Hey guys! Since Belarus just introduced limited visa-free travel for many nationalities in 2017 (loosened further in 2018), I've had a lot of interest from others in my recent experience there and thought I would share for anyone else thinking of taking advantage of the new visa-free regime.

Background: 27F Canadian, lots of previous experience travelling in eastern Europe. I can read cyrillic but don't speak any Russian beyond the basics (hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc). Trip took place in early January 2019.

Budget: Just under €200, not including airfare. Since visa-free travel only applies if you fly in and out of Minsk airport, airfare was the most expensive cost element (€ 67 Kiev to Minsk with Belavia, € 137 Minsk to Berlin with Air Baltic). Minsk was slightly more expensive than I expected, but still "cheap" (under Polish/Baltic price levels, but above Ukraine price levels). USD is more commonly accepted than EUR as an alternative currency, which surprised me.

Length of Travel: 4 days. Belarus was the last stop for me on a larger trip to Poland/Ukraine.

Destination(s): Minsk, day trips to the Stalin Line as well as the castles at Mir and Nesvizh

Accommodation: Trinity Hostel, 3 nights. Highly recommended. Helpful/bilingual staff, nice common area, organised tours/activities for guests. Most guests (80%+) at the time were Russian, but I think it's because I was there over Orthodox Christmas.

Arrival: Belarus offers visa-free entry to 74 nationalities for up to 30 days if you fly in and out of Minsk airport, and if you can prove adequate insurance and 'financial means' (about €20 per day). I had no idea what the procedure would be like and was worried because I was arriving late (9pm in winter), but everything went smoothly. There were insurance counters right before passport control, open at all hours, where they sold the necessary insurance for about €1 per day. Payment was possible by cash (EUR/USD) or card. I had brought the required financial means with me in EUR cash but they did not ask to see it. There was a public bus (every 30min) that took me to the nearest metro station, but I had to withdraw Belarusian rubles from an airport ATM to pay for it.

Activities:

• Walking around Minsk itself was awesome; it's still the Soviet city par excellence. Soviet architecture, Lenin statues, hammer and sickles, red stars everywhere. Visually, it's like the Cold War never ended.

• In Minsk: Museum of the Great Patriotic War. Excellent museum on WWII from the Soviet perspective, which is very distinct from the Western perspective I was used to. Exhibits were excellent quality and there was full English signage throughout.

• Daytrip to the Stalin Line in the countryside outside Minsk. WOW. The wildest part of this trip by far and a real once-in-a-lifetime experience as a history buff. This place is best described as a Cold War military fun park for the whole family. There is a shooting range (with weapons ranging from handguns/AKs to machine guns to anti-tank artillery), a tank driving range, reconstructed WWI trenches, underground WWII bunkers, endless rows of decommissioned tanks, artillery units, military aircraft and missiles, a kid's playground and a beer garden. It must be seen to be believed (pics below).

• Daytrip to the castles at Mir and Nesvizh. Organised tour by my hostel for 25 USD per person (not including tickets or food); totally worth it. Mir has the nicer exterior and is the more famous of the two, but Nesvizh had a way larger and more interesting interior. Ideally do a tour with both, but if you can only do one, choose Nesvizh. Easily on my list of top 3 castles.

What Went Right: Basically everything. Visa-free entry was smooth, hostel was great, no issues with ATMs or card payment, locals were super friendly. Minsk is clearly making a big push for tourism and now has good English/Latin character signage around the city centre, English announcements on the metro, and English signs at major museums and attractions. I heard from a fellow hostel guest that English/Latin signage was basically non-existent in Minsk as late as Dec 2017, so it is changing fast.

What Went Wrong: Not "wrong", but even though English signage is plentiful (in the city centre), actual English language skills are not. Basic Russian phrases and the ability to read cyrillic are IMO still a must here, especially if you have any plans to leave the Minsk city centre (e.g. to visit the Stalin Line, castles, or other towns). I got by okay with basic language skills but certainly felt limited sometimes.

Recommendations: GO TO BELARUS!

Final Verdict: Minsk was a fun and unique destination, and I 100% plan to return to Belarus to see more of the country (supposedly you can go visa-free for 72 hours to the Brest region from the Polish land border!). There was a bit of culture shock (small children firing anti-tank artillery at the Stalin Line, militaristic/patriotic posters around the city) but to me it just made the experience that much more interesting/worthwhile. Having to fly in and out of Minsk airport makes it an expensive addition to any eastern European itinerary, but if you're looking for something unique and still off the beaten track, Belarus should be on your list.

Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/kzIS1p7