Expatriates Forums in Belarus

HOTELS DIRECTORY IN BELARUS / BELARUS HOTEL GUIDE

Belarus Info — Tue May 08, 2007 2:43 am

Author: Belarus Info

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:43 am

HOTELS DIRECTORY IN BELARUS

MINSK

Hotel Belarus
Storozhevskaya 15,
Minsk
Tel: (+375 17) 209-7693/ 50
Email: info@hotel-belarus.com
Website: www.hotel-belarus.com

Hotel Minsk
Nezavisimosti (Skoriny) 11,
Minsk
Tel: (+375 17) 209-9078
Fax: (+375 17) 209-9080
Email: hotelminsk@pmrb.gov.by
Website: www.hotelminsk.by

Hotel Orbita
Pushkina 39,
Minsk
Tel: (+375 17) 252-3933/ 257-1420
Email: reservation@orbita-hotel.com
Website: www.orbita-hotel.com

Internationale Bildungs und Begegnungsstätte
Gazety Pravda 11,
Minsk
Tel: (+375 17) 270-3994
Fax: (+375 17) 270-3995
Email: ibb@ibb.by
Website: www.ibb.by

Juravinka
Yanki Kupaly 25,
Minsk
Tel: (+375 17) 206-6900
Fax: (+375 17) 227-5542
Email: contacts@juravinka.by
Website: www.juravinka.by

DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN BELARUS / EMBASSIES IN BELARUS

Belarus Info — Tue May 08, 2007 2:42 am

Author: Belarus Info

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:42 am

DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN BELARUS

ARMENIA
Embassy of Armenia
17 Kirov Street,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 227-5153/ 223-1321
Fax: (+375 17) 2272339
E-mail: armrep@cis.minsk.by

BULGARIA
Embassy of Bulgaria
Pl. Svoboda 11,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 206-5709
Fax: (+375 17) 206-5714
E-mail: bulgariaemb@mail.ru
Website: www.bulgaria.bg/Europe/Minsk

CHINA
Embassy of China
22 Berestyanskaya Street,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 284-9728/ 285-3682
Fax: (+375 17) 285-3681/ 210-5841
E-mail: chinaemb_by@mfa.gov.cn

CZECH REPUBLIC
Embassy of Czech Republic
Muzikálnyj Pr. 1/2,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 226-5243/ 4/ 5/ 6
Fax: (+375 17) 211-0137
E-mail: minsk@embassy.mzv.cz
Website: www.mzv.cz/minsk

FRANCE
Embassy of France
11 Place de la Liberté,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 210-2868
Fax: (+375 17) 210-2548
Website: www.ambafrance-by.org

GERMANY
Embassy of Germany
Ulitza Sacharowa 26,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 217-5900
Fax: (+375 17) 236-8552
E-mail: germanembassy@mail.belpak.by
Website: www.germanembassy.org.by

GREECE
Embassy of Greece
Hotel Octyabrskaya,
13 Engelsa,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 227-4036/ 2760
Fax: (+375 17) 226-0805
E-mail: greeceminsk@solo.by

INDIA
Embassy of India
Ulitza Koltsova 4,
Block No 5,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 262-9399/ 7739
Fax: (+375 17) 262-9799
E-mail: ambsdr@indemb.minsk.by , amb.minsk@mea.gov.in
Website: www.indembminsk.org

ISRAEL
Embassy of Israel
Pr. Partizansky 6A,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 230-4444/ 211-4431
Fax: (+375 17) 210-5270/ 298-4403
E-mail: info@minsk.mfa.gov.il

ITALY
Embassy of Italy
Ulitza Karl Marx 37,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 229-2969
Fax: (+375 17) 234-3046
E-mail: archivio.minsk@esteri.it
Website: www.ambminsk.esteri.it

JAPAN
Embassy of Japan
Pr. Masherova 23,
kor. 1, 8th Floor,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 223-6233/ 6037
Fax: (+375 17) 210-4180/ 2169

KAZAKHSTAN
Embassy of Kazakhstan
Kuibysheva 12,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 234-9937
Fax: (+375 17) 234-9650
E-mail: kazemb@nsys.by
Website: www.kazembassy.by

LATVIA
Embassy of Latvia
6A Doroshevicha Street,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 211-3033
Fax: (+375 17) 284-7494
E-mail: embassy.belarus@mfa.gov.lv
Website: www.am.gov.lv/belarus

LITHUANIA
Embassy of Lithuania
Ulitza Zacharova 68,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 285-2448/ 9
Fax: (+375 17) 285-3337
E-mail: amb.by@urm.lt
Website: www.by.urm.lt

MOLDOVA
Embassy of Moldova
Belarusskaia 2,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 289-1441/ 1217
Fax: (+375 17) 289-1147
E-mail: emmdby@anitex.by

NETHERLANDS
Royal Consulate of the Netherlands
Vostochnaya Street 133,
Office 503,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 262-5323
Fax: (+375 17) 262-4052
E-mail: nedcons@gtp.by

POLAND
Embassy of Poland
Ulitza Rumyantsava 6,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 288-2313
Fax: (+375 17) 236-4992/ 233-9750
E-mail: ambminsk@nsys.by
Website: www.embassypoland.nsys.by

ROMANIA
Embassy of Romania
Pereulok Moskvina, Dom 4,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 203-7726/ 8097
Fax: (+375 17) 211-2163
E-mail: romania@nsys.by

RUSSIA
Embassy of Russia
Vul. Staravilenskaya 48,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 250-3666/ 234-5497
Fax: (+375 17) 250-3664
E-mail: kira1130@yahoo.com , karp@rusamb.belpak.minsk.by
Website: www.belarus.mid.ru

SERBIA
Embassy of Serbia
Razinskaya 66A,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 226-3492
Fax: (+375 17) 226-3495
E-mail: jugoslav@anitex.by

SLOVAKIA
Embassy of Slovakia
Vostochnaya Street 133/168,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 216-1563
Fax: (+375 17) 262-1561
E-mail: slovemb@nsys.by

SWITZERLAND
Consulate General of Switzerland
Ulitza Krasnoarmeyskaya 22A,
Apartment No 20,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 227-1842
Fax: (+375 17) 217-8462
E-mail: minsulat@gin.by

TURKEY
Embassy of Turkey
Vul. Valadarskaga 6,
4th Floor,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 227-1383
Fax: (+375 17) 227-2746
E-mail: trembassy@forenet.by

UKRAINE
Embassy of Ukraine
51 Starovilenska Street,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 283-1990/ 91
Fax: (+375 17) 283-1980
E-mail: emb_by@mfa.gov.ua
Website: www.ukraine-emb.by

UK
British Embassy
37 Karl Marx Street,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 210-5920/ 1
Fax: (+375 17) 229-2306
E-mail: britinfo@nsys.by
Website: www.britishembassy.gov.uk/belarus

USA
Embassy of the United States
Vul. Staravilenskaya 46,
Minsk
Phone: (+375 17) 210-1283
Fax: (+375 17) 234-7853
Website: www.minsk.usembassy.gov

GETTING AROUND IN BELARUS / BELARUS TRANSPORTATION GUIDE

Belarus Info — Mon May 07, 2007 11:39 am

Author: Belarus Info

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 11:39 am

GETTING AROUND IN BELARUS

BY RAIL

Services run regularly from Minsk to all other towns. For more information, contact Belarus Railways ( www.rw.by ). There have been instances of theft from travellers, especially on sleeper trains to Warsaw and Moscow. There are several lines from Berlin via Warsaw and Brest with connections to Minsk.

BY ROAD

Belarus has a road network of 51,547km (32,219 miles), most of which is hard-surfaced, although there are potholes and lighting is bad. Traffic drives on the right. International traffic signs and regulations are in use. Driving under the influence of any alcohol is strictly forbidden. Speed limits are 60kph (37mph) in towns and cities and 90kph (55mph) on country lanes. There are frequent radar traps.

Bus & Coach

Long distance buses by far are the best choice for travelling within Belarus. They are cheap, quick and safe.

Car rental

Avis car rental is now available in the International Airport Mensk-2 (Minsk-2). You can check out the fleet of cars available in Minsk from Avis. Do take note that fuel is not always easily available. So an extra tank or canister might be helpful.

Documentation: International Driving Permit required. Also needed are a driving licence and a latter of attorney if not the owner of the car being driven.

URBAN TRANSPORTATION

Public transport is cheap and efficient. The city of Minsk has an underground system with two lines that cover central Minsk (16 stations). It is in the process of being expanded. Trains run between 0530-0100, buses, trams and trolleybuses between 0535-0030. Tickets for buses, trams and trolleybuses can be purchased at news-stands or kiosks and are to be punched on board. Entry to the underground is by tokens which are obtainable from stations. Taxis are available and carry a maximum of four passengers; fares can vary greatly.

BELARUS TOURISM GUIDE / TOURISM IN BELARUS

Belarus Info — Mon May 07, 2007 11:15 am

Author: Belarus Info

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 11:15 am

BELARUS TOURISM GUIDE

MINSK

The capital of Belarus, situated 340km (213 miles) northeast of Warsaw and 120km (75 miles) southeast of Vilnius, was first mentioned in 1067, but little of the old city now survives except a few 17th-century buildings. The city grew to be an important axis of communication and suffered badly during World War II. Modern Minsk is symmetrically designed with wide embankments flanking the Svisloch River. The cultural scene is very diverse with the Belarusian Ballet and good museums such as the National Museum of Belarusian History and Culture, the National Arts Museum, the Museum of History of the Great Patriotic War and the Museum of Old Belarusian Culture. Other interesting museums deal with the major Belarusian writers, Kolas, Kupala, Bogdanovich and Brovka. Icons form a large part of the National Gallery. Museums generally open Tues-Sun 1000-1900. The suburb of Troitskoye Predmestye should not be missed; it gives an insight into the way Minsk once looked – 19th-century houses with colourful facades line the streets. There are also excellent examples of Baroque architecture, such as the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit (1642), the Cathedral of St Peter and Paul (1613) and the Maryinsky Cathedral, which has been rebuilt to its original shape.

Belarus in the 13th century was the nucleus of the great principality of Lithuania and its capital was Novogrudok, featuring a 14th-century castle, Lida, where Adam Mitskevich, the great Belarusian poet, was born. About 22km (14 miles) from the capital is the picturesque village of Raubichi, with an interesting ethnographic museum housed in a disused church. Not far from Raubichi (10km/6 miles) is the idyllic Minsk Lake, dotted with numerous islets and surrounded by dense pines. The Museum of Folk Architecture is situated in Ozerto (15km/ 10 miles southwest of Minsk), and features original pieces of century-old buildings from different regions in Belarus. The Dudutki Museum of Material Culture is to be found 40km/25 miles from the capital city and is the only private museum in Belarus showing traditional crafts and ways of life. The onion-shaped domes of Russian Orthodox churches dominate the landscape throughout the country, but especially around Logoysk (40km/25 miles from Minsk), Krasnoe (60km/38 miles from Minsk) and Molodechno (80km/50 miles from Minsk). The memorial at Khatyn commemorates its destruction by the German army during World War II.

OTHER PLACES

Wide plains, picturesque villages, ancient castles and monasteries, deep forests, scenic landscapes, and thousands of lakes await visitors. Belintourist offers several one- and two-week itineraries with different themes catering for nature-lovers, culture fans and sport enthusiasts. The village of Zhirovitsa, 190km (119 miles) from Minsk, is renowned for the beautiful 15th-century Monastery of the Assumption. Part of the monastery complex is a convent and a theological seminary (17th-18th century).

120km (75 miles) from Minsk is the small town of Mir where one can see the Jewish Cemetery and the 15th-century Mir Castle (a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site). Nearby, historic Nesvizh still retains its old buildings. The former residence of the Radzivill family is one of the most attractive palaces in the country. It is surrounded by a large park with numerous lakes and elaborate gardens. Only a short walk away is the imposing Catholic Church designed by the 16th-century Italian architect Bernardoni. Vitebsk, situated 270km (169 miles) from Minsk is the birthplace of the painter Marc Chagall. There is a cultural centre named after him, and his family house has been turned into a museum.

The centre of Christianity during the time of Rus (the first Russian state) lay in the Slavic town of Polotsk. Polotsk is the oldest of the Belarusian cities, founded in 862. An excellent example of architecture of the period is the 11th-century Church of St Sophia. Worth a visit are the two castles nearby. There is also a 12th-century convent, St Ephrosinia of Polotsk, and a 16th- to 17th-century Epiphany Monastery.

Brest is a popular place to visit. One of the highlights is a tour of the Brest Fortress, which was used to repel the German forces during World War II. Inside the Fortress is a museum which chronicles its history back to the 13th century. This history is further illustrated by a fascinating selection of exhibits in the Museum of History and Archaeology. In the surrounding countryside, time appears to have stood still for centuries; 500-year-old trees can be found in the state national park, Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Wild European (Belovezhskaya) bison roam the area - the symbol of Belarus. Here, there are 87.6 hectares of total area to explore and discover the 60 types of animal and 900 types of plants that it contains. For tourists seeking political history, it is here, in the village of Viskouli, that leaders of Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine signed the famous agreement stipulating the final disintegration of the USSR. Brest has a famous puppet theatre that is worth seeing and visitors should not miss out on the elegant design of the Belaya Vezha (White Tower), also known as the famous Kamenets Tower, that was built in the 13th century. Pinsk is 300km south of Minsk and is the second-largest city in the Brest region. It has an abundance of historical, architectural and cultural monuments. The city and its environs are also renowned for both their natural beauty and as the centre of the Belarusian Polesye, a low-lying land of waters and mists.

In Grodno, the fifth-largest city of Belarus, major sites are the Old Town centre, the Kalozh-Church and the Old Castle (both from the 11th century). The north and northwest, near the borders of Lithuania and Latvia, are dominated by the Braslav Lake District. It is a good area for watersports, with a total of 30 lakes situated in an atmospheric forest. Accommodation in the area is usually in small dachas along the lakeshore. Belavezha Wood is one of the last sites where rare animals such as bisons, bears and wolves can still be seen living in their natural habitat. Long scenic hiking trails are scattered throughout the Nature Reserve of Berezinsky, stretching from the source of the Berezina to Palik Lake. Primeval forests, marshland, deep rivers and a rich fauna and flora dominate this unique region, hence its UNESCO listing as a protected biosphere. This reserve historically provided a great trade route known as the way 'from the Varangians to the Greeks', connecting the Baltic and the Black Sea countries.

BELARUS TRAVEL INFORMATION / BELARUS TRAVEL GUIDE

Belarus Info — Mon May 07, 2007 10:52 am

Author: Belarus Info

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 10:52 am

BELARUS TRAVEL INFORMATION

Full Name

Republic of Belarus

Capital City

Minsk

Area

207,600 sq km
80,154 sq miles

Population

10,400,000

Time Zone

GMT/UTC + 2

Languages

Belarusian (official)

Russian (official)

Both Belarusian and Russian are official languages, Russian is more widely spoken.

Religion

Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholic

Currency

Belarusian Ruble (BR)

Electricity

220V 50HzHz

Electric Plug Details

European plug with two circular metal pins

Country Dialing Code

375