died defending the USSR from Nazi-Germany. To get to the monument we went down into the underground tunnels that go beneath the heavily trafficked roads of the city centre. Right beneath the monument is a memorial hall with texts and symbols regarding the great patriotic war. The large monument is a popular place for tourists to get their picture taken, which didn’t excuse a family asking if we could be of their assistance to which we of course agreed. It became clear pretty quickly that Belarusians won’t be the first to initiate in a conversation, but once you talk to them or ask them a question, they are quite talkative and curious, especially if you come from a western country. Therefore, even though people may seem cold or introverted, don’t be afraid to talk to them or ask them questions, it can however be difficult if you do not speak Russian as only 10% of the cities population speaks English. And even less outside the capital.

Eating out and nightlife in Minsk

Since Belarus like Russia is a heavily sanctioned country they often tend to have their own local brands next to the original brands. Therefore going to the supermarkets can be an interesting meeting with these alternative goods such as Bela-Kola instead of Coca Cola. In early 2023 McDonalds announced that they would no longer be operating in Belarus due to licensing issues. This has caused all former locations to be renamed “Mak.By”. Stepping into these fast food restaurants feels like stepping into a time capsule, as some of them have not been through the same makeover as most McDonalds restaurants did. Here everything is still covered in white, yellow and red plastic and happy meal toys are still showcased in small windows. As of 2025 it is still possible to use Visa/Mastercard credit cards in Belarus, but it is not uncommon that some of the payment systems there are not set up for them if they are new. Which was the case at Mak.By. Therefore, I’d recommend always making sure to carry some cash when you go out. The cheapest option is to just withdraw Belarusian rubel at the ATMs on the street. 

As I often do before traveling I had established contact with two Belarusians. This time it was a couple from Minsk who wanted to show us around the city centre. We were told to meet at the “Brutalist KFC”.

After meeting with them, they took us to Burger lab, which is a very modern and quite popular burger joint in Minsk. The husband was very keen on trying to party with two foreigners so we asked them to show us their preferred places. First stop was “Sinyaya Koza” (Blue goat). This goat themed art bar serves light dishes, cocktails and unique shots topped with a pickled vegetable.

If you are more interested in hookah cafes, karaoke or nightclubs with live DJ sets, I’d recommend going to Zybitskaya Ulitsa. The street is full of bars and clubs. Being full of people of all ages during nighttime it is easy to find a place to party.

A good hangover cure after a night at Zybitskaya Ulitsa consists of going to “Vasilki” and get some stuffed pancakes with cheese. The chain restaurant offers a wide menu of traditional Belarusian foods and drinks.

Practical tips for travellers

Another must see is the National Library of Belarus. With 23 floors and more than 10 million titles, this huge library is a unique sight with its diamond shape. The building whose construction was partly funded by Sadam Hussein hosts not only the third largest collection of Russian books in the world, but also an observation deck at the top, a café and a gallery. During night time the library lights in various colours upon its façade.

As the library is located slightly outside the city centre I recommend taking a Yandex (Russian Uber) to go there.

When walking the streets of Minsk, you may notice the how few police officers you meet. Especially compared to the reputation Belarus has, being nicknamed “The last dictatorship of Europe”. According to the Belarusians we spoke to, this is due to the majority of police officers being dressed as civilians. This way the country with an already low crime rate, can easily crack down on street crime and political extremism (which in Belarus is a very broad term). Therefore, you should also think about what you are doing, and do not take any risks. Of course you should always behave according to local customs, but simple things such as crossing a red light on a street with no traffic could be a quick way to earn yourself a ticket. Considering you are a foreigner this may cause the police to increase the price of the ticket. Also it is a good idea to not talk politics with anyone there, that you do not know as Belarus is known for its harsh punishments towards political opposition.

Final thoughts

In conclusion Minsk is an amazing city, that holds a lot of culture and life, which is showcased through museums, architecture and its people. Being one of the cheapest countries in all of Europe, most things are easily accessible and you will not have to worry too much about your spendings, which allows you to enjoy your trip even more. Since it is a no fly zone from and into the EU, you will most likely go there by train or bus, which means a longer traveling time than most other places. This a long the process of visa, makes it a destination most people only visit if they really want to, and have time to plan it at least a month in advance. If you do not already speak Russian it is recommended to just learn some basic phrases and the alphabet as this makes everything there much easier. So if you are willing to put in a little effort and time for planning and preparing, willing to take the risk of entering a state which is run with a very authoritarian grip, then Minsk is highly recommended.