What to see in Minsk in 1-3 days? In this article you will find all the sights of Minsk: photo, description, map, opening hours, cost, and I will also give tips and recommendations for visiting. This list is enough for a full 3 days, and you will still think what to skip.

I want to say right away that Minsk is a relatively small city. It was all destroyed during the war. But at the same time, there is something to see and do even for a sophisticated traveler.

And if you come to Belarus for more than 4 days, then you simply have to see not only Minsk, but also its surroundings.

Grand Opera and Ballet Theatre from a bird’s eye view

Sights of Minsk on the map:

This list includes all the main attractions of the city: churches, cathedrals, museums, squares, landmarks and much more. And everyone can choose for himself what he is interested in and what is not.

All sights on the map are clickable and the map is scalable.

If you look at the map, you can see that all the main attractions are located right in the center of the city. Top 20 of the most interesting places can be visited without using public transport.

And if the water park and the zoo are not interesting for you, then you can take the metro to all the other sights.

What to see in Minsk (best sights of Minsk): photos, description, prices, opening hours

The order in the list doesn’t matter. Rating and recommendation for a visit is a subjective assessment of the author (me), which should help you in this difficult task 🙂

• In the article on the link you will read about excursions in Minsk, what tours are and what to look for. There are a lot of tips and recommendations, as well as a great overview of excursion programs in Minsk and Belarus.

The National library

The main entrance to the National Library of the Republic of Bearus

The library was built in 2006 and today it is a symbol of the city. The building designed as a cut diamond.

DDue to its appearance, the library constantly falls into the world rankings of the ugliest buildings, the most unusual or the most luxurious buildings. Definitely I can only say one thing: you will not just pass by this building.

The library also has a skydeck on the 23 floor at a height of 73 meters. And since Minsk is a plain-like city then a great 360 view of the whole city opens up from the skydeck. The rise to the roof is carried out on a panoramic elevator.

There is also a cafe / pizzeria on the 22nd floor with very affordable prices and an overview of the entire city. You get access to the cafe when you buy a ticket to the skydeck.

• Website: nlb.by
• Opening hours: daily 12 am. — 10.30 p.m.
• Metro station: Uschod (Vostok)
• Free parking
• Huge shopping center Dana Mall near
• Coordinates: 53.931341, 27.646146
• Skydeck ticketprice: 5 BYN (1,85 Euro)
• There is no need to buy the ticket online, it is easy to buy the ticket in the ticket office for the same price.  
• The ticket office and the elevator to the skydeck are located on the back side of the building.
• Required time: a walk around the building outside and a visit to the observation deck will take 30-60 minutes.
• Rating : 5 out of 5. Definitely a modern symbol of the city which must be seen, you can not even visit the observation deck. But if you decide excellent views, panoramic elevator and inexpensive coffee with sweets will be provided to you.

The Trinity Suburb

View of the Trinity Suburb in Minsk in the evening

This is a historic part of the city which was first built in the 16th century, and in the 19th century a fire completely destroyed this quarter. Then it was rebuilt by citizens but during World War II it was again destroyed. Now the quarter is fully restored and has the appearance of the end of the 19th century.

The suburb is located in the city center on the banks of the river Svisloch. Here you can just walk along the quiet streets without crowds of people and traffic.

• Opening hours: 24/7
• Metro station: Niamiha (Nemiga)
• Coordinates: 53.908307, 27.555936
• Ticket price: free
• Required time: 30-60 minutes
• Rating : 4 out of 5. Great place that is difficult to pass by if you walk around the city center. Perhaps a bit boring, since the historical center of any European city looks the same but much larger in size.

Independence Square (former Lenin Square)

View of Independence Square from the Minsk Hotel room

The largest city square of the country. Not the Red Square of course, but also something really grandiose. If you want to feel the spirit of the Soviet era, go here. There is a huge number of buildings in the Stalin Empire style on Independence Square as well as throughout the entire Independence Avenue.

A large underground shopping mall is located under the Independence square. Here you can buy souvenirs, try national cuisine and fast food.

But the most interesting things are of course on the surface. The following buildings are located on the Square: the main building of the Belarusian State University, the main building of the Belarusian State Pedagogical University, the Government House, Central Post Office, the Red Church, Minsk Metro office, the Hotel Minsk and of course Lenin statue, what else did you expect 🙂

• Opening hours: 24/7
• Metro station: Plošča Lienina
• Coordinates: 53.895757, 27.548165
• Ticket price: free
• Required time: 30-60 minutes
• Rating: 5 out of 5. Sit on benches near the fountain, eat ice cream and feel the spirit of Soviet times.
• Opening hours of underground shopping mall: 10 a.m. — 10 p.m.

Red Church

The Red Church in the evening lights

This is a Catholic church which is called Red Church because it is faced with red brick. Real name: Church of Saints Simon and Helena. It is located in the city center on Independence Square.

The church was built entirely of red brick at the beginning of the 20th century on the donation of a nobleman in memory of his tragically lost children.

The church is truly a symbol of the city, its photos can be found on all postcards and magnets in Minsk. The building is decorated for Catholic holidays.

And what to bring unusual from Minsk and Belarus as a gift to your family and friends, read in another article about interesting gifts from Belarus.

• Website: chyrvony.by
• Opening hours: weekdays from 7:00 to 19:00, weekends and holidays from 8:00 to 21:00
• Church-office: 4-5 times a day in Belarusian language, 1 time a day in Polish. Check the schedure on the website
• Ticket price: free
• Metro station: Plošča Lienina
• Coordinates: 53.896402, 27.547602
• Required time: 30 minutes
• Rating: 4 out of 5. Even though I am not a very religious person, I think that this landmark is a must-see. If you are interested in religious topics then definitely 5 out of 5 to visit.

Minsk Gates

Minsk Gate

These are two residential buildings which looks like towers in the Stalin Empire style. There are captured German clocks on top of one tower, a statues of a worker and a farmer and other symbols of the Soviet era.

The Minsk Gates are located opposite the main entrance of the central railway station. If you arrive to or depart from Minsk by train you will not pass by.

• Opening hours: 24/7, in the evening the lights make this place more attractive
• Ticket price: free
• Metro station: Plošča Lienina / Vakzalnaja (exit in the direction of the railway station), or if you are on Independence Square then 7 minutes walk
• Minsk gate coordinates: 53.891864, 27.551393
• Required time: 10 minutes
• Rating: 2 out of 5. You can visit if you are nearby and arrive at the central railway station.

Tip: If you are in front of the railway station building, there is a large shopping mall — Galileo on the left, on the fourth floor there is a food court and several restaurants. In the restaurant «Vasilki» you can try Belarusian cuisine: draniki (potato pancakes), potato babka (pie), with the view on Minsk Gates. The prices are affordable and there is a lunch menu.

Palace of the Republic and kilometre zero

Kilometre Zero, followed by the Palace of the Republic

These two sights are located on October Square on the main street of the city on Independence Avenue.

The Palace of the Republic is the main concert hall of the country. Here the performances of famous musical groups, singers and symphony orchestras take place. Also it is used for conventions, forums and even New Year’s events. 

Opposite the Palace, on the same square there is an pedestal (see photo above). This is a Belarusian zero kilometer, all roads begin from here and you can find distances to cities on it.

• Opening hours: 24/7. You can get into The Palace of the Republic only for a concert.
• Ticket price: free
• Metro station: Kastryčnickaja/Kupalauskaja
• Сoordinates: 53.902631, 27.561284
• Required time: 15 minutes
• Rating: 3 out of 5. It is the very center of the city, from here it is convenient to walk towards the Town Hall and the Trinity Suburb. Therefore, even if you are in Minsk for 1 day, it is very likely to get here.

Minsk Zoo

Camel in Minsk Zoo

Minsk Zoo is smaller than zoos in Warsaw or Moscow. Zoo is very popular among families with children. There are a lot of birds, including eagles, vultures, many speciments of wild and rare animals as tigers, lions, bears, bison, camels. There are also a dolphinarium, a terrarium and an aquarium.

Minsk Zoo is located on the outskirts of the city in Loshitsa district.

The easiest way to get from the center:

Taxi about 20-30 rubles (8-12 Euro) and 20 minutes of travel time.

Cheapest:

by metro to the station: Avtozavodskaja (0.65 BYN = 0,26 Euro) and 2.5 km walk or on any bus / trolleybus 3 stops (0.65 BYN more).

Total: 0.52 Euro and an hour of travel time

• Website: minskzoo.by
• Opening hours: 10:00 until 20:00, in the winter until 18:00
• Ticket price: 9 BYN (4 Euro) zoo itself, 13 BYN (5,5 Euro) zoo+dynopark, dolphinarium from 23 BYN (9 Euro). Children up to 5 years old — free. Actual prices can be found on website.
• Required time for visit: 2-3 hours to visit zoo. And +1 hour more if you want to see the performance in the dolphinarium.
• Rating: 3 out of 5. If you are in Minsk for many days or you travel with the children and have already been at all main attractions in the city center, then you can spend half a day visiting the Minsk zoo. But if you have already been to zoos before, then most likely you will not see anything new here.

City Hall

City Hall

The Minsk City Hall was restored, or rather rebuilt in 2004. This is an exact copy of the building of the 18th century Town Hall. Town Hall is located in the center of the Upper Town, perhaps the most popular tourist place of the city. On the ground floor there is an exhibition about the history of the city.

• See the Town Hall outside possible 24/7
• Of course it is free
• Required time: 15-30 minutes
• There are many restaurants nearby
• Rating: 3 out of 5. You can visit the Town Hall if you are interested in the history of Minsk. Also there are many statues nearby to make photos. 

The Upper Town

View on the Upper Town from Niamiha

The Upper Town is the historical center of Minsk and, as I wrote above, the tourist center of Minsk. This is perhaps the only part of the city that retained its appearance from the 12th century when noble residents of Minsk settled here.

Today in the Upper Town there are the following famous sights: the Town Hall, the Holy Spirit Cathedral, St. Joseph Church, Freedom Square, the Zybitskaya Street, a variety of cafes and restaurants.

From spring to late autumn almost every weekend there are street festivals: festivals of national cuisines and traditions of different countries, festivals of craftsmen and artisans. All these events gather thousands of people.

So if you come to Minsk in the summer and on weekends, be sure to go here.

• Opening hours: 24/7
• Tickets price: free
• Rating: 5 out of 5. If you are interested in religion, then all admission to all churches and churches in the Upper Town is free. If you want to have fun, come to Zybitskaya Street in the evening, I will write about it below.

Zybitskaya Street

Normal traffic on Zybitskaya night

Only the most experienced taxi drivers knew about this street 5-6 years ago. It was a quiet, abandoned street in the center of Minsk on the banks of the Svisloch River. And in a few years the street was  changed unrecognizably.

Today it is the center of youth and party entertainment. And what is most interesting, there are no night clubs and expensive restaurants, although there is one and it is about wine. But more about that in another article.

This street comes alive from 8 pm and lives until the morning. This is a pedestrian street with a huge number of different cafes and pubs. One thing unites them: a very small area, and almost everywhere they work according to the principle “drink a shot at the bar counter” and continue to hang out on the street. Find a free table in any cafe is very difficult.

On the street, as it should be: street musicians, shawarma, takeaway snacks, draft beer and crowds of people. There is no place for social phobia. There are 12 or 13 bars in one small two-story house at the address: Zybitskaya, 6 today. How they all fit there, I do not know.

• Opening hours: 24/7
• Tickets price: free
• Time: all night. 
• Rating: 5 out of 5, if you prefer music, party and alcohol.

Victory Square and eternal flame

Victory Square and eternal flame in Minsk

Victory Square is one of the main squares of the city. It is located in the city center on Independence Avenue, and just like many of the attractions in this article, is an excellent example of the Stalin Empire style. You need to come here to feel this silent grandeur of the Soviet post-war era.

In the center of the square there is a 40 meter obelisk of gray granite. On the roofs of houses in the square, the letters form a huge inscription «The feat of the people is immortal.» Granite slabs with the names of all the heroes of the USSR are installed underground, and the eternal flame — all this is very impressive and does not allow to forget about the consequences of the great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 for Minsk and the whole country.

• Opening hours: 24/7
• Tickets price: free, including undeground memorial site
• Metro station: Plošča Pieramohi
• Required time: 20-30 minutes
• Rating: 5 out of 5. One of the symbols of the city and the memory of the victims of the Second World War. This is one of the highest monuments of Minsk and all Belarus.

Maksim Gorky Central Children’s Park

View on the Maksim Gorky Central Children’s Park

This large public park is located 5 minutes walk from Victory Square. Here you can not only walk along beautiful paths, but also swim on a boat on the Svisloch River, rent a catamaran and ride on the carousel.

This is not an extreme amusement park, there will most likely be interesting to families with children. For adults I recommend a ride on the Ferris wheel. View of the whole city opens from a height.

Tip: if you take a ticket to an open cabin, you’ll get first-class impressions.

• Website with price (tickets to the most expensive carousels costs 1,5 — 2 Euro): parki.by/All-parks
• Park opening hours: 24/7
• Carousels opening hours: in summer (from the end of April) 11:00 until 20:00
• Park entrance price: free
• Required time: 90 minutes (including catamaran rent and ride on the Ferris wheel)
• The park has bike rental points and a Seagway.
• A 30 km long Minsk cycle path passes through the park.
• Rating: 4 out of 5. You will get your portion of emotions, cotton candy and ice cream.

It is important to know: Gorky Park is an area free from alcohol and smoking. Here you cannot buy or drink alcohol, and you can smoke only in a specially designated areas.

Grand Opera and Ballet Theatre

Grand Opera and Ballet Theatre in the evening lights

This is the only opera house in the country. It was built before the war, but according to historical data the building was severely destroyed in the very first days of the occupation. In early 2000, a global reconstruction of the theater and the surrounding area was carried out.

Nowadays tickets must be purchased several months before the performance because there are lot of people who want to get to the show. But if the theater is not interesting for you, then I recommend a walk in the park near the theater. There is a gorgeous fountain, amazing night lights, and on August 2 it is allowed to swim in the fountain.

• Website (buy tickets online): bolshoibelarus.by
• Park opening hours: 24/7
• Park entrance price: free
• Metro station: 15 minutes walk from 15 минут пешком Plošča Pieramohi or Niamiha.
• Swimming in the fountain in any day except August 2: 25 BYN (10 Euro) — penalty for public order disturbance.
• Required time: 30 minutes
• Rating: 3 out of 5. I recommend to come in the evening when beautiful night lights are switched on.

The National Art Museum

Main entrance of The National Art Museum

This is the main museum of fine art in the country. There are more than 25,000 exhibits. The museum presents paintings by both Belarusian artists and world artists. Also on display are sculptures, icons and more. I definitely recommend visiting this museum for art lovers. It also often hosts temporary exhibitions where masterpieces of world art are shown, this information should be clarified on the website.

• Website: artmuseum.by
• Opening hours: daily from 11:00 until 19:00
• Ticket price: 4 BYN (1,7 Euro)
• Metro station: Kastryčnickaja/Kupalauskaja
• Required time: 2-3 hours
• Rating: 2 out of 5. I recommend only connoisseurs of fine art

Belarusian Great Patriotic War Museum

Belarusian Great Patriotic War Museum

This is the most visited museum in the country. The excellent location (in a large park on the bank of the Svisloch right behind the stela Minsk — Hero City) and a very interesting exhibition makes this museum very informative. The museum is located in a modern building built 10 years ago and has not only an internal exhibition, but also an outdoor where you can find some of military machinery.

Great Patriotic War Museum, internal exhibition

• Website: www.warmuseum.by
• Opening hours: from 10:00 until 18:00, Monday closed
• Ticket price: 9 BYN (3,8 Euro), children up to 7 years old — free
• Transportation: 4 stops on bus #1 from metro station Kastryčnickaja
• Required time: 90 minutes
• Rating: 4 out of 5.

Island of tears

Island of tears

This is an artificial island on the river Svisloch. The official name: the Island of Courage and Grief. It can be reached by an arched bridge from the Trinity Suburb.

The whole island is a memorial of the Afghan war victims. There are benches for rest on the island and it is located in the very center of Minsk.

• Opening hours:  24/7
• Tickets price: free
• Metro station: Niamiha
• Required time: 20 minutes
• Rating: 4 out of 5. This is not only a memory and a tribute to those who died in Afghanistan, it is also a beautiful place in the heart of the city. Walking along the Trinity suburb, be sure to take a look.

GUM (department store)

GUM on the Independence Avenue in Minsk

The State Universal Store (GUM) is located on the main avenue of Minsk in the center of the city in a building whose style strongly resembles the Soviet era. Nostalgia won’t leave you inside. Minsk GUM is not similar to Moscow. Here are no global brands, no luxury stores. It is a state-owned store where you can find 1000 little things at low prices.

For tourists it will be interesting on the one hand as a piece of that era which some of us haven’t caught. And also here you can buy magnets, postcards, plates, Belarusian cosmetics, Belarusian linen and knitwear and other souvenirs, which are so expected from us at home.

• Website: gum.by
• Opening hours: from 9:00 until 21:00, Sunday 10:00 until 20:00
• Ticket price: free
• Metro station: Kastryčnickaja
• Required time: 60minutes
• Rating: 5 out of 5.

Tip: on the 4th floor there is a cafe where you can have a good lunch for 2-3 $. Opening hours of the cage: from 11:30 to 15:30, saturday ans sunday — closed.

Komarovskiy Market

Komarovskiy Market and sculpture «Lady with a dog»

This is the country’s largest food market since the days of the Soviets. And today this status remains with him. Here you can buy vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, milk product, farm cheese, honey and bread.

If you need Belarusian products and even farm products there is no better place to find.

In the article under the link you will find information with prices for main Belarusian products, souvenirs and much more: Prices in Belarus: Prices in Belarus

• Website: www.komarovka.by
• Opening hours: daily from 9:00 until 19:00
• Metro station: Plošča Jakuba Kolasa
• Required time: 60 minutes
• Rating: 4 out of 5. Even if you do not need anything from the products, go take a look, try jam or meat pies exactly the same as in 1980.

It is important to know: bargaining is not appropriate in the markets of Belarus, sellers are extremely reluctant to bargain and can give up a few kopecks if there is no exchange. The maximum that you can count on, if the amount of your purchase for example is 15 rubles 60 kopecks, then the seller can give up 60 kopecks, but you will have to bargain.

Čaliuskincaŭ Park

Entrance to Čaliuskincaŭ Park

Central Botanical Garden

Central Botanical Garden

A place for lovers and connoisseurs of flora. Lindens, thujas, cedars, greenhouses, arboretum, beautiful landscape design, a lake and much more are all about the central botanical garden.

This is a smoke-free zone and a very popular place among the city newlyweds.

• Website: cbg.org.by
• Opening hours: 10:00 to 16:00
• Ticket price: 7 BYN (3 Euro)
• Metro station: Park Čaliuskincaŭ
• Required time: around 2 hours
• Rating: 4 из 5. If you have already seen everything in the city and there is still some free time — then you just need to go.

Buffet in the supermarket «Central»

Supermarket «Central», the buffet occupies the entire first floor

10-meter-high ceilings, huge arched windows overlooking Independence Avenue, a separate cash desk in each department, cakes with custard and cognac from plastic cups — who remembers this?

The buffet in supermarket “Central” is the place where time stands still. And even nowadays a business man in a suit eats meat pie, schoolchildren eat up eclairs, students and street musicians have a snack, people complete their 50 grams of brandy.

So stand in queue, take tea in a plastic cup, honey cake or eclair (all this for $ 1), stand near the window, look at the main avenue of Minsk and cars passing by. And soak in the spirit of socialism.

The buffet in supetmarket «Central», look at that lamp — like in palace!

• Opening hours: from 8:00 until 23:00
• Entry price: free
• Required time: 30 minutes
• Metro station: Kastryčnickaja
• Rating: 5 out of 5. Drink, have a snack and go to GUM to buy some souvenirs.

Minsk-Arena stadium

Main entrance of Minsk-Arena stadium and fountains

This is the main not only hockey, but also the concert venue of the country. This modern building accommodates 18-20 thousand spectators and was built for the 2014 World Hockey Championship. This is one of the largest arenas in Europe.

In 2021, the World Hockey Championship will be held simultaneously in Minsk and Riga (Latvia). More than half of the matches, including the semi-finals and the final will be held on the ice arena in Minsk. It will be a grand celebration for hockey fans from around the world. Each of you has a chance to see it.

The Minsk Arena is also the home arena of the Dynamo Minsk hockey club that plays in the KHL. So if you are in Minsk and love hockey, check the schedule of matches. Maybe just today Dynamo Minsk plays with Lokomotiv or SKA? Tickets for the match can be even bought on the day of the game online.

There are also Russian pop stars regularly give concerts, as well as world known stars. Follow the information on the official website of the arena.

• Website: en.minskarena.by/
• You can look outside the arena free and 24/7. Beautiful lights work at night, and fountains in summer.
• Required time: 30 min
• How to get: 10 stops on bus #1 from metro station Kastryčnickaja
• Rating: 1 из 5. It is reasonable to visit Minsk-Arena stadium if: 
• 1. you bought tickets for a concert or a hockey match
• 2. bought a sightseeing tour on a bus in Minsk. The link is the coolest sightseeing tour of Minsk for 11 Euro.
• 3. You are going to the water park from the center, so you won’t pass by the Arena

The water park

View on the water park from open pool

The third largest water park in Europe. It was open to the public about 5 years ago. It works all year round and is a great place to relax for both children and adults.

My wife and I came here for the whole day and were delighted.

In the water park there are about 15 slides of various levels of extremes, including the highest Kamikaze. A huge number of pools, including outdoor which also works in the winter. There is a bath complex with 7 baths, a jacuzzi and hydro guns.

There is a restaurant where you can satisfy your hunger with fast food, pizza, sushi, beer and desserts.

There is also a surfing simulator where you can rent a board, as we did, and then tell everyone that you are a cool surfer.

• Website: waterpark.by/en
• Opening hours: from 11:00 until 23:00, saturday and sunday from 9:00
• Ticket price: click the link for details ссылке.
• Transportation: more convenient — by car or taxi. Bus #119с from Central railway station.
• Required time: 3-8 hours
• Rating: 5 out of 5. If you are in Minsk for more than 2 days, you definitely need to plan a visit to the water park. You’ll like it!

Dinamo stadium

Reconstruction of Dinamo stadium

This landmark building of Minsk was practically rebuilt by the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. This stadium then hosted the matches of the football tournament, as well as part of the athletics competitions.

The last 4 years it was closed for global reconstruction and at the end of 2018 the stadium was opened. Today it can host matches of the Europa League and the Champions League, as well as this great concert venue for 23 thousand spectators.

Before the reconstruction, the stadium had an individual style: these are red arched vaults, which were preserved.

The next important events that will allow to get to the stadium are the 2nd European Games, which will be held in Minsk in June 2019. If you want to go to the stadium, follow the upcoming events on the official website.

• Website: stadium-dinamo.by
• Opening hours: it is possible to get inside only having a tickets
• Rating: 1 out of 5. Even despite the fact that it is a symbol of the city which is on many photos and magnets there is nothing special to do here. I recommend only sports fans who collect selfies against all the stadiums in Europe.

In conclusion: the sights of Minsk do not end there, this should be enough for you for 3-4 days.

But do not forget that, apart from Minsk, there are a huge number of interesting places outside of it: Mir Castle, Nesvizh Castle, Brest Fortress, Belovezhskaya Pushcha and many more interesting things.

I hope we answered your question: what to see in Minsk in 1-3 days 🙂

Have an unforgettable holiday in the capital of Belarus!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: below are the links that will be needed in organizing an unforgettable trip to Belarus:

• Air tickets: Aviasales — the largest airline ticket metasearch engine in the CIS.
• Apartments, hotels, farmsteads:
  • Hotellook — perhaps one of the most popular services in the country after the closure of the Booking com service in the country.
  • Ostrovok — main competitor. Search everywhere, book where it’s cheaper.
  • Sutochno — great discounts and promotions.
• Excursions and tours:
  • GYG — the largest selection of excursions in English in Belarus.
  • Sputnik8 — the largest selection of author’s excursions in Minsk, castles and the whole country. Possibly also in English.
• Rent a Car: Discovery — aggregator of car rental companies in Belarus. All cars without mileage limit.
• Transfer from airport: KiwiTaxi -the cheapest carrier from the airport to the center of Minsk. Cheaper — only by bus.