Strangely beautiful and remarkably clean, Minsk is a fascinating blend of Stalinist architecture, Soviet-era monuments, museums, theatres, and parks. Outside the capital, pastoral countryside gives way to quaint villages, pristine lakes and forested national parks, including Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park – the oldest wildlife reserve in Europe. Although the country was largely destroyed by WWII, a smattering of centuries-old castles and historic towns offer a glimpse of pre-communist Belarus. Be among the first to discover the understated appeal of this emerging nation.