Best places to run in Belarus

Ancient UNESCO primeval forest on the Polish border with flat, well-marked hiking and cycling trails through oak groves where European bison roam.

A vast WWII memorial fortress at the confluence of the Bug and Mukhavets rivers, a moving 25-minute walk from the city centre.

A vast protected mix of forest, marsh and rivers crossed by boardwalk eco-trails and a viewing tower over wild bear-and-elk country.

The biggest lake in Belarus, with a clear-water lakeside promenade and pine-forest shore perfect for an easy waterfront run or stroll.

A long narrow glacial lake in the Naroch park with a forested, hilly shore and a lakeside village to walk through.

A crystal-clear legendary forest lake ringed by a kilometre-wide pine belt, with a narrow winding shore path that loops around in under two hours.

Atmospheric ruins of a 17th-century Sapieha castle in a quiet village, with the church and old monastery to walk between.

Castle Hill above Novogrudok with ruined towers and the highest panoramic viewpoint over the rolling Navahrudak uplands.

The best viewpoint over the Braslav Lakes, a kame hill with an observation tower and a short steep climb among the Kezikov hills.

The highest point in Belarus at 345 m, a broad flat-topped hill with a marked trail and gentle views over farmland and forest.

The large Minsk Sea reservoir ringed by forest and beaches, a flat lakeside route for long runs and walks just outside the capital.

A 12th-century church perched on the steep Neman bank, a scenic riverside spot reached by a short climb above the water.

One of the oldest stone castles in Belarus, ruins on a low rise where the historic Union of Krevo was signed, reached on foot through the village.

A large peaceful landscape park on the Svislach with woodland paths and an old manor, good for long quiet walks and rides.

A UNESCO Gothic-Renaissance castle with an Italian garden and lake you can stroll freely on wide paths around the grounds.

A rolling glacial landscape of 300 interconnected lakes, post-glacial ridges and forested hills with lakeshore paths and tougher inland trails.

Belarus's largest resort lake district with pine-backed sandy beaches and 43 lakes, ideal for flat lakeside walks and runs.

Belarus's untouched Polesia floodplain of oak groves, meadows and waterlogged forest, explored on eco-trails amid huge birdlife.

A UNESCO Radziwill palace set in a landscaped park of lakes, bridges and tree-lined avenues that's free to walk around.

A central riverside park on the Svislach with a roughly 2.3 km circuit and a Ferris wheel, a popular spot for a downtown run.

Minsk's favourite running park with a 7 km perimeter loop around an island and lake near the war museum.

An 11th-century cathedral on the Western Dvina bank in Belarus's oldest city, anchoring an easy embankment loop through the historic centre.

Grodno's medieval castle on a steep bluff with one of the best observation platforms over the Neman River and the old town.