Published: 1st Oct 18 4th edition 272 pages This new, thoroughly updated edition
of Bradt's Belarus remains the only full-blown standalone guide to the most
westerly of the constituent republics that formed the Soviet Union prior to the
break-up in 1991. Written and updated by expert author and Russian speaker Nigel
Roberts, who has been travelling throughout the country for over 17 years, it is
the definitive guide to understanding, and making the most of a visit to this
much-misunderstood nation. Included in this new edition is a detailed focus on
the capital city Minsk, the most likely destination for first-time travellers
and now becoming a major European capital city thanks to an easing of visa
regulations, as well as coverage of each of the other five cities and all six
regions. Roberts draws on his years of experience and shares many stories and
vignettes of his own adventures and experiences of everyday life, all of which
help to bring the destination to life. In addition, there are recommendations
and tips from his wide circle of contacts, including people at all levels of the
tourism industry, charities working on the ground, local people and travellers
from abroad, who regularly share details of up-to-the-minute information,
changes and developments. With Bradt's Belarus enjoy the opportunity to put the
cliché to the test; only ever described by Western media as 'the last
dictatorship in Europe', travellers certainly do have the opportunity to
experience elements of life as it was lived in the days of the Soviet Union but
can also see beyond the cliché as Belarus seeks to free itself from the Soviet
past and establish its own heritage and place in the modern world. Discover
beautifully preserved and restored museum towns such as Mir, Njasvizh,
Novogrudok, Pinsk and Polotsk; see Soviet-style brutalist and modernist
architecture; explore accessible national parks and vast areas of unspoilt
wilderness, with ample opportunity to study flora and fauna; visit historic
palaces and castles stunningly restored; and enjoy the unconditional hospitality
of a people who are anxious to interact with visitors from the English-speaking
world.