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.

There are not many astonishing things to be seen in Minsk but here are a few items:

Belarus, as one of the former Soviet states in Eastern Europe, restricts gay life to private connections only, away from the public. Although not a crime anymore officials are paranoid about homosexuality and try to restrict it where possible, making gay rights movements a difficult task. Funny enough, neighboring countries are far more advanced and liberal, including Russia and Poland.

With Minsk being the capital of Belarus, gay life is possible although difficult. The gay scene is mainly existent in underground networks organized by private organizations. To avoid prosecution, gay nights at bars and clubs are rotated.

However, Minsk can be a save place as long as you use caution at all times, stay away from displaying homosexuality in public and follow information provided by insiders and organizations. Remember, Belarus is not known for it’s great human rights records.

Most attempts to establish a gay community in Belarus, and to that extent even in Minsk, have been unsuccessful due to an oppressive government and a pretty much non-existent freedom of press.

Stay away from being arrested, it is not a save place to encounter the police.

Here is what we found on

http://www.ilga-europe.org/europe/guide/country_by_country/belarus/minsk_gay_guide_gay_life_in_belarus :

Britva.gay.ru and www.gayby.net is one site that has an extensive personals section of gay and “bi” Belarusian men seeking to meet each other as well as gay tourists coming to Minsk. Though the site is in Russian, it can be roughly interpreted into English using a translating engine.

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Belarus

Travel to Minsk:

Minsk has an international Airport (Minsk International Airport (IATA: MSQ, ICAO: UMMS) to the east of the capital Minsk. Flights are operated by many eastern European airlines and by a few western airlines (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines). It is recommended to fly into Minsk as this is the easiest in terms of travel time spend as well as the most efficient in processing a VISA which is required for entrance. Please consult a travel agent or read the web on up-to-date information on requirements as they do change.

From central Europe you can also take the train to Minsk. Be aware of waiting times though because, believe it or not, the width of the train tracks differs between Poland, Belarus and other countries. This means that there is a tire change before you enter the country. Trip time from Berlin, Germany is about 10 hours, which should give you an idea how long it can take.

Should you plan to take the car, bring enough time at hand. Crossing the border can take several hours and is often difficult if you do not speak the local language. Bags and other personal belongings may be searched. Be aware that you will need a valid passport, a VISA and full registration papers for the car you are in.

In Minsk:

You are advised to get a map of the center of the city which can be purchased in one of the many kiosks or bookshops in town. The map provides are great level of detail, often showing every building.

Public transportation in Minsk is reasonably reliable and quite cheap. You can decide between bus and tram service or the underground. Unlike in many eastern countries it is quite clean and safe and hardly ever late. Trains usually arrive every 3 minutes. The underground is said to be the safest means of transportation in Minsk in all respects (cheap, reliable, clean)

Taxis are available and usually cheap within the city area. The system is slightly different than in most countries as the base covers any distance between 0 to 6 km. Therefore do not start a riot when you get in and already see your end price, it is normal.

Renting a car is an option but be careful in traffic. It is different….

Minsk can be walked but it can be tiresome.