LAST SOVIET
STRONGHOLD
STANDING

May 08 ⇾ May 15
JULY 02 ⇾ JULY 09

In addition to our regular group departures to Belarus, we also offer tailored services for private travel parties and lone wolves alike. Get in touch for more info on our customised Belarus Tours! 

THE ROUTE

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DAY 1 TO DAY 2 • COME AND SEE, WELCOME TO BELARUS!

Meet-and-greet at Minsk International Airport and transfer to our hotel of choice in central Minsk, the capital of the [former] Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, aka BSSR.

Our first two days in Belarus will be entirely devoted to Minsk and its bottomless treasure trove of Soviet gems: modernist mosaics, socialist-realist monuments, Lenin statues, imposing war memorials, richly decorated metro stations, colourful food markets, and a kaleidoscopic cornucopia of USSR-era architectural gems.

During our sojourn in Minsk, we’ll also witness a true Soviet-style parade, since both our group departure dates have been chosen to coincide with two major national celebrations: Victory Day (May 9th) and Belarus Independence Day (July 3rd).

Overnight in Minsk.

DAY 3 • HEROES OF THEIR TIME

Early breakfast and a full-day in-depth exploration of the history-rich purlieus of Minsk, before heading northeast towards the tranquil city of Vitebsk.

First we’ll visit the remnants of the so-called Stalin Line, part of a long series of war fortifications built along the western border of the Soviet Union, then we’ll pay our respects to the somber Khatyn Memorial Complex, commemorating all victims of the German occupation during the Great Patriotic War and in particular those perished during the gruesome 1943 Khatyn Massacre.

After a classic Soviet-vibes lunch in a workers’ canteen, we’ll transfer to Vitebsk with an en-route stop at the Biarezinski Biosphere Reserve, unique natural complex, an exceptional biotope of forests, meadows, and swamps.

Overnight in Vitebsk.

DAY 4 • ONEIRIC BRUSHES

The first half of the day will be consecrated to Vitebsk and its not-to-be-missed Marc Chagall Museum honouring the dreamlike life and works of the city’s most famous son.

After lunch, we’ll then transfer back to Minsk travelling through the placid eastern Belarusian back of beyond and touring the quintessentially Soviet city of Mogilev along the way.

Before entering Minsk proper, we’ll pay a last de rigueur visit to the Mound of Glory, a monumental complex honouring the Red Army’s fight against the Third Reich

Overnight in Minsk.

DAY 5 • YESTERDAY’S TALES

In the morning, we'll leave Minsk and head west for Grodno, a lovely Belarusian border town and one of the most prominent centres in the country in both architectural and historical terms.

Besides the routine pauses for food, toilet and random landscape pictures, we'll break the journey to Grodno in the small town of Mir, a significant place for Yiddish and Romany culture.

After lunch, if time permits, we'll also pay a visit to Novogrudok, yet another pleasant Belarusian city with plenty of Yiddish-Soviet history to tell.

Overnight in Grodno.

Bespoke ExperienceS

A traditional cooking and tasting session with a local family in the depths of the Belarusian countryside and behind-the-curtain architectural perusal of Minsk’s lesser-known Soviet delights.

DAY 6 TO DAY 7 • LAST STRONGHOLDS

We'll slowly head south crossing the Belovezhskaya Pushcha, a vast national park adjacent to the border with Poland: this is the the last primeval forest fragment of the Europe's woodlands and is home to the largest population of the European Bison (Bison bonasus).

We’ll cross a melancholic landscape of dark woods, wooden villages, sleepy provincial towns, Soviet ruins, and nostalgic atmospheres before eventually reaching Brest, a glorious Hero City that was the theatre of one of the fiercest battles fought by the resilient Soviet people against the Nazi invaders.

Amidst the depths of the forest, we’ll also take a short detour to Viskuli, the hunting estate where the infamous Belavezha Accords–declaring the dissolution of the Soviet Union–were signed by Russian president Boris Yeltsin, Ukrainian president Leonid Kravchuk, and Belarusian chairman Stanislav Shushkevich.

The entire following day we’ll then tour Brest and its awe-inspiring profuseness of Soviet-era sights including the impossible-to-miss Brest-Litovsk Fortress, a 19th-century Tsarist burg turned into an immense open-air WWII Memorial Complex with a breathtaking array of Soviet monumentalism on display.

Overnights in Brest.

DAY 8 • FAREWELL TO BELARUS 

After sharing a last Belarusian meal together, we'll take care of your transfer back to Minsk International Airport, a five-hour drive from central Brest with a few additional Soviet-heritage stops along the way.

For those wishing to take a coach to reach further destinations: transfer to the local station in Brest, wherefrom you may hop on a bus to Poland.

Possible tour extensions include: East Germany and/or Moldova.

End of the tour.

1850 €

INCLUSIONS
Double/twin-room accommodation (breakfast included), private transport in Belarus (car/minivan), all entrance fees, English-speaking guiding service, 24/7 on-site and remote assistance.

EXCLUSIONS
Single supplement, international flights, main meals (lunches and dinners), extra drinks, visa fees (if required), tips, travel insurance.