Sightseeing Belarus
Belarus Places - Extraordinary Excursions - Medieval Experince
Tourism in Belarus - Sightseeing Belarus
30 Minutes in the Middle Ages

Two most important questions every traveller has to answer are where to go and what to see. Starting this series of posts devoted to the most unusual excursions across Belarus country, I wanted to assist you with getting a good answer to the second question that regards sightseeing in Belarus. In the series of articles, I will try to describe various excursion programs and scenarios, that could satisfy even an experienced traveller. Today, I'll tell you about the trip to the Middle Ages.
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The first Belarusian excursions with real-time show and performance appeared in Lida. The unique thing about these excursions is that all the performances are staged in the medieval castle constructed by Prince Gedimin. Such show programs as Jogaila's Wedding, Kestutis' Court, Battle of Grunwald, and many others have become popular with local and foreign tourists.

During a three-hour-long excursion to Lida, you can really experience the medieval atmosphere. After a sightseeing tour around Lida, tourists are taken to the castle. Now, it's time for the performance to start: you can see the brightest moments of the Royals' life, together with the events that really took place in the Middle Age Belarus. The performance to be seen (and even take part in) can be chosen by visitors in advance. But no matter which excursion is picked, every show is based on real historic events. The performance lasts about half an hour and is accompanied with music, food, and decorations usual for that period. After the show, tourists can try the armour, hold the medieval weapon, and take pictures in the castle.

This summer, Lida Castle was temporarily closed for renovation works. However, the performances could still be viewed near the walls of the old castle. In October, the renovation is to be completed, and after that, tourists again will be able to take a thirty-minutes trip to the past of Belarus! belarus_travel_lidskiy_zamok
 
Belarus Places - Extraordinary Excursions - Secret Student Societies
Tourism in Belarus - Sightseeing Belarus
The Place of the Personality

Describing any interesting place in any country, we quite often refer to the outstanding personalities who have lived, worked, travelled, or even written  a few lines about it. I guess, you've heard about the Los Angeles of Chaplin, San-Francisco of Jack London, Paris of Duma, London of Conan Doyle. This is exactly the thing that has inspired some enthusiasts to work out a new type of excursions across Belarus places known as a tour with an expert. In fact, tourists have a possibility to pick this expert from a list of Belarusian writers, artists, historians, journalists, and photographers. The format of the excursion can vary depending on the guiding personality: a writer can start your tour with a cup of tea and lines of poetry in a quiet but comfortable place, while a devoted photographer will bring you to the most picturesque places s/he has ever taken a shot of. Let me tell you about one of such excursions that gets us back to the 19th century.

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History Tastes Like...Milk

At the beginning of the 19th century, some secret student groups started to shape in the University of Vilnius. They called themselves Philomaths (those who favoured sciences) and Philarets (those who favoured moral virtues). The leaders of these groups included such outstanding Belarusians, as Adam Mickiewich,  Tomasz Zan, Ignacy Domejko, Jan Czeczot. During the excursion dedicated to the secret student societies of Belarus you will be able to learn things that cannot be found in textbooks.

The focal point of the excursion is a visit to the stone of Philarets near Tuganavichi mansion that is located between Baranovichi and Novogrudok. It was the place where students of Vilnya university spent their summer holidays. The members of the secret society gathered around the huge stone, reciting poems, debating about politics, and singing songs. In the same way, tourists can take on the role of the famous students and listen to the songs and poems by Czeczot, Mickiewicz, and Zan written in Polish and translated into Belarusian. During the breaks, the tourists enjoy drinking fresh milk. Drinking milk was one of the special features of the secret student societies, since milk was considered the symbol of purity.

During the tour, the tourists will visit Stolovichi, Zaosye, Svityaz Lake, Valevka, Novogrudok, Schorsy, Korelichi, Voroncha, and some other places.
 
Nature Trip to Belarus – Some Unforgettable Spots
Tourism in Belarus - Sightseeing Belarus
It happens sometimes that the same thing can evoke such various emotions in different people: Belarusians, who live in the countryside, crave for big-city infrastructure, while big-city dwellers (especially from overcrowded and busy Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, etc,) feel amazed when they see impenetrable forests and untouched nature spots. The virginal beauty of the Belarusian nature is that very thing, which attracts most sophisticated tourists, who have already explored various tourism and travelling attractions all over the world and feel they need something new, something extraordinary. If you decide to see the extraordinary nature of Belarus with your own eyes, here’s a short review of 5 really must-see places in Belarus!

1. Her Majesty, Belovezhskaya Pushcha

In 1992 Belovezhskaya Pushcha was included into the list of world nature heritage by UNESCO. The role, played by this unique reserve, is so huge, that in 1997 it received European Council Certificate.

AGE: In 2009 the oldest park celebrated its 600th anniversary

WHERE: South-western part of Belarus, 350 km from Minsk (Brest and Grodno Oblast)

WHAT TO SEE: Mighty European Bizons (called Zubr), ancient trees (100-200 years or even 300 years), 59 species of mammals, 10 000 species of plants and trees.

SPECIAL: Travel Mail, one of the world biggest Internet portals, included Belarus (mentioning Belovezhskaya Pushcha) in its Top Ten Recommended World Travel Destinations List. Belarus, as well as Australia, Egypt, the USA, Mexico, and the Caribbean Islands, were recommended as most fascinating travelling destinations.

2. Belarus – The Kingdom of Lakes

11 thousand lakes and more than 20 thousand rivers – no wonder, Belarus has been known as the blue-eyed land for centuries. Undoubtedly, the Braslav Lakes, are the pearl of nature in the north of Belarus. There landscapes are sometimes compared with Finnish and Swiss, but they are absolutely genuine. The peculiarity of the region is the sudden change of scenery – lakes, hills, forests, and again lakes

WHEN: The Braslav Lakes were formed under the influence of glaciers, which impacted the unique ecological area.

AREA: 183 sq km

LAKES: Lake Strusto (with a small island, where another tiny lake is located)
Lake Voloso Yuzhny – the deepest in this nature reserve, famous for water transparency – up to 8 metres!

WHAT TO SEE: more than 800 species of plants (including 20 extinct ones), diverse fish fauna (or ichthyofauna) including famous eel, 45 species of birds which were included into the Red Book, such animals, as badgers, European lynxes, bears, squirrels, deer, wild boars, roes.

Belarusian bogs… In the 1990s the Germans proclaimed our bogs “Lungs of Europe”

3. Bogs in Belarus – Life, Culture, Mentality…
To Be Continued and Fleshed Out...