Shopping in Belarus

Belarus is no longer the cheap travel destination it was about a decade ago. However, it is still cheaper than other European countries. You can shop, enjoy restaurants and ride around in a taxi without burning a hole in your pocket. Imported goods from the West arrive via Moscow and are rather expensive.

If you are looking for bargains, the best things to buy are caviar, pirated CDs and vodka.

Shopping in Minsk is as much part of a holiday as exploring the cultural heritage and enjoying the tasty Belarus food and cuisine. You can see what the local shopping scene is like in Minsk.

Shopping in Minsk

Stores

Shopping options in Minsk are growing every year. GUM is a well-known store and worth a visit. It is in the Oktyabrskaya Metro Station at 21 F. Nezavisimosti Ave, earlier known as Skoriny Ave. GUM is a big three-storeyed store and has a distinct Soviet feel to it. It sells everything from carpets to local and imported brands of cosmetics.

Torgovy Dom na Nemige or Nemiga Store offers a more modern style of shopping. It is in the Nemiga Metro Station at 8 Nemiga Street. There is an exchange office and a bankomat, or teller machine, inside the store.

Trade Centres

The Trade Centres or shopping malls in Belarus house numerous small shops and kiosks selling a great variety of goods such as accessories, electronics, cosmetics clothes etc. The biggest and most popular trade centres of Minsk are situated within walking distance of the Yakuba Kolasa Metro Station.

Markets

A visit to one of the local fairs or markets makes for an interesting experience. They are the places to practise your bargaining skills. The best place to buy food in Minsk is the Komarovsky Market located just a short walk away from the Yakuba Kolasa Metro Station. It sells local specialties, fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy products and sweets.

Grocery Stores

While in Minsk, if you are looking for a grocery store along Western lines, visit Centralny on Nezavisimosti Street. It is a two-storeyed store near the McDonalds outlet there. The ground floor has several bakeries, cafes and a liquor store. The supermarket is on the first floor and it sells everything from peanut butter to French wine. Visitors are advised to check the expiration dates on the food packages. An exchange office and a bankomat are located just opposite the supermarket.

Top Things to Buy in Belarus

Some of the best things to buy while on a visit to Belarus are:

Local Delicacies

Caviar, chocolate, Soviet champagne and vodka are available at less than half the price when compared to other Western countries. Another popular buy is zephyr, which is a type of marshmallow. Zephyr is not available in the West.

Beauty Services

Beauty services are available at extremely low prices here. Haircuts, hairstyling, spa treatments and other beauty services are charged at a mere fraction of what you would be charged anywhere else. For US $5, you can get a very good men’s haircut.

Medical Services

Medical tourism is slowly developing in Belarus. Several elective medical procedures are becoming popular among Western clients who cannot afford the same procedures in their home country. Although we cannot comment about these services due to lack of experience, we do recommend buying contact lenses and prescription glasses, and getting some dental cleaning done. A pair of contact lenses costs about US $10 to $15 while prescription glasses without an eye exam cost about US $35.

Repair Work

Almost all broken electronic equipment, such as mobile telephones and laptops, can be repaired at the local Remont shop. It is quite affordable too – for example, you can get a mobile telephone repaired for about US $10.

Computer software, CDs and DVDs

In the absence of any copyright laws in Belarus, these items used to be available at throwaway prices. However, with the enforcement of stricter laws over the last few years, very few sellers sell pirated goods and, consequently, prices have gone up. In spite of that, prices are still lower than in several other countries. You can buy a new CD for less than US $10.

Cotton and Linen

Foreigners love the handmade linen and cotton goods sold here. The fabrics are cheap and natural. Specialty shops sell bed linen, napkins, placemats, tablecloths and other similar items.

Souvenirs

Matrioshkas are little wooden dolls with smaller and smaller dolls inside them. They were originally from Russia but are now sold in Minsk too. They are very popular among shoppers and are bought as souvenirs and gifts.