So near but still so far away: MINSK

-

Less than 200 km away from Vilnius, but still another world: Minsk, capital of Belarus is a destination you must not miss in your ERASMUS Experience! Often called the "last dictatorship of Europe", not a member of the EU and more closely connected to Russia than to the rest of Europe,  Belarus and its capital provides you some interesting new perspectives.



How to get there?

As mentioned above, Belarus is not a member state of the EU and that is why you need a visa for entering the country.  For citizens from 74 countries, among them all EU member states, there is one exception: When entering via Minsk International Airport you can stay visa-free for up to 30 days.

Since flights can be relatively costly (around 120 EUR both ways from Vilnius), it is also worth thinking about getting a visa and travelling by train or bus. Tickets are available for around 20-30 EUR (both ways from Vilnius) and the ride takes around 3 hours. A single person visa costs 60 EUR and can be retrieved from the Belarussian consulate. Check for discounts if you are travelling in a group.

 Important: You will not get the visa immediately from the consulate. Calculate at least one week in which your passport will remain there.


Where to sleep?


Located in the heart of Minsk, Hostel Tower 31/18 is the perfect base for exploring the city! A bed in a dorm is available for around 10 EUR per night. You need a little bit more privacy? Double rooms are also quite affordable here, ranging around 20 EUR per night alltogether.

Where to eat?


Photo by Daniel Spils , CC BY-SA 2.0
Do not miss out on your chance to discover the Eastern European and especially Belarus cuisine. A good place for typical local food is Vasiliki. Main courses are available around 5-8 EUR. Try out Draniki (potato pancakes), Borscht (sour soup with potato and beetroot) or Babka (potato pudding) for the true Belarus (potato) experience!

 

 

Best (free) sights


You are lucky, the city itself is the sight! At every corner you can soak in the (post-)soviet atmosphere and it will not leave you for quite a while. Explore the city, which offers world’s largest collection of Stalinist Empire style architecture and numerous statues to Soviet leaders, with a free guided tour. Freewalkingtour.by offers differently themed tours (e.g. Soviet or Jewish Minsk Tours, Pub Crawl) with great local guides. Check out the website for starting points and dates and do not forget to tip!

Additionally, the National Opera and Ballet Theatre is especially remarkable. Tickets for an evening show start already around 2 EUR, so you will keep enough money for your night out.


You want to go to Minsk and have more questions? Just ask in the comments! Or you already have had your ERASMUS Experience in Minsk and you want to share your advices? Feel free to comment!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Secrets of Pavilniai Regional Park

-
Image
Breathtaking scenery and wildlife adventure next to your dormitories - is that even possible? Take your comfortable shoes and spend a perfect day in the nature! A one-day hiking tour with some sightseeing included.     How to get there? Situated in the Antakalnian district of Vilnius the Park contains a lot to behold. You can easily reach it by bus numbers 2,4,14,19 or 21. In case, you live near the park and you have never been inside, you are lucky to start on feet - no extra time for travelling. However, the tour begins at the station "Bistrycios str." which you can access by buses 14, 114 or 115. From that point you walk on the pavement of Zolyno str. until the street forks in two. There you'd take the right path to plunge into a forest. Alongside a hill and beautiful houses you'll be able to enjoy some wildlife with plenty of various birds, mushrooms and plants. The way will slope smoothly upwards until you see wooden stairs. Climb them and you will...
Read more

Lithuanian New Years Traditions

-
Image
2018 is almost over and the new year is already knocking on our doors. But how do Lithuanians celebrate New Years Eve traditionally? We will present you the most important traditions to comply with in order to have a great 2019! Do not fall asleep too early Falling asleep before 0.00 a.m. will bring bad luck for the new year, so better party hard and stay awake! Predictions Celebrating New Years Eve is all about making predictions for the upcoming year. A nice Lithuanian party game to predict future goes like: Sit around a table, put a key, a ring, a little glass of water and some money on plates and cover them. Then mix the plates. the ring: you will marry in the new year the water: you will get an alcoholic husband/wife the key: you will move to a new home the money: you will become rich So better choose wisely when celebrating New Years Eve in Lithuania! Fireworks Lithuania is welln known for its excessive (mostly private) fireworks on New Years ...
Read more

The Vilnius bar guide (Part I)

-
Image
You might get tired of going to +++ and Salento all the time but finding good bars and restaurants in a new city can be pretty difficult. Who wants test one place after another to get disappointed. Lucky you! We do the job. In the following section we going to share our experience about bars and restaurants. Maybe you learn something new to make your nightlife more enjoyable. Feel free to comment and share your experience. Yucatan On the corner of Islandijos gatve and Pylimo gatve you can find this Mexican themed bar. The place offers lots of different cocktails and brews and Mexican food and snacks. The real deal however is the assemblage of different music styles. You can find a techno DJ on one day only to come across a bass solo at your next visit. The variety is endless. Make sure to check the back room. Follow the dark, red lighted corridor to find the room. Check them out on Facebook to keep track on the events. https://www.facebook.com/Yucatanmexicanbar/ http://...
Read more