'''Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk, Viciebsk)''' is a city in Vitsyebskaya Voblast, Belarus.

Understand

Typically assigned a founding date of 974, Vitsyebsk has long been an important cultural and commercial hub for the numerous occupiers in its long history. It is still an important center of arts and culture for the Republic of Belarus and is surrounded by stunning countryside.

Get in

By plane

There is a small regional airport not far from Vitsyebsk, but it is not served by any airlines worthy of note for the typical tourist and you will only be able to connect to larger airports in Belarus and Russia.

By train

Vitsyebsk sits on the major train route from Miensk, capital of Belarus, to Saint Petersburg, Russia. Moscow is also easily accessible by train. Vitsyebsk also serves as a regional hub.

By car

Vitsyebsk is accessible by major highways.

By bus

Regular buses travel between Vitsyebsk and Miensk or Moscow, as well as to numerous other smaller regional towns. Buses to Lithuania and Latvia are also available. "route buses" from Minsk is a good way of transportation - they are fast, conveniant and often can drop you off nearby the hotel or the house in Vitebsk which you point out.

By boat

Get around

Buses, trolleybuses, and trams all operate in and around the city, and cost in the area of $0.4(US) for a single ride. Monthly passes are also available should you have an extended stay. Private buses and "route taxis" also operate throughout the city, for higher rates, but are more likely to have heat, an open seat, and be operating reasonably on time. Taxis are easy to catch from the train station, center of the city, and near the major universities. The price of the taxi to your destination should be agreed in advance, and should typically not exceed $5(US). The tourist sights are all within walking distance of one another.

See

Vitsyebsk is often referred to as the "Cultural Capital" of Belarus. It is best known as the birthplace of the Jewish painter Marc Chagall, and his home has been preserved and operates as a museum. It is located near the railway station and costs 5,000 roubles to get in. There is also a museum dedicated to his works that also frequently hosts exhibitions by the city's large modernist/post-modernist/avant garde artist community, among whom the most notable currently are the internationally renowned sculptor Vasil Vasiliev and the regionally respected painter Aliaksandr Maley.

Vitsyebsk is also home to the '''National Academic Dramatic Theatre named for Yakub Kolas'''[http://www.theatre.vitebsk.by]. This company has seen considerable success internationally. It is especially notable for being one of the last two professional theatres in the world performing exclusively in the Belarusian language. Foreign travellers unable to understand Belarusian should not be afraid of attending a performance, however, given that much of the work directed by Artistic Director Vital Barkouski is both visually striking and frequently of such an avant garde nature that they can be appreciated without an understanding of the language. Traditional works with charismatic flair are frequently directed by Yuri Lizianhevich.

In November, the city holds the '''International Festival of Modern Choreography'''[http://artmark.mm.by/eng/links/ifmc.htm], which plays host to dance companies from around the world.

Finally, Vitsyebsk is the home of the "Slaviansky Bazaar"[http://festival.vitebsk.by/en/] a huge festival of music from across the Slavic-speaking world. It is hosted in a stunning amphitheatre near the center. Other cultural events and activities, such as exhibitions and traditional crafts also play a significant part in the festival, and guest theatre productions are hosted in the Yakub Kolas Theatre.

The "Ratusha" (city hall), with its renowned clock tower, is a beautiful piece of 19th century architecture, as is St. Varvara's Catholic Church. The church of Alexander Nevsky, sitting on the River Dvina across ul. Zamkovaya from the Yakub Kolas Theatre is also a beautiful example of old wooden style Orthodox churches.

As of 30 May 2008 the city's main art museum was closed for renovations. There is a museum in the old town (between the Hotel Eridan and the river) that holds a few hundred lithographs by Chagall (entry 5,000 roubles).

There is museum at the former residence of famous russian painter - I.Repin not far from Vitebsk.

Buy

Traditional Belarusian handicrafts are available in the "Univermag" department store on ul. Zamkovaya or at the train station. They can also be purchased at the open market not far from the train station. Vodka of particularly high quality is available at shops around the city, and Vitsyebsk is home to a distillery which produces fine vodkas with "tourist-worthy" bottles.

Eat

There is not a great deal of fine dining available in Vitsyebsk, nor a great deal of variety. The best regarded restaurant for both atmosphere and food quality (but not portion sizes) is "Traktir", located in close proximity to city hall, and provides a portion of its menu in English. There is also a passable Chinese restaurant, "Zolotoye Drakon" (the Golden Dragon), another few short blocks away, which also issues its menu in English. "Cafe Teatralnoye," underneath the Yakub Kolas Theatre, has a fairly extensive menu and reasonably attractive dining area. There are numerous other smaller cafes around. Kiosks sell fast foods like hot dogs, "home-style" pizza slices, and "Chetburek" a student favorite of meat in fried crust. For some time there was only one dedicated pizza restaurant, of middling quality but with a wide variety of toppings, sitting near the pedagogical and technological universities on Moskovski Prospekt. A new pizza restaurant, [http://www.arena-pizza.by/ Arena], has opened in the center of the city. It is spotlessly clean, is popular with locals and serves up perfectly decent pizzas for around 10,000 roubles, including a vegetarian option. Late night dining is normally only available in dancing clubs.

Belarusian food is normally of the "meat and potatoes" variety. The best known Belarusian dish is "draniki," which are fried potato pancakes, frequently filled with meat, that are best served with sour cream. "Kotleti" or pork cutlets, are also a regional favorite. Mushrooms from the local forests add a rich flavor to many local dishes, and fresh fish from the regions lakes also make for delicious entrees. The soups are absolutely not to be missed. Salads will typically throw the typical out-of-towner off. Leafy greens are extremely far and few between. Instead, Belarusian salads are normally some combination of rice, mayonnaise, mushrooms, chopped boiled eggs, and other flavorings. The best comparison, in texture and flavor, would be to American potato or chicken salads. The closest to a purely vegan salad to be found would be chopped cucumber and tomatoes in oil.

Drink

The previously mentioned "Cafe Teatralnoye", Club Aurora, and the club on the main floor of the Hotel Vitebsk are the most popular places to go for drinking and dancing. There are numerous other smaller cafes, such as "Cafe Gulliver" behind the Yakub Kolas Theatre, Cafe Aladdin, and Cafe Jamaica, where one might grab a quick drink. Vodka is normally enjoyed with food, but if you're not hungry, it is customary to at least purchase a soft drink to serve as a chaser. Drinking vodka straight without anything to chase is associated more with drunks. Apart from certain brandies, you'll pay incredibly high prices for foreign liquors, even those which Westerners might consider ordinary, such as Jack Daniels whiskey or Jose Cuervo tequila. Beer is easy to come by and cheap, however. The better beers available in Vitsyebsk include "Baltika", a Russian brand, and Miensk's "Olivariya" brand.

Sleep

Foreigners staying in Belarus should know that hotel prices are different for foreigners than they are for CIS citizens. In the best hotel in Vitsyebsk, Eridan, an individual should expect to pay $40-$50 a night. If one is a business guest of a local business, however, the price is reduced to the local rate of around $20. Apart from Eridan, there is the Hotel Vitebsk, and the local Economics University also maintains a small hotel. Eridan is the most comfortable, attractive, and best located.

Stay safe

Belarusians are typically quite friendly to foreigners. Sometimes too much, however. It's not unheard of for less scrupulous individuals to intoxicate visitors to such a degree that it's easy to rob them. The best rule is to never accept a drink from a stranger, but never refuse one from a trusted friend.

Western men are well advised that attentive females encountered in dancing clubs and bars are highly likely to be shakedown artists. The typical ploy is that after you take her to a private location, her large "boyfriend" emerges to accept your "apology" for toying with his girl. Your apology will come in the form of cash.

Registration is the single most important safety precaution. Admittedly, this is the means by which the government keeps track of the movement of foreigners under the guise of "visitor safety." However, being caught with a registration older than three days can result in complicated situations. Hotel agents will automatically register you upon check-in. Registration for staying in a private residence, however, can be complicated and requires a long wait at a local office which can be exceedingly hard to find.

Police in Belarus aren't well-known for being open-minded. Given the largely homogenous fashion sense of people in Belarus, wild aberrations in clothes or hairstyle may single you out for suspicion of possession of narcotics. Again, have that registration with you at all times.