What to See in Belarus: Cities to Explore on Foot

Belarus is a landlocked country of forests, marshes, lakes and rivers, shaped by centuries of shifting borders and a resilient cultural heritage. Visitors come to explore its historic cities, vast natural landscapes and living traditions that reflect a blend of Eastern European influences. Neywo offers a free audio guide for Belarus, covering 1 city with 170 narrated places across 6 walking tours, available in 11 languages.

Exploring Belarus

Medieval city‑states and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

In the medieval period the lands of modern Belarus included independent city‑states such as the Principality of Polotsk. Around 1300 these territories came fully under the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, marking the start of a long era of Lithuanian rule.

Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russian Empire

Later the region became part of the Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth. The partitions of Poland‑Lithuania then brought Belarus into the Russian Empire for the first time, integrating it into a larger imperial structure.

Soviet era and World War Two

After the Russian Revolution the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic emerged and became a founding republic of the Soviet Union in 1922. World War Two was devastating: Belarus lost about a quarter of its people and half of its economic resources, yet a widespread anti‑Nazi insurgent movement grew into a powerful force in postwar politics.

Independence and modern Belarus

Belarus’s parliament proclaimed sovereignty as the Soviet Union dissolved, granting the country independence. Today the nation is home to about 9 million people, with Minsk as its capital and largest city. The state retains a prominent role in the economy, maintaining ownership of large sections inherited from the Soviet era, while manufacturing, agriculture, trade and employment remain key sectors. Russia is the main trading partner and diplomatic ally, and European Union countries are also significant partners. Belarus belongs to the United Nations and several regional organisations, but its relationship with the Council of Europe was suspended after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine launched from Belarusian territory. Alexander Lukashenko has served as president since the adoption of a new constitution, and his government is described as highly centralised and authoritarian, drawing criticism from rights organisations over human rights and press freedoms.

Landscape and waters

Belarus’s terrain is broad and relatively flat, covered by extensive forests and marshy ground. The Neman River flows west toward the Baltic Sea, the Pripyat travels east to join the Dnieper, and the Dnieper continues south toward the Black Sea. Thousands of lakes dot the landscape, underscoring how water is never far away. The country’s highest point, Dzyarzhynsk Hill, rises only 345 metres, so the character of the land comes from open distances, woods, low ground and water rather than mountains. In the southeastern regions the legacy of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in neighbouring Ukraine persists, with radiation fallout affecting farmland and forests.

Language, dress and celebrations

Belarusian and Russian are both official languages; the 2019 census found more people citing Belarusian as their mother tongue, while Russian is more commonly spoken at home. Polish, Ukrainian and Eastern Yiddish are also used by minorities. Traditional clothing, rooted in the Kievan Rus’ period, is made chiefly from flax or wool for the cool climate and features ornate patterns that draw on neighbouring cultures, with regional variations turning dress into a local identity marker. Public culture centres on events such as the state‑sponsored Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, which showcases Belarusian performers and arts, and national holidays like Independence Day and Victory Day, marked by fireworks and military parades, especially in Vitebsk and Minsk.

Minsk on Neywo

Minsk is the only city featured on Neywo in Belarus, with 170 narrated places. Highlights include the Belarusian Great Patriotic War Museum, the Church of Holy Trinity, the Memorial Museum‑Workshop of Zair Isakavič Azhur, and the Church of Holy Spirit in Minsk.

Explore Belarus with Neywo

Neywo provides 6 walking tours that together cover 170 narrated places in Minsk. As you walk, the app plays the story of each location exactly when you reach it, letting you explore at your own pace with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages, making the experience accessible to a wide audience. Download Neywo to discover Belarus’s history, nature and culture whenever you are ready to wander.