Minsk is the common Slavic capital. Buildings, architecture, transport, infrastructure, airports and hospitals are very similar to those in other Slavic countries. Belarus differs from other cities by its cleanliness and the government system. Minsk also has high security system. Local people are peaceful and obey rules and regulations of the government otherwise they will face negative consequences. There is no racism in this country, the foreigners are welcomed warmly. The possibility of facing improper behavior, fights, larceny or something of the kind on the streets is very low. From my own experience I can obviously say, that I have never witnessed any kinds of these events.
Minsk can be considered as the city of universities, institutions and dormitories. The capital of Belarus also has extended green areas. Parks, gardens, rivers, lakes are all designed for free people use. There are no stray cats and dogs on the streets. As for the living cost of students it is quite low. The students who live in dormitories spend around 300 dollars per month on all his or her personal expenses. The students who stay in their rented flats and houses spend also extra 500 dollars on living costs. The transport is very cheap, the entertainment possibilities are limitless. And there is no money limit for students who love night life.
Belarus is very calm country from one hand and entertaining from the other. Cafes, bars, discos, restaurants are overcrowded every day and night. The places are full with people because the prices are suitable according to their earnings. Also all casinos in Belarus are legal.
Students in Minsk often prefer to stay in dormitories. Factors such as low accommodation fees and an active social life in dormitories attract students. Most of the foreign students stay in the dormitories called Student Village, located near the Petrovşçina metro station in Minsk. We can call this place a youth neighborhood. Young people take a walk outside , sitting on benches sing songs to the accompaniment of a guitar, make jokes, laugh loud. Since the metro is very close to Student Village, you can easily reach every part of the city from here. The dormitories are located in the area full of developed shopping centers, markets and cafes. These dormitories, that are similar to 3-star hotels, have a block system. Don’t worry if you don’t have time to cook. Because in the dormitory there is a canteen, where you can buy very delicious fresh, nutritious and aromatic dishes cooked by Belarusian chefs. If you are fond of sports and want to stay fit, there gyms equipped with various exercise equipment in every dormitory. In addition, there are sports facilities such as parallel bars in the courtyards of the dormitories and a large stadium behind them.
There are many foreign students who come to Minsk in order to study. Belarusian people are used to it and do their best to make the foreigners feel at home. Belarusians are very hospitable and kind. Belarusians do not show hostility to representatives of other races or religions, quite the contrary they treat them warmly. Moreover, Belarusians are very patient.
In Minsk, as all over in Belarus, great importance is given to the cleaning of the streets. Here cleaning staff work very efficiently. In addition, nobody throws garbage on the streets.
Students spend most of their time in the üniversities and dormitories, so they want to have fun on weekends or in the evening or spend time outside. Since life in Minsk is very dynamic both at noon and in the evening, it offers great opporunities for entertainment and rest. If you want to get acquainted with Minsk closer, we bring to you the most frequently visited places:
The Liberty Square is the historical center of Minsk. There you can see what Minsk looked like many years ago. You will be amazed by the Belarusian culture and architecture, that carries the traces of its history. If you want to try the dishes of Belarusian cuisine, most of the cafes here will provide you with this opportunity. Apart from that, since Freedom Square is located on the hill, there is a wonderful city view. There yoy can take beautiful photos with your friends. Every year from May to September free evening music festivals are organized in this square. There participate Belarusian and foreign singers, musicians and dancers. There you can not only listen to music, but also try street food and buy the souvenirs you like.
Oktyabrskaya Street is the center of modern art, enormous graffiti walls, various festivals, delicious street food and endless parties. For several years talented Belarusian and Brazilian painters have been painting every inch of the wall of the street. The graffiti on the walls broaches various topics. The paintings such as Frida Kahlo, European bison and colibria address current issues such as environmental pollution and protection of rare animals. Open air parties are always held here.
A 23-storey National Library of Belarus built in the form of a diamond is one of the most unusual places in Minsk. The library has not only a library foundation, but several museums, music halls and galleries. The library illuminated with various illustrations is especially beautiful in the evening. By the way, the library has an observation platform where you can watch the wonderful view.
The Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War is the first museum in the world dedicated to the memory of the bloodiest war of the 20th century. The museum, that is one of the largest museums in the world, was established during the Nazi invasion. The Second World War is of great importance for the Belarusians. During the terrible war every third Belarusian was ither killed, burned or hung. The Nazis were massacring even little babies. As for Minsk, 85% of the city was devastated. You will learn more about the Second World War due to seeing in the museum things such as real weapons, tanks, soldier clothes, various documents used during the war.
The developed transportation system enables students to reach every part of the city easily, and it is really simlifies life of students. The metro, tram, trolleybus and bus are among the city vehicles. Minsk is the only city in Belarus, that provides metro services. The metro consists of 2 lines and 29 stations. To pass to the other metro line, you need to make a transfer at “Kastrıçnitskaya” or “Kupalauskaya” station. Metro stations are open for passengers from 05.30 am till 0.40 am. The subway goes every 2.0 – 2.5 minutes at rush hours (07.00-09.00, 17.00-19.00), every 3 – 5 minutes at noon and evety 4 – 12 minutes in the evening.
The city with the population of about 2 million is rich of green areas and parks. You always see people on the walking and cycling paths. The majority of Belarusians likes sports as well as fun. Minsk is very developed in terms of sports activities and it is a very rich city in terms of the number of people participating in sports activities. Minsk has the best sports venues in Europe that are equipped with modern technologies, where where global scale sports events take place. They contribute to the physics development of young people. Free and quality sports halls and professional trainers at the university are of great value for students.
Minsk is a historical, cultural, economic and pleasant city, where friendly peple live and educational institutions provide quality education for students, One of the biggest reasons foreign students prefer to live in Minsk is that the city is always alive, dynamic, and very safe. The city is under 24/7 protection. In addition, one of the most important advantages of the city is that in big shops or markets everyone can always find products to their tastes.
Social Activities in Minsk
Minsk, that values art, is a city rich of social activities.
Theatre. It is very common among residents of Minsk to visit artistic events such as theatrical perfomances and ballet. Theatre ticket prices are very affordable in Minsk. If you have only $ 6 in your pocket, you can buy a theatre ticket. Since the tickets are sold out quickly, you need to buy affordable seats in advance. You can go to the theatre and enjoy perfomances that are staged in a quality and professional manner according to the works of Belarusian, Russian and world literature.
Circus. One of the most pleasant activities in Minsk is visiting the circus.
Museum. Numerous museums, monuments and historical buildings in the city transparently reflect the culture and history of Belarus. The most striking museum in Minsk is the Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War. The Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War is the first museum in the world dedicated to the memory of the bloodiest war of the 20th century. The museum, that is one of the largest museums in the world, was established during the Nazi invasion. The Second World War is of great importance for the Belarusians. During the terrible war every third Belarusian was ither killed, burned or hung. The Nazis were massacring even little babies. As for Minsk, 85% of the city was devastated. You will learn more about the Second World War due to seeing in the museum things such as real weapons, tanks, soldier clothes, various documents used during the war.
In addition to various war museums, there are also museums devoted to interesting topics in the city of Minsk. Among them there are the cat museum, beer museum, stone museum. Every month at certain periods of time entrance to museums is free for students.
Cinema. If you want to watch a movie in cinema, you should know, that in Belarus with the exception of some films films are dubbed, not subtitled. As for the prices, cinema tickets costs range from $ 2.5 to $ 7.
Festival. Minsk is a city that attaches great importance to various holidays and festivals. It is possible to participate in festivals or celebrations at any time of the year. For example, every summer a free Jazz festival is held in Minsk.
Park. Minsk is a city surrounded by vast parks, gardens and water resources. In good weather especially in summer people enjoy spending time in green areas and cycling. İn 2019 Minsk joined the Bikesharing program. According to this program, everyone can rent a bike via a special telephone application. The cost of a 30-minute ride is about $ 0.5.
Nemiga. In Nemiga, that is the city center, there is a large lake and a walking and cycling areas surrounding it. There are many cafes and entertainment centers in this area.
Moreover, Nemiga is the place where the history of Minsk began. The Liberty Square in Nemiga is the historical center of Minsk. There you can see what Minsk looked like many years ago. You will be amazed by the Belarusian culture and architecture, that carries the traces of its history. If you want to try the dishes of Belarusian cuisine, most of the cafes here will provide you with this opportunity. Apart from that, since Freedom Square is located on the hill, there is a wonderful city view. There yoy can take beautiful photos with your friends. Every year from May to September free evening music festivals are organized in this square. There participate Belarusian and foreign singers, musicians and dancers. There you can not only listen to music, but also try street food and buy the souvenirs you like.
Shopping. There a lot shops and shopping malls in Minsk, where you can find a lot of domestic and foreign brands and meet all your needs.
Restaurant. İn different parts of the city you can find restaurants of various national cuisines, including restaurants where you can taste traditional dishes of Belarusian cuisine.
In short, there are thousands of options and activities to spend good time in Minsk. So many options give foreigners an opportunity to to find traces of their own culture and have different experiences.