Getting There and Away

Most visitors to Belarus require a visa to enter the country, which must be applied for well in advance. Only citizens of select CIS nations benefit from a visa exemption. Do not be misled by the very sparse border controls on the frontier between Russia and the Republic of Belarus. A visa is still essential. Equally, if you enter Belarus from Russia and plan to return to Russia, you need a double-entry Russian visa. 

Belarus is a very easy country to get around in. There are good hotels and excellent rail and bus services linking major cities. Some knowledge of Russian is a great asset. 

Vitebsk is best visited during the spring or summer months. There are many spots within easy reach of Vitebsk that are deserving of a visit. Ilya Repin’s former riverside estate at Zdravneva, with the artist’s home and studio, is enchanting. Just 60 miles northwest of Vitebsk is the historic city of Polotsk, one of the most attractive in Belarus. 

The Slavyansky Bazaar takes place in the second week of July each year. Ever since 1992, Vitebsk has hosted this annual festival of music, art and culture. It kicks off with a spectacular opening ceremony, usually attended by President Alexander Lukashenko. Presidential words of greeting evoke respectful applause and presage an evening of heavy bass, diamenté thongs, showy gymnastics and folksy dance ensembles. Over the ensuing week, performances ranging from pop to poetry attract some of the best artists from across the Slavic world. 

The nearest international airport to Vitebsk is 200 miles away at Minsk. The marshrutka ride from Minsk to Vitebsk takes about four hours. The fastest trains, which are far more comfortable than a marshrutka taxi, take four hours and twenty minutes. Direct trains from St. Peters-burg’s Vitebsky Station and Moscow’s Belorusskaya Station both take about eight hours. The city is also easy to reach from Central Europe, with direct trains to Vitebsk, not always daily, from both Prague and Berlin.