A romantic trip around Belarus

Here is an undeniable fact — with the arrival of spring, more and more thoughts turn to love. And the best way to spend time together with your loved one is to set off on a spontaneous trip.

Spend a night in the castle

Belarus boasts quite a few luxurious manors and palaces celebrating the beauty of past eras. One of them is
a legendary city of Nesvizh, where the former residence of the Radziwill family is located. The Nesvizh Castle, a snow-white architectural pearl, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Therefore, tourists flock here in a literally endless stream to look at the wonderful interiors and listen to fascinating stories about the fabulously rich owners
of the castle.
However, real romantics who want to feel the atmosphere of the past one hundred percent, can benefit from a special offer — night excursions. When the sun goes down, the castle begins to live an absolutely amazing life full of unsolved mysteries and old legends.
By the way, there is no need to bother looking for a hotel — it is also possible to spend a night there. What is especially pleasant is that the room prices are comparable to those offered in ordinary hotels.

Find a corner of love

One of the most popular locations with Minsk residents that allows getting away from the city hustle and bustle
is the Zaslavskoye reservoir, aka the Minsk Sea. It is situated only ten kilometres from the Minsk Ring Road. In summer, 
you can chill on the beach there, enjoying stunning views and tranquility. And in the cold season, a lot of couples like walking along the paths around the water. By the way, there is a real piece of paradise in the middle of the vast Minsk Sea. You can get there via a wooden bridge. The picturesque place has long been nicknamed the Island of Love. There are secluded gazebos throughout the territory, which are illuminated with lanterns after it gets dark. There is no better location for a picnic! The main thing is not to forget a thermos of tea or coffee and a warm throw blanket.

Get inspired by art

The whole world dreams of such love as that of Marc Chagall and his Bella. “When I am with her, I do not walk but fly,” the artist often repeated. And then, he poured his feelings and emotions into his canvases. It should be noted that he did it very successfully — his autobiographical triptych consisting of the paintings ‘Over the Town’, ‘The Promenade’ and ‘Double Portrait with a Glass of Wine’ is now estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars. But money is just rubbish compared to the overwhelming feeling of the Vitebsk-born couple. We know for sure that it was love at first sight. Chagall described the meeting with Bella as follows, “She was silent, and so was I. She was looking — oh, her eyes! —
I was looking at her, too. It felt like we had known each other for a long time, and she knew everything about me —
my childhood, my present life, and what would happen to me. It was as if she was always watching me, was somewhere nearby, even though it was the first time I saw her. And I understood — that was my wife. Her eyes were shining on her pale face. Big, bulging, black! Those were my eyes, my soul.”
Fortunately for couples in love, there are still a lot of Chagall routes in Vitebsk. They include the house where the artist was born, the art centre with the originals of his works, and narrow streets in the city centre.

Make it up

What should you do if your significant other holds a grudge and does not want to make peace? Take her to Gomel! An unusual alley was laid in the local Festivalny Park a few years ago. Every bench, sculpture, and graffiti here creates a romantic atmosphere — hearts, cats, and shapes of couples flaunt at every corner. You are sure to make it up quickly! 
In addition, Gomel State Technical University named after Pavel Sukhoi, a Belarusian Soviet aircraft constructor and designer, is located just a stone’s throw from the park. The university has a unique museum dedicated to the life of the legendary aerospace engineer. Pavel Osipovich Sukhoi is represented here as a family man who was devoted to his only wife, Sofya Tenchinskaya, for many years. The museum contains numerous gifts that the engineer brought to his wife from abroad — shoes, fans, Chanel perfume bottles. Sukhoi knew a lot not only about airplanes, but also how to win a woman’s heart.

Take a look at Paris

Has the lady of your heart dreamed of eating a croissant against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower? This is easier
to arrange than it might seem at first glance. You won’t even need a visa. Just note down the address now: Vitebsk Region, Postavy District… Paris village!
Local residents say that it was in this place that Napoleon Bonaparte made his first stop on the Belarusian land back
in 1812. It is noteworthy that the French emperor was enthralled by the beauty of the landscape — endless fields stretched beyond the horizon, emerald forests could be seen in the distance. Amazing mirrored lakes gleamed here
and there... “Beautiful, like in the parks of Paris,” Bonaparte declared. Whether it was true or not, no one will ever know. Yet, the village has been called Paris ever since. 
This place does have its Eiffel Tower, though. Tourists often come to see it. Another attraction is the monument 
to the soldiers who died in the Patriotic War of 1812. The local history museum at the school is also full of artefacts from the beginning of the 19th century — from buttons and forks to buckshot.

Paris village, Vitebsk Region 



By Sofia Arsenyeva