Minsk, Belarus

Minsk (Belarusian: Мінск, Russian: Минск) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Belarus. Its population is about two million people.

For many years after the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991, Minsk and Belarus, in general, had a reputation of a Soviet experience park. In the late 2010s, this stereotype started losing its relevance: Minsk offers reliable and affordable public transport, plentiful hotels, convenient banking, and shopping and dining that international tourists will find familiar. The quality and number of sightseeing opportunities have improved remarkably too. Still, the Soviet past - Stalinist architecture and socialist street art, old-style canteens and department stores - exists alongside the renovated churches, fancy restaurants, hipster joints and tourist sightseeing traps. This makes Minsk an attractive destination for those who look for new experiences.