The capital
Nearly every trip begins in Minsk, the rebuilt Soviet showpiece with grand avenues, a restored Upper Town, strong museums and the only airport with regular international flights.
The castles
An easy day south west of the capital, Mir and Nesvizh are the country's two UNESCO castles: one a red brick fortress by a lake, the other a palace of the Radziwill princes set in a landscaped park.
The western border cities
Brest, on the Polish border, is home to the famous Second World War fortress and the gateway to the primeval Belovezhskaya Pushcha forest. Grodno, further north, has the best preserved old town in the country, with baroque churches above the Neman River.
The north
Vitebsk is Marc Chagall's home town, a hilly river city that hosts the Slavianski Bazaar festival each July, and a base for Polotsk and the lakes of the north.
How to combine them
A week covers Minsk, a castles day trip, Brest and Grodno by train. Add Vitebsk and Polotsk for a second week. Before you plan anything, read your government's travel advice, check your entry route on the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs site, and use the free trip planner to shape the order of your days.