EXCURSION TOUR ‘GEDEMINAS CITY’ - GLASSWORKS ‘NEMAN’ IN BEREZOVKA
Itinerary: Grodno – Lida – Berezovka - Grodno
8.30 – time of dispatch; Route: Grodno –Lida (120 km). Sightseeing stop: Murovanka village (The Temple of the Mother of God Nativity; 16th century).
10.30 – arrival in the city of Lida, sightseeing tour including Lida Castle (Gedeminas Castle) – a great monument of military art of the 14-15th centuries. It rises predominant over the city demonstrating to all tourists a glorious and heroic past of Belarusian land.
11.30 – visiting Regional Centre of Handicrafts and Traditional Culture ‘Spadchyna’ in Lida. You will learn about crafts as a separate part of people’s culture, their connection with national holidays and rites. The museum houses 3 permanent and 2 temporary portable displays with about 690 museum specimens on the whole; 290 of them – basic fund, 400 – additional scientific fund. Various entertaining events are held in the museum. You can see ‘Tsar Irod’ or ‘The Little Red Hen and the Grain of Wheat’ in the traditional puppet theatre ‘Batleika’
12.15 – 13.15 – free time in the city or an excursion to Lida Castle (extra pay)
13.15 -14.15 – lunch in a café (optional, extra pay 5euros/pers.)
15.00 – arrival in the town of Berezovka. A visit to Glassworks ‘Neman’ where you can get some information on the 130th technology of glass manufacturing. A tour of the factory and glass Museum, shopping for glass souvenirs.
17.30 - departure for Grodno.
20.00 – arrival in Grodno.
Tour price (25 people): 15 euros/pers.
The price includes: rout transportation, professionally guided tour.
Extra costs include:
- an excursion to Lida Museum of Handicrafts with a theatrical performance Batleika 2 euros/pers.
- Lida castle – 3 euros/pers.
- a tour of Glassworks ‘Neman’ and glass Museum – 5 euros/pers.
EXCURSION TOUR ‘ROADS OF CASTLES’
with a visit to the glass factory in Berezovka
Itinerary: Grodno - Berezovka – Nesvizh - Mir – Grodno
6.30 - gathering of the group, the departure from Grodno.
8.30 - ( 130 km) - arrival in the urban settlement Berezovka. A visit to to the glass factory “Neman”, familiarity with the 130th technology of glass production. An excursion to production and to the factory museum.
11.00 (105 km) – departure for Nesvizh.
13.00 – arrival in Nesvizh.
13.15 – 14.15 - lunch in a cafe (surcharge, on request 5 Euros/person).
14.30 – excursion program in Nesvizh with a visit to Nesvizh castle.
Nesvizh:The excursion program includes familiarity with the favorite Nesvizh castle – the former residence of a powerful Belarusian magnate family Radziwills.Best European architects, artists, woodcarvers, gardeners, decorators, jewelers were invited to decorate these possessions (the legend of hidden gold apostles of the Radziwills family is haunted by many so far). Nesvizh has turned into one of the most beautiful places of Belarus.
You will observe the wonderful monuments, which gave the names “Northern Paris” or “Uncrowned capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania” to the city. They are Slutskaya Brama (1690s.), the Town Hall Square with the Town Hall, the Farny Church, the building of the printing house and the monument to the great Belarusian enlightener Symon Budny, the famous park complex. Nesvizh is a city-treasure which charm is not lost with age. This tour is one of the most popular in the Republic.
17.00 - (31 km) – departure for Mir.
17.40 – overview and a walking tour in the city with a visit to Mir castle.
Mir:In Mir you will get acquainted with a pearl of Belarusian architecture - the Mir castle - the first national cultural monument included in UNESCO World Heritage list. Built by the magnates Ilyinich in 1540 in the Belarusian Gothic style, it amazes with greatness today. 5 towers up to 27 m are connected by thick defensive walls. The unique castle ensemble blends into the surrounding landscape. The castle is one of the most popular excursion objects of the Republic.
18.40 (202 km) – departure for Grodno.
22.00 – arrival in Grodno.
Cost: $ 35/ person at the exchange rate of the National Bank of Belarus on the day of payment.
The price includes: transport service on the route, excursions with Nesvizh castle entrance tickets, excursions with entrance tickets in Berezovka, tourist information.
The cost of the audio guide in Nesvizh castle – $ 2/ person.
"THE AUGUSTOW RINGLET"
Itinerary: Grodno – the Village of Nemnovo – the Ostashanka River - the Neman River – the Augustow Canal – the gateway "Nemnovo" – the Village of Nemnovo – Grodno
« The Augustow ringlet» - is a small (7,5 km) training, light and bright water route. It runs along a winding and picturesque river – the Ostashanka River (the 1st part of the route), which flows into the tranquil and majestic Neman River (the 2nd part), and finally – in the Augustow Canal (the 3rd part). In the final part of the route you will get an unforgettable experience – the passing through the 4-chamber gateway (the largest in the system of the Augustow Canal) in the Village of Nemnovo.
The travel time of the route is 3.5-4 hours.
9.00 – gathering of the group, the briefing, the departure from Grodno.
10.00(30 km)– arrival in the Village of Nemnovo, preparation of equipment for rafting.
10.30(8 km)– start of the rafting on the route: the Ostashanka River - the Neman River – the Augustow Canal – the gateway "Nemnovo".
13.30–return to Nemnovo, preparation of equipment for delivery.
14.00– lunch-picnic (surcharge, on request); rest.
17.00–departure for Grodno.
Cost:
with transport service – $ 35/person in BYN at the rate of the National Bank of Belarus on the day of payment(minimum 18 persons).
The cost includes:
- A seat in a 2-seater kayak
- A life jacket
- The assistance of an instructor-lifeguard
- The delivery of tourists to the place of the beginning and the end of the rafting
«NEMNOVO RAFTING»
Itinerary: Grodno – the Neman River – the Augustow Canal – the Village of Nemnovo with a sluicing in the biggest Gateway "Nemnovo" – Grodno
Rafting on the Neman River and the Augustow Canal is a new one-day interesting route, which is not really simple, but quite affordable for beginner kayakers and families with children. Everyone will see peaceful and majestic Neman, surrounded by high banks, as well as the legendary Augustow canal. At the end of the rafting the sluicing in the 4-chamber Gateway "Nemnovo" will be held.
10.00 –gathering of the group on the city beach of Grodno, the briefing, preparation of equipment for the rafting. Departure.
10.30-17.30 –start of the rafting on the route: – the Neman River – the Augustow Canal (with the rest and the sluicing).
17.30 - return to Nemnovo, preparation of equipment for delivery
18.00 – dinner-picnic.
20.00 – departure of the group.
Cost:
with transport service – $ 35 /person in BYN at the rate of the National Bank of Belarus on the day of payment (minimum 18 persons).
The cost includes:
- A seat in a 2-seater kayak
- A life jacket
- The assistance of an instructor-lifeguard
- The delivery of tourists to the place of the beginning and the end of the rafting
SIGHTSEEING BUS TOUR
« MINSKCITY»
A visit tothe National Library of Belarus,which is built inthe form of a diamond, symbolizing the human knowledge. A visit to the Book Museum. The rise of the group to the observation deck.
A sightseeing tour of the city which introduces the hero-city of Minsk, its past and present. During the tour you will learn about the history of the city, its appearance on pages of annals, the basis and the revival after numerous wars and fires.
The tour route goes along the main thoroughfares and squares of the city.You will visit the Railway Station Square and you will see a new modern building of the Railway Station. Then the route takes you to the administrative and political centre - the Independence Square. You will find out how a monumental building of the Government House was erected manually, with no use of technical equipment, and what a sad legend is the basis of the construction of the Red Church. You will pass on the widest avenue of the city, where the width of the highway is 2 times the height of surrounding buildings.Minsk Independence Avenue, engineered for the sample of Nevsky Avenue in St. Petersburg, is a prime example of Stalin's empire style, and even claims to be included into UNESCO World Heritage list.
You will see the Site of ancient castle (XI century.), the place of foundation of ancient Mensk. You will learn about the recorded history of the city, try to imagine how medieval Mensk lived and what looked like (rebuilt in the tree on the peninsula at the confluence of two rivers and surrounded by an earthen rampart).You will hear the legend of the hero Menesc and his unusual mill. On Liberty Square, where the so called “stone Minsk” originated and raised its towers and domes to the sky, you will observe the restored town hall, Gostiny Dvor, Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (XVIII – XX centuries), a shopping arcade. You will get to know the main sanctuary of Holy Spirit cathedral - (XVII century) - Minsk icon of the Mother of God and her miraculous appearance to the townspeople. You will pass through the quiet streets of the Trinity suburb, and feel the living image of the city of the XIX century. On the Island of Tears you can pay tribute to soldiers-internationalists and make a wish by holding a crying angel by the wing. The Museum Dudutki is located 40 kilometers from the city of Minsk, in the Pukhovichi region, and enjoys a scenic location next to the Ptich River a mile from the village Dudichi (http://www.dudutki.by/).
Cost:
Travel, sightseeing city tour: 1 person – $ 11.
Visit to the National Library of Belarus + the Book Museum+ the rise to the observation deck to take a picture: 1 person – $ 2.