Brest Belarus

The city of Brest Belarus is full of history, culture, and cuisine for travelers seeking a new and unusual destination. If you’ve spent a lot of time exploring Western Europe, then it’s time to expand your horizon, and Belarus is a fascinating place to do so. Located in the southwest corner of the country, Brest is near the Polish border, and many travelers reach by Belarus by hopping aboard a train in Poland. Trains from Warsaw depart multiple times daily. Another option for reaching this city is a train from Minsk. Direct air service is available from Moscow in Russia, but otherwise, travelers will want to fly to Warsaw or Minsk and connect from those cities via train.

Brest Belarus is a very pedestrian-friendly city. One favorite area of the city is the riverfront, or Naberezhnaya. Take a stroll under the willow trees here or pack along a picnic to enjoy the river views. Besides physical beauty, there are many opportunities to learn about the history of this city as well. One must-see attraction is the Fortress of Brest, built in the nineteenth century by the Russian Empire. A museum here makes this attraction a particularly informative historical site. Another great museum is the Outdoor Railway Museum, which is located near the fortress.

One of the attractions of Brest is that the city has a very low crime rate. Annual events are festive, fun occasions attracting many young backpackers and travelers seeking entertainment. Affordable hotels and restaurants will also help budget travelers not to break the bank during a visit. If you have a little spending money, one popular shopping district is the boutiques along Sovetskaya Street. Visitors might also notice a large number of young people, as Brest is home to two universities. If you’re visiting during spring or summer, you will see these students gathering in Brest City Park for an afternoon stroll or picnic.

Visitors to Brest with a historical interest will have plenty more sites to check out. The Holocaust Memorial commemorates the lives of the more than 34,000 Jews who were taken from the Brest Ghetto and killed in the early 1940s. An archaeological museum displays objects dating from the eleventh through the thirteenth centuries. The city also has one eye clearly on the future, as visitors will see from its shopping street and monuments such as the Millennium Monument of Brest. For a day trip outside of Brest, the Belavezhskaya Pushcha National Park is a popular choice for its zoo, forest, and hiking.

Many people who visit Brest also choose to visit the capital city of Belarus, Minsk, or the famous Mir Castle. The country was a part of the Soviet Union and has been recovering from this as well as the devastation of its population from World War II. The two official languages of the country are Belarusian and Russian, so don’t be surprised to hear both languages during your trip. The primary religion is Russian Orthodox Christianity, meaning for visitors that there are great celebrations at Easter and Christmas time. This country is known for its music, literature, and art so expect to indulge in some culture during your trip. When you visit Brest Belarus, you will be glad you ventured off the beaten path to explore somewhere new.