Gifts & Souvenirs
Luvr
Jewellery, pens and other things shiny by Cartier, Mont Blanc, Damiani and the like.
Address: Komsomolskaya 13
Tel: (+375-17) 289 11 63
Lyanok
Gorgeous local flax and linen.
Address: Skoriny 48
Tel: (+375-17) 284 81 44
10:00-19:00
except:
Fri: 10:00-19:00
Mastatski Salon
Perfect presents of many persuasions.
Address: Skoriny 12
Tel: (+375-17) 227 83 63
10:00-20:00
except:
Fri: 10:00-20:00
Sat: 10:00-18:00
Pavlinka
Wooden souvenirs, embroidered cloth, earthenware ceramics and patriotic plastic Belarus bags.
Skoriny 19
Tel: (+375-17) 227 61 17
10:00-19:00
except:
Fri: 10:00-19:00
Slavutya Maistry Gallery
A good collection of both grotesquely ugly and staggeringly beautiful folk art, paintings, amber, large ceramic candleholders, dried flowers and chiffon scarves. What`s more, the staff are only too eager to please, whilst refraining from shoving stuff you really don`t want down the back of your throat.
Address: Kommunalnaja 6
Tel: (+375-17) 283 28 25
Soyuzpechat
Buy someone you love a bag of stamps. Philately will get you everywhere.
Address: Skoriny 44
08:00-20:00
except:
Fri: 08:00-20:00
Sat: 09:00-19:00
Cinemas
Avrora
Address: Pritytskogo, 23
Tel: 253-33-60
Vilnius
Address: Kalinovskogo, 55
Tel.: 265-49-28
Kiev
Address: Kahovskaya, 29
Tel.: 237-32-70
Mir
Address: Kozlova, 4a
Tel.: 284-37-71
Moskva
Address: Masherova, 13
Tel.: 223-14-48
Oktyabr
Address: Skoryni, 73
Tel.: 232-93-25
Pobeda
Address: Internatsionalnaya, 20
Tel.: 223-77-66
Rodina
Address: Chyaikonoj, 16
Tel.: 242-67-79
Tsentralny
Address: Skoryni, 13
Tel.: 220-82-97
Elektron
Address: Kazinza, 117
Tel.: 278-95-63
Bars
Air Grip
A rough and ready little diner populated by Belarusian bikers and their molls. There are worse places on this earth to waste an hour or two. Probably.
Address: Nemiga 3
Tel: (+375-17) 226 90 98
10:00-12:00
except:
Fri: 10:00-12:00
Blues Cafe
One of the most popular fair weather hangouts for English-speaking temporary residents as well as the colourful tractor driving community of downtown Minsk, Blues Cafe unfortunately dies a small death during the winter months. The indoor section isn`t the most inviting, and the manager`s permanently miserable expression seldom fails to depress the clientele (thankfully he never makes public appearances outdoors). Note, frequenters of the terrace bar are requested not to use the excellent toilet facilities indoors. Kindly take your bladders to the blue plastic cabin in the back yard.
Address: Lenina 1
Tel: (+375-17) 227 56 07
09:00-02:00
except:
Fri: 09:00-02:00
Grunwald Cafe
Although it likes to think of itself as a small restaurant offering a limited range of (albeit tasty) international dishes, Grunwald is perhaps best enjoyed if treated as a cosy, almost romantic bar. Civilised and peaceful, you can enjoy large glasses of bitterly cold Tuborg lager, or if you`re in the mood, a good range of classy cognacs and amerettos.
Address: Karla Marksa 19
Tel: (+375-17) 210 42 55
Fax: (+3
10:00-23:00
except:
Fri: 10:00-23:00
Juravinka
Air traffic control you are clear to get bladdered. An elegant glass rotunda on top of the Juravinka complex (ask if you can`t find the stairs to get up there), frequented by foreigners, the Minsk elite, and miscellaneous alcoholic stargazers out for a good time.
Address: Kupaly 25
Tel: (+375-17) 206 69 00
12:00-24:00
except:
Fri: 12:00-24:00
Sat: 12:00-01:00
Sun: 12:00-01:00
Karchma Starovilenskaya
This recently renovated house in the old town must be the best location in the city. The good selection of Belarusian and Italian dishes should entice if the prospect of several beers doesn`t, but the view overlooking the river is the best reason to head here, though it`s not as useful for people-watching as the Blues Cafe.
Address: Starovilenskaya 2
Tel: (+375-17) 289 37 54
09:00-23:00
except:
Fri: 09:00-23:00
Kopa Kabana
What a pleasant surprise to find this Caribbean-themed bar/restaurant perched north of the centre. Not only does it look good, it serves Havana Club silver rum, Havana cigars and even has attentive staff. And best of all - no Barry Manilow tunes. The English-language menu includes pizza, sandwiches, nine different shasliks and - beware - overpriced water. Followed up by a visit to the showgirls at the Max Show club next door, this makes for a very pleasant evening out.
Address: Skoriny 71
Tel: (+375-17) 232 02 08
08:00-02:00
except:
Fri: 08:00-02:00
Clubs
28 Bar
At last, a club with a sense of humour, and an interior that`s actually had some thought put into it. A quite splendidly hip, `post-floppy experimental techno jazz funk television screens in the floor (with a big screen on the dance floor) toys on turntables` type of thing, also specialising in Japanese food and pineapple sandwiches. Note the nice touch, updating the traditional red velvet of Soviet times to a more modern and garish application. As well as the dance floor and main bar/restaurant area, the place also has two small chill-out rooms, and to find the toilets go through the door marked ` Very Important Places`, and be confronted by two more, one marked `Stars`, the other `Superstars`. Not to be missed.
Address: Chkalova 12
Tel: (+375-17) 222 99 29
18:28-06:28
except:
Fri: 18:28-06:28
Blindage
It`s so damn loud in this so-called industrial club that it`s tempting to write this review in capital letters so you can hear it. Quite good fun, although it can fill up with single males drinking champagne solitaire, and generally enjoying their leather waistcoats. This is the hardest techno venue in town, featuring the double-edged curiosity that is friendly and appalling service. Note, a ticket bought at the Madison club next door (see below) gets you into this place for free.
Address: Timiryazeva 9
22:00-06:00
except:
Fri: 22:00-06:00
Dinamo Stadium
See how ignorant you really are of all things Eastern Europe? Dinamo`s impressive floodlit arena plays occasional host to a medium-sized repertoire of Russian stadium rockers and crooners of every persuasion when there`s no footie being played. This place is also apt to launching unpredictable bursts of fireworks from time to time.
Address: Kirova 8
Tel: (+375-17) 226 20 55
Friendship Cinema
Nothing could be further from the truth, unless of course these twits and part-time owners of a nasty club are referring to that particular type of friendship as expressed between the Israelis and Palestinians.
Address: Tashkentskaya 9, Chizhovka district
Tel: (+375-17) 240 90 13
20:00-23:00
except:
Fri: 20:00-23:00
Sat: 23:30-05:00
Sun: 19:30-23:00
Madison
After dishing out the steep admission fee (also valid for the Blindage club next door - see above), cross the bridge over the psychedelic pond to enter the bar and dancing area. Late Saturday night, we found a rather upscale and meek audience, not really into partying to the mainstream music. More than just a club, Madison also entertains with 10 bowling lanes, computer games and of course a florist.
Address: Timiryazeva 9
Tel: (+375-17) 219 00 10
22:00-06:00
except:
Fri: 22:00-06:00
Magna Club
It`s a shame that this club/music venue is so diabolically awful, as the internal structural effect is quite superb. Although whether that fact in itself justifies a visit, it`s hard to say. All experience and no indulgence.
Address: Kulman 14
Tel: (+375-17) 232 48 75
21:00-05:00
except:
Fri: 21:00-05:00
Minsk Concert Hall
Vile accoustics for indoor stadium rockers.
Address: Oktyabrskaya 5
Tel: (+375-17) 227 89 41
Paradise
Remember school discos? Well, you can come and re-live them here. It`s grotty, over-priced, dark in a very non-club type dark sort of horrid way, sordid, cheap, grubby, and simply not very nice at all. Not surprisingly, Paradise is extremely popular among teenagers.
Address: Masherova 13
Tel: (+375-17) 223 55 33
23:00-04:00
except:
Fri: 23:00-04:00
Sat: 23:00-06:00
Reactor
Famed for actually having its own reactor, Minsk`s legendary discotheque and pulling parlour can be found inside a Belarusian bruiser`s boxing club. The atmosphere and the staff fight continually for nobody`s affection, and the beer (if it ever comes) is un petit chaud.
Address: Very Khoruzhey 29
Tel: (+375-17) 268 62 32
10:00-05:00
except:
Fri: 10:00-05:00
West-World Club
Minsk`s most popular nightclub is a veritable monster of a semicircular affair with a bar at either end and podiums for semi-erotic dancing. At about 24:00 the place goes ballistic and fills nightly to capacity with a whole range of characters, from the elegant prostitutes at the bar to the 40-something divorcees hell-bent on having a good time until the sun comes up. If you run out of money, just nip downstairs to the casino where a 24-hour currency exchange will happily provide you with more roubles to waste. Ghastly, fun, and yet ever-so essential.
Address: Storozhevskaya 15
Tel: (+375-17) 239 17 98
20:00-06:00
except:
Fri: 20:00-06:00
Yula
The three principal reasons for any self-respecting idiot to visit are (in no particular order) 1: to pick up a bit of totty. 2: to play pool on one of two tables in the lobby. 3: to marvel at the little cakes and biscuits dancing in an erotic manner around their little silver poles on the stage.
Address: Surganova 26
Tel: (+375-17) 232 80 71
