Minsk

Minsk today is the biggest city and capital of Belarus. As the city was destroyed largely during the second world war, most of it’s historical sights have disappeared. Under the leadership of Stalin, the city was reconstructed in Soviet style with many bloc buildings. The Soviet Union still feels alive in Belarus leaving a feeling for what it used to be like.

Tourism is not a major stream of income in Minsk. You will therefore find that most establishments are not properly equipped to host other nations, mainly those that expect English to be spoken. Best advise is to carry a dictionary with you at all times so that you can at least translate the most crucial phrases while exploring the city or going out for food and drinks.

Having talked about the atmosphere, surprisingly enough Minsk is a quite save place. The main roads, Skoriny and Vyzvalicieliau are the cleanest and most happening in Minsk. Although the city itself does not have the best reputation the streets in the center are quite safe mainly due to a large presence of police and soldiers. People are generally friendly and hospitable.

Being gay in Minsk or Belarus is different and secretive. Please carefully read the Equality information on gaypedia to get a better insight. There is no dedicated gay area and please do yourself a favor and do not ask for it on the streets. You may be surprised by the reaction.