(conducted in Russian, audio guides in English in the museums)
2 days/1 night
Have you ever spent a night in the castle? We'll give you such a great chance! We offer rich and memorable tour programme: you'll visit two magnificent castles listed as UNESCO Heritage sites. There are no hidden extras - the price of the tour includes all entrance tickets, breakfasts and lunches…
The tour price includes:
Accommodation: Palace*** Hotel www.palacehotel.by
Meals: 1 continental breakfast + 2 lunches
Transport service
Excursions (all entrance tickets included):
• Excursion "Ancient Towns of Mir and Nesvizh"
• Audio guides in the museums
• Excursion to Mir Castle museum
• Excursion to Nesvizh Castle museum
• Visit of the Town Hall in Nesvizh
• Walking down the Park Complex of Nesvizh
Viapol souvenirs and relevant city maps
TOUR PROGRAMME
DAY 1 - Drive from Minsk to NESVIZH. You will see the most valuable monuments of Belarus listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Mir and Nesvizh Castles. Arrival in Nesvizh. Nesvizh is the former capital of the Radziwill's Ordination, one of the most high-powered families of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (www.niasvizh.by). At the Market place of this picturesque town you will see the Town Hall, shopping arcades, artisan houses; the Slutsk Gate (17th century) is located nearby. During our excursion to the Town Hall which was built after Magdeburg rights were granted to Nesvizh in 1586 we will see the museum exposition devoted to the city magistrate. The Farny Church of the 16th century (architect Giovanni Maria Bernardoni) - the first Baroque building in the Eastern Europe. This church is one of the most valuable churches in Belarus due to gorgeous fresco painting and the undercroft. We are heading to the Nesvizh Castle Complex of the 16-18th centuries designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Maria Bernardoni by order of Nickolay Christoph Radziwill "Sirotka". The magnificent castle surrounded by high earthworks and wide ponds represents the system of buildings forming the tasteful court of honor. Lunch at the restaurant. Hotel check-in. During our visit of the Palace Museum you will see the impressive expositions composed of a vast number of relics, great halls of the palace, living and housekeeping areas. The great palace halls will impress you by their valuable sets of the artworks, weapons, coins… After the excursion inside the castle we continue our day walking through picturesque parks adjacent to the palace which were founded in the 19th century by Maria de Castellano Radziwill. Overnight stay in Nesvizh.
DAY 2 - Breakfast. Hotel check-out. Drive to Mir. The majestic MIR CASTLE (www.mirzamak.by), built in the 16th century, its bright architectural look, mighty walls and towers, colorful courtyard leave a lasting impression which will be complemented by the MUSEUM EXPOSITION inside the castle. Our excursion begins and first we go downstairs - to the basement where food stocks and wine storages were located. The main exposition of the castle is represented by the material culture of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, hunting trophies, suits of armour, household items. The last titled owners of the castle were the Svyatopolk-Mirsky Family, we will see the rooms and studies where the members of the family worked and lived. Our museum guides will tell us about the life of the Radziwill Family, demonstrate us the confirmation of their ancient lineage and military glory. Lunch. Alongside the castle there is the chapel of the Svyatopolk-Mirsky family built in the beginning of the 20th century. The historic part of the small town of Mir - the place where Belarusians, Poles, Jews, Gipsies and Tartars had been living together for a long time - kept the atmosphere of the former small town… The ensemble of the market place is formed by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, synagogues, Yeshiva, the houses of craftsmen and merchants. Return to Minsk about 18.00.
Distance: Minsk-Nesvizh 120 km, Nesvizh-Mir 30 km
Starting point: 9.00, Belarus Hotel*** - Minsk, 15 Storozhovskaya str. End of tour: Belarus Hotel***
